The snow is everywhere; flurries of it engulf the nightlife of the city. The subtle beauty of the night isn't lost upon Alejandro, but he is tired of cityscapes and gray scale photos of unmoving and unfeeling buildings.
I need something new, something fresh. Something that feels.
His boots crunch, and the sound echoes. However, the darkness keeps him in shadow. He pulls up a scarf of deep turquoise over his nose and mouth trying to preserve the little warmth his body has left. The temperature dropping steadily, and yet he knows his agents will want new material.
"Fucking greedy bastards…" He mutters under this breath and glances down at his camera bag. Peeking out from under is a crumpled map of the city. Various spots have been crossed out with red sharpie he his eye catches a small speck of green.
"Central Park mhm? Let's see what I can capture with my lenses." It doesn't take long find the park, and it would have been worth the walk.
Snow has delicately fallen and the dark brown benches making them looking like they were dusted with sugar. The lampposts emit pale yellow rays of light that coat the world in a soft glow.
Alejandro took out his camera, screwing on a smaller lens and brought the viewfinder to his eyes.
"What beautiful scenery…" He was a shallow man but one who could appreciate the natural beauty of a world becoming over come.
"It's like the snow is a silent intruder on this quiet, blissfully ignorant place huh?" A small woman has snuck up beside. A bemused smile spreads across her face and she surveys him through dark eyelashes.
"Aren't you a strange one, woman."? He tone is biting; he only wants to be left alone with his camera and the snow and the peace of the giant park.
"My name's Gwen. What's yours? Are you a professional photographer?" She bluntly interrogates him for answers, and in extreme exasperation he lowers his camera to glare at her.
Her nose is red with cold and her eyes sparkle with curiosity. Her lips are parted slightly, the cold air forming white fog. She blushes under his intense scrutiny; the color a stark contrast compared with her pale skin.
"You will model for me." His Spanish accent is coming out and he starts to shiver from the cold.
"I will. If you treat me to a cup of coffee tomorrow and tell me your name."
"My name is Alejandro. Now go set on that bench." He points to the bench with the least amount of snow. She opens her mouth as if to argue, but at the promise of coffee she does as he says.
"Tilt your head to the side and lower your eyes… Yes that's perfect." Her short hair falls, barely covering her eyes. Her downcast eyes give the impression she is melancholy.
Alejandro swallows thickly, a gentle warmth growing in the pit of his stomach. He pushes the scarf down, and then takes it off. She is shivering, her tiny frame hunched over.
"Here" On impulse he wraps it around her neck, her grey eyes seems to penetrate him as he moves closer; he parts her hair so those eyes are visible.
"Just be natural. Look at the camera for the first shot." The woman… Gwen nods and her eye find the camera.
The first shot her eyes are wide and seem to be full of a childish wonder. The snow falls in front of her hair and eyelashes making them look darker and her skin lighter.
The second is a full body shot. She presses the scarf to her nose and closes her eyes, inhaling the sweet scent of cinnamon and tea tree. A small smile is playing around the corners of lips… And yet she still manages to look so sad.
The third is her profile. He prides himself on knowing beauty in all of its forms, and this woman is extremely beautiful. Her hair is cut in the middle of her neck, with blue strands put in the most noticeable sections. The gauges in her ears are noticeable, but they are small enough to be mistaken for earrings.
Alejandro finds himself taking more than enough pictures of her, she is engrossing and enigmatic and photogenic.
He catches himself staring at her and she looks proudly back at him. No fear or shame can been seen in her, she is completely at ease with herself.
He blushes now, and she can see it. Her smile catches him off guard and before she can respond he as taken a picture of that too.
"Am I getting paid for freezing my ass off like this?" She is teasing, the lilt in her voice betrayed by a slight quiver.
"How ungentlemanly of me to keep a lady such as yourself out in such…. Undesirable weather." He packs up his camera, as she tries to give him back the scarf he had lent her.
"I believe this is yours kind sir."
"Keep it. Think of it as part of the payment." He brushes her cheek, and scrutinizes her deeply.
He wants to memorize every detail of her face, every curve and beauty mark.
"You my model, will make me a very rich man." She smiles her enigmatic smile, her eyes downcast. She reaches up to touch his hand on her cheek and the static between them is electric, terrifying and exhilarating them both.
"I… How will I find you tomorrow?" She stutters over her words, blushing as his hand moves down the pane of her cheek then abruptly the warmth is gone.
"You will find me. Here is my card, call me or come to the office. Either is fine with me." They stare at each other, not knowing what to say or do. Tension is in the air, both unsure tension and sexual tension.
Alejandro breaks the silence, saying only
"I hope to see you tomorrow… Gwen." And then he walks away, and is absorbed into the darkness.
