[AU:BR]Gloating Morosely (OPEN)

[Quinn Wiley]

Quinn had serious doubts before coming back here. He did not have a particularly pleasant childhood, here or anywhere else, no emotional attachment to this place to wish to come back. The only reason he saw to be here was... Well, to gloat. Even then, he was sure people wouldn’t give a shit or prove they had done so much more than he had. Was it really that great of an achievement to be a fashion photographer? Sure, his pictures made it to magazines and designers’ websites and he met with some of the hottest women in the world. But other than that? He knew for a fact that many of the kids grew successful over the years. Quinn was not rich. He had no summer house in Los Angeles and was not skiing in the Swiss Alps in winter. He made pretty pictures. And was still socially awkward. No reason for them to like him more now or to bother.

And yet, he came. He wanted to see this place, see if he would hate it as much as he did then. When he arrived and got off his rental car, he realised that some things don’t change in ten years. The school looked sort of the same from the outside. Aside from the banner announcing the reunion, of course. Taking off his sunglasses, he stared at the place, still wondering why he came back. The thought had him sigh. He was here now, but was it too late to turn back?

“So that’s where you studied?” Quinn sighed again. Yes, now it was too late. The tall blonde woman had come out of the car as well and was looking at the building. Why he agreed to take her with him? It was not like he loved her or anything, she was just that one model he loved to photograph more than any other. She was giving it back to him well though, very well, and right now he needed an ally. She would be the one person he figured to be on his side here. Plus there was always something satisfactory about going out at the arms of a top model, even though she was significantly taller than he was, especially with those high heels. He warned her it was sort of on the countryside and that those stilettos might not be appropriate but the girl needed to look her best on every occasion, even when she should tone it down a little.

He stared at her as she joined him. He was already an inch smaller than she was but now... “Let’s go. We’re just having a look and leaving at the first occasion.” She seemed disappointed. Obviously, when he told her he rented a room in a hotel in town, she figured it was because she would be able to parade here for a very long time. Quinn was not so sure he could deal with them for that long. Though her scenes were no better. He’ll see what would become the lesser of two evils.

[Kiara Kennedy]

Kiara wasn't even sure why she had came, sure the reunion was supposed to be for people to catch up but she didn't really have anybody to catch up with. To top it off she had to reschedule in order for her to actually make it, it had better be worth it. She had a lot of success becoming a model and had kept photography as a hobby. Sure she loved Photography but she had also enjoyed becoming a model, that's what she had planned on in the beginning. Once she left school, she found easier to control her issues and she managed to reach her goals.

She wasn't rich by any means but she was getting there, she was a rising star and she had seen more good reviews than bad. She had the chance to take pictures of the different landscapes around the world, definitely something that she talked about back when she was a freshman in college. She got out of her car with ease, the fact that she had a truck was probably because she bought something she wouldn't have trouble getting out of. She hated how the low cars required you to hold onto the door when you were in heels.

She spotted someone and walked over, he looked familiar and then she remembered the time in the photography club. It was kind of weird to remember someone from a club, but she hadn't many people that liked the same things as her. She doubted that he would remember her, after all they hadn't had many meetings. Maybe a few run ins since they ran in the same circle nowadays. "Hey, Quinn...don't know if you remember but I just came over to say hello" She ignored the blonde on his arm because what reason did she have to acknowledge her, Kiara hadn't remembered her from school.

[Quinn Wiley]

Quinn didn’t expect anyone to remember him. Not only he didn’t think he made any kind of impression when he was a teenager here but he didn't have his face everywhere. His pictures were not even on covers of big magazines or billboards yet. One day, maybe. For now, he could still boast about editorial spreads he shot but little else. Oh yeah, the girl at his arm. Her face might be a little more known around here. That is, if anyone in this reunion ever bothered with fashion enough to know more than the ridiculously famous models. He couldn’t take their pictures either. Yet. He liked to tell himself that. Not yet, but one day.

It was funny. Quinn could be really professional when working, in control of the environment and the model in front of his camera. He showed little of that control in public. Especially when said public was supposed to know him. The girl at his arm was more comfortable than he was to be here. Then again, it was kind of her job he supposed, whereas he preferred to stay on the other side of the lens. Inside, he kept telling himself he shouldn’t be that nervous. But the voice asking him why on earth he thought this was a good idea screamed much louder than any other. It really was not a good idea. But he was here and he’d rather not make a scene because his companion just dressed up for the occasion and wouldn’t want to miss it, especially now that they were here.

He didn’t expect to have anyone remembering him. He expected them even less to remember him while still being in the parking lot. But he heard someone calling his name. He still went by Quinn. Some argued Tarquin was more unusual and the world of fashion loved that but he hated that name too much. Quinn it was. The woman who seemed to be relatively his age, just showed up in front of him. She seemed familiar but he had to go ten years back so it was not that easy. He then seemed to think they might have met sooner than this too. “I remember, Cara. No wait, Kiara,” he replied. Yes, wasn’t she doing some modeling now? Although he remembered her taking pictures in the past. Not that one prevented to do the other, many models took on photography.

He looked at her with his photographer’s analytic eye. He didn’t remember taking her picture in particular. The sound of someone clearing their throat brought him back to reality and the tall blond woman at his arm. “This is Rebecca,” he introduced her. She was already smiling and doing her show, glad she finally could do it, even if it was just for one person.