“It’s a passport lady, not some runway model picture. You could do with lesser smile,” Tristan said for the upteenth time.
Claire had expected that he would trouble her but certainly not in all the ways he had been doing so since they got to the studio. She had taken a lot of pictures which she actually put a lot of effort as each time she stared at the camera, she would feel rather nervous. Tristan Jenkins was not going easy on her. He continued picking up one fault or the other with her on why the picture was not good. One he said was too pretty for a passport photograph. The other was something about her eyes and another he said highlighted only her hair and then more and more complaints like that on how she appeared on camera like any of that was actually her fault. This one was about her smiling widely when he himself had said she had been frowning a lot. He stated how he was asking for employment standard photograph and the photographer would not even dispute with him. I mean, who disputed with a celebrity boss especially when that person happens to be Tristan Jenkins. The man was obviously trying to please him and maybe get something else in return from him. He became patient with Tristan.
Claire swore within her that the next complain he makes that seems baseless, she would get the hell up and walk out. On a good day she would go take another passport and submit. Should it turn out that he would not accept it, she would talk a walk and be a quitter. He could not keep on making her feel like a lesser being and he the superior. She was tired already and sat down there feeling frustrated.
“Alright Miss Willows, the last one now. Not too smiley and definitely not frowning. Act normal.” the photographer said to her.
Tristan had called her name multiple times over that he had suddenly registered it in his tongue. Perhaps we would all remember to vote Tristan Jenkins as boss of the year with his peculiar talent of being such a pain in the ass.
She maintained her calm nature and settled for the next shot. It should only take a moment, Claire kept telling herself as she stared into that camera again. She began counting her heartbeat in seconds and waiting for the shot to come. This time she made certain she was not all smiley and neither frowning. She only hoped she was doing it right this time around. In a couple of beats, it was done. And her gaze was fixed on Tristan’s face as he looked through the last ones was not encouraging as he continued shaking his head. Claire kept watching him patiently bidding her words and then he told the guy that the particular one he was looking at was technically manageable and something he could put up although it was not so professional. Claire could swear on her life that whatever he had picked was certainly going to be ugly and the worst of the worst. Such a brute should not be allowed to be a public face as there was nothing about him worth seeing. She could not believe she had crushed on him and was still crushing on him as she stood there.
Yes, Tristan was one fine looking man and as he stood there with arms akimbo, he could pass for a super model anytime or day.
They were done finally and in the car heading to God knows where. Claire thought it best not to ask any questions least she faces the repercussion of such action. With Tristan, she was certain it would not end well and so she focused on watching people through the window. Norman sure was beautiful and she would eventually take her time to come explore it someday. They continued driving until they got to somewhere familiar. Claire realized he had just brought her to the hospital. Maybe it was not her as there was no way on earth he would care about anyone but himself or possibly, he felt like he had been infected by her being close. Whatever the case maybe, he was out of the car and she sat still like she was actually going to wait with Alfredo. He peered into the car at her with a scowl on his face.
“Well…?,” he asked her
“Sir?,” Claire asked back
“Are you getting off or has your legs suddenly gotten locked up? Do you need me to carry you Miss Willows?,” he asked her obviously stating the sarcasm so clear.
Claire seeing what he had done apologized quickly and got off the car. She saw how fast he was walking away from the car and towards the entrance as she stretched out her wounded limb. Her leg sure did hurt at the time especially as she had been seated in the car without putting it to use all along. She followed him closely hoping he would at the very least wait for her. He did not and went in through the doors before she got there. Claire frowned at his wicked conduct. Even if he was not nice, he could at least try to act so. When she entered, she was met with what one would term the usual celebrity lifestyle. The people were obviously gushing over him as anyone would recognize their favourite celebrity anytime or day. Especially if that celebrity happens to be hot and dashing. Tristan Jenkins sure did have influence.
No one dared however to approach him as no one wanted to get on his bad books. Perhaps also he must have called the hospital to send out warning or whatever as Claire could not see phones or anyone asking for an autograph. But what was the point necessarily. If he did not want the attention of the public, he should have acted accordingly and stayed hidden without having to show his face at all. Well then, what did she know.
“Took you long enough,” he said to her as she came to stand beside him.
Claire realized then that he was looking at her. She opened her mouth to say something but he took the words away by cutting in. He asked if she had gotten enough sightseeing and was ready to settle in, Claire started to argue but when he stared at her with raised eyebrows, she sealed her mouth shut and looked on at him nodding. She wondered what it was that had actually brought them there at that time.
Tristan Jenkins began speaking to a nurse there and only then did Claire realize that he was not as selfish as she thought after all. He had actually brought her to get her wound cleaned up and redressed properly. Claire wanted to tell him she had that procedure done already but the nurse had spotted her already.
“Miss, you had the wound cleaned yesterday right? You were with that nice gentleman.” the nurse said to her hinting the part about the gentleman and making it quite clear.
Anyone could understand what she was trying to do. It was clear she suspected the celebrity was hanging out with a lady and had brought her to the hospital to get treatment which apparently translated to the fact that he was seeing her as a girlfriend. The nurse obviously was trying to destroy that relationship by all means. A relationship that was not even grown yet and she was hell bent on ruining it all. Claire smiled at her and nodded.
“Yes it was I and my friend.” she said. Jake was a friend after all and she was not ready to deny him at all.
The look he was giving her was that of awe and anger. He thought she was merely new to Norman only for him to discover she was gallivanting around already. She seemed to be enjoying entangling men around that little finger of hers. He was beginning to detest that instant without actually getting to know her. If only he had not brought her there already, he would have had her sent back. To maintain his gentleman appearance in public, he asked that the nurse still takes time to look at her wound as he did not want any infection on it. He was going to wait for her at the lounge as a good man that he was reading a news paper.
Claire followed the despicable nurse to the ward where she began going through her wound. The woman noted that save for her stressing the leg, there was no signs of infection or bad healing. She began cleaning the wound and telling Claire how lucky she was to have a man like him beside her.
“You know he’s every woman’s dream boyfriend, you’re really lucky,” she said to Claire
“Um actually, I’m not his girlfriend. I just work for him,” Claire said.
The woman sized her up with her eyes and smiled a mischievous smile.
“I thought as much.” she said in such a hurtful manner.