Chapter six – Teen model.
It felt like I was in a movie. The Chinese restaurants resembled the ones I saw Chinese dramas. But the unexpected happened, Charles had a call. I looked around the restaurant and noticed two Chinese young people coming out of it, they looked like couples. I would have said “hi” to them if I knew how.
They smiled at me as they walked past and I smiled back. Really friendly folks, the Chinese. “But I…” the person in the other line just switched off. I was a little impatient in trying restaurant’s food but I composed myself and asked Charles who it was that had called.
He seemed sad – now that scared me. I began praying that whatever the matter was, it won’t have to dissolve my chance of eating at a Chinese restaurant. My taste buds were already excited.
Sadly, the news did dissolve my chance of eating in a Chinese restaurant. And I got another shocker. Okay, remember how I said Charles was really good-looking? Yeah, I wasn’t the only one who thought so.
Charles was a teen model at California! A very popular agency called “Neon Beauty Agency”.
One of the reasons his agency let him visit me here at Cornfest was because he was to have a photoshoot here and also meet a popular musician.
“Teen model?” I repeated. He nodded “I’m so sorry but let’s go. I need to leave. Sorry” he seemed really sorry. I was so surprised. “My best buddy was a teen model” my brain was aching now. I wondered how popular he was. Or how many girls were crushing on him.
I giggled a little on that thought. Charles turned to me. “Why are you laughing?”. I kept a straight face.
He turned fully to me, then studied my face. “You think I’m lying?” he asked. I wanted to say “no, I believe you” immediately but somehow I wanted to see him live taking his photoshoots.
If I act like I don’t believe him, he’ll surely make me believe by showing me proof – proof only, by taking me to his agency. I grinned widely “Yep, I don’t believe you. Show me proof”.
I was elated when he nodded and kept on moving. Maybe I won’t get to eat in a fancy Chinese restaurant but I would get to see a modelling agency modelling my best friend.
I glanced at Charles. How could he have gotten lucky?
Her phone buzzed. Mrs. John absentmindedly answered her call. “I’m coming for Kiera” the caller said. Mrs. John looked at the number. It wasn’t registered in her phone. “Who are you?” she asked sternly. The line just cut.
I kept staring. Charles photoshoots were awesome. He looked like my favorite black American singer, Swass King. I noticed some girls staring, I assumed they were co-workers at the agency but they looked like fan girls.
One of them just kept on staring and her cheeks flushed red. It was funny to me. Crushing on models? Be fighting with thousands. A White Lady dressed in orange jumpsuits walked in.
Her hair was dyed orange with streaks of pink, and her lips smeared orange. She had big bright eyes. And they twinkled ahead looking at something – someone. It was Charles. He had just ended his photoshoots.
He was walking out of the studio when a designer was running in with a teddy. His mouth moved, he exhaled. I bet he was tired. He had been doing this for long. I looked at the white girl again, she was smiling. She was like an angel, maybe in her early twenties.
She was looking at Charles intently, like the other co-workers. We’re they crushing on a seventeen-year-old teen model? All of them should be above eighteen to work for this agency, weren’t they? Or maybe they are just proud of him, I was proud of him too.
Finally his photoshoots ended, he dragged his feet and collapsed on a sofa. The co-workers, including the white girl, rushed to the camera man and designer. I didn’t know why but I had expected them to come to Charles or something.
Well, I just hopped over to him and gave him a tap. “How was I?” he forced a smile, he was tired. I gave him a thumps up to avoid conversation.
My wristwatch beeped. “Its eight o’clock already” I whispered to Charles. The white lady walked towards us. “Can I have a word with you? It will take long” she asked. Charles looked at me. “Don’t worry, it’s the life of a public artist” I said. “I’ll just go home alone”.
He nodded and left with her. Imagine walking along with a top teen model without knowing. And since he wasn’t popular here at Cornfest, he could walk around with no one yelling his name in excitement.
It wasn’t hard to retrace my steps back to the Chinese restaurant but to go home wasn’t easy. I tried phoning Charles but his line wasn’t going. I tried phoning mom but it was busy.
“Oh, Good God” I prayed. “Let me…”, my phone rang. “Mom, I’m lost. Come for me.” I pleased with a teary tone. “Sure, dear.” She answered almost immediately. I was about telling her where I was but she just switched off the line.
I hated it when someone did that to me but it seems this days I was really getting them. I found a little coffee shop and decided to wait there.
Soon a car drove up, it wasn’t my mom’s car. It was Fredrick’s, my mom’s colleague. It’s like he knew I was at the coffee shop because he just beckoned on me to come out.
I did obediently, he got into his car and signaled I should do the same. I don’t really know Fredrick, all my mom ever told me about him was that he was once a friend of my dad.
Well, I got in. “Maybe my mom asked him to bring me?” I thought. The music blaring from his radio was “Shadows” from 2ndLife. The name of the artist and the name of the song sent shivers down my spine.