Crash and Burn
September 1999 - Frank
The air is chilly. Autumn is creeping up quickly, and whatever had blossomed over the Summer is decaying. I suck in my breath as I step out of my front door, and into the cold Saturday morning air. It is only seven, and though I have a policy about waking up before 10 on weekends, I decide to make an exception. Well, I didn't decide this.
Technically, Lillie did.
The day before, she beat on my window, in the middle of the night. Scared the living hell out of me. I grabbed my guitar, and planned on using it as a weapon, when her head popped up. She smiled and waved, her brown eyes sparkling.
“Psst, Frankie!”
I put down my guitar and opened the window, bending down so we were face to face.
“What the hell, Lillie?”
She rolled her eyes. “What? Oh, I know what.” She grinned mischievously. “You were scared. I saw you with your guitar.”
I glared. “It is not everyday I have someone banging on my window.”
“Well obviously, I am not a rapist or anything of the sort.”
I winked and raised my eyebrows. “You wanna be?”
Lillie leaned her head back and laughed. “Oh, puhlease. No, I'm good. I came by to ask for your help.”
I gave her a confused look. “You could have asked me at school, you know.”
“I didn't think of it until now.”
I shrugged. “Okay. What do you need help with?”
“I need someone that I can shoot. You would be perfect.”
My eyes widened. “Look, I don't know what you do in your free time, but that is illegal.”
Lillie sighed. “I swear, you have the brain of a squirrel. I meant, photos. Take photos of you.”
“Why me?”
She shrugged. “Why not? Besides, you look depressed. And the cold air has been depressing. It is inspiring.”
“I'm glad you find my depression inspiring.”
“Well, not just yours. Okay.” She bent her head down. “I am not good with begging, so don't make me. Just please? For me? Your friendly neighbor?”
I shook my head. “Okay. Fine. When?”
Lillie sprung her head up quickly. “Tomorrow morning. Seven a.m.”
I groaned. “You're kidding, right?”
“Nope. Be there, or suffer the consequences.”
So here I am. Seven a.m, cold as can be, blowing warm air into my hands. I stand in Lillie's front yard, looking like a fool. She isn't out here yet, and I don't want to knock, afraid her parents are still asleep. Hell, it seems everyone on our road is still asleep, or has left. The quiet is killing me.
I look down at my shoes, wondering if what I have on is okay. She never specified any certain 'style' , so I am wearing what I normally wear – a regular t-shirt, jeans, chucks, and a hoodie.
I hear banging, then Lillie appears in the doorway. She has her brunette hair tied in a ponytail, a red short-sleeved shirt on, black cargo pants...and flip-flops. She waves, and strides quickly over.
“You are insane.”
Lillie looks at me, confused. “Why?”
“It is freezing, and you have on that?”
She shrugs. “I never seem to get cold. Even in the worst New York winters, I always wore light jackets, and that was if it were below freezing.”
I shake my head, and follow her as she walks over to a willow tree in the front yard. The limbs hang low, grazing the ground.
“Okay. Go lean against that tree trunk.”
I push through the limbs, until I am at the tree trunk. Turning and leaning back on it, I can feel the bark poke at my back through my clothes.
“Okay, don't smile. Just stare at me. Think about an experience in your life that has changed you. I want to see it in your eyes.”
I nod, and look at her. I feel awkward, to say the least.
“Come on, Frankie. Try.”
I stare at my feet, thinking. What has made a large impact in my life? I think about it more. My family, music, friends. There are so many things to pick from. I decide to focus on a combination of the three. When I put my head back up, Lillie grins.
“There! Thank you!”
She snaps photos from different angles, even going in once to grab a chair to stand on, so she can take a picture above my head, with me peering up at her through the branches.
Afterward, we sit on her porch together. Lillie looks down at her camera, adjusting it.
“Well?” I ask, curious to know how she thinks our small photo shoot turned out.
“I think these pictures will turn out amazing. Thanks for your help.”
“You're welcome. So, um, why did you want me to do this?”
Lillie glances at me, then starts fiddling with her camera again. “Honestly, I would like to take pictures of everyone I meet in my life. That of course is impossible, so I have limited it to people I see regularly.” She laughs.
“When did you start doing this?”
“A year ago. Two years ago I got a professional camera for Christmas. I would take tons of pictures of nature. Last year, I started taking pictures of people, for a project at school. That's when I realized people are far more interesting and complex. I would love to be a professional photographer someday.”
I look at her and grin. “I'm sure you will become one.”
She looks over and smiles, blushing. “Thanks. So, um, I better get in. I will give you copies of the pictures soon. See you at school, Frankie."
We stand up, and she begins to go inside. “Okay, see you around Lillie.” I start walking away, when I hear her scream.
“Frankie!”
I turn around. She was standing against her door, holding it open with her foot.
“We should hangout sometime. You know, out of school. And call me Lil.”
Technically, Lillie did.
The day before, she beat on my window, in the middle of the night. Scared the living hell out of me. I grabbed my guitar, and planned on using it as a weapon, when her head popped up. She smiled and waved, her brown eyes sparkling.
“Psst, Frankie!”
I put down my guitar and opened the window, bending down so we were face to face.
“What the hell, Lillie?”
She rolled her eyes. “What? Oh, I know what.” She grinned mischievously. “You were scared. I saw you with your guitar.”
I glared. “It is not everyday I have someone banging on my window.”
“Well obviously, I am not a rapist or anything of the sort.”
I winked and raised my eyebrows. “You wanna be?”
Lillie leaned her head back and laughed. “Oh, puhlease. No, I'm good. I came by to ask for your help.”
I gave her a confused look. “You could have asked me at school, you know.”
“I didn't think of it until now.”
I shrugged. “Okay. What do you need help with?”
“I need someone that I can shoot. You would be perfect.”
My eyes widened. “Look, I don't know what you do in your free time, but that is illegal.”
Lillie sighed. “I swear, you have the brain of a squirrel. I meant, photos. Take photos of you.”
“Why me?”
She shrugged. “Why not? Besides, you look depressed. And the cold air has been depressing. It is inspiring.”
“I'm glad you find my depression inspiring.”
“Well, not just yours. Okay.” She bent her head down. “I am not good with begging, so don't make me. Just please? For me? Your friendly neighbor?”
I shook my head. “Okay. Fine. When?”
Lillie sprung her head up quickly. “Tomorrow morning. Seven a.m.”
I groaned. “You're kidding, right?”
“Nope. Be there, or suffer the consequences.”
So here I am. Seven a.m, cold as can be, blowing warm air into my hands. I stand in Lillie's front yard, looking like a fool. She isn't out here yet, and I don't want to knock, afraid her parents are still asleep. Hell, it seems everyone on our road is still asleep, or has left. The quiet is killing me.
I look down at my shoes, wondering if what I have on is okay. She never specified any certain 'style' , so I am wearing what I normally wear – a regular t-shirt, jeans, chucks, and a hoodie.
I hear banging, then Lillie appears in the doorway. She has her brunette hair tied in a ponytail, a red short-sleeved shirt on, black cargo pants...and flip-flops. She waves, and strides quickly over.
“You are insane.”
Lillie looks at me, confused. “Why?”
“It is freezing, and you have on that?”
She shrugs. “I never seem to get cold. Even in the worst New York winters, I always wore light jackets, and that was if it were below freezing.”
I shake my head, and follow her as she walks over to a willow tree in the front yard. The limbs hang low, grazing the ground.
“Okay. Go lean against that tree trunk.”
I push through the limbs, until I am at the tree trunk. Turning and leaning back on it, I can feel the bark poke at my back through my clothes.
“Okay, don't smile. Just stare at me. Think about an experience in your life that has changed you. I want to see it in your eyes.”
I nod, and look at her. I feel awkward, to say the least.
“Come on, Frankie. Try.”
I stare at my feet, thinking. What has made a large impact in my life? I think about it more. My family, music, friends. There are so many things to pick from. I decide to focus on a combination of the three. When I put my head back up, Lillie grins.
“There! Thank you!”
She snaps photos from different angles, even going in once to grab a chair to stand on, so she can take a picture above my head, with me peering up at her through the branches.
Afterward, we sit on her porch together. Lillie looks down at her camera, adjusting it.
“Well?” I ask, curious to know how she thinks our small photo shoot turned out.
“I think these pictures will turn out amazing. Thanks for your help.”
“You're welcome. So, um, why did you want me to do this?”
Lillie glances at me, then starts fiddling with her camera again. “Honestly, I would like to take pictures of everyone I meet in my life. That of course is impossible, so I have limited it to people I see regularly.” She laughs.
“When did you start doing this?”
“A year ago. Two years ago I got a professional camera for Christmas. I would take tons of pictures of nature. Last year, I started taking pictures of people, for a project at school. That's when I realized people are far more interesting and complex. I would love to be a professional photographer someday.”
I look at her and grin. “I'm sure you will become one.”
She looks over and smiles, blushing. “Thanks. So, um, I better get in. I will give you copies of the pictures soon. See you at school, Frankie."
We stand up, and she begins to go inside. “Okay, see you around Lillie.” I start walking away, when I hear her scream.
“Frankie!”
I turn around. She was standing against her door, holding it open with her foot.
“We should hangout sometime. You know, out of school. And call me Lil.”
♠ ♠ ♠
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