Ebony & Ivory [H.S]

Thirty-One

"She was so good at being in trouble, so good at being in trouble..."

"Hon, so when do you think you'll get here?"

I can hear the concern in her voice that she's trying to hide, and it breaks my heart that I can't be there for her, helping her set up.

It's that time of year where Celia has announced; rather last minute, that it's her birthday. Well, technically her birthday is in January, but she's always felt that she identified more as being a Sagittarius, and changed it when she was eleven.

"I'm almost finished up here with my shoot, so I'll be there straight away, I promise."

I hear someone calling my name in another room, and rush the call.

"Look, Celia, don't stress out, I promise everything will work out, but I have to go. Love you, love you," I quickly add as I hang up the phone.

The poor thing.

"Ivory?"

"Coming!" I yell back, doing an awkward half run, half walk to where we were shooting.

"Darling, where were you? We need these photos by yesterday," the photographer tuts. "And where is Sasha, can someone please get him to do something else with her lips. Less is more people, less is more!"

Sasha, to whom I've previously been acquainted with, shows up with his kit at the ready, and touches up my lip make up.

He gives me a little subtle eye roll at the diva like behaviour the photographer is exuding, and quickly returns back to the sidelines to watch the rest of the shoot play out.

"Alright, as mentioned earlier, I want a strong face please," he tells me in a passive aggressive manner, as though implying I haven't been doing so in past photographs.

I nod tight lipped, showing that I'm ready for him to start.

"What are you doing?" he yells. "I get that you may have somewhere else to be, but right now we need you here," he clicks, picking up on my urgency to leave.