QUICKSAND

RE-ACQUAINTANCE

FREYA'S POV

I tried every possible alibi to get Kreios to look for someone else to help him out everytime the Azkals players were in the boutique. I do love them as a team and support them in every game but I didn't feel the need to see them every chance I get. Not to mention the fact that I was trying to dodge any possibility of seeing Parker. I even sent an attendant from my restaurant once just to bail me out. I wasn't ready to see him again although I knew it was inevitable. Especially today. It was Kreios' fashion show tonight and I was well aware I needed to go.

The show would start an hour and a half from now. I had been staring at my reflection for ages and I still had not prepared. Someone knocked at the door and in came my good friend-slash-business partner Ian. His eyes widened as he surveyed me. "You haven't changed yet? Goodness, Frey, we still need to go to SMX. Did you fall asleep fixing yourself?" I shook my head, heart throbbing as usual, and my reflection seemed paler than normal. "You look a little queasy to me. Are you under the weather?" He walked towards me and felt my forehead and neck with his palm.

"I'm fine. I just feel a bit jittery. You know, I want this show to be successful for my brother." Of course I lied. Ian's one of the four friends closest to me and even he did not know anything much about Italy. They tried to press the truth out of me on one occasion but they didn't hear anything.

"Well, then. Chop-chop! I know there's such a thing as fashionably late, but that is something we don't wanna be doing right now. Make yourself pretty then meet me downstairs amiga." Ian disappeared behind the door. I stared at myself for another five minutes before I decided to force myself to change.

I took the teal cocktail dress my brother made especially for me from the dresser. It was quite a short dress that was draped to the sides with an asymmetrical neckline. I slipped it on then went back in front of the mirror. I started doing my hair. I gathered it on my back, twisted it a little and secured it with a thin pale pink scrungie. A few hair strands fell limply at the left side of my face. I finished the do by fastening a clip with teal stones close to the scrungie. After putting on some base and foundation I put on pale pink eyeshadow, a clear mascara, blush, and a sheer nude lipstick. I looked at my reflection one last time and told myself to "Stay calm. Stay out of his sight." I placed on my pink stud earrings and a ring to match. Slipped on my pink strappy heels and grabbed my purse.

I searched for Ian at the restaurant but couldn't find him. He emerged from the kitchen door speaking "Do not forget to finish everything up in about two hours. We'll be here by then." He was doing last minute rounds to make sure that everything was perfect for the after-show dinner. He turned around and found me standing near the doorway. He smiled "I wish I were as enchanting as you." He gave me a squeeze on my hand as we walked outside BLISS. I saw a few heads turned as we made the pavement our own runway. We were both half-smiling, half-laughing at what we were doing. "You make heads turn." He said.

"No, you do." I said laughing. We got in the car and the driver started to move through the driveway.

"O don't be coy Frey. You know very well that you have that... magnetic potential. Of course if I could only wear a dress, I'd be the same. But now, I am content with making heads roll." He laughed out loud even manong chuckled a bit.

"Magnetic potential? You make it sound so scientific Yan. It's like a Physics term." I was laughing too. For a moment I forgot about what's waiting for me. Several more minutes and we arrived at SMX. A few members of the media were there waiting for guests to arrive. Only a small number covered the event but the most important ones in the industry. It's the same people every time. According to Kreios, small number means more intimate. He's not really after the hype although publicity was really good for his business. Invitations were given only to his loyal clients, family, friends, and mentors.