Olivia
“Nice, Karen! Very good,” the photographer complimented Karen as he was taking her pictures. I was sitting on the chair provided by Heidi-Karen’s Manager while being greeted by some of the staff. Since Karen sometimes invited me here, some of them now recognized me as Karen’s best friend.
“Here you go, dear,” Heidi came and handed me a cup of Starbucks.
“Thank you, Heidi,” I took it and drank a sip. Heidi was Karen’s new Manager because the last one had to resign because he got married to a German lady and decided to move to his wife’s country. It happened a few months after I moved with my dad.
“She’s doing great every single day. I’m sure because she has a friend supporting her,” she stated while drinking her Starbucks. I could only smile at her statement.
“It’s her dream. Although her parents used to object to her idea saying she should choose the normal path for a child.”
“I know that feeling. I never told you before but I used to work as a model too.”
“I know, Karen told me.”
“Did she? Well, that was my biggest dream and I achieved it. I had the honor to be in Paris fashion show, and almost around the world.”
“Why did you quit?” I asked and she stared to where Karen was. She was smiling but her eyes hinted sadness.
“My mother was the reason. She got sick with Parkinson and because my father passed away before and I was the only child, I should be the one taking care of her although she eventually died.”
“I’m sorry.”
“That’s okay. It’s been five years now and my life must go on. I chose to not continue with my modeling career because I thought I have already experienced everything a supermodel could have and I’m married now.” She showed her ring. “I have a loving husband and a lovely two-year-old daughter. But I couldn’t abandon that life so I decided to become a model manager and I’m really lucky to have Karen. The girl is like a rough diamond and she got potential. I’m sure she will be successful up there.”
“I knew she will be.” I glanced my eyes at Karen. I was a hundred percent sure Karen would achieve her dream. This what she meant to do. This was…her destiny.
“How about you, dear? What would you like to be?” I didn’t know what to say. Even until now, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I used to think of getting a scholarship to Oxford so I could make Blake proud. Now I used that reason to make my parents proud. I didn’t know whether I would make it to Oxford.
“I wanted to go to Oxford.” That was all I could say to her.
“Really? That’s amazing.”
“Yeah, and that’s the problem. I don’t know what is my next step will be after I was accepted there. I thought of making my family proud of me but something is missing.”
“Is your parent forced you to?”
“No. I thought that’s what I should do, to make them happy.”
“You don’t need to go to Oxford to make your parents happy if they truly love you. I know how hard it is to be accepted in Oxford and it will be amazing if you got through. But, Olivia? You only live once and I suggest you better find something you love to do. I know you have one, don’t you?” I couldn’t answer her. I would be eighteen in the next few weeks but I had nothing I loved to do. I studied to be the best but I didn’t know what I loved. My mind was stuck in making people proud of me because I was scared if I failed, I would make them disappointed.
Heidi patted my head. A gesture of assuring. She didn’t judge me. “I’m sure you have something, Olivia. You just haven’t realized it. You should think about it again before you choose the wrong path,” she advised. I guessed I had to do that.
I looked up at her. “Thank you, Heidi.” I saw Karen just finished her photoshoot and she went towards us.
“That was fun!” she exclaimed. “What is my next schedule, Heidi?”
“You will be having another photoshoot with Javier, dear.”
“Oh, my God! Seriously?” she asked happily. Who’s Javier?
“Why are you so excited?” I asked her.
“Javier is a model. Well, just a part-timer but he’s hot like, really hot. A very handsome one. Every female model wanted to do a shoot with him, especially when he always does a photoshoot where he has to take off his top.”
“The concept is to introduce a new brand of perfume and while Javier would be topless, you will not,” Heidi explained as I could see the disappointment from Karen’s brown eyes.
“I don’t mind having that man around my body,” Karen said where I slightly opened my mouth. I couldn’t believe she just said that.
“Karen!” Heidi scolded and Karen laughed. “You will only be wearing a tight dress and that’s enough for him to wraps his big arms around you.” I wondered how this Javier would look like. Karen rarely being a fangirl-like to a male model and Javier was the first person.
Heidi excused herself when someone called out to her and Karen sat next to me. “Hey, what are you two talking about earlier?”
“Well, some of Heidi’s life, and then she asked what I wanted to do with my life. I’m…embarrassed because I couldn’t answer her. I envy you and her because you two know what you wanted to in your life. Even Josh is the same.”
“Oh, babe.” Karen wrapped her arm around me. Gently rubbing my shoulder. “Take your time. You are beautiful and you did your best for the past two years. I won’t ask you to be a model because I know you don’t fond of it. But you are good at public speaking, maybe you should focus on marketing or maybe become a model manager. Do you have any idea what that is?” I shook my head. “Well, a model manager is the person who looks a job for their model, not just so the model would get a job but also to boost up their career. They have to oversee the fashion industry, following the trends, and they have to be able to negotiate with certain agents even brands.”
That was quite tough, but challenging as well. “So, in short…a model manager is like the advisor for their client?”
“You can say that. They made money because of the model. The more their model is successful, the manager gains more money. I have witnessed how you’re doing good with your public speaking and you’re not stuttered like before anymore. You can deal with strangers now. Maybe you can try it and maybe you can work side by side with Heidi. She’s a good woman but I won’t force you if you don’t want to.”
“Well, I’ll think about it. Thank you, Karen.” We hugged each other. I was so glad Karen always helped me overcome this dilemma of mine. She used to ask me to be a model but I politely refused. I was not that photogenic compared to her.
“I’m hungry. What do you want to eat?”
“I’m good. Heidi will probably return with your lunch anyway. And I need the toilet.” I excused myself and headed out of the studio. I went to the toilet, peed, and washed my hands. As I was about to get out, I heard noises outside.
“I already told you, I’m sorry.” A man’s voice. He was apologizing to someone but I couldn’t hear someone else with him. I assumed he was on the phone. “I’m sorry, okay? How many times I have to tell you that? H-Hey! Hello? Hello? Motherfucker!” The last word made me jump a bit. That was not pleasant to hear.
I heard his steps walking far away and I opened the door slowly to peek outside. No one was out there and I walked out. Heading back to the studio until I crashed into a hard chest. “Oh, God! I’m so sorry!” I apologized and looked up. A man. A very attractive man with dark hair and dark brown eyes. He was wearing a brown polo shirt and it fitted his physique. His biceps were bulged out and that was…such a sexy sight. I saw him holding a phone. Oh, great. He was the man from earlier.
“No, I apologize as well,” he said. His voice was deep, like a real man. Oh, man, Olivia? Seriously?
I walked back from him and found him gazing behind me. “Did you come from the ladies?” he asked worriedly. I looked back to where the toilet was and I couldn’t exactly lie because it was a dead end. I nodded my head and he sighed. “I’m really sorry. That was…so unprofessional of me to do that. My girlfriend called me, or should I say, my ex-girlfriend.”
“You…broke up with her?”
“I’m afraid so. I was super busy with my jobs and I couldn’t pay more attention to her. She couldn’t handle the pressure of our relationship and she chose to end it. I’m not that surprised because I am aware that my relationship with her is not working anymore. I thought I still had time but apparently, I don’t.” I didn’t know what to say. It was pretty awkward for him to explained that. We just bumped into each other but I could sense how sad he was.
“I’m sure you’ll get over it and…meet someone soon.”
“I pray that I will.” He smiled genuinely. Looking like there was nothing wrong with him. “Well, excuse me. I have to get back to work. Are you working here as well?”
“Um, no. I was just accompanying my friend who is a model.”
“Really? What’s the name?”
“Karen.”
“Oh? Actually, my next schedule is doing a photoshoot with a model named Karen,” he said.
“Are you maybe…Javier?”
“I am. This is a coincidence, huh?” He extended his hand to me. “Javier Ronan.”
“Olivia Graham.” I shook his hand.
“Well then, perhaps we should go together to the studio.”
“Sure.” We walked back to the studio together. Along my way, I thought back to what Karen said and she was right.
Javier was highly attractive and handsome.