Naomi exited Blake's black stinger in front of a huge shopping centre, where luxury brands were lining the walkway. Her eyes widened as she saw all the big brand names - Channel, Louis Vuitton, Vera Wang and many more. She has never stepped foot into such a place before. Coming from a moderately humble background, she stuck out like a sore thumb, especially in her casual fitness outfit. She was lacking in confidence, as she turned to look for Blake, he had driven off to park the car, leaving the clueless girl all by herself.
Anxiously, she quietly walked down the massive corridor, avoiding the sales girls' judgmental gaze as she walked past a luxury store, examined the display and decided that she could never fit into such a magnificent looking dress and walked away. She heard people whispering behind her back, how someone looking like her dared to enter the shopping centre - they were doubting her financial ability. Naomi could not care less about people's opinion, as she was too used to being treated like a lowly scumbag in the past, when her family struggled to pay their debts after her dad's funeral. Some of the whispers attacked her exotic look - she was a confused Asian girl in trackies. She kept on going deeper into the whirlpool of luxury brands when she saw the massive letters above a grand entrance.
The letters "FS" held such a huge meaning to the fashion industry as it was Francois Sorrentino's exclusive retail boutique in Australia. Frank himself inaugurated the boutique in 2012, together with Elena and held a fashion and jewellery show in the middle of the shopping centre. Naomi stood with her mouth agape. The store exhibited such an aura that not many people dared to enter unless they looked like celebrities. In fact, there was a celebrity inside the store, trying out FS' new summer collection. That person was Kiera Summers, a supermodel who was endorsed by FS in 2017 and wore FS' special collection on the runway in Paris. Naomi was starstruck - Kiera was of Japanese and Irish descent. She exuded the aura of a royalty. She caught Naomi's stare - who shyly looked away, and gave her a friendly smile and a nod. Naomi looked around her to make sure that Kiera was acknowledging her presence and nobody else.
The supermodel gestured to her assistant to invite the starstruck girl outside of the store to come in. Her assistant approached Naomi with a smile, gesturing her to go closer. Naomi looked like she was bewitched by Kiera's beauty that she simply followed where her legs took her.
"Good afternoon, how are you?" she greeted Naomi with a cheerful voice.
"I-I'm great, fabulous.. i mean you... I mean..."
Kiera chuckled as Naomi stuttered in awe.
"I'm Kiera. I saw that you were hesitant to come into the store, but don't be a stranger, you look like you could get a nice dress here. You've got a model's height."
"Na-Naomi.... Ah you're too kind, I'm not here to shop, I can't afford it."
As Naomi began to retreat, a steady hand cupped her shoulders and her back hit something or someone's sturdy chest.
"I see that you've gotten acquainted with Kiky."
Naomi looked up to see Blake's grinning face.
"Hello, Blake. It's been a while." Kiera continued to do her dress measurement as the tailor measured her waist to alter the dress that she was wearing.
"How have you been , Kiky?" Blake took Kiera's outstretched hand and kissed her knuckles gently.
"Very well, thank you. So, do you know her?"
Kiera gestured using her eyes at Naomi, still with the same friendly smile.
"Of course, and she is the reason why I called you last night."
Kiera froze in the spot. She met Naomi's gaze through the reflection in the mirror and let out a high pitch excited shriek.
"OMG!!! That's THE NAOMI!"
"Yep." Blake nodded. Naomi looked puzzled.
"I know just what kind of dress would look amazing on her!!!"
Kiera ran down from the platform and rushed towards the newest summer collection, pulled out a champagne colour laced dress from the stand and rushed back to the platform, her face gleaming in excitement. The tailor who was following her got a little frustrated as her sudden movement ruined his measurements.
"Put this on! I think you'd come out looking like a princess!"
She shoved the AUD 2,500 dress into Naomi's hands and pushed her into the changing room. Kiera's assistant, Lucy followed Naomi into the room to help her with the dress. Meanwhile, Kiera continued with her dress alterations with Blake, who managed to find himself a comfortable couch to sit on.
"I thought you were only joking when you told me you've got a girlfriend!"
"I wasn't."
"Are you just trying to get back at Mel for what happened?"
"Nah. She ain't worth it."
"Where did you find such a cute little girl?"
Kiera blushed as she imagined Naomi's blank look when she was told to try on the dress.
"She's such a gem! She had no idea how good she'll look with the right amount of make up and a good dress."
"Oh believe me, Kiky, I picked her up in a combat gym."
"Did you?!" she gasped with admiration, "That's so cool of her! She could totally kick your ass if you're being a jerk to her."
Blake scoffed. "What?! Don't forget about your long list of ex-girlfriends, playboy."
Blake rolled his eyes. Kiera - Kiky had been Blake's best friend since he was twelve. They used to dominate the runway together as kids models but they went on their separate ways for high school as Kiera moved to England with her parents. They've been in touch over the years and she was another female who Blake could trust, beside his own sister. Kiera had a lovely personality, she did not discriminate anyone and has a huge respect to other people's culture. Guess it was the Japanese blood in her, as Japanese gave such a high regards to their custom and culture.
Lucy popped her head out from the changing room to scan the situation outside. Blake caught her eyes and nodded. Lucy proceeded to guide Naomi out from the changing room, with a bemused smile as she watched Naomi's awkward movement in the glamorous dress. Kiera stopped whatever she was doing and turned to watch Naomi's grand reveal.
"I-I think it shows too much skin...."
"Nonsense! You look lovely, doesn't she, Blake?"
Kiera's cheerful voice filled the whole store. The sales persons who had been watching from a distance stood in awe. Other shoppers who walked past the big display window peered into the shop, admiring Naomi's figure. Blake was stunned in his seat, his eyes were open wide and he kept blinking his eyes in disbelief. In front of him, stood a stunning young lady in a champagne lace dress, the front V-cut fell elegantly on her curves, boosting her bust, creating a beautiful cleavage. The detailed embroidery decorated her fit body, the long dress dropped to the floor, accentuating her height. The dress showed her bare back, with her butterfly tattoo on the left side of her shoulder blade shyly hid under her black hair. Blake was unable to comment for a few minutes, Naomi bit on her lower lip, nervous.
"So?"
Blake jerked back into reality as he threw in a compliment. "You look like a princess."
"I told you so!" Kiera was beaming with pride as she scrutinised every detail of the dress on Naomi.
"I think you gotta fix this part a little bit... it looks a little bit baggy on her," she instructed her tailor to come and take a look. He agreed to alter the dress before tomorrow evening as the Charity Night would be happening tomorrow.
"You're all set! Make sure you get her in before 5pm so my team can style her hair and make up." Kiera patted Blake on the shoulder. "You can count on me."
Blake grinned from ear to ear, "Never doubted you."
"Uh...."
Both of them simultaneously turned towards Naomi as she squeaked out a voice behind them.
"Is a princess supposed to wear runners (Australian for sneakers) under the dress?" Naomi lifted her floor length dress to reveal her dirty old runners. Lucy broke into a laugh, followed by Blake and Naomi.
"I thought I was forgetting something." Blake finally spoke while suppressing his laughter. He walked over to the shoes section where he picked up FS signature dress shoes - in the same colour as her dress. "Put this on."
"I'll do that myself... my feet..." Naomi looked embarrassed, "...stink..."
Everybody in the store laughed at her sentence as she shrunk behind the curtain to change into the shoes. In their eyes, she was an adorable little puppy who was properly groomed for the first time. A moment later, she emerged from behind the curtain, standing tall at 190 cm with her new pair of dress shoes. Blake stood up next to her, his eyes scanning her from top to bottom, bottom to top.
Her height matched Blake's perfectly, even in heels.
"Perfect." He muttered to himself with a satisfied smile.
With Naomi in her dress, Blake was certain that she's gonna steal people's attention and he couldn't be more proud.