★ Warning Mature Content ★
Asher Kells is a Rock Star and Rapper, complete with tattoos on nearly every inch of his thickly muscled body. He has a badass ability to play the guitar, and he sang like crush diamonds, amber whiskey, and smoke. While I...
It felt like the photographer was moving me around like a Bratz doll. They didn't hire a makeup artist or hairstylist that knew how to do my makeup or hair correctly. I tried to copy the style of everyone else but without going baldheaded. I'd grade my makeup skill a solid B-, a lot of effort, but not professional. It wasn't that it was bad; it was great if I was going to a family event like a wedding or something along that line.
Lucia checked herself in the mirror for the fifth time. Her milky coffee skin tone was in the zone where she could use makeup. The problem was that the professional makeup artist was just a little off. If you looked at it long enough, you begin to notice it wasn't as good of a job as it could have been. Frustration twists Lucia's lovely face. She gives up and takes the cotton and lightly takes a layer of makeup off. Then she stops and digs into her purse, applying changes. She's actually very good at this whole makeup thing. Better than I was because she looked pretty professionally done.
"Smile a little more, Sabialsi," the photographer butchers my name. She corrects my hangman's grin. It wasn't really a smile, so she was right to do it. At the same time, I was so done with this photoshoot. It was yet again where Lucia and I were the odd ones out.
"B, do you remember the Christmas orange?" Zoey yells at me from her seat watching the shoot.
If I would have had milk in a glass, it would have spewed out of my nose in a fit of laughter. My noise got the attention of everyone in the room as the memory flooded me. A dumb Christmas where we were all in trouble and my mother dragged us, kids, to Christmas mass. Where the priest went on for three hours talking about Christmas oranges. For years we did impressions of the priest at Christmas. It was so dumb, so very dumb, and inside jokey.
The female contestants and our one female judge looked at me like I was looney. Everyone except for Zoey, who knew she did wrong. But the photographer got a shot of me so joyful even I liked the picture. Zoey joined me as we laughed together. Zoey's arms came up to hug me as we leaned against each other in laughter. It was so inside joke. Maybe that's what a wonderful friendship was. And when you open the door to people, the infection part was a laugh that could be shared. My shoulders relaxed as the snap of the photographer's camera clicks faster. She gets the shots she needed from me. Even the photographer had a smile on her face.
"You're done, next." The photographer says.
Plop down next to Zo and snatch the fork out of her hand. Then I take that bite of pie. Delicious. We still have the rest of the photoshoot to do. The call was that the guys would go last, then we would do a mix of guys and gals shoot for the thumbnails and press kits. I have to admit, though; that the truce is holding. Maybe the parking lot campout worked. We would do the music and not the reality show drama that they seem to want so badly. I'm certainly glad. It felt like I was back on solid ground again, sitting next to Zoey, sharing the pie. Maybe, just maybe... we can navigate this new, more distant friendship and her fame.
***
Paulie urges the photographer to take another shot of Zoey's and Asher together. He has them cross over each other with a kind of older-style rock and roll look. Asher has tattoos and his leather jacket without a shirt. His hair is all business and slick back in a contrast to all those tattoos covering his body. Asher leans into Zoey with the photographer's instruction. They had Zo change her clothes into one of her AC/DC band shirts she liked to wear that's a little ripped up. My mom got it for her at goodwill when we were kids. With that t-shirt, they matched it with a leather skirt and a leather bracelet. They looked a pair, and like always, with her long dark hair flowing down past her back and Asher's style, they matched. It twinged a little bit in my stomach when he leans into her ear and said something to her and she laughs.
I really need to tell Zoey about me and Asher at some point. I've never gone this long without telling Zo about any relationship I've been in, good or bad. If Asher wanted it to be known would have said something himself. Right? Asher has a secret niece means that he keeps his private life private. It felt like it would be me telling something I shouldn't be discussing until we discuss it. Plus, Asher made me no grand promises we were fucking around. By discussing it together, I would probably end up putting more weight on the things. That kind of weight would be pointless for fucking around. I mean, he has lines of women constantly hitting on him. His manager Tucker is continuously bringing women into large groups in front of him. By making a bigger deal out of what is happening between us, I'll end up having nothing at all. Which isn't fair to me or him because it's not like he promised me anything. When all of this is over, it's over. Whatever it is that we are doing, because I really don't know. It would be cool to stay friends. I didn't want to be some Wheelz spazz thinking there's more than what there really was.
The grinding noise of the lens of the camera zooming in draws my attention. The two reality tv show crew guys made sure that the camera was watching Camille's acid green eyes. Her long red nails tap on the suitcase of clothes for the shoot all packed up after her shoot was done. She watches Asher and Zoey, and her green eye gaze is almost unreadable. But the greedy reality tv camera lens eats it up all the same. I guess our truce will not stop the show from going on. Is she still in a relationship with Asher?
The brunette photographer behind the lens smiles at Zoey and Asher. "Great job." She seems happy with the shots. They weren't laughing anymore, but the two had this look like they had a secret between just them. Something that we all wish we knew, and it was sexy.
"This is a good place for us to stop," Paulie says with satisfaction lacing his voice.
"We haven't got the shot with-" Paulie Cuts the photographer but she looks at me.
"She can Photoshop it in," Paulie says.
"I don't want to have to reshoot," Asher says, butting into the conversation between the two. He waves me over and I slip the Queen band t-shirt over my head. From the same goodwill adventure from my mom. I push off from the suitcase I was sitting on and head over to the shoot. Paulie's face ticks when I walk past him. Fuck you back, Paulie. Yep, the man still hates me. With my back against Asher and an infectious smile from Zoey, I slip into the pictures for Team Rock. My hair was wild and teased out, giving me more of a rock look than I've ever sported before. Ya, I can do this.
The camera click, clicks.
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A/n: So, for both Noah and The Tour I have a chapter parts storm coming. Which is kind of hard to deal with. Just a warning. Things gonna get bunches of parts. I might have to end a part without pushing out the next one the next day even if it's a sex scene which I never do but this 1-time ima have to. Due to both parts happening and flipping back and forth between edits. Tour is staying on schedule no matter what though.
