Sonder {COMPLETED}

XVI.

beyoncé giselle.
september 22nd
london.

When Onika put on her boss lady cap, she was so locked in. Nothing would deter her from completing the task sat in front of her. She was relentless, steadfast, determined. She had CEO traits engraved in her that I, one day, hoped to replicate.

I stood beside Adam, the camera man, who would not stop clicking that camera. And that was all my doing. I told him no matter what, do not stop snapping pictures of her. I felt it was better to be a little sloppy at the beginning. It was better to be able to sift through 600 pictures to find the perfect 15.

Anna was nodding as she paced, deliberating in her mind. The look on her face was impassive, but I could tell that she was pleased with what she saw.

It was way too on the nose to do a Halloween shoot. That was what everybody was expecting. Instead, I was leaning into that big head of hers with a Princess Diaries theme. I had her jet black hair curled down past her shoulders with the glasses and uniform. In the end, a large tiara and a beautiful, strapless dress with white gloves up to her elbows.

I gave them my ideas and we all made it a collaborative effort.

"She looks stunning."

I nodded, barely paying attention.

I was in my zone and my vision was coming to life. Onika was beaming, smiling wide and letting the beauty of her face actually show. She was perfect, giving poses without even having to be directed, and when she was directed, she had no problem following orders.

She was a perfectionist like myself. We related to each other that way. That's what made me admire her. In the time that I had been working under her, she had become my main muse. I knew her body type, what colors would clash against her skin, which fabrics were most flattering to her shape. I was a creative director, but I was a designer first.

When I saw Onika start to struggle I called for a break. She sighed in relief and came out of her heels, leaving them.

Kayla, Onika's assistant, went to pick them up.

"Kayla you can leave them. Get your shoes Onika, for real."

She went to pick them up then came over by us, her hand on Adam's shoulder, "Thank you," She took my hand and dragged me to her seat in front of the mirror.

"You're doing great. Proud of you."

"It feels like I'm doing the same thing and I'm boring everybody."

"Don't feel like that. You're not boring anybody. We're all here for you, and you have always been an amazing model. You got the whole package, you're fine."

She smiled at me through the mirror, "We work really well together."

"When you listen."

"I always listen."

"Oh girl please."

Anna came over to us, complimenting Onika and myself for the vision.

"We're going to break for an hour then we will come back and get you into the dress. Yes?"

"Okay. Thank you Anna."

Anna had told me they don't usually do these breaks, especially for an hour long, but it was non-negotiable. I told her that before we even boarded her jet. Onika needed to eat and she needed to cool out before she became stressed all over again and this photoshoot became a train wreck. Either she wanted a good shoot or she wanted to have a monster on her hands. It was her choice.