Living for the fat girl [Book 2]

Part 26

Before I leave the house, I wrap a woolen scarf around my neck, slip into my coat and grab my purse.

As expected, there’s a car waiting outside of the apartment building. Alexander Crawford leans against the passenger door, scanning his surroundings. He’s tall and thin, his dark blue suit fitting him like a second skin. Somehow the material of his suit makes his own dark skin look radiant and silky. His dark hair is cropped to a millimeters length. He looks absolutely immaculate. When he spots me, he flashes a bright smile and waves. He pushes himself off the car and holds his hand out for me.

“So good to see you again, Arya.” We shake hands.

“It’s so good to see you, too.” I try to hold in my excitement by taking a deep breath. This man represents my future. It’s in his hands whether I get to live a dream or not.

“Get in,” he ushers me into the car and slides in after me. “Peter, you know where to?”

“Of course, Sir,” the driver answers in a monotone voice.

Alex rolls up the partition that separates us from the driver.

“So tell me. What have you been up to,” he inquires, pulling something from a bag that’s situated at his feet.

“I’ve actually been thinking about that offer you made me last time we met.”

“Oh have you now?” His earlier genuine smile turns slightly cocky. He has every right to be cocky. If I were him, I would be too. “Go on then.”

“I’d love to be a part of your next exhibition. It would be an absolute honor. There’s just one thing that I’d like to change about the whole thing…” I bite down on my lip and Alex watches me carefully. His dark eyes narrow only slightly. I now notice that he’s holding a file on his lap.

“Go on.”

I hesitate but decide that it’s for the best if I just get it over with. This would have been a lot easier with Seth by my side.

“I know that… that the mural I painted on… you know… I know that that’s what got your attention but I would really like to present something else. Something of my own. The other mural was obviously Banksy inspired and I want this piece to represent myself completely. I have thought a lot about this and I’d really like to show you what I’ve got in mind.” I hope that I sound as convincing as planned.

“Can it wait until I’ve got some food in my stomach?” Alex turns his attention onto the file in his lap.

“Does this mean that you’ll give it a look?”

“Of course,” he turns his body towards me. “Arya, do you know how rarely someone as young and inexperienced as you catches my attention? I’m not about to give up on you. You have talent and passion and that’s exactly what I’m looking for, okay?”

I’m stunned, blush and try not to throw myself at him. Alex doesn’t seem to notice my extreme excitement. Instead he opens the file on his lap.

“There are a few… more serious matters that we’ll need to attend to if we’re going to hire you long term. We don’t let just anyone be a part of our exhibitions as I am sure you are aware. We have to do background checks in order to be a hundred per cent sure that who we’re hiring has no dark secrets that could potentially ruin our reputation, okay?”

Alex runs a hand over his head before turning the folder towards me. I gape down at its contents. My parents and a younger version of myself stare back at me. I take the printed out photo into my hands, stare at it for a few seconds and flip it over, revealing the next page. There are newspaper cutouts about my parents’ accident. Three of them pasted onto a blank page. They’re nothing spectacular. Only one of them mentions me by name.