When You Hold Me

I hate school. I mean who goes to school and actually likes it. Overachievers, that's who. No, I'm just kidding but school seriously sucks. The college I was attending, Rhodes College for the Arts, better known as RCA, wasn't even a real school. It was a technical college and of course I was taking up anything that has to do with art. Although I feel like I could get by on my talent alone, and believe me I'm very talented, "some people" would like you to have a couple classes under your belt. Which is complete bullshit to me but to get where I wanna be in the future, I have to do what I have to do now. Listening to the teacher drone on about sculptures, a class I dreaded taking. She was sort of an sad excuse for a woman really. She had stringy brown and gray hair, some which were on her chin, she wore really think bifocal glasses, shoes that squeaked whenever she walked around the room, and she dressed as if it was the winter time in Alaska. It was Summertime in New York. But she was really sweet whenever I talked to her, she just happened to be really boring at teaching this subject. I sighed as 12:30 rolled around and everyone packed up to leave as it was timed for us to be dismissed. Lucky for me, this was my last class for the day. I could finally go to "The Loft" and chill for the rest of the day.

The Loft was a place my roommate/best friend, Leonardo, parents bought for him as a gift for moving the hell out of their house. He sort of really inherited it. It was meant for living but he transformed it into an art studio and because of that his 'rents decided to buy him another place to actually live in. Yeah, Leonard Parents were loaded and it didn't hurt that he was spoiled as fuck. But he's not the spoiled brat type and his parents were cool. I've only known them for a year and they're practically like my second family. Which is nice since mines live on the other side of the country in Washington.

After paying the taxi driver, I made my way up the stairs to Leonardo’s art studio that he so kindly let me use as well. I mean it was big enough. I could hear the music all the way in the elevator, so I knew he was there already, probably having an artistic epiphany. He has those from time to to time. “Rae!” His voice carried my name loud enough I could hear it through the music. I smiled to myself as I dropped my belongings on a nearby chair. The Loft was a mess, as it always was. “I’m so glad you’re here!” Leo continued to yell even though he had already turned down the music.

I dramatically rolled my eyes at him. “Oh no,” I walked up to the upper level to where he was. “What do you want?” He had his cameras sitting on the large table that occupied against the table. He must cleaning them. Leo was a photographer. That was his thing.

Before he started talking he touched the back of his neck and flexed his arm muscles. Okay, I could tell right away that he was nervous. But he was smiling, so I was a little confused. “You know how my art gallery opening is next week?” Rhetorical question. I just nodded and let him continue. “And you know how you made me promise not to put the portrait of you in it…” He then trailed off with his sentence and we just stared at each other. It then dawned on me what he was trying to say. My eyes got wide as I shot up from my chair and ran back to the lower level and to the back room. It’s where Leonardo kept all his portraits.

A couple months ago, Leonardo talked me into letting him take pictures of me nude. Now, I’m not to modest, I mean I could walk around naked if I could but it something very personal about having someone take your pictures while you’re in your birthday suit. He sort of guilt tripped me, I mean I was staying with him rent free and he kept saying I was his new found muse. Leonard’s been saying he wanted to get into the whole nude photography thing. Something about wanting to give a whole new name for it. After being practically forced into it I agreed and I trusted Leo because he made it painfully clear that I was absolutely not his type. And not too long ago, a woman came, I can’t remember her name, and she of course wanted Leonardo portraits in their Art/charity show. He wanted to include the nude photos of me but aggressively declined. Several times

Rushing into the room I scanned the room, more than once and I didn’t see any signs of the huge ass pictures of me. Yeah, he printed it so the pictures was bigger than me. “Leonardo!” I screamed his name as loud as I could. But he was already behind me.

“Okay, I know you’re mad-”

I turned to him practically seeing red. If looks could kill, he would be six feet under. “Mad? I’m fucking furious!” I poked him the chest. “You promised me you wouldn’t put the pictures in the show! You promised!” I was getting a massive headache just thinking about it. I had to sit down and calm down before I started to hyperventilate.

“Just hear me out,” He sat next to as I put my head between my knees. “They offered to twice as much money this time, so I could give you half, I couldn’t pass it up, I’ll look like a complete prick if I did,” He tried to make light of the situation but I didn’t care about the money. I mean I did but not in exchange of my goodies. “Plus I made sure that it wouldn’t be in the auction, it’ll strictly be a observation piece.”

This wasn’t part of our deal. No one else was suppose to be looking at me naked, now a whole room full of stranger were going to be ogling me. I groaned just at the thought of it. I don’t even know the type of people that are gonna be there. “What if there are perverts there.” I whispered mostly to myself but loud enough to be heard.

“What?” Leonardo laughed at me. “Who cares, they can look all they want but they can not touch.” He mentioned to my body. I playfully pushed him telling him to shut up. “Come on Rae, they were some bomb ass pictures, they deserve to be seen!” I have no idea why he was trying to convince me now when had already went ahead and submitted them anyways. I guess he was just trying to make me feel better about the situation.

“Whatever.” I mumbled giving in, like I always do. I should have known this would happen. Leonardo was good at doing the opposite of what you want and even better at getting what he wants. That and I’m also a little gullible.

“Great!” He patted my thigh as I laid back on the daybed sofa, my headache only getting worse. “Remember to wear something nice, preferably sexy.” And he was gone. Probably back upstairs.

Yeah, just screw what I want right?