Silver Spirit

Chapter 1: Charles

My heart punches my chest as I'm walking. My silky number entangles itself with my heels. My eyes blur.
Time must've passed- but it didn't feel like it
"Hhh" what has happened? "Nnnnaaat" where am I? "Natsumi?" I hear a ringing in my ears, but a familiar voice too. "Natsumi are you okay?" I slowly open my glazed eyes and blow my hair out of them, probably looking ugly meanwhile. I don't care if I'm a model at this moment in time.
"Yeah" I murmur, still unsure of where I am or who I'm talking to. "What h-"
"You blacked out while on the runway. You've been down for about five minutes" I roll my head. The owner of that familiar voice is my manager Charles. He is curled up beside me with his head next to mine. His glasses are pushed up to his eyebrows by the shiny white floor. I turn my head even further so I am, or should, be looking at the ceiling. However instead I am peering into the faces of journalists and other models who are taking pictures. My brain rolls in my skull because of the dazzling flashes of the cameras. My ears are numbed by the buzzing and yelling of the crowd above me. I also notice several other models- Penelope Cruz, Naomi Campbell, Rosie Huntington-Whitely - looking down at me, expressions of varying levels of disgust pasted onto their faces. "Are you alright?" One of them asks
"Yeah are you alright? I was just talking and then you fell and I was like" another one chimes in. Do I look alright to you?
"Yeah I guess, thanks though" but I remain lying on the cold hard ground, my limbs sprawled out, with my silken dress draped over them. I'm obviously not alright, but I don't want to look to them like I am not
"Natsumi?"
"Yeah?"
"You don't look it" they all honk and lean on each other, their mouths wide open- like rabid dogs. The gaggle of fellow models migrate to backstage, giggling and whispering along the way. I turn my head back to Charles, who gives me a sort of "huh.. They're idiots aren't they?" Look. I manage a smile- but my head still sears fiercely. I try to go back to my room with Charles but I get intercepted by several squads of reporters along the way. By the time I arrive to my room I am quite frustrated. Charles drops my keys into my hand and smiles at me. There's something about his smile. The way it is big and childish, but not silly. The way it is menacing and bold, but not intimidating. The way it is manly and beautiful at the same time.
"Er, what are you doing?" Charles asks "you've been staring at me for like ten seconds"
I quickly blink and turn around. My fingers fumble on the keys as I slot them into the keyhole. I click open the door and open it. Every time I walk into my section I get a nostalgic feeling of being at my father's house. Everything is neat and all surfaces are clean. There are paper walls with a dim yellow light emitting through them and wooden floors of which when we walk on them we make a comforting clopping sound. The sofas are plush and the suede on them has little paw prints marked on them. "Cecilè! Cecilè-San where are you?" I ask happily. Charles looks at me with an expression of fear
"What are you doing Natsumi" he asks cautiously. As if to answer his question, a fox gallops into the room. I try to stroke him as he hops onto the sofa we're standing next to. "Ah, I see" he does his smile again. We sit to join the small fox and make conversation over him.
"Wow Natsumi his eyes are so unusual!" He remarks. I never really think about it but Cecilè's eyes are peculiar: they are brown, but when light shines into them his pupils turn a blue similar to that of the blue of the sea in Caribbean holiday adverts, and the brown surrounding them evolves into an orangey-mango colour.
"Yeah..." I reply, but feeling disrespectful to his attraction to my companion's eyes I try to extend on the idea "I have a theory that perhaps something has happened to them or something that has made them that way"
"Hmmm"
"So..." My eyes are trained to his, eager for the answer "do you want to do anything while you're here or...?" I instantly regret asking; a "no" would make the whole thing really awkward, and a "yes"...well...I've never gotten that far before.
"Like what?" he asks slowly, a smirk growing on his face
"Um" oh god. What do I say? "Like watch a film with pizza or something? Or go to the park or-"
He interrupts, "how about both?" A quizzical expression is on his face now, accompanied by a smile. That smile.
"Um okay?" I press my two index fingers together. Well. That happened fast. I don't know how to react. I quickly divert the conversation back to Cecilè and pick him up vigorously and shake him, my hands around his rib cage "look. At. His. Toebeans." I growl. Charles laughs lightly.
"And what are toebeans, Natsumi?" He asks. I answer his question by pressing Cecilè's hands to Charles' palm. He turns them around and his eyes light up when he discovers four little black 'beans'. "Aah they're his paws!"
I smile and brush my hair behind my ears, looking at the floor. I kind of like Charles. He seems alright. "As a friend Natsumi, as a friend!" I tell myself, slightly moving my mouth while doing so. I think he noticed, but doesn't say anything. Through the corner of my eyes I make out his moss-green eyes flickering around, scanning my face.
I break the silence "So, um, do you wanna choose the film while I order the pizza?"
"Um yeah, ok." He looks up from Cecilè slowly
"What do you want on your pizza then Charles?"
"Oh I'll have whatever you're having" he rises from the sofa and brushes all the fur of his trousers.
"So is it 'Veggie Volcano' then?"
"Yeah" he smiles
I walk into the kitchen and leave him to choose the film.

I walk back to the living room to find Charles looking at me, smiling nervously.
"Hey Natsumi... Do you know where the DVDs are?"
I laugh "I'll show you" I smirk for some reason. I lead Charles to the cabinet in the corner. There is a mountain of paper on top- and it looks like a pioneer has just summited. Cecilè is sat on the top neatly- his arms tucked under his chest and his tail wrapped around his legs, nesting his face too. Charles picks him up and cuddles him.
He says in a growly voice, "Look. At. His. Toebeans!" and I laugh and pat them both on the head. Charles squints at me and smiles. We begin to demolish the mound of paper- fashion designs, forms, random poetry, diary entries- and briefly look through it. Charles seems enticed: his mouth is open and his eyes are widened. "These are brilliant Natsumi! Maybe we could use these designs in the future! I love them!"
I blush. "Well..I wouldn't say they're that good...."
"Yeah but Natsumi they are! Can I keep some of them to develop?"
"Of course you can Charles" this is really awkward "Hey. Are we gonna find that DVD or not?"