Chapter One
'Idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on it's sword, Innocence died screaming, honey, ask me I should know. I slithered here from Eden, just to sit outside your door.' From Eden By: Hozier
"Ms. Hathaway, you're getting complaints again from the models about the photographer," said my P.R with a calm demeanor, "People are going to catch whiff of this; I suggest you to take precautions and take it to yourself to see what's wrong." she continued.
I looked from over my reading glasses and across to her. Her golden hair gleamed in the sunlight streaming in from the high ceilings,"Thank you Sydney. when is the next photoshoot?" I said while continuing the layout for the next issue.
There was a shuffle of papers, "Uh, I believe it's in 30 minutes. All the models that have complained are there."
I gave her a small smile, "Does the photographer expect me?"
"No ma'am."
"Well then I guess he's in for a real treat." Gathering all of my papers and putting them away, I followed Sydney to the elevator.
Naturally, I was interrupted by everyone who found me in sight.
"Hathaway, is this good?"
"Rose, I have to postpone my article on Lupita Nyong'o."
"I just found out GQ is getting Benedict Cumberbatch also, what do we do?" Their questions were deflected with my small smile, quickly making them shut up.
"I'll get to you guys when I come back." I was almost to the elevator.
"Promise?" said Mia with over eager eyes.
"Promise." I confirmed. They all soon left, allowing Sydney and I to peacefully enter the elevator without disruptions. As the door was closing, a small, feminine hand had stopped the process.
"Mia, I swear to god if that's you; I told you later." I called in an irritated voice.
"Calm your horses Rose, it's just me." Lissa exclaimed while stepping in. She was clad in a pale pink dress that flowed at her knees like waves. Her willowy figure holding the dress with delicate fingers. She smiled down at me, " I know you're stressed, so I'll take you out after work."
I scoffed, "If hothead doesn't get your attention first."
She rolled her eyes, "That was once Rose."
"One too many!"
Lissa pushed my shoulder a bit as the elevator dinged to the garage, "You're overdramatic, I swear." She took off in a long legged strut with me in tow.
"And you're under dramatic."
"Ma'am we only have 30 minutes." Sydney interrupted. We all hustled into Sydney's car, taking off to Prospect Park.
"We won't make it there on time!" Sydney banged her hand on the wheel. The traffic making sweat and irritation etch all over her face.
"Not that serious Syd. We're trying to surprise the photographer not make it there before him." Lissa said lounging in the back with her arm out the window, enjoying the spring breeze. Sydney glared at her through the rearview mirror, ultimately making me cackle at her expression and Lissa's nonchalant attitude.
Three yells, a string of curses, a couple of glares, one instance of giving the finger, and we finally made it to Prospect Park. Sydney was efficiently grumpy, so Lissa and I left in a hurry while Sydney collected herself in the car and would join us later.
"Maybe we should have changed out of heels." Lissa was having some difficulty on the gravel. She was holding onto me, so if she went down then so did I. I tried my best to keep a hand on her balance and my own.
"That wasn't on my priority list when I decided to come here." Lissa just glared at me, "Just stop complaining, we're almost there." I said while pulling her up from an almost fall.
The photographer was set up with all his equipment in a meadow. Flowers of a beautiful beige and pink that matched Lissa's dress littered the area. The sun shined down at the meadow, making the soft dew glisten like they were made of pure diamonds, and the wind whistled and played against your body as if it was a child hoping to play. It was the perfect place for our spring issue, however, the models faces of foulness and distaste made me stop short. Lissa brought me to stop and pointed toward her, not making a sound so we wouldn't alarm the photographer of our presence.
"Come over here fatty," He spoke with a nasally voice. I didn't realize why he said that until I saw who he was referring to: It was one of my more curvier models. I had made a decision a couple of months back that Vogue Magazine was going to promote models of all sizes and colors because I wanted the girls and women to read it to realize that the world was made up of variation rather than just one option. Just like the flowers in the meadow, there were different types, with different colors, and different shapes; everyone had their favorite but they still thought all were beautiful.
Fire boiled in me. I knew some people disagreed with my decision, but it was another thing to see this level of unprofessional-ism in my magazine. Before I could unleash my anger Lissa grabbed my arm, "I know you're mad, so am I, but you have to keep it under control." she whispered in my ear. "You're the Editor in Chief, his boss, you already scare him enough, no need to be angry." Lissa let go when I started taking in deep breaths.
I went into immediate boss mode. The models were the first to notice me as the glanced around at each other with satisfaction that I listened to their complaints. As I grew closer to the photographer he spoke, "What are you looking at? The camera is right here stupid!" I sat up frustrated, then backed into my stature. "Dear God!" He threw his hands in the air, "Do you people know personal space?"
"I do, but do you know manners?" I questioned him in a tight tone making him turn around slowly. The models snickered in their spot.
"Hello, Ms. Hathaway!" He sweetened his tone so much that I might have gotten a cavity. "How long have you been here?" His voice wavered at the end because he already knew the answer to his question.
"When my P.R told me the complaints about you, I honestly couldn't believe them. How could Jesse, the man that was the sweetest to everyone in sight, be so shallow? Of course, I realized it was your facade and I cursed at myself over the fact that I let such unprofessional-ism and trash into my magazine for so long."
"I don't know what you mean by that ma'am." He smiled at me with a twinge of defiance faltering his effect of coming off smooth.
"You know perfectly well." I changed my gaze from Jesse to Mason who was watching the scene unfold with happiness. I beckoned him over to us, grabbing the badge on Jesse's jacket, "Mason, I suddenly have an opening for head photographer. Would you like the job?" I held my hand out with the badge in it toward Mason. He took it with a cheeky smile.
"Thank you for the promotion Ms. Hathaway." Mason sauntered off to have an animated chat with the other photographers and the models.
"Since you're no longer an employee of Vogue Magazine, I'm going to have to ask you to please vacate the area of the photo shoot."
Jesse just gathered his stuff and pressed passed me muttering bitch.
Lissa and Sydney came behind me. "Hathaway you better watch the paps for a couple days. I betcha Jesse will have some colorful things to say about you for the next week." Sydney pulled out her phone contacting the other P.R's to get ready for statements.
I grabbed the phone from her hands, "Don't. Jesse is prideful and egotistical, he wouldn't say anything because then he would have to reveal what he did."
So this is my second story and I love where this is going. I promise next chapter will be more interesting and it will get hot quick. Dimitri is cominnnggg! Thank you for reading!
-Lili