Runaway

Chapter Two: The Girl

                                       Chapter Two: The Girl

                                            Nikolai Hall

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I walk into the building, Alex and Olive try to keep the fans at a distance. I continue walking, sometimes taking a paper and pen and signing. I see a group walking, it looks like a class. Two girls catch my eye. One has straight brown hair, a white sweater and blue jeans. The other has blond curly hair, a black vest and blue jeans with holes. "Nikolai, come. We have to keep going." Alex says. I continue walking, up the stairs and towards the backstage area. "What were you suddenly distracted by?" Jokes Alex, my manager and best friend. "A group of students, I think a class from a school." I say and we walk into the backstage area. I sit down with the stylist who will do my hair and makeup. "Pupils? They could easily become models!" Alex suddenly says. Alex is always looking for new models. I laugh. "It's a fashion school that's here." Olive says. "Even better." Alex says. "What is a fashion school doing here?" Suddenly says Yvette, another model. "Probably something for their school." Olive says. I hear the music starting, the show is about to start. I'm almost done with my makeup and hair. I get up and go to the designer, who gives me my outfit and I put it on.

Suddenly I hear a crash on the ground. The music stops for a moment and I hear everyone get up to see what it was. I look behind the set from the backstage area. A girl has fallen to the ground. It is Kyra, the designer's daughter. The designer also watches, just like many models. "Is that Kyra?" The designer asks worriedly. I see the same girl with blonde curly hair, black vest and blue jeans with holes walking over and holding out her hand. Kyra grabs her hand. The girl help her get up. The designer wants to walk over, but Alex says, "Wait a minute." The designer looks briefly at Alex and then back at her daughter and the unknown girl. I see all the cameras, eyes and a bunch of phones focused on the two girls. "Are you okay?" The girl asks Kyra. "Yes, thank you." Kyra says. "Did you trip?" the girl asks. "Yes, I took a wrong step with my heels." Kyra says and looks around uncomfortably for a moment. "I'm almost certain that that girl knows who Kyra is and that's why she's helping her." Yvette disapproves. I have my doubts about that. The girl takes off her cardigan and hands it to Kyra. She wears a black one-shoulder. Kyra looks at the girl for a moment and then takes the cardigan. Kyra puts on the black vest and smiles at the girl. "Can I ask everyone to point those cameras and phones at someone else? Where has your respect gone? You notice that she is uncomfortable with so many eyes and lenses on her and you continue with it." The girl suddenly says clearly and slightly irritated. I immediately see phones and cameras turning away or somewhere else.

"Who is she?" asks the designer next to us. "I have no idea." Alex and Olive say. "She looks like one of the students I saw earlier." I say. "The fact that she dares to say that while cameras are pointed at her takes a lot of courage." Says another model. The girl looks back at Kyra, she looks at her gratefully. "What's your name?" Kyra asks the girl, her green eyes are grateful. "Elvira." The girl says and smiles. "Kyra." Kyra says. "Ladies and gentlemen, the show continues!" I hear in the hall. I'm still standing in the shadows of the backstage area, my gaze focused on the scene in front of me. Kyra smiles gratefully at the girl, Elvira, while the audience slowly regroups and the music starts again. Alex stands next to me and gives me a push. "Come on, Nikolai, you have to walk like this. Focus," he says with a grin, but I can see that he is also peeking out curiously, his eyes still on the two girls. I nod and take a deep breath as I check the last details of my outfit.

As I walk onto the catwalk, I can feel the tension in the room again. The lights are bright, the music thundering, but my mind is still half on what I just saw. Elvira. The way she stood up for Kyra, without worrying about the crowd, impressed me. There are few people who are so fearless in this world, who are so quick to help others without thinking about their own reputation. I walk confidently down the catwalk, my gaze focused as I have always been taught. But when I'm almost at the corner where I have to turn around, I can't resist taking a quick look into the room. My eyes automatically seek her out, and I soon see Elvira sitting there, her gaze focused curiously and sharply on me. She doesn't even seem that impressed with everything around her, as if she is in her own world. I meet her eyes for a moment, and to my own surprise it feels as if time stands still for a moment again. It's only a second, maybe even less, but it's enough to make something move inside me. I smile slightly, almost imperceptibly, before I tighten my face again and continue walking. I make the turn at the end of the catwalk, feel the adrenaline flowing through my body and walk back to the backstage. Alex is already waiting for me, his arms crossed and an amused look in his eyes. "You were distracted again, right? You stayed there just a little too long," he notes with a grin, as we walk back together to the room where the outfits are laid out. "What is it with that girl?" "Maybe she's just different," I say with a shrug, trying to gather my thoughts. "She doesn't really seem like the rest of the audience." Alex raises an eyebrow, but says nothing more. Olive also joins us and looks at us curiously. "What are you guys talking about?" "Nothing special, just some students," I say quickly, but I can see that Olive doesn't quite believe me. She knows that I am not normally so easily distracted by someone from the audience. "We are going to scout for new models!" Alex says enthusiastically and Olive and Alex leave the backstage area.