AURA GROANED SOFTLY AND sat down by the front steps of Grandma Ruby's house. She tried to clean the space a little with one hand, but when not much happened, she sighed and tried not to mind. She could hear the mumbling of her parents and grandmother speaking inside, but she blocked it from bothering her. She needed time to be by herself without them trying to be good to her after what happened.
Placing the cold glass of lemonade between her lips, she took another sip, relishing the taste. She stared at the empty street in front of the house with a frown. She recalled how busy it used to be with everyone in the neighborhood intermingling with each other years before. Now everything seemed abandoned. It looked like everyone had left this place and found a better life. She didn't blame them. Her parents did the same.
"Aura, why are you here all alone?"
Hearing her mother's voice brought back all feelings of resentment towards the situation. She shook her head and continued sipping on her lemonade.
"You can't give me the silent treatment, Aura. I'm your mother."
"I'm not giving you the silent treatment. I'm dealing with the fact that my career is over. If this goes out, I'm done for. Can't you understand that?" Aura scoffed, staring ahead at an abandoned house a few feet away. "Then again, you didn't care about that and forced me on a plane. Just leave me alone, Mom."
"Darling—"
Aura shook her head again, not wanting to deal with her anymore. Her mother sighed and left without saying another word.
Her chest hurt as she continued drinking her lemonade. She didn't know how she would move forward, but she had to find something soon before she fell down the hole without the possibility of climbing back up.
As she brought the glass back to her lips, her actions were halted at the sound of a machine. Aura frowned, not appreciating the fact that someone had interrupted her moment of reflection. She needed alone time, and here was someone ruining that for her too.
She turned to the neighboring house and saw the figure of a man hunched over a piece of wood. Wood shavings sprinkled about, falling around the man as he cut through.
She wasn't even aware that someone was outside.
Aura rolled her eyes and tried not to mind the new noise, and went back to thinking about herself. However, it was a little hard when all she could hear was that horrible sound of wood being sliced, and then the overpowering scent of it completely ruined Grandma Ruby's famous lemonade.
She stared back at the man, her gaze digging holes into the back of his head in her mind. This was supposed to be an angsty moment for her where she thought of her fallen career and what she would do next. This was the moment that set up the next step where a person deep in the makeup industry noticed her and took her under their wing, and she'd be saved. But how would she get that moment without being able to concentrate on anything with that man cutting wood?
She almost wished her mother came back to nag about how she didn't deserve such bad treatment.
The sound stopped as the man finished up with the piece. She sent out a thankful prayer before going back to enjoying her lemonade. Now she'd get her angsty moment.
Aura had to find a way to get herself recognized. Although Lacey Redd was out of the picture for her, there were other celebrities who could take a liking for her. Maybe she should try making a challenge or doing something no one has done. She didn't know how she would do all of that, but she could brainstorm ideas and post her best one online to see the response it got. For the time being, she would have to stay active on social media if she wanted to continue doing makeup.
YOU ARE READING
Forever Glamorous
General Fiction"I put on makeup to express myself. I could care less about my so-called insecurities." Aura Chandler was so sure she had her life figured out. After securing a photoshoot gig with up-and-coming musician Lacey Redd, she was convinced she would get d...
