Until the sun rises

I hovered my right hand above my eyes, blocking the blinding light above me. The crowds’ roars were muffled noise to my ears as I stared at the six dashing young men before me. My breath caught inside my throat, 

“Oh my god”

“Mia please,” Martha, my older sister begged across from the kitchen island, her palms pressed together 

“No,” I replied, barely looking up at her. She was annoyingly destroying  my morning solitude breakfast and I wasn’t having it

“ It’s just for the night and you can freaking stay home forever for all I care!”

I let out a frustrated sigh and scowled at my sister. My coffee was getting cold, my omelet looked less appetizing than when I initially cooked it and my morning is definitely ruined.

My sister had been begging me to be the quote on quote, official photographer of a so-called next big thing on their first fan meeting here abroad. Since they were short on time, she came to me as a last resort and I don’t want to. I only exert my energy and craft on shots that are worth taking. Fan meetings are not one of them.

“Martha, not my thing” I greeted my teeth

“Come on! Think of how good this would look on your college application, imagine the faculties of NYU reading off of your paper the words ‘I photographed OTE on their first fan meeting abroad’ and when they do research they’ll be blown away by the credentials On The Edge has” 

The fork was still in my mouth as I considered it for a moment. She was right though, this could look good-screw that- this would look great on my college application. This would boost up the possibility of me getting into NYU.

“They would pay me right?” 

“Yes, and it is a generous amount given that you are an amateur photographer” 

I tilted my head to the side, these people are surely desperate, if they were handing this job to a teenager. 

My sister sighed when I didn’t answer any further, “Fine, I’ll consider that Korea trip you have been bugging me about since last year” My ears pricked up at that

“Really?!” I shrieked, 

“Yes”

I jumped up from my seat running towards the stairs

“I’ll go get my stuff and change!” I yelled back, feeling absolutely on cloud nine 

“Well, Martha you said your sister is good but I think that’s an understatement” Celine, my sister’s boss, said as she went through the pages of my portfolio with the compilation of photos I took.

“Thanks,” I said shyly

“The kind of photos we want you to take is pretty simple” she started, after closing the book and pushing it back towards me

“A shot of the guys performing on stage, individual photos, then a shot of the arena with the fans.” 

“I can do that,” I confidently said, raising my chin up high

“It sounds easy”

Celine smiled gratefully at me before standing up, me and my sister did the same and we both shook hands. I felt very professional at that moment.

“Then it is settled, I’ll see you tomorrow night” 

My sister’s shoulder relaxed when we finally got out of Celine’s hotel room and into the lobby of the hotel they were staying at. 

“My god Mia, you’re a lifesaver” she breathed out, after slumping down on the couch while I sat on the lounge chair across from her

“You owe me that Korea trip” she waved her hand dismissively 

“That won’t be too hard, it’s my grad gift for you plus I need the vacation” 

My sister is stationed in Korea, naturally, she is always away literally across the globe while I stayed here in the states with my parents. And on the rare junctions, she is home, it’s usually just a week of idyllic times before she goes back. I miss her a lot but I know this is what she wants and I am proud of her. 

“Damn it” she sat up straight so sudden, causing me to jump a little

“Why?”

“I forgot my phone, you wait here” 

I sat back against the chair. I was planning on searching OTE’s IG account since I have no clue who they were, although the few acquaintances I have in school said that they were very attractive which I never doubted that they were not, I still got curious. 

I was about to click on the profile when I heard a thump beside me. I turned to see a guy crouching down. 

“Umm excuse me who-”

“SHHH!” 

He had his hands on the armrest as he hid behind the chair-well beside- I couldn’t see his face under his black baseball cap. I followed the line of his gaze and practically saw nothing but your occasional tourist staying at the hotel.

“What the hell are you doing?” I hissed at the man

“What? You don’t recognize me?”

“Am I supposed to?” 

He stopped, staring back at me. I couldn’t see his face at all, and he expected me to recognize him? Is he a lunatic or something?

“Maybe not…”

He looked back at the lobby and finally relaxed on the floor

“My name is Theo” he offered me his outstretched hand to shake it, he probably noticed my reluctance and removed his cap

“Excuse my manners,” he said

I stared at him, his hand still outstretched and my oh my was he the prettiest man I have ever laid eyes on. His dark black hair was mussed from being under the cap, his cheeks were flushed, his lips pink, and had the perfect cupid’s bow. Don’t even get me started with his eyes.

he cleared his throat, pulling me away from my reverie. I finally took his hand and not failing to notice his long slim fingers. Physically, he already fits my standards.

“Mia” 

“Hi Mia, you’re a lifesaver”

“That’s the second time I heard that today” 

He was no longer listening to me when he scanned the whole lobby once again before getting up.

“It’s nice meeting you Mia, but I have to go” 

I had no intentions of saying anything else but he paused halfway to the entrance and turned back to me

“You’re pretty,” he said out of nowhere, I could feel my cheeks heating up as I shifted uncomfortably against my chair.

“I wanted to get that out of the way, bye!” he smiled cheekily then winked before putting his cap back on and leaving the building. 

I can’t help but mull over Theo’s bright grin that melted my insides over and over again, I think I’m in love. Ok, maybe it’s too early to tell.

The next day I woke up early to go to my favorite cafe. I may have a huge job this very same day, that doesn’t mean I have to cancel my weekly coffee shop date with my Kindle, 

“Bye Eleanor!” I greeted the barista

“See you next week!”

I waved goodbye before letting the glass door swing shut behind me. I turned at the right time when a stranger was walking and we bumped into each other, causing me to drop my croissant on the floor. My heart sank at the sight of my pastry on the asphalt ground.

“Mia?” 

My head snapped up once I heard that voice

“Theo? Wha- what are you doing here?”

“Just walking around” he looked down at my croissant-rest in peace- he smiled apologetically at me. Damn that smile.

“I’m sorry, let me buy you a new one”

“That’s not necessary”

“Please I insist” 

With that, he shoved me towards the cafe and pointed at the table for me to sit as he ordered at the counter.  

I watched him walk over with his cap practically covering his face

“One for you” he placed the plate in front of me

“And one for me” 

He simultaneously sipped on his drink and took a bite of his pastry, I ate mine slowly, cautiously peeking at the guy across the table. He smelled like fresh fruits which were oddly familiar.

“Are you wearing, blackberry and bay?” 

“I’m sorry what?”

“Your cologne” I nervously tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear

“ I’m wearing the same thing” 

“Really?!” for a second there I thought that I made things awkward so imagine my surprise when he sounded sincerely excited

“My friends don’t like it, and you’re the first person I met that wears the same thing!” he exclaimed

“What? How could they? It’s the best smelling cologne if you ask me”

He studied me for a while through his long eyelashes that kissed the top of his cheeks

“What?” I asked, is it just me or the AC is suddenly acting up?

“You’re from here right?”

“Obviously” I fanned my face with my right hand

“Can you show me around? You see I’m a tourist here and I’ve been snea- going out alone and relying on google maps most of the time and it gets pretty lonely, plus you look nice so I don’t have a problem thinking you’d kidnap me or something”

“First of all, thank you I guess, and second I’m not sure if I can”

“Why?”

“I have work tonight-”

“Tonight, not at this very moment right?”

“Yes but I can’t risk getting late,”

“You won’t I promise, this will end around… What time do you need to go to work?”

“Six” 

“Then this will end around five thirty-ish I promise, and you have like what? Six hours to spear”

 I peered down at my watch at the same time he placed his right hand above his left chest where his heart was located, his eyes were almost like begging. Man, is he persistent. Of course, I couldn’t say no

“Yes!” he punched up the air 

“It’s a date”

I choked on the croissant I just popped into my mouth and pounded lightly on my chest. He handed his drink to me and I gratefully took it not minding the fact I’m drinking on the same straw. 

“Date? Are you kidding me, we just met yesterday” I pointed out, but he shrugged it off

“I’m leaving tomorrow already and I don’t know when I will see you again, and I meant what I said about you being pretty” 

I hid my face from him, pretending that I was looking down on my phone when in fact I was hiding my already tomato red face. I might be spending my day with a serial killer but I still agreed to this date.

That’s how we both ended up in Rodeo drive where he shopped a ton, then we went to The Broad cause he loves art, then we went to an arcade where I beat him at table hockey which he claimed that no one had ever beaten him on, now we were walking by Santa Monica pier with ice creams on hand.

So far it was going pretty well, I’m still alive.

“Ok, last question,” he said, before eating the last piece of his ice cream cone

“Why photography?” 

At first, I thought for a moment. I never knew exactly why I wanted to do photography, but I knew I loved the multiple stories you can associate with the single unmoving moment my lens had captured and having something to hold on to, to remember the color of the sky, the buildings around you when that happened, the person you were with. It was just different.

“I chose photography because just because,” I said plainly

“Just because?”

“Yup, just because” 

He looked far ahead, his eyebrows knitting together and I chuckled at how far away he looked, trying to decipher what I meant.

“Taking photos and making people try and understand the story, is what I love most about it” then he nodded at me with new admiration in his eyes

“I love performing, hearing the crowd cheering me on is my favorite part”

“You sing?” 

“Yup,”

“Wow,” 

My phone vibrated inside my bag and I fumbled for it, making Theo stop to wait for me. I checked my phone and my alarm just went off, signaling that our date has to end

“It’s five already?” he asked. I turned to him with a sad smile

We drove in silence, he sat on the passenger’s seat quietly while I drove, nervously tapping on the steering wheel. When we arrived at the hotel, none of us wanted to move. 

“What if we don’t end our date here?”

“What do you mean?” I turned in his direction

“What time do you get off from work?”

“I don’t know, around ten maybe”

“How about we meet here at the lobby around eleven and continue our date”

I laughed at his childlike expression, this guy is something

“You’re crazy, you’re leaving tomorrow”

“I don’t care, I can’t just end it like this. It won’t end until the sun rises, what do you say Mia?” 

I agreed. 

I nervously tugged on the strap of my camera around my neck. I was within the barricade that separated me from the others. USC Galen center was half-filled by adoring fans of the group holding up signs, posters. I took several photos already as test shots and so far so good but my nerves were still rattled and it didn’t help when I remember that I’m still on a date even though Theo wasn’t around. 

The lights dimmed, the whole stadium was black with a dotted star-like light from the lightsticks, the intro started playing then the stage emanated a dark red hue. I took a photo.

Then several hooded figures showed up and they sang and danced to the beat of the music and fans started chanting like crazy. Every moment was too precious to pass up, my finger almost never left the button. 

 I blocked the blinding light above me. I lowered my hand when my eyesight adjusted. Theo matched my shocked expression when our eyes met, as the other six members of the group were too busy to notice

“Oh my god” 

I sat on the stage where one of the staff told me to wait, I watched as big buff men carried equipment out the arena, my legs swinging back and forth. I heard footsteps from behind and I didn’t have to look up to see who it was.

“Well that was unexpected” 

“You bet, that explains why the baseball cap” 

He chuckled lightly. He was out of his costume from earlier and wore black jeans and a white shirt, his hair still neatly fixed and make-up was still on his face. He even looked more handsome than before no wonder why, because he’s an idol.

“I had no idea you’d be here” 

“I had no idea you’d be performing here” I looked down at my white chucks, Theo nudged it using his booted foot 

“Thoughts about our first date?”

“Well, it started with you asking me out like a normal teenage boy then ended with me finding out you’re a worldwide star. I can say that it’s very eventful” 

“That’s not right”

“What? Did I miss something? Aside from being a star, you’re also a serial killer?”

He laughed the kind where you try your best to bring it out of that person just to hear it once more.

“No, I meant the part with our date had already ended, the sun isn’t up yet so are you still in or not?”

I smiled at him, with my camera on my lap, with us seated side by side on the stage, our shoulders touching. I fixed the single strand of hair of his that was out of place and said.

“I’m still in”