The Dilemma Of The Worlds Number One Most Handsome Man And The Dilemma Of My Unusual Attachment To Photography

I knew that when I saw Talante appear by the door of my allotted lecture hall my life was about to truly, really change. Here things had been smooth sailing for a year, I had made friends with everyone in my class and the professors loved me and my 'quirky' photography. But Talante had risen to the very top despite already having established that he was in-fact at the top. He had the Photography Company in his impressively toned hands and not only that, but Belle was chosen to be his sole photographer. Not that she wanted to, she explained her situation somewhat exactly with these words:

"I refuse to do such a horrendous job for a reflection-loving-good-for-nothing-no-brain-brawny-scrawn-that-hardly-works-hard!" So why did she end up taking the job? That was what had really baffled me since that was over a year ago, in fact a day after I had met her. Did he coerce her? Threaten her with the constant invasion of privacy the Unnamed University Grand Company imposed daily? Rage boiled quiet literally inside of my stomach. Now was the time to take out the dictator of the Unnamed University. His reign would end as soon as those doors opened.

Talante stood by the doors unmoving for a full minute. Just one movement, just opening the door would spark the beginning of the end. He did indeed open, open his mouth behind the still closed door.

"I HAVE COME TO SEEK A NEW PHOTOGRAPHER FOR MYSELF, TALANTE THE TO-BE MOST HANDSOME MAN IN THE WORLD!" Unlike Belle who had given in, my fellow comrades would not be so easy to persuade. Our pursuit was of the beauty of the world and the intelligence of nature. A brawn for brains with opulent clothing and a lavish body could not possibly sway our judgement.

As I sat in the lecture hall alone, Belle pushed past the crowded doorway, knocking over a few students and the lecturer. She marched to my row and slammed her fists on my table, the table that I always sat on and that she knew I had grown personally attached to.

"And where have you been for the past year mister forget-about-me-but-still-have-a-strange-smell-kind-of-like-strawberries-but-less-sweet?" She looked furious as if I'd actually forgotten to talk to her because I thought that since she was associated with the most beautiful and popular man in the Unnamed University that she wouldn't want to talk to somebody like me. I could not believe her gall.

"And why would I have to talk to you, miss-leave-me-alone-for-the-most-handsome-man-in-the-world? I would think that your job would be keeping you from seeing someone like myself." I realised as I spoke that she was furious because I didn't talk to her because I thought that she would not want to associate with me due to her circumstance with Talante.

"You really are quiet stupid you know that. I was trying to return your camera but you keep avoiding me. And what job are you talking about? That offer from Talante the knuckle-brained-witless-hog? I turned that down the second he offered." Scenes from the year I had spent at the Unnamed University suddenly became crystal clear to me. Coincidentally, every time that I had seen Talante, Belle was there with my camera bag and so I had assumed she was working for him. She looked my way and waved but I thought it to be some advanced Photography Company sign that I was no where near close enough to understand. Was it my fault that she hadn't tried to reach out and explain the situation to me? No.

I stood from my seat and snatched back my camera bag and lens which I had forgotten the size of since it was a whole year after I had seen it last. Storming past Belle, a mistake which clearly would have no meaning to my life whatsoever, I mean it was HER fault that we had this massive misunderstanding between us despite only having ever shared one day together. She was no camera, despite her charming looks and mysterious nature, and she definitely had interfered with the love of my life. Holding my camera once more I felt the joy of photography rush back to me and the hormones in my head rushed to the man being paraded at the doorway.

"I will be your photographer!" My words felt like they could knock over the worlds biggest tower or destroy the tension between a couple that just found out they were cheating on each other with their best friends. Even though in my stomach it felt like possibly one of the biggest mistakes of my life, one that would have serious implications for the next four years, I felt justified.

"Very well boy-who-has-a-strange-smell-kind-of-like-strawberries-but-less-sweet-and-with-a-hint-of-burning-passion. It will be you. Even though I'd typically degrade someone such as yourself and feel like I've seen you somewhere before, you will be my photographer!" Finally I had a purpose with my photography. At first I thought it was about nature and all that but really I had wanted to capture beauty. And here he was, in the flesh. I peered back into the lecture hall, Belle's face distraught as though she'd been betrayed. I shook my head, there was only the future from here.

My days now followed a strict schedule which included missing out on most of my classes and lectures. I would wake up and pay my respects to the gods, to thank them for making such a beautiful man exist in this world, clean my camera and every lens I owned, and then make breakfast as well as lunch for my employer. I'd often dream about what kind of photo I'd take of him but mostly it was scripted by the Unnamed University Photography Dedicated To Beautiful People Company (it had come to be named that after some girl that apparently also had a seat in the Unnamed University Grand Company was expelled for misconduct involving a chicken and eleven spices.) I often saw Belle around campus, taking photos of nature and people that walked by and leading her ideal Unnamed University life. She definitely did not look as though she needed me around.

"Come on already guy-whose-name-I-keep-forgetting-not-on-purpose-it's-just-that-you-are-easily-forgettable. I've told you five times in the last ten seconds, either take the shot or you're fired." My hand clicked down and the shutter clicked multiple times. The photos were then submitted to the Unnamed University board to where they were forwarded to the head of the State where they were sent to the National Government where they were handed to the Board of Beautiful people where they were vigorously judged by a panel of beautiful people. The results would determine for certain if Talante was really the most handsome man and would justify my reason for living.

As I walked home tired from my day exploits the scrawny boy that actually was my age still was shoving more flyers into my door again. This was a monthly occurrence. For the first time I took a look at the flyers, one which stood out immediately was a grand prize. If I could win that prize for Talante it would ensure my spot as his permanent photographer for the rest of my foreseeable life. My brain had a small war between the logical and lustful sides. On one hand, depending on the prize I would claim it for myself but if it couldn't have the effect of changing my own life in a way that would land me in a better position than I currently was in then I would give it to Talante. My brains shook hands and became whole once more. I sat down on my couch and pondered how to survive the next two years before I could enter for that prize. Living with a potentially guilty conscience was much more dangerous than living with an active guilty conscience.

Two years suddenly seemed to fly by with my identical routine, and slowly my love for photography fell into a great spiral of obsession and perversion. I would take photos of anything at this point and every photo I took would be given to Talante as a background for his body to stand upon. It was a dark and very stormy night, the Unnamed University Prize Announcement had finally come. I was told that the name changes for the ceremony every year. There I stood beneath the crowd that housed Talante's handsome float where his throne sat atop, waiting anxiously to hear the number.

'231, 231, 231, 231, come on 231. 231.'

"231."

I stood from the crowd, I had every confidence that I would win. Somehow as I was moving to the stage, my pants went missing but that would never phase me. I had a spare pair in my camera bag. Although they were from five years ago they somehow fit on my legs. As I looked back at Talante I could see his angered face. He was about to explode and strangle me. I moved closer and closer to the old man that held the prize in his hands.

"Here is the most sought after prize in the whole galaxy dear child who has-a-strange-smell-kind-of-like-strawberries-but-less-sweet. Claim it now and forever be grateful that you had the chance to change. But remember. You only have this one last ticket."

He handed me a strange looking ticket with a strange looking writing pattern and a strange looking woman in a strange looking hood marched to the front of the crowd. It was Belle holding her camera. She threw at at my head breaking both my skull and the camera. I felt very very sorry for the poor camera, it was a stunning piece of equipment.

"You don't get to change anything for us! The only thing that you should change is your-" she was cut off by the angry mob of the Unnamed Universities Photography For Beautiful People Exclusively Talante The Number One Most Handsome Man marched forward.

I really rattled through my brain to find out what I would change to better position myself in the five years that I had been a student. It all felt a bit rushed, like I was subconsciously trying to achieve a goal as if I'd never done that before in a previous life that may or may not exist. I hadn't heeded the warning since the first time I met Talante, he was my mortal enemy to the end and being close to him did not work out for me. I was a shoe-licking-grovelling-strawberry-smelling-idiot. I hadn't pursued my dreams, I pursued fame and glory just to be shoved underneath someone more spectacular than I. I was indeed arrogant, and my obsession with photography began to send me into a panic attack. Who was I? What did I really want to achieve by starting anew at the Unnamed University?

"I want to change what subject I chose five years ago! I CLAIM MY PRIZE!" The old man that now on second glance looked exactly the same as a wizard clicked his fingers and smiled. The world went dark and once more he talked.

"Perhaps this time around you'll realise...."