Thank you to all of you that have reviewed so far. I'm glad you're liking it. CG and AS will meet soon, I promise.

Chapter song: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper

Chapter 3 – Girls just wanna have fun.

APOV:

Saturday afternoon.

It's D-day and I'm shitting bricks, sweating bullets with a psycho clown screaming, running in massive circles in my brain.

I'm done setting up my equipment. All my cameras are charged. I only brought two. Unlimited SD cards because I cannot have technology corrupt and fail on me.

I spoke with Mia yesterday, Jose Sr. gave her my number and we connected in the evening yesterday to go over what to expect for this morning. She seemed normal enough, really polite and easy to get a long with – though I'm sure she was just being polite as most people in that circle usually are.

You know how we all have these different parts to ourselves? On my own, with my close friends I'm a grump who barely speaks in full sentences... but they can understand my barely audible thoughts and love/tolerate me. When I'm at the diner, I'm this cheery, happy Ana from back when I was 14 years old. My photographer persona is similar. I'm almost too polite, easy going and funny because I need to make sure my subject(s) are comfortable in front of the camera and willing to trust that I will not show them in a bad light. I know this because I hate being in front of the camera. That's not to say that one personality is far more disingenuous than the other, it's just that it's a big, colorful and unpredictable world and all these different parts of me are the tools I use to navigate it.

When discussing wardrobe, Mia was surprised to find out that I had scrapped the original shoot idea that was scheduled and that all I needed from them was to show up in regular clothes. A nice pair of jeans and cotton button up for her mom and Mia to wear maybe wear a graphic tee with ripped jeans and maybe a bright lip if she fancied. After I described what I was going for with this shoot she responded with a resounding 'I fucking love it.' I offered to have a makeup and hair person if they'd like but they really liked the idea of looking as real as they could. Needless to say, I was able to sleep a little better after knowing they were on board.

We're shooting this editorial in the Diner where I work. It's not over retro in style but still evokes the nostalgia of the 50's. The owner's Mr. & Mrs. Clayton were delighted when I told them about the feature and happily took the opportunity take the afternoon off from cooking and managing for a Saturday crowd. The site fee they were paid helped as well. I started working here when I was 16. It's exactly two blocks away from my Mom and Irene's (Katya's mom) dental practice on the Upper East Side.

Hector, the main chef was equally happy to be paid for the whole day for only doing an hour's worth of work.

I had asked Mia about their preferences for pancakes and/or waffles so they're being prepped right now and they are expected in the next 10 minutes.

"Can you please stop pacing? It's making me nervous and I don't do nervous." Katya yells from across the room.

"Fuck off, Katya. I have too much energy in me and I need to make sure it dissipates some way before I say something stupid in front of Mia and Grace."

"How about a shot of Tequila?" She turns around from the jukebox and sashays her way behind the main counter.

"Get your paws off that."

"Forget it, only a tranq dart can help you." She rolls her eyes and cackles. "Or a nice big dick."

She's not entirely wrong. I really do need to get laid. It might help with my grumpiness.

"I HEARD THAT YOUNG LADY." Hector bellows from the kitchen and we both laugh.

I take a seat on the stool next to Katya and spin around trying to kill the time. We've got early 80's music playing on the jukebox to set the mood somewhat. I just need this shoot to start so I can get in a groove and my brain can focus on something productive.

I hear the bell jingle and my eyes shoot up towards the front of the diner. Showtime. I jump off and walk in that direction to greet the stars of the show.

Wow, Mia is gorgeous, with olive skin and big green eyes and dark brown hair and her mother, well they don't look alike at all but she's equally beautiful. Of course, all rich people are. I need shut up with the useless commentary running through my brain.

"Mia, Grace... it's so lovely to meet you. I'm Anastasia but please call me Ana." I put my hand forward and they both shake it and give me genuine smiles. I introduce them to Katya and we head over to the main part of the diner where I'm going to be photographing them.

"Ana, I believe, as the kids say... we're twinning." Grace laughs. We're both wearing jeans and a white cotton buttoned shirt. Except she's wearing a beautiful silk scarf around her neck and her hair is down in a low bun. She looks like a Audrey Hepburn almost.

"You know what this means, we need to take a picture otherwise it didn't happen." I smile back with a wink.

"I'm actually really happy we're not going with the original idea of us two wearing gowns and having a random tea party." Mia says.

"Oh, I actually wasn't even aware what your previous editorial theme was, I just told Jose Sr. that I wanted complete control over the concept and to just accept what I give him." I giggle.

"You sound like my brother Christian. He's a control freak too." She laughs.

"I'll happily wear that label. I don't compromise when it comes to creating something. If they want authenticity then it's gotta be all me... that being said, I'm really happy you're on board. I promise this shoot won't take the entire 3 hours. We should be done within hour and half actually, if not earlier."

"That fast?" Grace looks at me a little surprised.

I nod, smiling. "We're already off to a great start. I was going to spend 30 minutes just talking to you guys and getting you comfortable and then we were going to go straight into shooting. I want this to be a relaxed experience for you both. Like, just a couple of girls hanging out, having girl talk... with an added bonus of having your pictures taken and eating pancakes."

"My girl here is a pro. She's going to capture moments for you both that you won't even remember. She's that good." Katya says throwing her arm over my shoulders.

"I pay her to say that." I laugh.

We get to talking and I realize they are both are incredibly down to earth women and devoted to the charities they support. Grace used to be a pediatrician before she was diagnosed and then retired 3 years ago. She still volunteers here and there and runs a successful charity called Coping Together for individuals who deal with substance along with young children who suffer neglect in those environments. Mia went to culinary school in Paris and just returned. She's looking to try her hand at cooking on a volunteer basis for soup kitchens around the city but she's still figuring out the direction she wants to take.

I have my issues with the elite in the fashion world and manhattan in general but it's nice to meet people who completely surprise you. It's been about 8 years since I felt this comfortable among people from that world.

I hear that bitch's voice ring loudly in my head. "ana ana full of woes... ana ana such an eager hoe"

Hector brings out the food with coffee along with the additional beverages we requested and I start photographing them. It's a breeze. Katya and I engage them in conversation and I end up getting wonderfully candid moments. I have Katya play Girls Just Wanna Have Fun on the jukebox and have both Grace and Mia do a little dance around the diner. They laugh till they end up with stomach cramps and Katya captures the BTS videos on my phone for memories and some instagram content for when the feature launch in near in May.

We get done in just under an hour and Mia tells me she's texted her brothers to come pick them up. Hector makes us milkshakes and we sit in a booth and continue talking. Grace has a wonderful angelic quality about her and I can tell she absolutely adores her children. She's proud of each and every one of them. Both ladies are incredible conversationalists and we talk about everything under the sun. I hear a knock on the front door and jump up to go see who it is.

I open it and I see a tall, overly muscular... actually no, I'm looking at an approx. 6'5" block of meat outside the door. He's got crystal blue eyes and is giving me Charlie Hunnam vibes. I'm not mad at all. In fact I'd love to photograph him. He's already gotten a workout I can see, judging by the loose wife beater and shorts. He's totally Katya's type.

I have this thing. Whenever I see a good looking guy, I want to photograph him. You'd think I'd want to jump him... No... I want to take their picture. Is that my foreplay? I need to discuss with Katya now.

"Hi, I'm sorry we're closed for a private shoot." I tell him politely.

"Actually, I'm..." His eyes fly up from my face to look behind me and he goes mute with his jaw open. What the hell?

I look behind me and I see Katya walking towards the bathroom. Oh fuck me. I look back at the dude and his eyes are still fixed on the view of her ass walking away. I snap my fingers a few times in front of his face to get his attention and he's suddenly brought back to the present.

"Eyes down to my level, sparky... you were saying?"

"Oh right... sorry... I'm Elliot. My mom and sister are here?" He says a little embarrassed.

"Oh." He doesn't look like them either. Did Grace have several baby daddies? If so, go Grace. "Sure, please come inside. They're sitting right there." I gesture my hand in the general direction to where they're sitting. "I'm Ana by the way. Nice to meet you." I hold my hand out and give my professional and firm, don't fuck with me or my girl handshake. He gives me that 'I'm a smooth operator' smile in return. Nice try, bro.

We get to chatting and Mia excitedly tells her older brother about how much fun she had at the shoot and I show Elliot some of the photos of his mom and sister dancing through the camera. He seems to really like the result and jokingly asks if he can hire me for his next magazine feature.

Soon Katya joins us and fuck me, she's also a little stunned meeting him but I give her the look and she quickly composes herself.

I don't blame either of them. I mean Katya is a real knockout. She's 5'9" with a dancers body and long, naturally dirty blonde locks and beautiful green eyes and pouty lips with cream like skin. She turns heads wherever she goes. Right now she's wearing this flirty red Reformation dress that is just... well it's criminal if you ask me and I can tell this Elliot fellow has already eye fucked her into next year. They look pretty fucking together but then I realize Grace mentioned he's about to get engaged. Oh well.

Once we say goodbye to them, Katya and I quickly pack up our equipment and order an uber to head back to Brooklyn where I can backup all this data and I dream of faceplanting into a pint of ice-cream and some wine. Dinner of champions.

"He was cute." Katya looks at me, wiggling her eyebrows while I edit some of the phone BTS pictures to text Mia.

"And I'd suggest you leave it at that." I say without look back at her. I know Katya's MO. She's flighty. She's got a big and wonderful heart but since the tender age of 16 she hasn't been able to stick with one guy for too long. She gets restless.

"This is why..." She looks towards the driver and continues in a whisper. "you can't get any dick, Your pussy is probably as grumpy and that mouth of yours... like as soon as a dick came near it... it would shrivel in rejection cause your pussy would probably judge it."

"Can't help it if my pussy has standards." I sass with a grin.

These standard are going to make me die a virgin of course.

CPOV

"Where are mom and Mia having their shoot?"

Elliot thinks for minute before answering. "Some Diner on the Upper East Side. In the 80's."

"Okay then drop me off at my apartment and then you can bring them back to mine for dinner. Dad is already on his way."

"What the fuck, why am I always on pick and drop duty. You go and pick them up and I'll go up to your apartment." He groans.

"El, I need to take a shower before I murder myself. I can't handle this sweat."

He rolls his eyes and I want to punch his face but I rein it in.

We got our asses handed to us while playing basketball today at Chelsea Piers. Elliot and I started playing last year .We joined an intramural team and it's been an education meeting people outside the family and business world. We meet up every now and then for a beer outside of weekend games and while I'm not exactly cultivating a bromance with these guys, I'm learning how to be normal as Elliot would say.

"So tell me, how was your date with what's her face last night? Did ya get lucky?"

"I wouldn't say lucky but yes, I did go back to her apartment."

"And? On a scale of 1-10?"

"a negative 15."

"That bad, huh?" He muses.

I look out the window and let out a deep breath. There are so many damn women in this city. Why is it so fucking hard to find someone normal?

"Look, Kate knows some people she went to school with..."

"Fuck, no. I am not letting Kavanagh set me up with one of her kind. No thank you."

He shrugs in defeat and wishes me good luck in my quest to find the 'spark'.

"Gail needs to share this recipe with me already. I don't understand the secrecy around it." Mia whines while eating the famously coveted mac and cheese and I laugh. It's a running joke between her and Gail who keeps stringing her along with the promise of eventually sharing the carefully guarded secret.

"I'm about to ask her to marry me." Elliot says with his mouthful.

"Taylor will throw your ass out of the window, E."

"I'll take my chances." He smirks.

"That's my boy, never backing down from a challenge." Dad cheers him on and I roll my eyes.

Mom and Mia tell me about their shoot and how much fun they had. I ask them how Annie Leibovitz agreed to shoot in a diner since that doesn't seem like her style. I've heard she's insanely difficult to work with too.

"Oh it wasn't Annie... I mean originally it was supposed to be but she had to cancel due to health issues. This new photographer, coincidentally her nickname is Annie too, at least that's what Jose Sr. told me but she prefers Ana ... she changed the whole concept last minute. She was only hired on Thursday night." Mom tells me.

Just then Mia phone beeps and she checks her message and I hear her gasp and see tears fall from her eyes.

"Mom, look... this is so beautiful." She hands the phone to Mom who puts her hand on her chest and I see the emotion on her face too.

"Ladies... care to share with the class" Elliot's voice cuts through the moment.

Mom hands him the phone and he smiles before handing it to me. Dad and I look at the screen together. It's a black and white image of Mia with her arm across the back of mom's shoulders, her face leaning into her while Mom's head is throw back laughing. They look like they're dancing. It's... beautiful. Mom looks so full of life for the first time since the diagnosis and remission.

"Mom, this is incredible." I look at her and she smiles.

"Isn't it? She's an amazing photographer. She made us feel so comfortable and I can't believe she made us look so... effortless and real." Mia says in wonder and immediately looks up at me. "She's only a year older than me and so smart and funny. She had us in stitches with her commentary on random things."

"Actually bro, she's exactly your type." Elliot gives me his shit eating grin and I want to throw my plate at his face.

Does he mean she's brunette and petite?

"You have a type?" Mom looks at me surprised. "Care to share with the class, son?" She raises an eyebrow.

"Mom, you know he's full of shit... "

"Language, Christian Trevelyan Grey." She admonishes but it's no use.

What the hell could I possibly have in common with a 22 year old photographer?

"I caught you checking out her friend, Elliot. Your Katie girl will kill you if she ever found out." Mia sneers.

"I only looked at her. Just because I'm in a committed relationship doesn't mean I'm blind. I can still appreciate a fine specimen." He retorts.

"Appreciating a fine specimen? Sure, big bro. Sure." She rolls her eyes.

A/N: Elliot is such a flirt isn't he?