Assignment (OPEN!)

[Kristina Novak]

Kristina sat on top of one of the stone tables, shivering. Vermont's chilling, wintry air felt unbearable, even when she was dressed in one of her warmer pairs of leggings. Winter was too damn cold. Even though she had moved here quite some time ago, she still longed for a more temperate climate. The only reason the Czech girl was outside was to take some photos. She needed more to put into her photography portfolio for a class.

So far, Kristina was enjoying her classes. Some were difficult, such as English, while others came more naturally to her, like history and the art classes. Her first year at the university was going great. Although, she would like to have more friends but most of her peers were obsessed with partying and getting drunk. The thought alone made Kristina shake her head in disgust. How could they willingly give up control of their body like that? She was far too focused on her studies to waste time on such reckless behaviour. 

Rubbing her gloved fingers together, Kristina picked up her digital camera. She enjoyed using both digital and film cameras, but her digital one was better at capturing the small details. Her eyes scanned the campus, quickly yet thoroughly, in search for a muse.

Already the girl had taken a picture of a kid falling asleep in the hallway. Kristina preferred to focus on the aspects of real life, and capture it the way it is. No metaphors, just simplicity.

One kid caught her attention. She narrowed her eyes, raising the camera up to focus almost immediately. Kristina was aware that the other university students probably thought she was a stalker but she didn't care. The student who caught her attention was flipping through a textbook, rushing down the sidewalk. Their expression was perfect and Kristina began losing focus on the world, only watching and taking photos of the studious individual.

[Deleted]

So Brooke had been to the University campus a few times, but before it was only to stake out the various parties that were usually being held by bored college students. This time, however, Brooke was down there during the day, staking out the campus itself to get a better feel for the place she was going to be heading to come graduation.

Yes, graduation was just around the corner, and, crazy as a crazy girl she was, Brooke did take her studies seriously. Or about as seriously as she could. Her last report card had been fabulous! Literally. She made it spell out the word "FAAAAAB". Of course that meant that she had to get just below a D in her first class, but that wasn't anything she couldn't recover from in her remaining months as a Hammel student.

Exploring the campus, decked out in black leggings, grey boots, and a retro top beneath a fuzzy-wuzzy jacket, she came upon a stalker.

Yes, a stalker! In broad daylight! Wow, so this was what she had to look forward to? Brooke had never had a stalker before! Maybe she could convince this one to be Brooke's first?

With a hop, skip and a jump, Brooke found a place sneakily behind the pretty stalker girl and watched what she was watching. Then she spoke in an inappropriately loud voice.

"Whatcha dOOOOOOing??"

[Kristina Novak]

Smiling to herself, Kristina finished taking pictures of the student. She began thumbing through the photos as she saved the good ones. Photography was so relaxing, and the only time the girl wasn't as uptight as usual. She shivered, the wind picking up. Maybe she'd head back and then get a hot chocolate. Or anything warm to drink.

Before Kristina had time to think, a voice came up out of nowhere. It was extremely loud and in her face. She jumped, wildly spinning around with a yelp. It sounded unnatural coming from her, as she rarely showed emotion or fear. What the hell?!

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Kristina yelled at the stranger, her heart racing. She placed a gloved hand on her chest, breathing hard. "Seriously, you're a fucking student and going around screaming in people's general vicinity?"

[Deleted]

Brooke just stood up straight, barely acknowledging the other girl's startled actions, and presented her with a casual smile, as if it this situation were totally normal and she hadn't just made herself look like a mental patient.

She shook her head, her bob of curls twirling over her ears. "Nope. Not answering. I asked you first." It was only fair, right? Once she got an answer, then Brooke would provide the other girl with something that might make sense.

Brooke tucked her hands behind her back and casually tapped her toe on the ground.

[Kristina Novak]

Kristina shook her head, only grunting in response. Clearly, the girl looked pissed off towards the stranger, Seriously, who ran around screaming in people's ears and acting like they were still in grade school?

"Seriously?" Kristina replied with an eye roll, turning towards the girl. Tight lipped, she offered the slightest twitch of a forced smile. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm taking photos." She sarcastically waved around her camera before placing it in her lap.

"Now, what were you doing there? is that how you greet everyone?" Kristina asked rudely with a smirk. The girl was pretty but.. slightly... really annoying.

[Deleted]

Well, you'd think this lady-girl might be just over-reacting a little bit maybe? All Brooke did was offer her a friendly greeting with a friendly inquiry as to what she was doing?

Brooke rolled her eyes, mirroring the movement of her conversational companion. "Well, duh, I can see your takin' photos. Jus' wonderin' why?" She leaned in and pointed at the girl's previous subject. "You stalkin' that person....or is this for a class? And if it the latter, doncha know that pic-ing people without their express permissions is a legal no-no, makin' it in actuality the former?" She looked at the subject, who still hadn't noticed them, and then pointed again. "Unless....that person is just reeeeeaaaaallly good at acting an' is actually posin' for you specific?"

If that was the case, the Brooke would have to make sure to apologize for interrupting the photo-shoot. For now, thought, the shifter relented and provided her new friend a reply. "I was doin' my incognito explorin' of the campus I may be attendin' come the turnin' of the autumn leaves and saw a potential injustice t' forthwith I determined a necessity for my intervention." Which made total sense!

[Kristina Novak]

As a photographer, Kristina was use to the stalking comments and all the questions. Really, she signed herself up for it the moment she put a camera in her hands. Most of the time, she either ignored them or offered the same responses. Yes, the camera was expensive. Yes, it's harder than it looks. Yes, it's a low playing job. No, she wasn't going to regret it. Yes, her subjects never really were aware that they were the center of attention in her spreads. How else was Kristina suppose to capture the very essence and realism of life?

"Why? 'Cause I enjoy it. It's fun." said Kristina, putting it simply. "Well... yes and no to that. It's for my class but that person didn't know..." Before Kristina could finish her sentence, the girl seemed to have passionately launch into her next sentence. She let her finish, and paused. Well, the Czech girl never really thought of that before. And the fact that this girl came out of nowhere and stumpd her kind of pissed Kristina off. "They're not exactly aware... it's just for a class. If they really have that much of a problem with it, I will gladly remove it from the art hall." She said slowly, tight lipped again. God, couldn't this girl just leave her alone and let her muse flow as it may?!

Frowning, Kristina cleared her throat. Yeah, cause that made perfect and total sense. "...I see." she hesitated. A younger girl. Figured. Usually, the high school seniors oogled at the guys and girls on campus while carrying around Starbucks. This girl was clearly different. "Well... I hope you're having fun with that. There's no injustice here." Kristina defended, crossing her arms with a slight frown.

[Deleted]

Fun.

Fun fun fun fun fun! Brooke could understand fun! She had a lot of it especially when stocked up of sugar.

But the stalking thing had to go. Nope nope nope! Brooke knew that she'd think it just damn creepy to be having pictures taken without her know, then again, if she never knew, then how could she find it creepy? Anyway, that wasn't the point! Or was it? "Hooow can they express a problem with it if they don't know?" she challenged. "Hooow can you know if they have a problem if you don't ask? Unless you're a mind reader - and if ya are, sweet-muffins! - but unless you are, 'snot fair to jus' assume."

Brooke grinned, sidestepping into a little skip around the girl. "Ooor, is it that you're no' good enough t' work creatively within limitations?" Some people had the habit of getting all butt-hurt for not being able t' do what they wanted, but the real successful people were capable of being just as creative while staying within those boundaries.

Brooke nodded. Yup, she was having fun! This girl was fun to talk to. So naturally it could only be expected. "Whyyyy don't you just ask them and find out for yourself?" Brooke insisted, holding out an arm in the subject's direction.

[Kristina Novak]

Okay, Kristina knew her arguments weren't all that compelling. They were weak and the girl had reason. But this was her artistic freedom she was slamming! Kristina couldn't go up to someone and ask their permission! That ruined everything! She was sure the girl didn't want to hear her rant about her artistic freedom and ruining the whole 'realistic' aspect to her photography.

"But if I don't ask then they don't know and don't have to worry about it." Kristina said with a smirk. Would it be easier to lie about her power? Say she was a mind reader? No... definitely not. This girl screamed the type to ask 'what am i thinking' among other things. "Unfortunately, not." Would it frowned upon to knock this girl out? Cause she could do that, if necessary. And soon using her ability might be considered necessary.

Okay, that was enough. Kristina whipped her head to face the girl, scowling. "Alright, look, I've had enough of you and your little chirpy attitude. I'm one of the top students in the photography department and have had my work featured... all in my freshman year. Do you understand how rare that is? I'm obviously good." she snapped, ending her small rant with another smirk. "I capture real-is-tic pieces." Kristina added, emphasizing 'realistic.' Then the girl laughed. It was condescending and a bit loud coming from her. She wasn't the type to laugh. "Yeah, let me go ask them and ruin the realistic part of my work." Kristina said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"Look, you're just wasting both of our time. I don't know why you're so fascinating with antagonizing my work and causing me grief." Kristina frowned, biting her lip. Probably a good idea to hold back the whole knocking her unconscious idea.

[Deleted]

"That's exactly a thing a stalker would say to justify their actions, a creepoid snapping shots of the bongo-bongos on the ladies in the lockers." Brooke held up a finger as if that proved her point.

"I know whatcher saying though. Reactivity is a no-no in ob-ser-va-tion-al sit-u-a-tions. There's a word for that whasit…? Hmmmmmm….." Brooke continued on with the long, drawn out noise as she dug up the memory banks which held the idea she was heading for, until she literally bounced up on her toes with a 'bingo' look on her face. "Hawthorne! It's an effects of psychology! You're an observer, surely you heard before?" Brooke looked at her conversation parter expectingly, as if anything Brooke had done thus far had made sense.

But apparently the girl was no longer interested in hearing what Brooke had to say. Da-yum! What a closed minded individual! And ethically questionable to boot! Brooke pouted, pulling her hands behind her back and looking childishly down to the ground, tapping the toe of her boot up against the sidewalk. "I don't think it was a waste o' time…..I was jus' making conversation…." Kinda yes no. Yes. And no. Brooke was enjoying the debate on the ethics of candid photography. But apparently, seeing a different point of view was just a waste of time to her. "…you're mean…." she mumbled.

[Kristina Novak]

Kristina decided to ignore Brooke's response about her being a 'creepoid.' She didn't go around snapping photos of shirtless girls. She did have tact, afterall, and wasn't about to head for the lockeroom for tasteless reasons. If anyone were to be without clothes then it would be with explicit permission and in a controlled manner! She pinched the bridge of her nose, exhaling sharply.

Then the girl was going on about psychological effects, something about Hawthorne and, well, the only thing Kristina agreed with the stranger was how reactivity killed her realistic observations. She gave the girl a blanked and puzzled look. "... all of that flew over my head except for the last part, which I surprisingly, agree with you. But I guess I am an observer?" Kristina phrased it as a question, not sure how the girl was going to respond next. She was kind of scared.

Anddddd now she felt guilty. Kristina didn't mean to snap and sound rude but... this girl. It was understandable, right? She took a deep breath, sighing. "Look... I'm sorry." She apologized, fidgeting with the buttons on her camera. Staring at her lap, she continued. "I didn't mean to come across as mean. Just... frustrated. Got frustrated and let it get the best of me, you know?" Kristina looked up, seeing how bummed out and deflated the girl looked. Yeah, definitely felt guilty, like she stabbed a cute, overenthusiastic dog. "So... you're entitled to thinking I'm mean but I really am sorry. Defensive over my photography." she mumbled back.

[Deleted]

"Indeed, indeed. An observer is an observer. But even among observers, they always got the things going on and on about ethics n stuff. Like, sociologists who observe that patterns of behavior in society but they can't get a good enough reading on a situation when the peeps know they got an observer in their midsts so they ask if it is ethically sound to hide cameras in their houses for the sake of science!!" It was actually quite a controversial topic and interesting to explore and Brooke just loved that there was a person, an observer with whom she could exchange opinions on the matter.

Because the dummies at her school were just a bunch of dummies and couldn't grasp such complicated psychological concepts.

Unfortunately…it seems like Brooke had come off a little too strong. Well, a lot too strong, she figured, but….she thought it'd been going well.

Brooke kept her head down and sighed dramatically, tapping her foot against the concrete beneath her. "It's okaaaaaaaaaaaaaay," she relented. Brooke knew how easy it was to get flustered over topics one was particularly passionate about. She had quite a few herself. Brooke decided to take her apology and just let it all slide.

She turned back to the girl and gave her a bright grin. "So…what else you wanna talk about?"

[Kristina Novak]

"I suppose so." Kristina finally agreed with a nod. Ethics and morality always seemed to come into play. "The way I see it though, I'm not hurting anyone. If anyone was truly offended, I would delete the photo and take it down. Without observers... the world would miss the details out there overlooked by people more concerned with themselves." She rambled, twirling her fingers around a strand of hair. Some people were so selfish and concerned with themselves, they missed out on life itself.

She sighed in relief when the girl accepted her apology. Kristina didn't take herself to be a harsh, mean person, but it... just sort of happened. She wasn't use to meeting other passionate people. Her own fault for getting overly defensive, though. "You know... for the most part, you seem mature for a student. You're knowledgeable on subjects usually not noticed by students your age. Even my age." Kristina commented.

With a smile, Kristina shifted to face the girl and extended out her camera as an offering. She clutched it, not use to showing her prized possession. "If you'd like, you can look through these. You understand the psychology behind human behavior and emotions. Maybe you'd be able to appreciate a photo or two?"

[Deleted]

"That's true," Brooke didn't deny what Kristina was saying. But she loved playing devil's advocate. It was a bit of a trolly thing to do(though Brooke was troll on a regular day anyway) but it was enjoyable to see just how firmly a person held their opinions and beliefs sometimes. It was an enjoyable pass-time. Especially on the internet!

"But if they don't know and they're not okay then they never get the chance to object. While it's great that you would take stuff down when confronted with an objection, if they never see it, then they wouldn't know that there is even something to object to. That's when copyrights and legalities come into play. You know, companies and stuff that have your personal information, including pictures, are required to inform their subject of interest of what they plan to do with said information precisely for that reason! The customer might not know if they don't say anything, but if they find out via some other unfortunate means, they get Peeee Ohhhh'd." Another lengthly babble for the high school senior. But she blushed at the compliment her pretty companion offered to her. "Nyaaah…I just like t' read alot." She shuffled her toe in front of her, looking as shy as could be. "An' I get bored easy."

Brooke's smile brightened into overbearing excitement when offered to look through the photos. "Thank ewe!!" She carefully took the camera and started shifting through the pictures. "…..these're all pretty cooool!" Brooke looked up and grinned again. "You're really good! I don't got any talent for this kinda thing." Brooke handed it back. "Which one's your fav?"

[Kristina Novak]

"Well, I would hope that nobody would be quick to sue me like they are against big companies." Kristina said, with all seriousness. She opened her mouth to say something... anything really, but was falling short. Kristina had nothing to reply with. No snappy comeback, or well thought out reasoning.. no, absolutely nothing. She closed her mouth and sighed, unhappily. "You know, I don't like to admit defeat but I think I have to. Keep running into dead ends." Kristina nodded twice, looking at the stranger. "Doesn't mean I'll change who I am. But you win that argument."

"Do me a favour, and sign up for any class here that you can debate in. Professors seem to love students who can defend their point of view on a topic." Kristina advised the younger girl, with a hint of a smile. It was a huge compliment coming from her. "Besides, you're good at it." She nodded, mostly to herself. Yeah, the talkative stranger didn't seem like the typical high school kid. Provided for an interesting afternoon, that was for sure.

Kristina's smile widened, seeing the younger girl's excitement. Although it somewhat pained her to let go of her camera, letting (essentially) a complete stranger hold it... but she was doing her best. Plus, she could trust the girl. Kristina peered over at the camera, watching her flip through the photos. "Oh, thank you." A faint blush appeared on her cheeks. She took the camera back, almost sighing in relief. "Hm, good question." Kristina went back a few photos, settling on one of a couple of students. "I like this one. See the way they're looking at each other? They're in love." Kristina stated. "Whether they know it or not. Its why I love photography."