Shouldn't Have Dealt - Book II

Chapter 16 - Vesuvius

Chapter 16 – Vesuvius

 

“Take the robe off now, Angel.” Kim eyes me as though she is ready to take my head off me anytime I slip away from the mirror. Donnie has to literally hold me to my sit so that I could not get away.

“I can’t do this,” I say while trying to stop myself from breaking into tears or else I will smudge my eye-make up all over my painted face. Another foreign looking creature in the mirror stuns me that I could hardly look closely to her because she makes my stomach twirl. The last time I looked so different and, well, so not me, was when I personified a fictional character which I badly want to be swept off the face of the planet. And here now, I am seeing that very face; she looks exactly similar with the pretentious Angel Grant.

“You do this, Angel, or we’ll lose this huge project.” Donnie is gritting his teeth while he keeps his grasp around my wrist.

Unbelievable!

I feel like I a new kid in school being bullied by the big boys. Albeit, it is true that I am new here, it is just not fair for them to force me do something I am not even prepared to do—or worse my skills fall short to even dare perform.

“I have never done something like this before. Mr. Paige will surely not like the photos when they come out.”

“This is gamble, sweetie,” responds Donnie while he strokes his fingers through the strand of my hair. Kate ironed my hair for fifteen minutes and parted it in the middle so that it falls down my shoulders like a waterfall. Jessica, then, put so much dark metallic colors on my eyelids that I feel that it was charcoal she used.

“Why does it have to be me?” I feel like crying now. Donnie helps me get up from the chair and walks me out of the dressing room.

“We really have no choice, haven’t we, Angel? You’re the best option now.” I am instantly reminded that Kim is following me behind, raring to get me off the robe.

And Ms. Ross even agreed.

Well, if I fail on this, I know I cannot blame myself. I have already expressed my utmost ignorance about posing in front of cameras, especially when I feel heavy on my face and completely uncomfortable with the clothes I wear.

While they were fixing me, Donnie lent me four fashion magazines to quickly browse and study. I don’t really know if I have the confidence to pull off just even one of the poses I have seen. They look awkward and unconventional.

“Now, let me take the necklace,” speaks Donnie as he wiggles his fingers like he is summoning the necklace to come to him.

“Can’t I keep it?”

For a little while, Donnie falls to silence.

“Can’t I?” I don’t want the necklace to leave my body.

He winces, but beams shortly after I made some cute expression on my face.

“Okay. It might posses some power that attract positive energy,” utters Donnie.

“And it might even alter Paige’s mood,” adds Kim. “Now, off the robe, missy.”

We reach the area where Pablo’s professional cameras and lightings are ready. Mr. Paige and Ms. Ross surround Pablo as the latter take photos of Colin who is standing on top of a blue box, showing off his perfectly sculpted abs. I can see on Paige’s face he is quite satisfied with Colin’s performance, he doesn’t miss a second gawking at him.

I am afraid I’ll be the biggest disappointment of this photo shoot.

“Oh here’s Angel!” cries out Ms. Ross as soon as she sees me coming.