The Woman on the 25th Floor | Short Story

1.

The elevator I waited on finally made a stop at my level. Grand Heights Apartment Complex was always busy, that was probably because it was on one of the most busiest streets in Chicago - also because it was a high class and four-star Apartment complex. That being said, the elevator was packed with twelve or so people. The person that I was waiting with to enter the elevator went in once it opened and I followed. I walked in and managed to squeeze my way to the corner, where I saw her. She stared down at her phone as I snuck a few glances at her - which tamed my anxiety in that elevator. I'd had my eyes on her for a while now. She worked at the model agency I worked for - took pictures of her once or twice. She finally looked up from her phone and brushed her hair from her face. She noticed me looking at her and looked back at me. We'd met eye to eye. She bit her lip and looked down with a small laugh. I looked away quickly, embarrassed.

Was she laughing at me, I asked myself. My insecurities started kicking in.

I could've smiled or something, damn it Quante.

The elevator came to a stop in the lobby. I started to walk out but I stopped to wait for her to leave since we were the last ones. I hovered my hand over where the elevator doors slide from so it wouldn't close.

"Thanks." She turned and nodded.

"It's nothing." I shrugged.

As we both made our ways out of the lobby, my eyes averted to her body from behind. She had nice posture and she was curvaceous. Her smooth chocolate skin was showing, which had to have revealed her tattoo around her abdominal area. We turned different directions of the parking lot. I made it to my car and once I did, I noticed her look my way as I looked her way as well. I waited until she hopped into her Snow White Range Rover to hop into my black Cadillac.

Once I got to work, I was scheduled to take a couple shots of her, Teyana Mitchell and a few other ladies of different shades of skin. As they walked in at different times in pairs laughing and talking. They were then pampered by the stylist and dresser. I stood in the corner, setting my camera up and playing my music. I changed the background to white and in walked in the models. The had on half shirts and shorts similar to the color of their skin.

"Could y'all line up from lightest to darkest." I asked noticing they were all barefooted.

They did as I said and they did it correctly. "Y'all two at the ends maybe squat down," I demonstrated a little, "and give me a fierce look while the rest of y'all do your regular poses." I said as Autumn Leaves by Chris Brown blasted through speakers.

I took a couple pictures and the ladies on top changed their positions. "Y'all don't hold each other yet. Here, you face your body to the left and you kinda face her and keep you eyes on the camera. Y'all do the same, understand?" I asked.

They all nodded and did as I said perfectly. "Perfect." I said taking shots.

"Now y'all stand up and lock arms and laugh and look at each other."

I took the pictures and was pleased. We continued for almost an hour.

"Nice ladies, I'll send the photos from the shoot today to y'all as soon as I can." I said staring at Teyana as Wishing by DJ Drama blasted through the speakers.

I walked into my office, sat down and turned my computer on. I pulled the pictures up on my apple desktop and picked the good ones out, but before I could, I was reminded that I had to take a few shots of a male model, DeAndre Jennings, who was also a good friend of mine. I walked out with my camera and got ready for the shoot. I twisted the lid of my camera, making sure it was tight enough. I soon saw him come out with the worst pimp walk I had ever seen.

"I thought you said you was gon' stop that." I chuckled.

"Stop what?" He asked.

"That ugly ass pimp walk."

"Don't shame me cause I can pimp walk and you can't."

"Who said I couldn't pimp walk?"

"Just take my pictures, Negro."

"Tilt your head to left a little, and kinda give a mysterious look. Join your hands together in front of you." I said hearing 21 Savage's song, X, blasting through the speakers.

He did so and I took some shots. "Squat down and strike a lit pose."

He put two middle fingers up and gritted his teeth together. He changed poses from there.

"Cynthia, are the girls ready?" I called out to Cynthia, who was the stylist.

"Yeah." She yelled back as the three ethnic girls cat walked in from the back.

"Damn." De'Andre said looking all of them down.

I chuckled and changed my playlist to a different one that played Grind With Me, by Pretty Ricky.

"This my song." He said winking at the girl making her giggle.

I chuckled. "Could y'all get low and caress his bare chest."

After that, I told both girls to leave and let one stay. I told Andre to face his right and I told the girl to get behind him, hold him, and caress his chest.

After the whole shoot, De'Andre stayed behind and sat with me in my office. I sat up as I sent the shots from before to the ladies. I then sent the shots to Andre.

"The guys try'na hit the club tonight, you gon' come out tonight?"

"Nah, I promised my girl I'd go out with her tonight."

"Who is this girl that got you sprung?"

"Y'all gon' meet her probably a few weeks from now. She's got a tight schedule."

"I can imagine." I said with my eyes glued to the computer.