a continent apart

chapter 7. secrets revealed and who's she?

Macie's pov

As the cab pulls away, I wave goodbye to Oliver and Carson. A sigh escapes me as we head off to the meeting I've been eagerly anticipating. This meeting signifies the start of my tour with a celebrity, doing what I love most - photography. I can't help but wonder who this famous person is that we'll be photographing. I just hope they're pleasant to work with, as I have no desire to deal with someone who is arrogant or rude.

Lost in thought, I'm brought back to reality by the ringing of my phone. Picking it up, I see a message from an unknown number. Upon reading it, a smile spreads across my face as I realize it's Oliver thanking me for my number. He found the little note I'd written, which I'd almost forgotten to give him. I quickly respond, saying "No problem" and asking him to wish me luck with my meeting.

I then put my phone back into my backpack and spend the rest of the drive lost in thoughts of Oliver. The cab finally comes to a stop, and the driver pulls me out of my daydream to collect his fare. I thank him for the ride, pay him, and step out into the office building where the meeting will be held.

As I enter the building, I accidentally bump into a girl who's storming out. "Watch where you're going!" she screams at me. I notice two other people chasing after her. One of them apologizes, saying, "Sorry, she can be a witch sometimes. Please, Ella, stop. He's not here and he doesn't want to see you either." Without looking back, Ella retorts, "I don't care. He will see me, and we will talk about what happened today," as she continues to storm off, followed by the girl and boy. I watch as they chase after the wicked witch of the west who thinks she's better than everyone else. I walk to the room I'm supposed to be in and knock on the door hoping I'm not late.

As the door opens, I see my uncle sitting at the table with two cups. I assume one is my tea and the other is his coffee. "You must be Macie! I've heard a lot about you, young lady. It's good to have you here," a man says to me as he closes the door behind us.

"Yeah, I'm Macie. It's nice to meet you as well," I respond, not knowing who this man is. I shake his hand before he laughs, flashing a bright smile.

"My apologies, Ms. Parker. My name is Ryan. I work for management. I'm here to ensure everything is in order for the upcoming tour that's about to start soon," he explains.

"Please have a seat. It seems our special guest are running a little late," he adds with a slight smile. I then sit next to my uncle, and he hands me my tea and I silently thank him for getting it for me because I need all the energy from the tea.

"While we wait for our guest, may I see some of the pictures you've taken? Your uncle mentioned that you love photography," Ryan asks politely. I smile and respond as I take out my camera, relieved to see it still works. "Yes, I do enjoy capturing moments wherever I go, even at the beach. Nature is beautiful," I say, handing him the camera.

Ryan scrolls through the pictures, his face lighting up with surprise. "Ms. Parker, these pictures are truly remarkable. I'm impressed and look forward to working with you and your uncle on this tour," he says, returning my camera. I switch it off and reply, "Thank you, sir," shyly, a bright smile on my face.

Before Ryan can say anything else, the door swings open abruptly, and two familiar figures rush in. "We're so sorry, Ryan. We got carried away writing songs, and Carson has been trying to book a studio in Paris without any luck," one of them says, his eyes widening as he spots me. "Macie," they both exclaim simultaneously, which is a bit eerie.

Ryan responds, "It's nothing to worry about, Carson and Oliver. I see you've met Ms. Parker and her uncle, who will be photographing the tour. Please have a seat, and we can discuss the studio. I'm almost done with my meeting. By the way, do you know where Trevor and Addie are? They're supposed to be in this meeting as well."