One of the Cast

The next morning when I woke up, Aaron was nowhere to be found. I stared around in confusion, letting my eyes adjust to the brightness of the sun that was blasting through the windows onto the bed. Not seeing a note or anything anywhere, I got up and put on a tshirt before exiting his room to find a bathroom or some food to fill my completely empty stomach. I lost my appetite quickly, however, when I looked up to see that Eddie was sitting at the breakfast table with an expression that was a mixture of bemusement and sadness. “Pleasant sleep?” He asked, taking another bite of his cereal.

I knew my face changed to what could only be the most horrific shade of red imaginable, but made myself respond as though I was totally comfortable. Why isn’t he at the studio?! “Yup. Where’s Aaron?”

“He’s already gone to work, he left you a note on the counter,” he still had that awful bemused expression on his face, it was almost maddening. Or would have been, had I been less mortified.

Good morning, hope you slept well. I had to go into the studio early today, I’m sorry, it was last minute :( But I’ll make it up to you! - Love, Aaron

Next to the note he had placed a flower that I had seen before growing outside. I threw the note away and took the flower, disappearing into the bathroom to fix my hair as best I could. As I was doing so I realized I was faced with a dilemma; Aaron, my ride here, was gone and I couldn’t exactly as Amanda at the moment to come and get me. Which meant I could either ask Eddie for a ride home or walk home in what was clearly last night’s outfit. Eddie seemed to have a small amount of mercy for me, however, when he offered me a ride home when he left on his way to work. Though it wasn’t the optimal solution, it was the best I had, and accepted. I was confident that he took a painfully long time getting ready on purpose, and I couldn’t possibly sit still as I waited for him on the couch in the living room.

“Okay, ready to go?” He asked when he finally reappeared. He knew that I knew that he was trying to make me uncomfortable and squirm, and he was doing a good job of it. I was normally such a modest person, last night was not by any means a usual thing.

I nodded and followed him to his car, where we were both quiet and simply listened to the radio the whole way home. But though we were both quiet, the tension in the car was electric. I was acutely aware of every time he shifted positions or moved his hand to change gears. By the time he pulled up to mine and Amanda’s house I was ready to scream. I knew Aaron was absolutely perfect and totally wonderful, but there was just something about Eddie that pulls you in, it’s almost impossible to explain. I murmured a quiet ‘thank you’ and shut the door behind me, quickly disappearing behind the door of my house.

I knew it was awful that I couldn’t help but think of Eddie while I was dating Aaron, but I just couldn’t help it. And I hated that. Eddie had never even given any sort of inclination that he feel anything towards me yet much of the time I couldn’t help but wish that he would. I hated myself for feeling that way, too. I’d have to either figure out a way to not care about Eddie or cut everything off with Aaron because it really wasn’t fair to him, he deserved to have someone who cares as much, if not more, for him than he cares for her. As is usually the case, I neither fully appreciate nor deserve what I have.

I showered and changed into a sea foam green maxi and a white v neck shirt to go to work in and arrived at the shop soon later. When I walked in, Chloe was giving me an almost creepy grin but wouldn’t tell me what in the world it was about later on in the day when I asked again. “You’ll find out soon enough,” she’d say. I knew her well enough by then to know that she wasn’t going to give in to my persistent asking so I gave up, though I didn’t ever stop wondering.

As I was putting on my jacket and getting my purse in the back room before I left at the end of my shift, but was stopped on my way out by Talia, the manager. “Roman! I have some good news!”

I looked up and dropped my purse back on the chair it had occupied for most of the day and gave her my full attention, having absolutely no idea what it could be. “Oh yeah?”

“One of my old friends, who owns a clothing boutique in London, is having a fashion show in conjunction with a couple of other designers around London and I immediately thought of you! You know, since everyone who comes in always loves all your clothes. So I sent her pictures of some of them and she agrees that you’d fit in well with the general aesthetic of the show and offered you a slot!” Talia was clearly almost as excited as I had become.

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I could design for a fashion show in one of the world’s fashion capitals? Surely I was dreaming. “Oh my gosh, yes! Yes! I’d love nothing more! Do I need to do anything now? Should I call her? When is it? What do-”

“Roman, calm down before you hyperventilate. I’ll get you all the details when she emails them to me tomorrow and I’ll give you her contact information as well as yours to her. It’s in a few months so you don’t have to go crazy now!” She said smiling.

I still grinned widely and hugged her tightly. “This is amazing, I don’t know how to thank you!”

She just laughed and halfway pushed me out the door, though once I was out I almost sprinted to my bike and raced to the studio - a trek that normally took me ten or fifteen minutes but I cut down to five. Luckily Aaron, Eddie, Samantha, and Hugh were on the side taking a break. I jumped on Aaron from behind and barely resisted squealing. “Guess what!” I singsonged instead.

“What?” They all asked in reply. It was clear that they were confused by my uncharacteristic hyperactivity.

“I’m gonna have a fashion show!” I could hardly contain my excitement and be quiet for the filming taking place, though it was still a good distance away.

My news was met with excited congratulations and hugs, in addition to promises of going out to celebrate tonight. As they were doing so I looked up to see Amanda standing in the back with Hugh, watching us as he spoke quietly to her, though he realized soon that she wasn’t paying attention. I didn’t know whether or not she’d want me to talk to her yet so I just turned my attention back to Aaron as he recounted one of the many blunders he and Eddie had had that day, resulting in everyone laughing except me because I had no idea what the context was.

I stayed and talked with whomever wasn’t filming at the time for the rest of the workday, and we all ended up leaving around nine to celebrate the new events.