Pirate Queen & Guitarboy (ON HOLD)

Chapter 8 - Praying To The Sno Balls-Goddess

Sam had locked herself in a bathroom stall and was crying her eyes out. She didn’t understand what happened. Why Cherise wouldn’t listen to her. And now she had to go back out there to face all those people, who believed she kissed her best friend’s boyfriend. Oh God, what a nightmare.

“Sam are you coming? We’re going to start again,” she heard Ace calling out. This was turning out to be one of the most embarrassing days ever. First he saw her faint and now he would see her cry, with her eyes all puffy. She so didn’t want to take any more pictures.

“You guys do it without me.”

Ace knocked on her stall, “Are you alright?” It was time to face the music. She opened the stall and walked to the sinks.

“Yeah, I’ll be alright,” she tried to avoid any eye contact, not wanting to see his reaction to her face. “I just need a moment,” and gave him a small smile. Ace just nodded and left her alone. She looked terrible. Her make-up was all smeared out and her eyes were all red. Trying to ease the puffiness, she tried to make her look more presentable, but she knew she failed. Everyone knew she had been crying anyway, so she just left the rest like that and went back to the studio.

“Yeah great! This way. Look at each other” the photographer was getting really into it, ‘till he yelled. “Stop! No!” Everybody looked up to see what the problem was.

“I’m missing something Ace.” The others were standing in pairs and he was standing all alone in the shot. “You,” Tony pointed at Sam. “Fix her make-up,” he yelled at the girl next to him. Sam was dragged back to the make-up table and the girl fixed her face. She was a miracle worker, Sam thought.

“Sam right? Go and stand with Ace,” the photographer dragged her back to the set. “Ace you hold your arms around her.”

“You sure you can do this,” Ace asked her.

“Yeah, no problem,” smiling to reassure him she was doing all right. She tried to look at Cherise but her friend had her back at Sam.

“Yeah perfect. Look this way. Smile.” Tony kept giving orders. “You look great together.” There were a couple of more shots and then they were done. Clarissa told them the article would come out in a couple of weeks.

“Cherise?” Sam tried to talk to her friend, but she didn’t acknowledge she heard Sam and kept on walking.

“Timo,” she tried, but he just mouthed sorry and followed Cherise. They all changed back into their normal clothes and took the most awkward elevator ride downstairs to the limo. Timo and Cherise got in the car, but she didn’t.

“Miss?” the driver asked.

Sam shook her head. “No, I’m going to take the bus.” He nodded and closed the door. As her friends drove away, she held back the tears. She didn’t really know what to do or where to go. All felt so pointless. A hand touched her shoulder, turning her around.

“Missed your ride?” Brian’s smile dropped when he saw her eyes. Sam shook her head, not trusting her voice to speak.