The Photographers Apprentice - Chapter seven: "To my best friend"
#7 of Photographers Apprentice.
Chapter Seven: "To my best friend"
~~~
I could sense the same discomfort in Todd that I felt the same night that I had rescued him from that bench 4 weeks ago. Putting my arm around the sobbing Raccoon I rocked us back and forth as we sat with our backs against a large oak tree on the small patch of grass just outside of the darkroom.
"Y-you do know that Peter is going to give you hell, d-don't you?" Todd looked up, his previously cheery eyes now welling up with tears that had already started to trickle down his face. Wiping away the tear and replacing it with a kiss, I gently said "He can try. But it's more you that I'm worried about, you're in a right state now." I hugged Todd closely.
"I'll be ok, I guess. I was just looking so forward to spending time with you, being my mentor and such; but at least we'll still get to have lunch together every day and stuff..." His voice trailed off as he tried to muster up a smile, which was short-lived. "But Peter," he said, carrying on "he's going to give you hell. I'm really concerned - he doesn't even really care about this course, he's only enrolled because he wanted to apply for another student loan, and wouldn't qualify if he didn't join at least 1 more course!" Todd protested, worry clearly present in his shaky voice.
"So I was right in thinking he's slightly homophobic too?" I said, narrowing my eyes. "Slightly!?" Todd shrieked, "He's given me trouble in the past, and that was just because I apparently 'dressed gay', and before I had even come out - back when people still thought I was straight!" He sighed and continued, "Imagine what he'll do to you!"
Todd was right; I was going to get a lot of agro from this Peter kid. I had always managed to steer clear of him since he was never in class, because like Todd said - he was literally using this subject as basically a 'slack', just so that he was eligible to apply for a secondary student loan.
"We'll think of something, my little fuzzy." I said, helping Todd up and putting an arm around him as we walked back to my house, the poor Raccoon barely saying a word the whole journey home.
Opening the front door Todd burst inside, quickly hurrying upstairs. I heard him rummaging around in the bedroom. Following after him I walked in to the bedroom, upon seeing me, Todd suddenly hid something under his shirt, a guilty look spreading across his face. "What are you hiding?" I asked him cautiously, watching as Todd burst into tears once again. "T-this..." The sobbing Raccoon replied, as he handed me over a slightly crumpled piece of card.
Flipping the card over, I read across the front, in Todd's handwriting - "Thank-You", with a goofy childlike sketch of a Racoon and a Wolf drawn on the front, hand-in-hand, standing in front of lake - just like in our photograph. I felt a lump in my chest as I opened the card and read the inside.
~~~
To my best friend in the whole world, Arthur.
I'd just like to say thanks, for everything you've done for me over the last 4 weeks. I could have never done it without you.
I'm looking so forward to spending another year with you as my "mentor"; I'll always be your little photographers apprentice :)
Lots of love,
Todd.
XxX
~~~
I felt myself welling up with tears as I clutched onto Todd, holding him tightly against me as I repeated over and over again "I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry, Todd" rocking us gently back and forth on the bed.
"I thought Mr. McGraw was going to pair you with me, I really did." Todd looked up at me and said, "He told me a few days ago that he was really impressed with the way you had worked with me over the last 4 weeks, and that he was signing paperwork to offer you the position, I really thought he was going to pair you up with me, I really did..." Todd sobbed.
"I know, I know, I did too... Don't worry, we will sort this all out, honestly we will. You've got to trust me again on this one; I didn't let you down last time did I?" I said, putting my paw on Todd's chin and pulling his face around so that our eyes met. "N-no, you didn't let me down." He said, a smile finally breaking his sorrowed look. "I would never let you down, Todd." I said, firmly kissing him on the muzzle.
A few moments passed as we sat at the end of the bed, arm in arm. I could feel Todd's heartbeat start to slow down to a slower, steady pace as I heard him sigh and say; "Can we go to sleep early, please? I just want to bury myself into your warm fur and forget about all of this today."
It wasn't too early, the sun was just starting to set - but in all honesty, all I wanted to do was to get today over with too. Tomorrow was Friday and there was no doubt I would be introduced to my new 'mentor student'. I pushed the thoughts out of my head, trying to think more positively.
"Of course you can, don't you worry about a thing - I'll sort this all out, I promise." I replied to Todd, as I pulled his sweater up and over his head, before kissing him passionately on the lips once again. The timid looking Raccoon turned a slight shade of pink as he blushed and smiled shyly.
"Why so embarrassed?!" I said, tickling him in the tummy playfully. "Oh, just thinking about that card..." He replied.
"Awww, that was cute! I love it, really I do!" I said, straightening the creases out of the card and placing it on the nightstand. Slipping my shorts down and pulling my shirt off, I opened my arms to embrace the bundle of fluff that was undressing himself promptly at the end of the bed.
"Come here you little naked fuzz-ball!" I called over at Todd, who, in response; literally jumped on top of me, wrapping his arms and legs around me as I pulled the covers over us and snuggled against him. Todd cooed as I stroked his back, letting my paws drift down a little further until I reached his soft rump. Hearing Todd let out a little gasp as I gave it a quick squeeze, I let my paw gently cup his butt cheek as we started to drift off into sleep.
~~~
*BZZZZZZZZZZZZZT* I slammed a paw down on my alarm clock as the morning sunlight flooded into my eyes. Squinting down I spied the striped, sleeping fuzz-ball clinging onto my chest as I sighed and laid my head back down on the pillow. "Just a few more minu-" *BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT* my thought process was cut off. "What the?..."
Looking over at my alarm, the time was 7:46 am, 14 minutes from when my alarm was supposed to go off... So if it wasn't my alarm that was buzzing, then it must be...
"The doorbell!!!" I yelled, watching Todd jump out of his skin in a dazed confusion as I quickly scooped him over onto his side of the bed. Rushing over to the dresser and throwing on just a pair of jeans.
*BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT* I heard the buzzer go once again as I hurried down the stairs, nearly tripping over my tail. "OK, OK! I'm coming, I'm co-.."I cut my own words off as I opened the door, my jaw hung in astonishment at the sight that was in front of me. "Um, c-can I help you?" I squeaked nervously to the brutish looking Tiger that was looming in my doorway. "Maybe, just maybe..." he replied.