Zoey Kagel considers herself quite the artist when it comes to make-up, so when she made her YouTube channel ten-years-ago, she never expected to be identified as the Beauty Hero Of 2020. One viral video later, and she's caught the eye of the music...
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Zoey Kagel
I have the best time with my dad. It's impossible to explain just how much I miss him. On his first night here, we went out for a meal mid-afternoon before grabbing a show at the west end theatre.
The bustling of the city is exciting along with dad's excitement. It's rare he lets himself have some time off, and it's well deserved. By the third day, we're acting like tourists, visiting all the amusements and spending hours in Hyde Park.
The bicycles we rented help us get around, but my legs are killing me, never having done this much exercise in my life. I call time on it when we pass a coffee shop, insisting we take a quiet moment to rest.
"My legs are hurting too," he says, opening the coffee shop door for me. "I think it's safe to say we did everything this weekend."
I grab the two-seater table by the window before it gets snapped up. "You said you wanted to see it all."
He grins and the creases beside his eyes settle in. "I did, honey, and you delivered on it. What's left on the agenda?"
I'm looking through the drinks menu when I say, "I have to go pick up my dress for the awards show tonight and then we'll have to start getting ready."
"I bought a suit 'specially," he says, the yellow flecks in his green eyes shining somehow. I know he's proud of me, but knowing he's excited to support me feels so good. "It's a good brand too."
I smile. "I can't wait to see it, dad."
The curls in his blonde hair fall into his eyes when he grabs a menu. "I think you'll be proud of what I chose. Do you think we have time to go to the barber? My hair is a little out of control."
I nod. "Of course. We can go to the one near my house."
We both order hot chocolate and extra cream, then we spend an hour chatting until dad gets a phone call from Linda, and his mood drops enough for me to know we need to get moving again. I leave him outside the tiny Indie boutique that sells handmade dresses, while I pick up the dress they made for me, rushing back to him when he frowns down at his phone.
"Is everything okay?" I finally ask when we drop the bicycles off and start walking down oxford street to the tube station. "Did Linda give you a hard time for coming up this weekend?"
"No, honey," he says, shaking his head with a deep frown. "We broke up last month and she's regretting it."
We come to a stop outside Primark and shuffle towards the window display to get out of the way of people. That's news to me. They always seemed so solid. I actually believed he would propose at some point.
"What happened?" I say, hating to see the strain in his expression.
My dad is a tall guy who towers over me, but at this moment he looks... small and scared. A thousand emotions run through his eyes until he closes them and shakes his head, trying to brush off my question, but I don't let him.
