Three stories
ONE
Everybody says I look like Princess Margaret. EVERYBODY. I think it may be true, too. She smokes, though. I guess I might start because she looks so glamorous when she smokes. I bought these sunglasses because of her. I really feel like Princess Margaret when I wear my bathing suit, which is a two-piece and it’s emerald green. I almost bought the one with the big polka dots, but the emerald green suits my eyes. I would love to meet her, and even a prince, but better Princess Margaret since we look alike. Her family is like Disneyland, fancy and expensive. I hope I’ll get to go to Disneyland one day. It’s really only a few hours away, but I have to save up some money, and I want my best friend Terri to go with me. Wouldn’t Tessie and Terri in Disneyland be a good time? We’d get to meet Minnie and Mickey, and we’d go to Cinderella’s Castle. If they got in a fight or something, Princess Margaret would whip Cinderella’s ass in a minute.
Story by Linda Waverly
TWO
She couldn’t help but wonder why I stopped to take her photo at that moment. All we were doing was walking on the soft grass of my front lawn on our way to get ice cream
We had only just left, and we were already giggling about how ridiculous her new glasses looked. I had joked about how they really brought out the beauty of her nose. And it’s abnormal size. It was just another ordinary day when you’re in love.
That’s when I decided to take her photo. When she asked me why I took it, I told her the truth. And the truth was that I had no idea what really gave me the urge to take her photo. So she asked me to try my best at explaining it.
First I told her was how I loved the way she was never satisfied with the easy answer. How she always made me become a scholar and a poet whenever I talked to her.
Then I told her that all jokes aside, I really did love her glasses. They matched perfectly with her white top. They reminded me of the white that you see in the sunset. Because when you finally get past all the beautiful oranges and red and yellows that could make a real poet’s heart melt, what you are left with is a beautifully blinding white, the last reminder of the light before the dark.
Lastly, I ended by telling her I loved her smile. Again, she was not satisfied with just hearing that I love it. So once again, I told her the truth. I told her that seeing her smile made me want to freeze time itself. I mean, I never wanted to look away from that smile. That smile.
It was easily the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. To this day, it still is. It’s more beautiful than any sunset that will melt your heart, more blindingly bright than the white that you can’t seem to get out of your head.
I wanted to capture this picture of her so that I could freeze her in one place. Forever. With me. Because whenever I see her, It’s like time freezes. For me.
Story by Liam J Andrejcak
THREE
He knew those glasses looked ridiculous but couldn’t tell her. They made her happy, and he couldn’t resist the way it made him feel. He never cared about anyone that way before, never felt this responsibility to ensure to person waking up beside him was better off. His entire life had been built around never being attached. He was a landscape and nature photographer, but his buddies made jokes that he was like James Bond, traveling the world with a new mission and lady everywhere he went.
Then he goes to Bali and he’s got this perfect view of this beach at sunset, but this woman and her painting easel are in the way, so he tries to persuade her to move, but she argues her art is just as important she needs to finish before it gets dark, and they keep arguing until the sun sets, and neither win. He feels bad, and she’s pretty in funny kind of way, so he offers to by her a drink. She tells him her name is Candice, and he says his is Hank. They talk about their work, and how images are the closest thing to a time machine, and he cant understand why he’s so drawn to her. After that week he invites her to travel with him. All those things he usually finds as a turn off such as cheap jewelry, and a loud laugh he doesn’t mind. He finds it endearing that she binge watches Betty Davis movies, and eats popcorn with peanut butter. He starts asking her where she would like to travel, and suggests they visit the Grand Canyon.
Candice buys these silly sunglasses at a gas station making jokes that she looks like Elton John meets an alien. As they pass this town she sees a house she wants to paint, so he stops. As she gets out of the car, she trips a little and they laugh. He realizes right then he’s in love. He rarely takes pictures of people, but he wants this moment forever, the only time he fell in love.
Story by Olivia Arroyo