When up-and-coming model Isabelle meets talented but jaded photographer Milo, sparks fly despite their age difference. Their romance becomes the talk of the New York City fashion scene, fueling rumors and speculation about their scandalous affair. A...
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"Places! Places everybody" The stage manager was running around like a chicken with its head cut off, giving directions and talking into the headset.
Something Isabelle discovered about herself is that she was able to stay surprisingly calm and collected in such frantic situations. Alone, sometimes he faced anxiety. But paradoxically, at times like this - at work - the more chaos there was outside of her, the more she was able to tap into a force inside of her that kept her placid.
Sometimes that was taken too far, making her feel more repressed than she'd like to. Other times though, it served a greater purpose.
And that was what she needed, she didn't yet know how much she would need just that, that day.
Because as soon as she took her spot in the line, eyes gazing on the floor capturing herself together for a moment, before looking up and getting the go-ahead from the stage manager - she was the third to open the show - a good enough position. Not the top, but close.
Her show persona went on, and if it wasn't for her incredible professionalism, she may have broke when hse realized that there was a shift in the room, something altogether different that she would recognize the feeling of anywhere, just as she was bout to make the turn at the end of the catwalk, she felt his eyes, quietly, knowingly, locked onto her.
They had only a moment's exchange with their eyes, Isabelle already raising her eyebrows more than she should have, but to her, it felt like a small infinity. Her world rocking again the same way.
What was he doing here? Her mind wandered as she confidently strutted her way back down the stage, but not without difficulty.
She was used to other people's eyes on her, but this was a different weight category on its own altogether.
As soon as she got backstage, she ran to the small tent of a changing room that she had to make it for her next appearance in 3 minutes she had to do a full outfit change. She couldn't afford to think about it any more than that, but she couldn't help but wonder what it meant that he didn't tell her he was going to be there. And that of course he must have known that she was going to be there. He was Milo. He was connected.
She was Isabelle. Could it be possible that he wanted her? Of course, she knew she should be more confident, but she couldn't help but second-guess herself. He would be looking at so many beautiful women, what made her any different or special?
She didn't have any more time to ponder about this, as she was practically pushed back onto the stage by the stage manager after her assisted outfit change.
This time, she decided to not play it safe. This time, she decided to put on an act of confidence. It was actually so much easier for her to do when she was on stage, making a character - hiding behind a facade, than in her normal everyday life.
So this time, as soon as he stepped out into the lights, she unlocked something inside of her. Stepping in tune with the beat and the rhythm of the song that was playing, it didn't take her long to find him in the audience, practically by sonar, and as she walked toward him, she kept her eyes locked on his.
Him, noticing this subtle shift in her, broke into a smile. She quickly took him in. He looked again boyishly handsome and so effortless. Humble yet confident - a quiet confidence that never required a facade. It wasn't enough for her to have him - she wished she could be like him.
Just before the turn, she broke her eye contact with him, looking beyond him, making her cherish her power that she felt then over him just a little bit more than she should have.
In the closing walk, she expected to see him sitting there again, but he was already gone.
