Analysis

"Dan?...Dan?"

He let out a breath as if to get up, but it turned out he was just making himself feel more comfortable. My face screwed up in frustration.

"Danny!" I borderline screamed as I smashed my fists onto the table he was napping on.

He yelped as he shot up, almost throwing himself off his chair. "What?!" he said indignantly.
"What are you doing sleeping now?" I asked with indignation myself.
"I'm tired, I didn't sleep very well last night," he whined.
"This is why you work on the magazine when we plan to do so, not when you think you're free."
"Dude, can you keep quiet?" he asked as he placed his head back on the table.
"Why? So you can go back to sleep?"
"That'd be nice, but this is also a public place. I think they'd appreciate that as well," he said pointing away into the room.

For the first time since all these events I remembered we were sitting in a cafe. Even though there weren't a lot of people there were enough to make me feel embarrassed about myself.
"I, uh... Sorry," I said childishly. They stared at me for a few more seconds, shrugged and returned to their own business.

Turning back to our table, Dan was slyly trying to doze off again. I tapped him on the head and he swatted my arm away.
"Don't make me do it," I warned him.
"Hmm?" he grumbled.
I poked him on the side and he shot up like a rocket once again with a yelp.
"Okay, okay, I'm up!" he said admitting defeat.
"Never stay up late again, got it?"
"Don't be a such a mom,"
I glared at him.
"Fine, I won't." he said returning to his laptop.

"Um... Excuse me?" a voice cautiously said behind my back. I turned around to see a girl peering at our screens.
"Are you two part of the editorial committee?"
"That's us, and you're part of the photography club, the new member, right?" I asked back
"Yeah, my name is Maya," she said as she sat down.
"I'm Manas, this is Daniel," I said pointing to him.
"Yo," he said waving in a lethargic manner. "You can call me Dan for short."
"Nice to meet you, did I get here first?"
"Yep, shall we start looking through your pictures then?"
"Sure," she said pulling out her memory card. I took it and copied the pictures and handed it over to Dan who did the same.
"Wow, the pictures you girls take never seize to amaze me," I said marvelling at the photos of the pier.
"Well, they only get better after everyone we take," another voice said behind me. This one I knew.
"Hello Valencia, you're late," I said turning around to greet the president of the club and the rest of the members
"Eh, it's not like you guys do any better with when you're supposed to publish the magazine,"
"Well, you can't let the new member be setting examples on how correspondence should work between the student departments,"
"I'll keep that in mind," she said as she, Alicia and Tara sat down.

We worked the rest of the evening, Dan and I working on the magazine's content and cover page, the photography club editing and captioning their photos. Finally I stretched my arms and yawned as I closed my laptop.

"Well, I suppose we can call this a day," I said looking at everyone. Their fatigued eyes and arms implied they had similar feelings.
"Managed to finish my work," Valencia said with a sigh as she cracked her knuckles.
"Same here," Tara added.
"Me too," Alicia added.
"Same," Maya added.
Dan remained hidden behind his screen.
"Dan? I do suppose you finished as well?" I asked him.
He poked his head above the screen wincing.
"Eh, not quite..." he said.
"This wouldn't be because you were sleeping half the time?
"What? No, of course not." he said chuckling.
We all stared right back at him, unimpressed by his attempt at throwing us off.
"No, I didn't..." he said almost trying to convince himself.
"Well, when will you finish..."
"Tomorrow," he said confidently.
"...If you're going to sleep tonight? And you will," I added.
"Day-after," he said.
"Right, and with that I think we can disperse."

We disbanded. I was walking out and getting ready to get on my cycle when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see Maya staring at her toes.
"Hey, what's up?" I asked her.
"There's something I wanted to ask you," she said.
"Okay, shoot,"
She pulled out her phone and brought up a photo.
"Does this person look familiar?" she asked as she handed the phone over.

I looked at the photo. But to my surprise the screen looked blank. All I could see was the front portion of a dock.
"I'm sorry... Is this the correct photo?" I asked her.
"Why?" she asked back.
"Because nobody is here," I said turning the screen back to her to show her.
"But, there is, isn't there?"
"Nope," I said turning the screen back to me so I could double check, "Not even a reflection."
"I... You're right that's the wrong photo. I don't think I have it on my phone."
"Sorry I couldn't be of help." I said as I returned her phone.
"It's my fault really, I should have realised. Thank you for your time." she said as she walked away.

I stood there for a second as she walked away with the rest of the photography club. Something about her request and how she took my reception of it felt off. She sounded almost distressed when I said I couldn't see anyone. Why? What was hiding in that photograph? Or rather, to put it in her perspective, who?