Just A Moment

Preparation Time

The days flew by, with Hope and Joe constantly texting since they had little opportunity to see each other. Hope had to work all hours that she could in order to make up for missing Friday completely, and was therefore exhausted by Thursday night.

The morning of the interview however, Hope woke up early, her body filled with anticipation and excitement. She sprung out of bed and reached for her phone. Pressing play for a random song to put her in a good mood, Why Don't We Go There by One Direction came on.

Hope smiled as she danced along to the tune and wandered down to the bathroom. Brushing her teeth in time to the music, unable to stop smiling, Hope brushed her sleek hair and let it fall in natural curls. On any other day, she would have tied her hair back, but she wanted to make a big impression.

Sliding along to her bedroom, Hope looked at the fancy dress and shoes Joe had helped her pick. Hope felt unsure about the look, but Joe had promised her that she'd suit the dress.

Once her body was ensconced in the soft fabric, Hope felt more elegant than she ever had before. Slipping the heels onto her still-sore feet gently, Hope cautiously walked over to the mirror.

Audibly gasping at her appearance, Hope could not believe her eyes. She looked beautiful. More than that, she felt beautiful. Turning around slowly and gazing with an open mouth at her transformation, Hope laughed aloud in joy. Clapping her hands to her face, Hope couldn't stop laughing, utter happiness shaking through her like a shock of electricity. It was unlike anything she'd ever experienced before.

Aunt Sophie appeared in the doorway as Hope spun around, her hands folded across her body in her faded pink housecoat. Sophie had meant to scold Hope for her volume, but she couldn't when she saw why she was making so much noise. Instead, she smiled to see Hope's delight.

'Well my darling, you certainly look the part.'

Hope turned around to her with a radiant smile. 'You really think so? Oh, I... I can't describe how I feel!'

'Lost for words. That never happens to you.' Aunt Sophie looked at her watch. 'You've got half an hour until Joe's coming for you. Better finish getting ready.'

Aunt Sophie was turning to go, but Hope called her back. 'I was wondering... well, maybe... could you help me?' Hope asked shyly. 'You see, you're so good at this sort of stuff and... and I'm not.' Hope confessed quickly.

With a smile, Aunt Sophie walked over to Hope and took her hands. 'I'd love to.'

Twenty minutes later, Hope emerged from her bedroom, feeling more like a princess than a girl from downtown New York. She had no idea what her Aunt Sophie had done make-up wise but trusted her so implicitly that it didn't matter. Hope felt like she was about to burst with excitement as she threw her coat on and blew a kiss to her aunt and uncle at the kitchen table.

When she opened the door to street level, Hope saw Joe instantly. In a clean-cut navy-blue suit with a startling white shirt and open collar that just showed his sharp collarbone and caramel skin, Joe looked suave and sophisticated. Hope's breath caught in her throat at his appearance as she had almost forgotten how incredibly handsome he was after not seeing him for a few days. His characteristically vibrant eyes turned up to hers with a smile.

'You look amazing.' Joe said without pause.

Hope blushed, looking down and smoothing her skirt with her hands nervously. 'Thanks. You're not so bad yourself.'

'I'm not a suit novice, you may have realised.' Joe smiled cheekily, adjusting his cuffs expertly.

'I had noticed.' Hope beamed at him.

'And even though you are a formal dress novice, you could never tell. You look as radiant as a woman who dresses like that every day.'

Hope blushed again, his compliments making her skin tingle with appreciation.

'So, my lady, our engagement awaits. Would you permit me to escort you?' Joe offered Hope his arm in a theatrically polite manner.

'Of course, good sir.' Hope played along, reaching for his arm. The second her fingertips touched the fabric of his jacket and she felt the understated strength of his arm once more, Hope felt her pulse begin to race.

They walked down the street to the subway entrance arm in arm. They didn't say much, the anticipation of their interview and its potential success almost palpable in the air between them. All that mattered now was going to the studio and seeing what the manager thought. It was zero hour.