It all started in Gary (Indiana) with a letter letf on the sidewalk by a girl with long hair and the most beautiful eyes.
"For Michael, the show business wasn't boring or scary anymore because everywhere he went, Aria was with him. She was in every...
"I want to thank everyone that came here tonight to appreciate my collection. It's something I'm very proud of. I'm extravagant, my collection is extravagant and this is event is extravagant. This past six months were a long journey of preparation for this night. A night that I will remember forever, a night of great acomplishments." Gianni Versace stops his speech to look at the audience that just watched his fashion show. "But nothing would be as extraordinary and as complete if Aria wasn't part of my team. Come up here, principessa."
Aria stands up from her seat and makes her way to the small stage. She smiles and looks down as every eye sets on her. That never happened before.
"I never, ever, thought you would be as creative, as professional and as talented as you proved to be during these six months. I dragged this girl," he points at her and keeps talking. "out of her country just to have her working on my pieces. It was an honor, Aria. Thank you." Everyone claps as she smiles and looks around. "Also, this piece," Gianni points at her shiny outfit. "is totally her own. She made it from level 0." The audience claps again and this time, Aria really feels nostalgic.
Her outfit is inspired on her brother, Michael, the person who stopped calling her three months ago. Just like she figured, what was once a daily phone call turned into one call every week and, eventually, it just stopped. Aria tried to reach him, but when Michael's on tour his phone number changes every week, it's impossible to track him down.
"Say something," Gianni gives her the microphone and she freezes. The only time she spoke on a mic was in one of Michael's rehearsals and she didn't just speak, Aria screamed and scared the hell out of everyone. Not a great experience. "Go on."
After some seconds of hesitation, she starts. "I... I want to thank Gianni for giving me this chance, the chance to expand my horizons and to open my mind to creativity." A wave of claps fills the room again. "I was scared to work with someone as perfectionist as Gianni, but then he told me that I've probably worked with worse." The audience laughs along with her. Everyone knows who's she referring to. "And my brother, another perfectionist, made me come here. He's my biggest inspiration. So if you're watching, thank you for making me get in that plane." She hopes he's watching. Although he hasn't called for three months he knows that this would appear on the TV.
"You're amazing!!!" A distant female voice screams and everyone stands up, clapping for the last time. Aria doesn't know what to feel right now, she has never been the center of atention. It's weird. Is this how it feels like?, she wonders.
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"Thank you so much!" She speaks before waving and making her way to the backstage.
"Did you see that?" Aria speaks loud and gasps to her youngest sister. Janet flew over to Milan yesterday, she couldn't miss this night.
"Everyone was rooting for you, I'm so proud!" Janet hugs her tightly. "You shouldn't have mentioned him though."
"Who?" Aria asks.
"Michael." Janet sits down.
"I'm not mad at him Janet, I knew this would happen. It's the way things go and I can't change that. Besides, he's on tour and I don't him to worry about me." Aria sits next to Janet who's irritated.
Janet may be the youngest but she's not dumb. She knows what Aria feels for Michael, she noticed it a long time ago and the fact that Aria is trying to hide it makes her furious. She sighs and looks at Aria. "Are you excited to go back home?"
"Yeah..." Aria giggles. "I miss everyone." She looks up and smiles at a model who just congratulated her. "I was wondering..." Aria smirks.
"Don't." Janet smirks back.
"I want to surprise Michael tomorrow night. Let's go to New York, he'll be performing in Madison Square Garden. It's going to be such an important night for him."
"You're kidding, right? He probably didn't even turn on the TV to watch you out there thanking him like a fool."
"Janet, stop being a hater." Aria laughs. "You just want our brother to yourself."
"Yeah, right." Janet looks away.
Janet is so angry. She's angry because next to her is Aria, someone that loves Michael and tries not to be a distraction for him. What Aria doesn't know is that Michael already has a distraction and Janet can't tell her. She's angry because both of them are idiots for hiding their emotions.
