Rendezvous

London placed a sequined dress in front of Annika to see if it would suit her for the photoshoot. She clicked her tongue and shook her head whilst putting it back on the rack.

“London, it’s the fourth dress you pulled out. When are you going to be satisfied?” Annika asked, looking at London who was going through the rack. This wasn’t the first time they were working together, and Annika started to learn that London was picky.

“I am not happy with these clothes,” she murmured. “Ah! Finally,” she took out a red dress and gave it to her. “Change into this while I look for the shoes and accessories.” Annika went into one of the dressing rooms as London went through the shoes in various colors and styles. Most of them were pumps and stilettos and there were too many that London got confused between three shoes.

Annika got out of the dressing room. “Can you help me with the zipper, please?” she asked, turning around.

“Sure,” London said, zipping her dress.

“Thanks. Chose the shoes yet?”

“I’m confused.” London stared at the three pairs of shoes on the floor. One were black pumps with studs on the outer side, one were dark brown stilettos, and the other were light brown pumps with open toes.

“I like the one with studs,” Annika suggested.

“You’re right,” London mumbled and gave them to her. As Annika put them on, she went through the accessories and took a pair of silver hoops and bangles. A few moments later, Annika walked out to the set for her shoot.

London was at a Nylon photoshoot today. As mentioned before, this wasn’t her first time working with Annika. They had previously worked together during many photoshoots and because of it they had become close to each other. Annika was new to the world of professional modelling but she had gotten appraisals from many, it was just a matter of time before her schedule got tight.

Half an hour later, the models came back to the dressing tent and London had prepared new outfits for them. They quickly changed into the new outfits before some of them went back to the set. Some stayed and waited for their turn, including Annika. She noticed London had been zoned out a couple times when people were talking to her, so she asked what was up with that.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” London answered.

Annika just narrowed her eyes. “I know that tone of voice . . . and those eyes. Is it a guy, London?”

London just chuckled. “No.” Annika just raised her eyebrows. “Well, yeah.”

Annika’s mouth curled into a smile. “Tell me about him.”

“He’s lovely.”

“That’s it? Lovely is all you want to tell me?”

London just laughed. “Apparently so.” She took a dress and put it back on the rack, her mind wandering about Nick, which reminded her about Julian’s offer of going out drinking with the others. “My friend asked me to join him drinking with his friends tonight, do you want to join?”

“I don’t really drink.”

“Neither does him,” she laughed. “He just sits there drinking coke and talk; I guess you can do the same.”

“I like beer, though,” Annika shrugged. “And wine. Are you sure they’re not going to be mind?”

“Nope. They’re all guys; it would be nice having another girl at the table.”

Later that night, London and Annika went to the bar where London reunited with Julian. Julian saw them entering the bar and waved them over.

Albert whistled. “Now who is this another fine lady?” he asked, eyeing Annika. The others just rolled their eyes at him.

“Another? So you think I’m fine, Albert?” London asked and he just held out his beer in a ‘cheers’ manner. “Well, guys, this is my friend Annika. Annika, they’re Albert, Julian, Fabrizio, Ryan, Nikolai, and . . . Nick.”

Nick looked up at her after noticing her pause before mentioning his name. What was that supposed to mean? he thought. London just pulled on a small smile at him before sliding into the booth and sat next to Fab again. Annika followed the suit, only she sat next to Ryan.

One hour went by and it seemed hard for Nick to look away from London, as usual. Every time their eyes were locked, London gave a small yet seductive smile before tearing her gaze away.

Ryan was just done telling a joke about a deer and the whole table erupted into laughter, when London had to go to the bathroom. She was going to ask Annika to go with her but she noticed that Ryan and she seemed to be so into each other, so she went by herself.

It didn’t take long for London to do her business and reapply her lipstick. When she got out of the bathroom, someone pulled her wrist and made her turn at them. She was about to shout when she noticed who it was.

“Oh, hi,” she smiled seductively at Nick. “You should stop stalking me to the bathroom.”

“I need to talk to you about the other night,” he brought up, his voice serious.

“It was nice. Wasn’t it?”

Nick’s mind wandered back to when he kissed her lips, how he sent goosebumps to her whole body when he sucked on her neck and how her nails dug into the back of his neck as she moaned his name out of pleasure. Indeed it was really nice.

Nick mentally slapped himself in the head. “It was a mistake, okay?”

“Well, you started it.” By now, her fingers were lingering on his hips. He softly swatted it away.

“Look, I had a fight with my wife and I took it out on you. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“I don’t quite understand the way you took it out.” London knew it was just an excuse. Nick lost control that night and she wanted him to admit that he wanted her as bad as she did.

Nick started to stammer. He didn’t know how to answer that. “Let’s just—“

“I’m not sure if I can just forget about it,” London cut him off, knowing what he was going to say. Cliché.

“Well then, find somebody else to seduce. Somebody that’s available.”

She snorted sarcastically. “I wasn’t even trying to seduce you; you were the one who kissed me. I just went along.”

“Yeah? Then what was it in the studio the day after we first met?”

She shrugged. “Your neck really was that attractive,” she admitted. “But I didn’t do anything after you asked me to, right? So it was you.”

“Well, now I’m asking you to not do anything at all and just forget about it. Just try to forget about it.” With that, he ended the conversation and went away. London watched him approaching a woman, blonde, at the entrance of the bar and watched them kissed and smiled at each other. By the look of his face, London knew the woman was Amanda.

London returned to the booth and also the married couple seconds later. “Amanda, this is London and her friend, Annika,” Nick introduced them.

“Hi,” Amanda smiled friendlily and shook London’s hand, then Annika’s. “Nice to meet you.”

“Pleasure’s mine – I saw your photos and I loved them!” Annika replied.

Amanda laughed. “It’s nothing.”

London didn’t really want to talk to Amanda; she needed to be at least a little bit drunk to do so. Not that she didn’t like her yet, she was just feeling kind of pissed after what Nick had said. Such a hypocrite.

“Anyone up for shots?” Nikolai asked.

“Oh Bobby Hair, you read my mind,” London smiled and they high-fived.



It took four rounds to get London feel lightheaded – she wasn’t even drunk yet but she was getting there.

Nick wasn’t too fond with the view across the booth. Fabrizio would whisper to London now and then, and every time he did, London always ended up giggling in a flirty way. Nick’s wife was right next to him, chatting to Nikolai, but he couldn’t stand the sight of Fab flirting with London.

Nick wrapped his arm around Amanda and pecked her lips. Amanda just laughed. “That was a bit impolite; I was talking to Nikolai.”

“Sorry, babe,” he said, kissing the top of her head but his eyes were directed at London. London saw that and that pissed her off even more. You want a show? I’ll give you a show.

She grabbed Fabrizio’s collar and crashed their lips together. Fab was shocked and confused of her sudden action – not that he didn’t like it. He closed his eyes, placing his hands on her cheeks and just enjoyed the way their lips moulded together.

The whole table let out a huge ‘ooh’, except Nick. He sat there, watching his best friend making out with the girl he was going crazy for just across the table. When they pulled away, Fab asked, “What was that for?”

London only flashed a smile, leaving him in curiosity. She drank her mineral water, eyes at Nick. Nick just shook his head and took a long drag of his cigarette.