Ochanya {Completed}

FOURTEEN👑

"So Taiwo, this is Ochanya, I want her to take a few shoots with different clothing, just something absolutely natural, make her up and call Mr seyi to come take the shoots" Alia ordered like the boss she is and faced me.

"Feel free Ochanya, I need to attend to some things, I'd have stayed with you" she said

"It's okay Alia, you can go" I said and she left after shooting me a teasing wink.

"Come with ma'am" the lady Alia referred to as Taiwo said and I nodded. I entered a plain white room and was told to sit in front of a mirror .

The art work started and they painted my face, by the time we are done, I peeped in the mirror and I got dumbstrucked.

"What have you done to my face?" I muttered but she heard me.

"It's the simplest look ever ma'am, let's proceed for the shoot" she said and I followed after her as I kept wondering if she wore a mask over my face cos I don't look like myself.

I change into a cloth she gave me and the photographer told me to stay on a white carpet with white background. It was quiet weird, with a lot of bright light shinning on my face, I stood there agitatedly and the make up artist came forward again with a brush in& her hand, she adjusted my make up and went back.

"Pose ma'am!" The photographer said and he got ready to strike a shot. I got confused, I've never taken a picture in many years, but I can remember how my sister stood whenever she wants to take picture. I pushed my hips to the right, made my legs face each other, bent my back a little and pushed my lips to the front. I stayed for two seconds and they all stared at me with their eyes widened,until they all started battling not to burst into laughter. I regained my normal posture.

"Did I do something wrong?" I asked almost inaudibly as I stared at them in embarrassment. They were too engrossed in their laughter to notice my discomfort, I felt as if the ground should open and swallow me, I made my way out of the room and they all started running after me, begging me to stop. I felt my eyes moisten.

I really don't know how things are done in this city, I just flatly disgraced myself right there and they all must be wondering the village I came from. As I was about to walk out through the door, I bumped into someone and a feminine scent filled my nose. I looked up and I saw Alia, she was leaning against the door frame and she seem to have seen everything that happened, I looked away trying to dry my eyes, I don't want her to notice my discomfort, she's only doing me a favour.

"Ma'am, we... we are just.... ju... just about to start the shoot" the photographer stammered behind me.

"Is that how you do your work? By laughing at people?" Alia asked with her arms folded and a straight look.

"It's okay Alia, I can't do this, I told you before how I suck in pictures, let's just go home" I said trying to stop my voice from shaking.

"You are all fired!" Alia said and walked away, dragging me with her. She ignored all their pleas as they came after us.

"You don't have to do that Alia, they are your workers! You can't fire them cos of my stupidity!" I said as soon as we got into her office but she didn't reply me, she took her landline and dialled a number.

"Kelvin, show up in my office now!" She ordered her PA and after what seem like five seconds, kelvin rushed in and stood in front of her.

"I need replacement in the next twenty four hours, two make up artist, a photographer and a graphics editor, start working towards that now!" She half yelled at the guy, she seems really furious.

The guy rushed out and she faced me with a smile she manage to wear while facing me.

"You'll have your shoots tomorrow, don't mind those idiots!" She said and I rolled my eyes.

"You can't fire them for my mistake, I messed up, my stu_ stupid pose must have made them laugh, please Alia, I don't want people to hate me, please just let them have their jobs back, that might be their only means of surviving" I said and she sighed.

"It's their job to direct you and tell how to pose and everything but they chose to make fun of you"

"Did I complain to you?"

"Your tears did!" She shot at me. "I won't have my guest or my friend being made fun of!" She said and sat. I opened my mouth to talk but she beat me to it.

"Lunch?" She asked

"No, I want to read!" I said walking towards the lounge area to relax and she let me be.

The next day, there are new workers already, they made me up and Alia stood by me the entire time, when it was time for the shot, I waited for them to direct me and they did, It was so fun after all, the photographer was so friendly and nice to me, she kept cracking jokes making me feel so comfortable.

"There was a day my baby sister wanted to deal with my immediate youngerbrother because she was disturbing her from eating her noodles, she was holding a fork and she wanted to tell him i'll hit you with this fork but she doesn't know how to say it, instead she said I'll fork you" the photographer said and we all burst into laughter again. She's so funny.

After the shoots, I went to meet her.

"Hi!" I said

"Hi ma'am" she said back with a genuine smile.

"Not ma'am, it's just o-chan-ya" I said slowly so she can get it at once and she did.
" I didn't get your name" I said

"I'm khadijah, but call me khaddie" she said

"Okay khaddie, friends?" I said

"Errrm... Ma'am, I mean OCHANYA, you are my boss's friend, do you think she'll like that?" She said as she scratch her neck. I smiled as I saw Alia coming behind her.

"Of course I don't mind!" Alia said coming to hang her arm around my neck.

"Alia, if you keep doing this around me, people will think we are lesbians" I said, eyeing her arm hanging loosely around my neck.

"Why not? Of course you are my boooyfreeeennd" she dragged

"Subhanallah!" Khaddie exclaimed in awe

{Subhanallah means God is great, it's an Arabic word}

"Thanks, we know you are a Muslim, know stop!" She said to khaddie and we laughed it off.