Flashes, flashes and more flashes. Lights. Screams. Innumerable voices calling. Many people asking for her attention, her smile, a glance. Seeking a sign that she saw them and that she would devote at least five seconds of her life to nod in their direction.
Quinn Fabray walked slowly through the GLAAD red carpet. Paparazzi, photographers, press, and of course, fans, screamed incessantly for her. Quinn smiled and waved; this was her routine in such events: smiling, waving to fans, walk slowly, eventually stopping to exchange a few words with someone of the press, back walking, and posing for photos.
Nothing too extraordinary.
In fact, Quinn would prefer that her presence called attention to the cause itself, and not to the fact that she was there all by herself.
"Keep Calm Fabray; smile! You are here to raise funds. This is what matters."
"Hey Quinn, what do you have to say about Brandon's twitter update about the first bids on today's auction?", The reporter kept a sarcastic smile and took advantage of his proximity to the actress to scream trick questions.
"Owwww, great. Brandon can shove his comments and his twitter account deep well in the middle of his ...Arrrrrrrrr smilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmi lesmilesmile", Quinn thought.
Alex Brandon, 24 years. Support actor in small, low-budget tv-shows; he would have been doomed for years of trials and hearings just to try to get a chance at stardom. But instead of traveling the long road to fame, he took the express Hollywood, and climbed the stairs to the glory and success through an affair with a rising star. Quinn fell in his charms and his wordiness on a summer afternoon, during a break in the filming.
Brandon was part of the extras in one scene, or at least that's what he said at the time. After 13 months, a betrayal, the humiliation of seeing the photos published in every magazine and gossip sites in the world, and Brandon's own confession - where he made it clear that he did not need her because he already had enjoyed enough of what she could offer. Quinn could finally see the bastard the way he really was. Three months had passed by, but apparently the story still sold.
"My heart on a silver platter to the press. Again." She smiled. A smile and another piece of her that was lost.
She did not love him anymore. She was sure of this. But it hurt. Why?
"I very much doubt that any comments made by Brandon have some relevance in today's auction. And I feel more than honored to raise funds for GLAAD. Who knows? I might get lucky, huh?", she replied with a charming smile that left the reporter speechless.
Noting the horde of reporters who tried to approach the star, Luc, Quinn's assistant, promptly stood beside her and led her away from the wolves with microphones and cameras that fought for nearby places around the actress, already stoking more questions to the blonde.
"Excuse me guys.", she said. With a nod and a smile, she followed the boy, finally entering the large hall that gave access to the amphitheater where the event would happen.
She let herself be led by the young assistant while some producers, artists and celebrities came to greet her. The questions were answered in automatic mode, her mind deep lost in thought. The crowded hall became distant as the blonde secluded herself in her bubble; the voices became muffled and hardly reached hers ears.
"Why does it still hurt? I do not love him anymore, so why this feeling of emptiness? Why it makes me gasp every time I'm forced to remember how much it affected me? I know I don't feel anything for him. I don't feel anything when I see the pictures, or when I see the news. But when I think about it , I just do not understand. Was it the disappointment? The shame of being naïve? The idea of having desired with all my strength that this time it was true? Or was it the fact that again I had deceived myself? Because again I let myself believe that I could finally get what I've always wanted? That hurts . And it continues to erode and hurt. Having 23 years old, fame, beauty (the third most beautiful woman in Hollywood, according to the Rolling Stones), financial stability and professional success would technically make her feel accomplished, right? I think not."
"Miss Fabray?". Her assistant touched her shoulder lightly and "rescued her from her reverie."
"Sorry Luc, I was a bit distracted. Is it time?"
He offers a simple smile and nods. Luc understood the concerns of the actress. He might not know exactly what her fears and apprehensions were, however, for months he was following the ferocity with which the media had treated the ending of the relationship of the artist, and how she secluded herself in thoughts every time these questions were asked.
"Your microphone", he kindly pointed out. "The TP (teleprompter) is working, just in case."
"Thank you." She spotted the presenter of the auction through the corner of her eyes, and heard her name being announced. It was her cue. She took a deep breath and with a last look towards Luc said in jest. "If nobody gives a toss, for a moment, you could forget about your sexual orientation and save me the embarrassment?"
"I doubt this is necessary, ma'am." Luc responded with a laugh.
She crossed the aisle and walked across the stage with a shy smile while the audience applauded enthusiastically. George, the host, started making some jokes to "break the ice" and that made her more comfortable. After all, act at an event for 700 people, auctioning a kiss to raise funds, was not something she did often. And there was also Brandon's comment on twitter, on replay inside her mind just like a broken record.
"It is a pity that the auction GLAAD this year is not worthy. Not even if the bids started at $ 5"
Yes, she had read it. In fact, she received several text messages, whatsapp calls, and of course, twitters from colleagues, fans and manager about it. Quinn knew that those words came from a cruel and opportunistic person but she was nervous either way.
"What if- what if he was right? What if I am not worth?"
"I did not eat garlic. I swear". Quinn joked with the audience, as George pointed out her attributes.
The bid started at a thousand dollars and to the surprise of the actress reached almost immediately the $ 10,000. She tried to pay attention on the game. The interesting signs and gestures of the people who fought for a kiss from her. A black guy and a young redhead raised a fierce and silent war with exchange of glances and jerky gestures. It was strange to be claimed that way, but somehow it was also exciting and fun.
She analyzed the two opponents; the black guy was cute, stylish, attractive and had some strong features, while the redhead was more like a chic executive and stood out with her charm. Quinn laughed when George urged the public to raise the bids further, saying that she would be nominated for an Oscar. The actress reassured herself; this experience was at least worth a good laugh. And the possibility of having to kiss a woman, so what? She did not worry too much about that, otherwise she would not have accepted the invitation to auction a kiss on a GLS event.
A few minutes later, George made calls asking the public to climb the bids to $15,500. Quinn noticed the young black boy inflating his chest and getting up from the chair. George gave the second call to raise the bid. So that meant that this bid could either be the move that would end the auction or the last chance for anyone else make a bid. It was then, in that moment, that a female voice, authoritarian and slightly arrogant, announced loud and clear.
"ONE MILLION DOLLARS."
The hall was silent.
A few seconds passed before George responded.
"The bid ... was ... what?... One Million ..."
"A million dollars, I said." Repeated the little brunette who finally could be noticed among the crowd. And then Quinn distinguished her between the sea of stunned faces.
The blonde watched the brunette walk toward the front of the stage. She was small (really small judging by the height of her heels), however, her presence captivated the whole hall. The chocolate-colored eyes were brilliant and challenging, her steps were firm, and gave her a sultry air; she looked intense. She had a different kind of beauty, it was not a common physiognomy, or classic, but was incomprehensibly attractive. It was the kind of beauty that stands up, and Quinn could not take her eyes off of her.
The actress did not recognize her, but realized that some of those present were whispering and pointing. The brunette stood in front of the stage and rose a questioningly eyebrow to George. The man swallowed thickly and announced.
"SOLD! FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL AND DETERMINATED LADY, FOR THE AMOUNT OF MEMORABLE ONE MILLION DOLLARS!"
Quinn's heart skipped a beat when she noticed a small smile spring up in the corner of the woman's lips, who inevitably would kiss her.
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this way I can keep this going on.