Bis Die Zeit Uns Vergisst

I sat in the audience, next to my boss, taking notes on all the new styles that walked down the catwalk. Some things were new, but a lot of it was old styles with a new twist. I have to say the openers looked rather ridiculous with feathers, leather, and some latex, but I scribbled down what they were wearing anyways.

“Oooh, very nice. Deanndra, did you get that?” my boss Ms. McCauley questioned.

I looked up in time to see a short zebra striped gown pass in front of me. I scribbled it down quickly so I could get the others.

“Yes, Ms. McCauley.”

“Good. Now you must know that every good intern takes notes of everything, hideous, or pleasing. That’s fashion. You build on the good stuff and twist the hideous and create something beautiful,” she went on, showing me to take note of two particular outfits. One was a strange ensemble made of purple suede and chiffon, two materials that did not belong together in my opinion, and another cheetah print cocktail dress.

We sat like that for a while, with me taking notes and wishing the hour was up so I wouldn’t have to look at this disastrous new fashion line. Finally, it was time to go. I put my purse on my shoulder and slipped the yellow legal pad and pen safely inside. We would discuss my notes the next morning in the conference room.

Because I was an intern for a popular fashion company, Ms. McCauley and I were allowed in the back after the show to congratulate the producers of the show.

“Make note of this, Deanndra: no matter how horrid the show was, treat it like it was the most amazing show you’ve ever been too. That’s how you climb the latter and get permission to build off certain styles.”

It didn’t matter how nice Ms. McCauley seemed to be, you always had to be careful. She was really meaner than a snake and had enough resources to kill any chance you had in making something out of yourself. This particular bit of advice was wrong. I didn’t agree that you should cheat people like that, but, out of fear, I smiled and went along with it.

“Ah, there you are Lisa Tresoné!” Ms. McCauley exclaimed, finding a woman with curly brown hair pulled up in a loose bun. She wore blue rimmed reading glasses on her nose.

Anyone could tell that she was the designer because she sported one of her horrible ensembles: a white zebra stripped knee length dress that blended into leopard print around the bottom and sparkling ballet flats.

“Annette McCauley! Thank you for coming to my show!” She began a light conversation.

“Nonsense. I had to see what you had been planning,” Ms. McCauley said, with a fake smile plastered on her face. “And I must say it was riveting! This is a wonderful line you have created!”

The woman called Lisa Tresoné smiled and a slight blush appeared on her cheeks. “Why thank you Ms. McCauley.”

“Oh, nonsense, and call me Annette, please.” Ms. McCauley looked at her watch, and faked a slight gasp. “Why, I must say, time goes by fast now days. I’m afraid I must leave now. Goodbye!”

She turned on her heal and came my way, pulling me out the backstage door and through the main door where a we met paparazzi and a limo waited to take us away.

“That’s how you get things done in fashion,” she said, ushering me inside the limo quickly, before we were swarmed by paparazzi.

I had a huge feeling of guilt in my stomach. I didn’t like to treat people the way that she had just done.

“Now, I need for you to get to bed early tonight, Deanndra. Tomorrow morning we have a
very important meeting and I need for you to be there at about five. Can you do that?”

I wouldn’t dare say no to this woman. “Yes, would you like your usual coffee at that time or
would you rather me wait to get it later, Ms. McCauley?”

“Oh, child, I would appreciate it if you could get it to me at five. The usual please.”

I nodded. It was one of my chores to stop by and get her coffee the same way every morning. She wanted a vanilla flavored latté filled 75% of the way with whip cream. If it was anything less than that, I’d be in trouble.

“Okay. I’ll have it waiting for you at five o’clock. Goodnight, Ms. McCauley,” I said, stepping out of the limo once we had reached the parking garage where my car was parked.

“Very well. Goodnight, Deanndra.”

I waved goodbye, to be polite, before hurrying to my parked black Honda. Quickly, I fished for the keys inside my purse. When I couldn’t find them, I tucked my red hair behind my ears and huffed. I put my purse on the hood of my car and dug through my purse, trying to find the stupid keys.

Finally, I found them and pointed the familiar black and silver key at my car. Because it was ten o’clock at night, the parking garage was dark and I was ever so anxious to get in my car and lock the doors. Adrenaline rushed through my veins as I looked around. The last time I was in a parking garage late at night, I had a gun placed firmly at the back of my head. I didn’t want that to happen again.

Once inside the car with the doors locked, I let out the breath that I had been holding and closed my eyes. A second later, I jumped at the sound of something whacking against the window. I was scared to look to see what it was, but I had to. I practically had to pry my eyes open. My heart was beating so fast that I thought I would go into cardiac arrest. This was not going to happen again.

Slowly, I turned my head and came face to face with a young boy, about the age of twelve. I rolled my window down just a hair so that he could hear me when I spoke.

“Are you alright?” I asked.

Fear was etched onto his face. His eyes were wide and his mouth hung open to emit a bloody scream. My heartbeat increased to where it felt like it would pump right out of my chest. I didn’t dare to look over my shoulder.

“What’s the matter?” I realized I was screaming and shaking and attempted to calm myself.

The little boy didn’t say anything, just kept staring behind me. Gradually, I got up the nerve to turn around and check what was behind me. When I looked over my shoulder I saw nothing. There was nothing in the car, and nothing outside. I didn’t know what the little boy was seeing or why it was frightening him so.

I turned the key in the ignition and turned on the car’s headlights. Still, there was nothing to be seen, just rows and rows of empty parking spaces.

“What’s your problem, kid? Are you lost?” I turned back to ask him, but he wasn’t there anymore.

Was I going crazy?

No. I couldn’t be. Whatever he was seeing must have scared him off. I rolled the window back up and put the car in gear. I pulled out my cell phone, punching in the familiar numbers to tell my roommate that I would be home momentarily. I didn’t tell her about the little boy. It would probably be best to keep him a secret…for now.

* * *

“Deanndra, you better hurry and wake up, or you’ll be late and Ms. Bitch will be bitching.”
I distantly heard the voice and groaned. I was so not ready to get up. After about one thirty this morning, I finally fell asleep. I couldn’t keep my mind off the little boy from the parking garage.

Cold water was flung in my face and I jumped straight up.

“Geez Illa, I’m up! I’m up!” I said, rubbing the water from my face.

“Um…that’s Jazlyn to you!”

I rolled my eyes as Jazlyn jumped off my bed and left my room. She could be so annoying sometimes. I really just wanted to sleep, but she was right. I really did need to get up if I was going to be to work on time. Sometimes I asked myself why I couldn’t have just settled for just going to university instead of signing up for the internship as well. I mean, I loved fashion, but I was really just so stressed. It was a Saturday where I could be sleeping in and staying in my pajamas like Illa, but no, I took the internship and am having to go to work.
I grunted, and raised myself out of bed to begin my morning routine. When I looked at the clock, all signs of sleep left my body. I was running fifteen minutes behind schedule. Great.

Quickly, I jumped in the shower and threw a knee length black and green dress on, a dress that I was sure Ms. McCauley would approve of. Because I was running late, I swiftly applied black eyeliner and mascara before finishing my makeup with foundation. Since I was an intern and was supposed to dress nice, meant that I was to complete my dress with a pair of four inch black stilettos. I snapped a silver emerald necklace around my neck and gave my straightened red hair a poof in the mirror before grabbing my keys and purse and going out the door.

Thankfully, there wasn’t too much traffic on the elevators this early in the morning. I got out of the elevator in less than ten minutes and practically ran through the lobby.

“Late again, Deanndra Schwarz?” the guy at the desk asked.

I rolled my eyes at him. “Really, Larz, this isn’t the time to aggravate me.”

I pushed the door open that lead to the parking lot and accidentally pressed the panic button on my car instead of the unlock button, causing the quiet still of the early morning to be disrupted. I cursed before shutting it off and climbing inside. As I turned the ignition, I thought about the boy from the night before and shivered. Something definitely was not right with him. Maybe he had escaped from a mental hospital, or maybe he was just some kid trying to play a prank.

It was thirty minutes until five when I pulled into the local coffee shop to buy two lattés. I ordered the usual vanilla flavored latté filled all the way up for me and a vanilla flavored latté filled 75% of the way with whipped cream for Ms. McCauley.

“Hey, Deanndra, can you do me a favor and tell Jazlyn to be here at six? I’m the only one here tonight and I could really use her help,” Kris said, as she handed me the coffees.

“Sure,” I said, kinda through my teeth. I really was running late, but I could probably squeeze that call in.

“Thanks, I owe you one big time,” she said, turning to help the next customer in line.

I put the coffees in the cup holders once I was back in the car and pulled out my cell phone.

After a few rings, Illa answered. “What did you forget this time, Deanndra?”

I rolled my eyes. “I didn’t forget anything this time,” I laughed a little, “but I was just in the coffee shop and Kris is the only one there. She needs Jazlyn to come in at six. Can you tell her that?”

“Sure,” Illa said. “I think she went back to sleep though.”

“Well wake her up! Anyways, thanks, I’ll see you guys later. Bye.”

I hung up the phone and rolled down the window to show the guard at the parking garage who I was.

“Hello, Deanndra, it’s nice to see you this morning,” he said, smiling.

“Good morning, Alfons,” I replied, smiling.

Alfons was probably one of the nicest people who worked here.

He returned my smile and let me through. I parked in my usual spot and walked quickly, but carefully, to the elevator. Unlike at my apartment building, the elevator here was especially packed.

“Hey, Ashlie, what’s the deal with this?” I asked, gesturing to the commotion in the hall and
the multitude of people waiting for an elevator.

She shrugged. “There’s some people here seeing Ms. McCauley today. Security’s going crazy, so it must be somebody good.”

I nodded. The elevator doors dinged open a while later and people shoved themselves inside. It was packed, but I was able to get in. I punched number twenty-eight and waited as the elevator slowly began to loosen up, then got crowded again, until there was only me left, going all the way to the top.

When the doors opened and I stepped out of the elevator, security demanded that they see badges and ID.

“We must have a big-shot today if you have to see my ID, huh, Travis?” I questioned, showing him my ID.

“You can say that. Hey, Deanndra,” Travis lowered his voice and ran his fingers through his tousled brown hair. “Do you wanna catch lunch later today?”

I smiled, meeting his bright green eyes. He was a very attractive guy and so sweet, but he had his temper. We had been dating for a few months and I had almost drawn the conclusion that I really liked him. “Sure. If Ms. McCauley will allow me. I’ll meet you downstairs at, say, twelve thirty?”

Travis grinned and looked around before kissing my cheek. “It’s a date.”

I felt myself blush and I hugged him quickly.

“I better go before she has a cow,” I said, walking swiftly to the door at the very end of the hallway.

I knocked softly three times and waited for the usual come in. When I heard it, I opened the door and walked in.

“Good morning, Ms. McCauley. You look lovely this morning,” I said, and surprisingly it wasn’t a lie. Ms. McCauley wore a black pencil cut skirt with a ruffled white blouse and a black belt around her middle. On her feet were black heals similar to mine, but a little shorter. “Would you like your coffee now?”

“Oh, yes, child, please,” she said, extending her hand for it.

I handed it to her carefully.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” I said, making my way to my desk positioned on the other side of the room.

I took a sip of my coffee before turning around to get to work. Before me, sitting on the black leather couch were four young guys, about my age. One boy had shoulder length brown hair. Another had short blonde hair sticking out slightly from a black baseball cap. The third boy wore such baggy clothing it looked as if he would lose himself in it. He had dreadlocks and wore a cap on his head. He played with his lip ring and looked me up and down, causing me to be a little uncomfortable. The fourth boy had black hair and it was spiked in all directions to where it looked like he had ridden in a limo with his head stuck out the window. He wore eyeliner on his eyes and had an eyebrow piercing. Two tall, burly men stood on either side of them. Were these the guys that caused such chaos in the building?

“Now, Deanndra, I would like you to meet our new clients.”

The dreadlocked boy spoke up first. “I’m Tom.”

I smiled and stuck my hand out for a handshake. He took it and smiled.

“Deanndra.”

“You’re very beautiful.”

I felt myself blush a little. “Thank you, Tom.”

“Before Tom tries to seduce you, I’m going to say that I’m Gustav,” the blonde who sat next
to Tom said.

I grinned and moved on to shake his hand.

“I’m Georg,” the brunette said, just giving a wave.

I moved to shake the spiky, black haired boy’s hand and saw him looking at me intently.

“A-and I’m B-bill. We‘re T-tokio Hotel,” he said, taking my hand in a firm grip.

I looked at him a bit longer than the others. There was something odd about him. It almost seemed like I had seen him before, but I knew that couldn’t be it. And when I touched him, tingles went up and down my arm. I mentally slapped myself in the head before carrying on.

“It’s very nice to meet you all,” I said, nodding to the, what appeared to be, bodyguards.

“They have asked us to create a Tokio Hotel fashion line. And I’m thinking that because they are such a great hit, especially here in Germany, that we should go ahead. What do you think?”

Very extremely important rule: never disagree with the boss, even if it doesn’t sound like the best idea.

I nodded my head. “That sounds like a great idea. Do we have a day to start sketching out some possibilities?”

“Well, Deanndra, you see, there was a reason I asked you to come earlier today. We’ve agreed to send you on the last few weeks of their current tour for you to gather and sketch ideas. Now, this is strictly business. You will be taken absolute care of, with nothing to worry about. However, no friends are allowed to accompany you. You are to leave in the morning--am I correct?” Ms. McCauley looked back to the four boys for verification. They nodded and she continued. “I am giving you this huge responsibility. I feel that you are certified and are very capable of doing this and doing it well. You do not want to disappoint me. For now we are going to sit down with you and go over everything you need to know and what to expect and answer any questions you may have. Then after twelve today, you are to go home, pack your things, and get some rest. I’m trusting you.” Ms. McCauley lowered her voice to where only I could here her. “You’re very career depends on this. You better hope you don’t screw it up because if you do, I fear the very worst.”

I knew that my eyes were wide as ever as she talked and I nodded my head vigorously.

“Now, let’s begin, shall we?” she asked, taking a seat and motioning for me to as well.