Right one at the wrong time

After the turquoise carpet

Chapter 14:

The afternoon on the turquoise carpet progressed and in a few hours it was already time for the party at the Reggia di Venaria in Turin. Konstrakta's appearance on the turquoise carpet had been very successful. Not only had she completed all the interviews and photo shoots satisfactorily, she had also managed to fully avoid any encounter with Cornelia throughout the event, a small victory that she savoured silently.

She had not caught a single glimpse of the Swedish artist, and even if a tiny part of her had been slightly curious about Cornelia’s outfit for the evening, she strictly refused to acknowledge this curiosity even to herself. And in the end, it didn’t matter at all what she was wearing or how she had mastered her appearance on the carpet. It was more of a similar feeling to when you don’t like a certain food at all, and yet you’re still curious about how others react to it, but you still wouldn’t eat it yourself.

Konstrakta’s choice of clothing for the party was a deliberate reflection of her artistic persona. She wore her long black hair loose and flowing over her shoulders in silky waves, which gave her appearance a touch of elegance. The white headgear she was wearing was retro in style, but suited her perfectly and gave her an air of mysterious charm. Adding to it her very dark lipstick. Her whole outfit, while similar to her stage costume, was distinctively fancy – completely white, with a long coat that blew with every movement she made.

The venue itself, the Reggia di Venaria, was a marvel of architecture, which was something she always appreciated. The long hallway they now entered was adorned with majestic marble windows that cast an almost magic glow over the checkerboard floor pattern. The splendour of the place was not lost on her as she moved through the crowd, her team in tow, engaging in conversations with fellow artists. The environment was a colourful mix of cultures and talents, each artist bringing their unique flair to the evening.

It was during these interactions that Mia, representing Croatia at the ESC, approached Konstrakta. In stark contrast to her white elegance, Mia was a vision in pink – her outfit consisting of a pink top and mini skirt, complemented by a matching bag and high heels. Their conversation was vibrant and engaging, pulling Konstrakta out of her internal reflections and into the present moment. Around them, the voices of the other artists and the team along with the clicking of the photo cameras coming from outside. For the first time in a while, Ana found herself genuinely enjoying this ESC experience again and forgetting all her troubles. She felt her usual self-confidence and self-assurance returning, pushing away the insecurities and confusion that had plagued her recently.

However, this new found ease was short-lived. It would have been too good to be true. The entrance of Cornelia Jakobs, who had also just finished her interviews outside, into the room shifted the atmosphere dramatically. Ana's back was turned to the entrance, so she didn’t immediately see her. But Mia’s sudden pause in conversation and her expression of surprise and admiration made Ana turn around and follow her gaze.

What she saw now was unexpected. Cornelia, known for her almost boyish style and slightly disheveled appearance, had completely transformed. She stood there in an outfit that was daring and bold, to say the least. Ana, initially hesitant, found herself unwittingly scanning Cornelia’s outfit, absorbing every detail. At first, she tried to resist the urge to look too closely, determined not to give Cornelia the satisfaction of her attention. However, despite her hesitation, Ana's gaze unavoidably drifted back to Cornelia. She didn’t really think about what she was doing, it was more of an impulse. The outfit was clearly made to be looked at. And so did everyone else. Luckily. Because then no one could see that Konstrakta herself was looking too. And for some reason, she didn’t want anyone to notice.

The Swede was dressed in a black bra and underwear covered only by a glittering, transparent net dress, which nestled against the soft-looking skin of her body. She radiated a self-confidence that was both seductive and almost intimidating. Her hair was slicked back, and her eyes were accentuated with dark makeup, which made her blue eyes look even brighter and more piercing than ever before. Until now, Konstrakta had consciously avoided looking into her eyes for too long and too often, even if she hadn't always been successful but now it was unavoidable. The high black platform boots added height, and the large black pom-poms around her waist seemed to be a playful nod to modesty for this event. Without them, she could just as easily have gone completely naked. Ana tried with all her might to look as casual and unimpressed as possible.

But inside of her she was momentarily caught off guard. The sight of Cornelia, so striking, so different from her usual self, and so undressed stirred something in her. Despite her earlier decision to remain unaffected by Cornelia, she couldn’t deny the impact of her appearance. Cornelia looked, whether she wanted to admit it or not, in fact stunning. Her transformation from the bubbly, slightly messy artist to this confident, sophisticated figure was astonishing. Because of the fact that this time Ana had been so completely unprepared and hadn’t had any time to build up a protective shield, she was gripped by a whirlwind of emotions - admiration, surprise and an unsettling feeling of some weird kind of attraction that she couldn’t quite shake off. It overwhelmed her, swept over her like a wave, and suddenly she was overcome with a feeling of more contempt than ever. Towards Cornelia, towards herself. She had never felt such... such.. how should she name it.. such hatred for a long time, perhaps never before.

She was out of her element. For all her efforts to remain indifferent to Cornelia, here she was, completely taken aback by her presence. She forced herself to look away and turned to Kosta, who was standing next to her with his mouth half open.

“Close your mouth or a fly will get in,” she said with a slightly frustrated undertone that she couldn’t completely suppress.

“Oh, Ana. Come on. Let me look. I mean her outfit is insane. Really cool and so brave. You gotta admit that”

“Her outfit is.. okay,” Ana replied with an eye-roll.

“Okay?! Wait are you jealous? Because she just stole the show a bit?” Konsta grinned now, unable to refrain from teasing her playfully.

“No. Of course not.” Konstrakta’s tone was now very matter-of-fact and took on a colour of determination. Whether it was jealousy, a fighting spirit or simply antipathy that she was feeling. She wanted to enjoy the party in a few hours and even if Cornelia would enter there completely naked, she decided she wouldn’t care. Even if she had to force herself to.