Pinhole, Higher Learning
Copyright© 2024 by Fanlon
Chapter 13
Dana was waiting for me in the car when I stepped out of the arts building. I said my goodbyes to Jeff who had walked out with me before I climbed into the car. Dana pulled away from the curb and we were no more than two or three blocks away when she gave me a look I knew was coming.
“Don’t just sit there, tell me how it went!”
I watched as Dana’s eyes kept flicking from the road to me and back expectantly. I knew it was going to drive her crazy if I didn’t say anything, so I didn’t. I just sat there in the passenger seat while her frustration grew by the second and she started visibly fuming. Her response was predictable driving even more ridiculously than she normally did. I tried to ignore it, but that’s hard to do when the car you’re riding in takes to the air and there is an incredibly loud slam as the car hits the ground again and continues to scream down the road.
“Fine, just slow down and I’ll tell you!” I yelled, scared for my life. “Please! For God’s sake, please!”
Dana let off the gas, and the car slowed quickly to a more normal speed. Not quite normal for everyone else, but more what I was accustomed to when Dana was driving. My heart was pounding in my chest to the point where I could hear it beating away in my own ears. Dana, however, just grinned over at me looking satisfied that she had won.
“Spill.”
“It was cool, okay?” I said. “The studio was ... well, like a real professional studio. Happy now?” I rushed to get out in hopes she wouldn’t speed back up again.
“Happy? No way! There has to be more than that!” To emphasize her point, she revved the motor a few times and I gulped nervously.
“You’ll see when we get back to my house.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I mean, I am going to show you!”
I reached between my legs and picked up and gently shook the backpack holding my pinhole camera. Dana glanced at it; her eyes widened for a second before a wicked smile spread across her face.
“Sweet.”
It never occurred to me to wonder what time it was until we pulled into the driveway. The sun had gone down hours ago, before I met the club, so I couldn’t judge the time that way. I realized how late it was when all the lights in the house were out, all except a dim light coming from Mom and Dad’s room over the garage.
“What time is it?” I asked as Dana closed her car door.
“Almost 11:00, why?”
“Holy shit, seriously?” I was stunned.
“Yeah, come on, let’s go develop that picture.”
“It’s really late. Maybe we should—”
“No way, we’re developing that tonight!”
Dana grabbed my arm and pulled me behind her up the stairs. She reached for the doorknob before I got the chance and turned it, opening the door. It was completely dark inside, but that didn’t stop her from heading straight for the stairs leading toward the basement.
Dana flipped on the basement light and my eyes slammed shut, trying to protect themselves from the sudden burst of brightness.
“Oh, come on. It’s not that bright.” Dana groaned.
“It is when you didn’t know it was coming,” I retorted.
“Whatever, it’s going to be dark in the darkroom. Since you’re being so sensitive.”
She was right, it would be darker in there and I was being a bit over-dramatic.
Once we were inside, I turned on the soft red lights. My eyes adjusted to the change almost immediately. I placed my backpack on the floor and pulled out the pinhole camera. Dana stood right next to me, close enough to watch my every move but not so close as to be in the way. As crazy as she was, always trying to tease me or just make me uncomfortable, she was the perfect helper when it came to my pictures.
As crazy as she made me feel most days, she was always the one I wanted with me in the darkroom. Sure, I would have loved to have Laura here, but that was for different reasons. Dana was special in a way that I couldn’t put into words.
“Do you need me to do anything?” Dana asked, her voice soft but clear as she stood as close to me as she could without being in the way.
“I don’t think so, let’s see how it turns out.” I looked at her and smiled as I slipped the white page of photopaper into the first chemical.
This stage of the process always felt like it took the longest—the part where you waited to see what image was going to come from nothing. Every time I developed a picture, I held my breath as I waited for the first signs to emerge from under the surface.
“This is my favorite part,” Dana whispered, excitedly. “I’m always so anxious and nervous.”
“Me too!” I nodded, not taking my eyes off what I was doing.
I used my pair of tongs to reach in and grab the corner of the page and jostle it around a bit. It wasn’t necessary, but it is a nervous habit now. Moments later, the image started to take shape. I knew what was there, but Dana didn’t. I kept glancing over at her, gauging her reaction as she saw the portrait come to life. The outlines of the two models and their darker hair showed up first.
As the scene slowly revealed itself, I was worried that I hadn’t caught the emotion I was hoping for when I took it. I had placed the two girls back-to-back. The taller of the two was on the left. I had set up a key light a few paces away, bathing her in a strong, warm light that made her seem to glow.
She was leaning back against the other body, her arms crossed just under her breasts. Her legs were out straight, toes pointed, just barely touching the floor. The way they were positioned, it showed off her long, strong body. Her head was turned slightly towards the other model, her chin up but her eyes looking at her counterpart behind her. She had a victorious, but also smug look on her face, as if she had just won some trivial argument that only mattered to her just a moment earlier.
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