"Must be because of yesterday's bump," I said placing my hand on the shoulder.
"Gosh, let me apply some cream. Sit." She said going towards her luggage.
"I'm fine no need," I replied.
"Shut up and sit." She ordered.
I sat on the bed silently and she applied the cream. The next day, other people started their photoshoot and me... even today I'm waiting for my photographer. Our project report can't be submitted on time if this happens. I sat in the changing room, waiting for that Adam guy. After waiting for an hour, the technician came inside the changing room.
"Evelyn, Adam's here." He said coming towards me.
"Thank you," I said and went towards my set. He finally came and was so eager to burst my anger on him. I went towards him with the technician.
"Adam, she's Evelyn, your model, and partner for the group project." The technician introduced me and left the place.
Adam turned around and seeing him only increased my anger, he's the same guy who bumped me in the canteen.
"Hey, I'm Adam." He introduced himself. He didn't even apologize for not coming yesterday and making me wait today. Such a manner less brat.
I didn't reply anything, I just passed by him and stood on the sets.
"Well, let's continue our photo shoot." He said while adjusting his camera.
I couldn't smile or give any expression, except for giving a pissed-off look.
"You can smile at least. You know that right?" He said in a rude tone.
"No need for your advise," I replied in the same rude tone.
"Then smile, Miss."
"I'm sorry, but seeing your face only pisses me off," I replied.
"What? Hey, you don't have to be that rude, okkay? What the hell did I do that makes you piss off?" He asked.
"Everything, just get done with the photo shoot. I have work to do." I said in a pissed tone.
"Then smile, Miss. Arrogant." He replied.
I tried my best to give the expression. We can't let out personal conflict affect the professional work right. Our photoshoot has ended and they are really good, indeed they are the best ones I ever saw.
I was looking at the photos when I accidentally touched the camera lens and Adam snatched the camera from my hands.
"Careful. You can't touch the lens, they will get dirty." He said while checking his lens.
"You should learn to handle the camera more than you handle your rudeness." He gritted.
"And you should learn to do work on time than handling your own shit," I replied in the same rude tone he said.
"Hey, first thing, you don't even know me, then why the fuck are you showing your arrogant attitude towards me?. Second, I know how to work, I don't have to take advice from a rude woman like you."
"Before speaking of others' behavior, know to handle your own one. On the first day, you bumped me in the canteen which left a red mark on the back of my shoulder. The second day, I have waited for 2 fucking hours for you only to get canceled. And today, you made me wait for almost an hour and didn't even apologize, on top of that you're talking about attitude." I said out in a bit of an angry tone.
"Accidents happen miss. If you can't understand then I pity your IQ level. And I had other works to do than taking photos of a below-average model."
"Average? Huh. You can't see the beauty doesn't mean everyone's blind. Fix your shit before you talk about others." I shout back.
The technician came towards us in a hurry to stop our fight.
"Guys, guys, stop fighting. It will only bring bad name to your Universities and a suspension."
"Tell that arrogant woman to shut up," Adam said pointing his finger towards me.
"Tell that rude idiot to shut up," I said pointing my index finger towards him.
"You both shut up. Did you guys complete the photoshoot?" The technician asked.
"Yes." We both said at the same time.
"Then go and do other things. Don't start a fight." He suggested.
"Anyway, I don't wanna be with a rude idiot like him," I said and turned around to go into the changing room.
"And.....I don't wanna be with a stupid arrogant like you." He shouted.
I turned around to curse, he wasn't there. I was flaming with anger and it wasn't going down. I came back to my room and took a cold shower, which put the anger on hold, for this time. When I came out of the bathroom, I saw Celine sitting on the bed.
"Hey, Li." I greeted her.
"Hell with your 'Hey'. You don't even know how much I looked for you at the campus. What made you uncomfortable at the campus that you came back to the room without me." She asked.
"Don't make me remember, it pisses me," I said in a pissed tone.
"What happened?" She asked in confusion coming towards me.
"You remember the guy who bumped to me?" I asked.
"Yes." She said nodding her head in agreement.
"He's my photographer and we got into a fight," I said in an annoyed tone.
"This trip's not gonna be a pleasant one." She said raising her eyebrows.
I changed into casuals and sat on the bed. Celine came and sat beside me and spoke in a soft tone.
"Lyn, just ignore him. You can't spoil your trip because of a single brat right?"
"Ignoring was never an option. Seeing his face itself pisses me." I said in an angry tone.
"Babe, you can't spoil your internship because of this. Focus on getting the project done as soon as possible." She suggested.
"I'll try." I nodded my head.
From the next day, we kept our conflicts to personal time, and for the professional things, we acted like there wasn't any fight between us. Even after that we often got into bickering....a lot. Finally, our project work has completed and submitted on time. After that, we didn't even saw each other's faces. It was the last day in Melbourne and I wanted nothing to spoil, so I mostly avoided everyone. I was at the grounds with Celine and were having a casual talk.
"I really wish I was studying here. The guys here are so hot." She said the last part in 'Oh, wow' slang.
"Not everyone, some are rude as fuck too." I reminded.
"You haven't seen him since yesterday. And haven't gotten into conflicts too. Mum and dad will be happy to hear this." Celine reminded me how hothead I am.
"Li. I'm not that hot head as you and mum think." I said rolling my eyes.
"Yes, you are. So, don't lie. If you weren't that hot head, you might have to get along with him on the first day itself." She said and shrugged her shoulders.
"That idiot didn't come on the first day," I said with a stern face.
"Fine, the day you saw him." She rolled her eyes and corrected her previous sentence.
"He bumped me on the day I saw him," I replied with a cold tone still making the stern face.
"The second time, when you met him as your photographer." She corrected again. This time her voice sounded a bit anger than before.
"That day, he made me wait for an hour," I replied.
Celine's anger took off limits and she burst out.
"Ugh, what's the point you're making here by giving savage replies to my every question?"
"The point is, he's an asshole, and don't try to make it sound like I was the reason for our fight," I replied with a bit of anger in my tone.
"Fine, he's an asshole. But do you know everyone in the University is talking about your fight with Adam? Make sure it doesn't reach the professor." She said in a bit angry tone, but I understand her concern.
"I'll take care of it. And he's not an asshole, he's 'The Asshole.'" I said with air quotes.
As soon as I finished we bot heard a voice from the back that almost startled us.
"Are you guys talking about me?". Celine and I jolted to the voice and turned around only to find Adam.
"No, we were just talking about random Assholes," Celine said and ended with an awkward giggle.
"Don't even deny. I heard what you guys said." He replied. Now, he's pissing me again.
"Yes, we were. What were you doing? Listening to our conversation secretly?" I asked while standing up.
He scoffed before speaking.
"Don't I have another work to do? Your voices can be heard across the corner. Keep your voice down, when you're bad-mouthing someone." He said looking at both of us.
"We are talking facts. And you should leave if you have those fucking works you're talking about." I said in an angry tone.
Celine held my arm and tried to stop me but it was too late.
"You started the fight. What the hell did I even do to listen to your fucking nonsense?" He asked in an angry tone.
"You forgot or should I remind you again?" I asked back.
"Accidents happen, it wasn't my fault that it was you whom I bumped into." He tried to prove his innocence.
"And you should apologize later. That shows your rudeness. You're arrogant, rude, and-" I was about to go on like a hundred qualities an asshole like him will have but before that, he pulled me by my neck and pressed his lips against mine. It was so sudden that I couldn't respond. I went into shock and my vision went blur.
"Now, you'll learn to shut your fucking mouth." He said after leaving me.
"Lyn. Lyn." She said shaking my hand and I came back to reality.
"Asshole," I said and slapped him. I didn't know why my tears started rolling down.
"It was just a kiss, no need to be so dramatic. Drama queen" He scoffed and rolled his eyes.
"It was her first kiss, you idiot," Celine said in an angry tone. Wait, was that necessary to tell, goddamn it Li.
"Lyn, let's go," Celine said holding my wrist and dragged me from there. We went back to my room and I sat on the bed still crying.
Celine was consoling me and I was about to make an excuse and punch that fucking asshole when I heard my phone ring.
"It's mum and dad. They are doing a video call." Celine said after taking my phone.
"Wait," I said and wiped my tears. She answered the phone and we greeted mum and dad and so they did.
"When is your flight girls?" Mum asked.
"Around midnight mum," Celine replied.
"Eve, what happened? Your nose and eyes are red. Are you crying?" Dad asked after noticing me.
"No, it's just...." I was finding an excuse to make them believe.
"I accidentally threw pepper on her face. It got into her nose, so, you know..." Celine backed me up.
"What? You guys haven't stopped your stupidity? Eve, did you wash your face?." Mum asked with a shocked tone.
"Yes, I did. I'm fine. We need to pack, I'll talk to you guys later, bye." I said while sniffing.
"Bye guys," Celine said and ended the call.
We both looked at each other and burst into laughter.
"Pepper? Seriously?" I asked while laughing.
"I couldn't think of a better lie at that time. It worked though." Celine said with a smile. We laughed for some time and got back to normal.
"I'm sorry, mum scolded you," I said in a bit of a dull tone.
"It's fine, she included you too." She said with a head tilt.
"Just don't tell mum and dad about this. Okkay?" She said.
"Okkay," I said with a smile.
We packed our bags and came back to France. As the years passed, I forgot about the matter, but I realized that it was just a lie I'm telling myself when I saw Adam. After all these years, my hatred just increased on him.