A day in the life - scomiche

Fashionista

"Scott you need to find someone, anyone! By tomorrow, or we have no chance!"

I kept quiet because I knew that; Avi had been warning me - with increasing anxiety - since Monday. And I had yet to find a model.

The big show was one week from Friday but in order to be eligible, I had to register by the end of this week. It would be the biggest competition of my life and I had a chance to be noticed by all the top fashion designers in New York if my designs won. But I had yet to find a model.

"Listen, maybe you're being too picky," Avi went on, almost begging at this point. "I could pick someone for you?"

But I was already shaking my head. "No. Getting the wrong person would be as bad as not going at all. Anyone could wear my designs; I need someone to own them."

"I know," he sighed, and flopped down next to me on the sofa in my tiny apartment. "Let's look through the list of models again."

I smiled at him even though his attention was already focused on the list of candidates. Avi was my best friend but also my manager. He was the one who pushed me into the fashion design business in the first place, and the one person who'd never given up on me. He was a brilliant businessman and marketeer, which of course is invaluable in my line of work. I owed all my recent success to him and I loved him better than anything. He knew it too, and was okay with it, even though he'd never be able to give it back to me entirely.

I lay back against the sofa cushions, running one hand through my hair in frustration. "I'm giving up for a while and going to Starbucks. Want anything?" Avi smoothed his beard absentmindedly.

"What's wrong with Oakley?"

"Too short, wouldn't look right. Avi-"

"Everyone's short to you," he muttered. I rolled my eyes but cracked a smile.

"Then too... I don't know, too something. He's not right," I insisted. "Avi, I'm-"

"What about this Ms Taylor Mal- uh Maldonado?"

I laughed and grabbed his wrist, pulling him off his ass. "Okay that's it, you're coming with me."

"What? I never thought I'd see you putting up gender barriers," Avi teased, chuckling as I grabbed my shoes and threw his at him. I reached for my car keys but Avi snatched them away and tossed them onto the couch.

"Nuh uh, if we're taking a break, we are taking a break. It's nice out." I huffed, more out of the necessity to appear exasperated than out of actual annoyance, and stepped outside. Avi locked up behind us.

The Starbucks was not busy so late in the afternoon, and we got a table in a corner by the far window, sipping our drinks in a comfortable silence. As usual, I pulled out my pocket sketchbook and my favourite pen, doodling random patterns I saw and making them into clothing. The triangular pattern of tiles on the floor turned into a sweeping asymmetrical top with a lace back and a fitted waist, worn by the lady two tables away from us. I put her in fishnets with a huge weave, bright nails and black lipstick. Avi sipped his coffee and watched silently.

When she was done, I glanced up, curious to see his reaction. I caught his wink and returned his wry smile before flipping the page and starting over. The girl who'd made our drinks became a red carpet beauty queen in a backless peplum gown with earrings similar in shape to the vague swirls in Avi's hair. I put the boy across the shop in full drag makeup because his bone structure begged me to and because my drag queens always made Avi laugh. This time was no different - Avriel said he looked like Miss Fame, and I said we should just ask her to model for us.