"I don't know Leo...I liked my old make-up artist why do I need to get a new one?" Alexander sighed looking up at his manager, Leo who was writing down some things on his clip board while speaking with the young rapper.
"She is eight months pregnant Alexander. She was getting close to the due date. It was killing her to be on her feet, we had to let her go for maternity leave...we'll find someone soon. I promise." Leo spoke quickly and sharply, wrinkles around his eyebrows showing his annoyance with the younger man before him.
"Fine fine, but find someone single and young... And try to make the risk of pregnancy low or avoidable, don't want to have to do this once more." The younger sighed his eyes drifting to the floor. "I'm trusting you Leo you know how particular I am about who touches my face." His manager sighed nodding but with more sympathy than he'd outwardly admit.
"Look Alexander I will do the best I can, but if you don't like who I find then we'll try again until we can't, but remember we have to release the music video by a certain date, so I can't have you being a damn diva the entire time." Leo's voice raised slightly, if only because of the stress of the deadline ahead of them, but still causing other assistants to look at the two. "You need to put aside your pride and discomfort and focus on what's important, got it?"
Alexander was a great friend but honestly, he never had anything held within the perspective of success. It was...infuriating for Leo who had his life together and always planned out, he had a beautiful husband, a loving daughter, and his job of course as Alexander's manager. He truly couldn't understand what was so great about Alexander's lifestyle. He didn't understand why Alex never wanted love, it seemed cold and unpleasant and worst of all...he always seemed to be lonely and secluded, suffering from his own reluctance to allow people in.
"Yeah Leo... I got it. Just, find me someone good, some one who I can trust." Leo nodded patting Alexander's head, the boy restrained himself from recoiling because of the contact and instead settled with a grimace. Alex was not a playful man.
-
Despite the deadline hanging above their heads Leo had managed to actually find about five people to try out for the job. All male. First were the interviews which Leo had conducted himself in his office, then came the physical trials in which the manager was nice enough to volunteer a young intern named Sinbad's face for. They all made their way down the stairs from the office to Alexander's dressing room where they all lined up neatly next to the intern who was sitting in a chair in front of a vanity with hundreds of make-up products laying before him.
"Okay boys you'll be doing the latest look from Michelle Phan, the way the light amber shades brought out her eyes was stunning and this little one " Leo placed his hand on Sin's shoulder, ever so gently as to not cause discomfort. "has similar facial structure and beauty of the artist so this shouldn't be a problem for you boys now should it? I even have a picture of the makeup job and a list of all the products, which are provided if you do not own such...quality pieces, so you should be able to work well."
Leo smiled leaving the side of the intern to sit in his own seat to watch the action.
The boys each took their turns working on the intern's face, making sure each line of contour was perfect bringing out his facial features, each section of highlight doing it's job to provide the shine that's necessary, the eyeliner attempting to bring out the shape and provide a dark background to bring out the beautiful color of Sinbad's eyes.
Alexander actually decided to watch the wannabe hires as they worked on the intern, slightly interested in how they all worked. It truly was a process worth admiring and took hours for almost all of them to get done and in the mean time one young man with a small stature caught the rapper's eye, well at least his hair did. It was bright pink and yet it somehow it fit the boy with small hands and shining eyes.
The height challenged boy was the last to go and honestly he looked nervous, but he certainly didn't seem like one to quit, he had been there for hours and hadn't made a sound or spoke a word, not complaining once despite no chairs being provided and as soon as he got in front of Sinbad; mermaid tail make up brushes in hand, his demeanor shifted, it appeared as though he was a whole new person. It was as if all of his nerves disappeared when he began working on the intern, granted it didn't look as though the boy had payed any attention to what Leo had said or presented, he was doing a completely different look then what was originally given for him to copy. Yet nobody said anything after he was done because of what he had done to the young man, each feature was accentuated perfectly, any blemish hidden for each layer put on, and the delicacy he had taken even before starting by taking the time to make sure all the make-up from the previous attempts was removed and the intern's face was prepped properly. With the performance displayed one might have said there was no challenge present to begin with.
After the so called "trial run" was concluded, five had been whittled down to two and although Alexander would deny it if asked, he was grateful that the small pink haired boy had made the cut. The final challenge was for the boys to work on opposite sides of Leo's face, but for some reason Alexander took it upon himself to change what was planned. Call it selfishness call it something more, but the rapper only wanted the pink haired lad to work on him.
"There is no need for any more tests Leo. I decided who I wanted to work on my face. I already got to see how they each worked on Sinbad first hand, and even though they all showed great potential we all felt the same way when pinky here worked his magic on him." Alexander pointed his long index finger at the petite young man who was blushing from the sudden focus on his self.
"My name is Alister...Alister Valentine Sir." Alexander locked eyes with the flushed, now identified Alister. Something struck a cord within Alexander, he didn't know if it was the pink hair or the way Alister looked when he was focusing or even if it was just the cute mermaid tail make-up brushes, but he decided that this was the man he wanted, the one he needed for the job.
"Well Alister Valentine, I'd say you're hired. The rest of you can go home, thank you for your time." Alexander stood up from his chair after waving the others off and made his way over to Alister. "I really do love the way you work doll face, and honestly it seems you have an eye for this stuff so how about I have Leo add into your contract that you have creative freedom, without anyone bossing you around besides me, does that sound good?" Alister smiled nodding in response as he got up from the chair that had finally been provided after the first round had concluded.
"Thank you Alexander I really appreciate it...usually people don't like it when I do my own thing even if makes the client look better." A somber sort of sadness filled Alister's eyes making it obvious to Alexander that this wasn't the first time the young artist has went through interviews and tryouts like this.
"Well I only want the best and you were the best darling and it was exactly what I'm looking for, the other people under my label would approve." Before Alister could even ask who they were Alexander was patting his shoulder and walking off leaving him alone with the rapper's manager Leo.
"So, Alister was it? Well lets get your contract sorted out so we can get you on home and honestly it's been a long day, my office is right this way." Alister followed Leo into his office up the stairs, the memory of being here previously leading him. While the manager grabbed a few papers Alister sat down on the office chair in front of the desk. The manager despite seeming frazzled in his movements were concise and before he could blink they were working on the contract and honestly...Alister wasn't expecting that many zeros.
----
Alister left Leo's office out a side door leading to the street where he saw his best friend Kye was waiting for him standing outside the car. As soon as he saw Alister he rushed over engulfing the other in a bear hug.
"Ah A-Star! There you are! How did it go? Did you get the job?" Kye was already overwhelming poor boy with questions while holding on tightly to him.
"Yes, yes Kye I got the job damn, how did your brunch date go with Damian?" Alister watched as Kye's face shifted from happiness to a look of pure guilt causing Alister to gaze at him with a passion to kill. "Tell me you did not abandon plans with my older brother, I love you but I can and will kill you." Kye held his hands up as if trying to claim innocence for himself.
"Well actually it's more sexually charged today." The boys both flushed red realizing the misunderstanding.
"Lets...lets just go home, I did not need to know you fucked my brother" Alister let go of Kye walking to the passenger side of the car opening the door for himself.
"Well actually I bottomed, we switch-" Kye spoke in a matter of fact tone as he got in the driver's seat looking over at Alister.
"I don't need to know Kye! Drive me home before my ears start bleeding listening to this stupidity. Please and thank you, you little shit." Kye nodded dragging his finger across his lips signaling that they were sealed while Alister just looked at him uninterested sighing contently.
"You know A-Star...you're both grown up now, you shouldn't have to worry about him he's really doing fine plus you're his younger brother, he should be worried about you." Kye started up the car pulling out of the studio parking lot. "You haven't told me much about Alexander. I wanna know more about him. Was he nice or was he an asshole like he seems?" Kye briefly glanced at Alister then returned his eyes to the road as he merged onto the freeway.
Alister rolled down the window letting the breeze hit his face while his eyes drifted to the scenery outside the car. The trees blended together going by as darker and lighter shades of green all the while they whizzed past cars turning them into reds, yellows, black, and various silvers.
"He's sweet...He is the one who actually chose me, it wasn't his manager. I feel like I'm really gonna like this job Kyeister." Alister ran his hands through his hair, a smile gracing his lips.
"I'm glad A-Star...it's a good fresh start for you after the incident with-" Kye was quickly cut off with Alister whipping his head in the other boy's direction and holding his hand up.
"I don't want to talk about it again Kye...lets just get home okay? No sense in dwelling on the past" Kye responded with the shake of his head while Alister slowly relaxed again looking back out the window. "Thank you, I'm sorry for snapping, you know I just...hate talking about him" Kye made a sound akin to a grunt while he continued on the way to the apartment in silence. They had an hour long drive ahead of them and they both craved the relief of home.
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Hello! Many of you know that this was previously a one shot work in my well, one shot book project I had going, however that was many years ago and I have not only grown as a person but as a writer, I have posted a version of this with the original characters used and will run both stories at the same time so you, the reader can choose what you wish to read, welcome back and please join me on this adventure of returning to writing, thank you for your support.