[just] October -- Eberhardt quote
[Savannah = afew_snapshots, Sam = likes_cameras. Occurs after THIS. Cross-posted to breakcityheart]
The farther behind I leave the past, the closer I am to forging my own character. -Isabelle Eberhardt
Savannah wanted very much to be back in Berkeley watching the game with her boyfriend. It was no doubt that Avery was filling that void as best he could. She figured he was probably doing a damn good job of it as well and that frustrated her even more. Even. More. Why she had to accompany him to the hospital with her she didn't know. She wasn't about to go snapping candid illegal photos of whatever the hell Austin asked for. She was not needed here and she knew he shouldn't have been here. But, alas, the both of them were in the waiting room of Pacific General.
Austin was up at the desk trying to sweet talk some kind of information out of the nurse. She could've cared so much more had say, Sam gotten injured or someone she had even remotely cared about. She might've even accompanied Austin to the hospital - maybe, possibly, anyway. But, this, this was pointless.
Which was why Savannah found herself perusing the hospital gift shop. She had gone to stretch her legs and find coffee. After handing her money over to the coffee cart girl she spotted it. Her receipt pocketed, she carried hers and Austin's (she really was nice at heart) coffee up to the display window of the gift shop.
Her mouth dropped open.
They wouldn't allow her to take in the two cups of coffee but a nice guy was willing to hold them for her while she stepped inside. Just for a moment.
At the counter she got a nice, long look at what she had seen before. Austin, without a shirt, was on the cover of Men's Health magazine. She blinked a few times, smirked, and then bought her own copy - mostly out of amusement. Savannah rolled up the magazine and stuck it in her back pocket before emerging from the store.
The nice guy who had been so gracious as to hold her coffee was nowhere in sight. Sighing, she shook her head before making her way back to the waiting room.
Austin was now seated across from the desk. She wondered if this was his defeated look and silently reveled in the idea. Boy, nobody at the paper seemed to like him and she wasn't the exception anymore. One offhanded comment about her blonde locks pertaining to her IQ and she had written him off faster than when Ethan had helped her out with her books that first day they had met. While that relationship had escalated, their coworker relationship wouldn't. She wanted to make sure of that.
"I take it you failed?" she asked, taking a seat next to the guy who was essentially her boss, now. That in itself was weird considering who hired her but this entire situation was strange and Savannah couldn't make any sense of it.
"What?" Austin asked, turning just his head. "No. He's recovering from surgery and visitors aren't allowed back, yet."
Savannah nodded, facing front again. Inside her mouth, her tongue sat in her cheek. She debated bringing up what she had found out but thought it best to keep mum for now.
"I talked to his friend, though. Fellow surfer. Gave me some good soundbites."
"That's what we came down here for?" she asked. "Good soundbites?"
"What did you think, I wanted to give my condolences and send flowers?" he asked, straightening up and sitting forward on the seat.
"The story isn't even on this," she said. "It's on the contest. The surf contest."
"And this is a part of the contest," he stated.
"You're taking advantage of a real, life-threatening injury for good soundbites pertaining to an article that has nothing to do with what happened today?" She couldn't believe it. This was who she worked for. "You probably thought it was rad. You thought, how awesome, someone got hurt. Now, I have my lead."
"I don't remember you having telepathic powers so I'd appreciate it if you'd stay out of my head, Georgia."
"It's Savannah. And like I should be surprised. In an age where the average males prefers Jackass to - another J show that is more sophisticated or, hell, news..."
"I watch the news." She scoffed. "I do. I'm a reporter. I need to watch the news. No matter how gruesome, unfortunate, or poorly read the news is I have to watch it. It's a part of my job."
"I'm still not surprised."
"Congratulations, photographer. You want a medal? I'll make it out to the snarky blonde who doesn't know how the industry she works for ... works."
"You came here to strengthen your article!" she yelled. In a hospital, however, she regretted the yelling and she lowered her voice when the nurse looked down and shushed her. "Why did you even need me?"
For that, he didn't even have an answer. Not right then. Something about keeping her away from Harper for too long? It was along those lines and besides he was past it.
"You needed a ride home," he said, simply.
"Because you sent Sam home and told him you would give me a ride. There's a difference."
"I did. And that was my fault. And I apologized," he insisted. "Why are you suddenly so hostile? You didn't exactly protest when I brought you here. As I recall, you didn't put up much of a fight to drive home with me at all."
"Fight with my boss? Yeah, that'd have been a good idea," she said. "But, I better watch myself. Or, you might pose in my direction!"
"What did you just say?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.
"You might smile with your eyes at me, Ace. You might smize!" Her sarcasm dripped off her tongue and Austin made a face.
"Did you get brain damage today?"
"In a hospital?" she asked. "No. Did you pose for Men's Health?"
"Yes," he answered. Her sneer dissipated. "I'm not ashamed to say it. So? I was a model. Am. Part time. Depends. I used to be, full time. Now I'm not. I don't completely see the issue here but if you do, enlighten me, Savannah. Where is the issue?"
But Savannah didn't have a response. Nothing she could come up with was good enough. Her frustration was standing on shaky ground and she had no idea where to go with it. It must have been her frustration with Ethan? Not seeing him? She would have to think. For now, they were stuck in this hospital for who the hell knew why.
"Can we go?" she asked.
"Not yet."
"GQ-"
"Stop. I shut you down once, I'll do it again. Now, call me GQ. I don't care. I'm hot. I've got model good looks and I use 'em. Is there something wrong with that?" Savannah kept her mouth shut. "Good." He sighed. "Now, sweet talk the nurse."
Savannah furrowed her brow in confusion. How had they gotten from here to there? How?
"Thought you weren't shut down?" she asked.
"I wasn't," he answered. "I just want a second Dum-Dum."
"You frustrate me greatly," Savannah said, standing up.
"I know."
Taking a moment, Savannah pulled out the magazine she had bought and threw it down onto the chair. Austin looked up at her than back down, picking the magazine up as she walked away.
"Huh. Not bad," he said, tilting his head at his own picture.
"Tell me you're not looking at your own picture," Savannah asked, handing him a Dum-Dum. "Not only would that be sad but that would bring you to a level of narcissism I can only hope you're above. That, and, I haven't read it, yet."
He smirked and handed her the issue before sliding back down into the seat.
"I was a model. I am not anymore. That was my latest and last, as far as I know, shoot," he said. "It's not who I am. It's who I was."
"Someone needs to get in touch with who you are because who were were..."
Austin laughed. "Shut up, Georgia. Sit quietly. Read."
Savannah did so but couldn't help but bite her tongue. Really? He had talked down to her? Like that? Rude, rude, man.
"Or, sit and stare at that airbrushed perfect picture of me. Either works," he said with a grin. Savannah stood up, threw the magazine at him and stalked off to get more coffee.
The farther behind I leave the past, the closer I am to forging my own character. -Isabelle Eberhardt
Savannah wanted very much to be back in Berkeley watching the game with her boyfriend. It was no doubt that Avery was filling that void as best he could. She figured he was probably doing a damn good job of it as well and that frustrated her even more. Even. More. Why she had to accompany him to the hospital with her she didn't know. She wasn't about to go snapping candid illegal photos of whatever the hell Austin asked for. She was not needed here and she knew he shouldn't have been here. But, alas, the both of them were in the waiting room of Pacific General.
Austin was up at the desk trying to sweet talk some kind of information out of the nurse. She could've cared so much more had say, Sam gotten injured or someone she had even remotely cared about. She might've even accompanied Austin to the hospital - maybe, possibly, anyway. But, this, this was pointless.
Which was why Savannah found herself perusing the hospital gift shop. She had gone to stretch her legs and find coffee. After handing her money over to the coffee cart girl she spotted it. Her receipt pocketed, she carried hers and Austin's (she really was nice at heart) coffee up to the display window of the gift shop.
Her mouth dropped open.
They wouldn't allow her to take in the two cups of coffee but a nice guy was willing to hold them for her while she stepped inside. Just for a moment.
At the counter she got a nice, long look at what she had seen before. Austin, without a shirt, was on the cover of Men's Health magazine. She blinked a few times, smirked, and then bought her own copy - mostly out of amusement. Savannah rolled up the magazine and stuck it in her back pocket before emerging from the store.
The nice guy who had been so gracious as to hold her coffee was nowhere in sight. Sighing, she shook her head before making her way back to the waiting room.
Austin was now seated across from the desk. She wondered if this was his defeated look and silently reveled in the idea. Boy, nobody at the paper seemed to like him and she wasn't the exception anymore. One offhanded comment about her blonde locks pertaining to her IQ and she had written him off faster than when Ethan had helped her out with her books that first day they had met. While that relationship had escalated, their coworker relationship wouldn't. She wanted to make sure of that.
"I take it you failed?" she asked, taking a seat next to the guy who was essentially her boss, now. That in itself was weird considering who hired her but this entire situation was strange and Savannah couldn't make any sense of it.
"What?" Austin asked, turning just his head. "No. He's recovering from surgery and visitors aren't allowed back, yet."
Savannah nodded, facing front again. Inside her mouth, her tongue sat in her cheek. She debated bringing up what she had found out but thought it best to keep mum for now.
"I talked to his friend, though. Fellow surfer. Gave me some good soundbites."
"That's what we came down here for?" she asked. "Good soundbites?"
"What did you think, I wanted to give my condolences and send flowers?" he asked, straightening up and sitting forward on the seat.
"The story isn't even on this," she said. "It's on the contest. The surf contest."
"And this is a part of the contest," he stated.
"You're taking advantage of a real, life-threatening injury for good soundbites pertaining to an article that has nothing to do with what happened today?" She couldn't believe it. This was who she worked for. "You probably thought it was rad. You thought, how awesome, someone got hurt. Now, I have my lead."
"I don't remember you having telepathic powers so I'd appreciate it if you'd stay out of my head, Georgia."
"It's Savannah. And like I should be surprised. In an age where the average males prefers Jackass to - another J show that is more sophisticated or, hell, news..."
"I watch the news." She scoffed. "I do. I'm a reporter. I need to watch the news. No matter how gruesome, unfortunate, or poorly read the news is I have to watch it. It's a part of my job."
"I'm still not surprised."
"Congratulations, photographer. You want a medal? I'll make it out to the snarky blonde who doesn't know how the industry she works for ... works."
"You came here to strengthen your article!" she yelled. In a hospital, however, she regretted the yelling and she lowered her voice when the nurse looked down and shushed her. "Why did you even need me?"
For that, he didn't even have an answer. Not right then. Something about keeping her away from Harper for too long? It was along those lines and besides he was past it.
"You needed a ride home," he said, simply.
"Because you sent Sam home and told him you would give me a ride. There's a difference."
"I did. And that was my fault. And I apologized," he insisted. "Why are you suddenly so hostile? You didn't exactly protest when I brought you here. As I recall, you didn't put up much of a fight to drive home with me at all."
"Fight with my boss? Yeah, that'd have been a good idea," she said. "But, I better watch myself. Or, you might pose in my direction!"
"What did you just say?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.
"You might smile with your eyes at me, Ace. You might smize!" Her sarcasm dripped off her tongue and Austin made a face.
"Did you get brain damage today?"
"In a hospital?" she asked. "No. Did you pose for Men's Health?"
"Yes," he answered. Her sneer dissipated. "I'm not ashamed to say it. So? I was a model. Am. Part time. Depends. I used to be, full time. Now I'm not. I don't completely see the issue here but if you do, enlighten me, Savannah. Where is the issue?"
But Savannah didn't have a response. Nothing she could come up with was good enough. Her frustration was standing on shaky ground and she had no idea where to go with it. It must have been her frustration with Ethan? Not seeing him? She would have to think. For now, they were stuck in this hospital for who the hell knew why.
"Can we go?" she asked.
"Not yet."
"GQ-"
"Stop. I shut you down once, I'll do it again. Now, call me GQ. I don't care. I'm hot. I've got model good looks and I use 'em. Is there something wrong with that?" Savannah kept her mouth shut. "Good." He sighed. "Now, sweet talk the nurse."
Savannah furrowed her brow in confusion. How had they gotten from here to there? How?
"Thought you weren't shut down?" she asked.
"I wasn't," he answered. "I just want a second Dum-Dum."
"You frustrate me greatly," Savannah said, standing up.
"I know."
Taking a moment, Savannah pulled out the magazine she had bought and threw it down onto the chair. Austin looked up at her than back down, picking the magazine up as she walked away.
"Huh. Not bad," he said, tilting his head at his own picture.
"Tell me you're not looking at your own picture," Savannah asked, handing him a Dum-Dum. "Not only would that be sad but that would bring you to a level of narcissism I can only hope you're above. That, and, I haven't read it, yet."
He smirked and handed her the issue before sliding back down into the seat.
"I was a model. I am not anymore. That was my latest and last, as far as I know, shoot," he said. "It's not who I am. It's who I was."
"Someone needs to get in touch with who you are because who were were..."
Austin laughed. "Shut up, Georgia. Sit quietly. Read."
Savannah did so but couldn't help but bite her tongue. Really? He had talked down to her? Like that? Rude, rude, man.
"Or, sit and stare at that airbrushed perfect picture of me. Either works," he said with a grin. Savannah stood up, threw the magazine at him and stalked off to get more coffee.