A/N: I normally don't do author's notes at the start but going into the upcoming chapters I need to inform you about some things before going into the chapters. These following chapters will centre around Paris fashion week. I know that in real life the Paris week for men's and women's wear is split. However in this story it is all together, so men's, women's, unisex, non-gender. I am not a fashion expert and these chapters are not written to portray the truth and how real fashion week would go. Termoine is a made up fashion designer/brand by me. Also refresher the firm Fayen works for is Clarté, her boss is Madelaine Soverté and she has a couple colleagues: Gregory, Ludmilla, Amratte and Dimitrie. All older and longer working with the firm than Fayen. With that said, enjoy!
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Fayen looks at the map on her phone, before looking back at the building in front of her. It should be the right place, but let's be honest, most buildings in a city look a lot alike. She has lived in Paris for a while now, but never seems to learn more of the city than the few blocks around her apartment. She knows how to get to Pierre's and that's about it really. Google maps is there for a reason.
The woman mainly knows she's at the right place because of the few tall, very gorgeous looking people around her, lounging against the building. Most of them support sunglasses and also check their phones. Fayen looks up from hers after sending Grace a quick text that she is outside waiting for her.
This was her fourth fitting today. That thought plasters a smile onto Fayens face being incredibly proud of her best friend. Grace is on the shorter side for runways and mostly sticks to campaigns because of it, but she wanted to walk in Paris so badly that she went to a lot of castings. She had been very nervous about them, but she had managed to get seven fittings and was delirious when she heard back.
Now Fayen is just as nervous to hear which ones Grace has actually booked. They scheduled this lunch as it is one of the last chances to see each other before the whole chaos really starts. Working at a firm that represents a couple of designers will put an edge on the workload during fashion week, which makes Fayen her time very limited at the moment.
"Fayen!"
The woman in question whips her head around just in time to catch the whirlwind of a person that is her best friend when she attacks her in a hug so tight one might think the world is about to end. Laughing loudly Fayen shifts a little to steady herself on her feet. "Hi Ace, I gather this one was good news?"
The blonde untangles herself a little, but keeps her hands on Fayens shoulders. "Oh yes it is amazing news!" Grace's smile is so wide she could light up the whole world with it. "And not only that one."
Fayen matches the smile on her friend's face. "No way! I knew you were going to do it. How many did you get?"
Grace twirls around herself once, not knowing where to leave her energy and throws her hands up in pure happiness. "All of them!" She stops spinning, meeting Fayens eyes again. Her smile doesn't dim one bit when she takes Fayens arms to pull her along to the nearest café. "At least the ones I had this morning. I still need to go to three more this afternoon but I am already so fucking happy."
Fayen laughs when grace makes a little skip in her step. "I can see that. I am so proud of you Ace. You deserve it," Fayen says, squeezing Grace's side before sitting down at a table outside a little café.
Grace glows while sitting down as well. "Thanks sweet, I am so happy."
"I have news too," Fayen says, plastering a wide grin on her face.
Grace seems to get curious and looks Fayen over as if she can read the news off her body language. She seems to come up empty handed because she demands, "Tell me!"
Fayen laughs. "Alright, remember that I told you Ludmilla was assigned with both higher and lower designers and that Dimitrie needed to take over the lower ones, but he had another client so we didn't know how to work out that drama?"
Grace nods eagerly. Clearly remembering the work floor drama Fayen fed her during their last get together. "Well," Fayen continues, glowing just as bright as Grace is. "Dimitrie asked me to take over from him for Termoine, one of the designers, so he had time to handle the other stuff. So, I get to oversee that show during fashion week and all the prep involved."
Grace kicks her feet under the table, letting out a shriek that has people turning to her. She ignores them fully and grabs Fayens hands to drag her into a hug over the small table. "Fay, that's huge! Congratulations. Are you nervous?"
"I'm shitting myself to be honest," she chuckles, which has a tone of nervousness. "But Madelaine told me that I would do great and that she trusts me fully, so that's an amazing boost."
Grace nods at her friend. "Life is smiling at us Fay. Have you told anyone?"
"I called Pierre after the race yesterday. I knew on Thursday, but didn't want to disrupt his focus." Grace nods again, as a sign she is listening while studying her menu.
"And your parents?" Grace asks hesitantly, looking up at Fayen who sucks in a sharp breath at the mention of them. She shakes her head slowly and lays down her own menu, but not meeting Grace's eyes.
"No, I will tell them after I've done it. If something goes wrong-"
"Nothing is going to go wrong Fay, I'm sure of it. You are great at what you do and they will be proud of you. I know it." Grace smiles warmly at her friend who returns a smile, that one being a lot less relaxed.
It is not that Fayen doesn't want to tell her parents. She is actually dying to tell them, but she wants them to be proud of her work and the thought of something going wrong and her parents knowing it was her doing holds her back from calling them. She had talked with Pierre about it briefly and he promised not to tell them.
He also assured her nothing was going wrong and that he would be cheering for her always. She had asked him if he was attending fashion week, which he is, but only a couple of shows so he won't be in the city for long. He had decreed that they needed to see each other soon though so he had invited her to Austria, but Fayen is still busy with the aftermath from fashion week so they settled on her coming to Silverstone.
The thought about going to a race again gives Fayen an out about talking about her parents any further so she asks Grace, "Did you tell Lando your good news yet?"
Grace nods, while taking the menu in front of her. "I texted him every time I came out of a fitting," she sighs a little dreamy and looks at Fayen over the edge of the menu. "He is so supportive and almost more excited than I am. Look." She holds up her text chain with her boyfriend so Fayen can see the several messages in caps lock and a lot of exclamation marks. Fayen laughs when seeing their over enthusiastic communication, once again thinking the two are very well matched.
"Is he coming to the shows?" Fayen asks, looking up from her own menu.
Grace's face falls at that and she shakes her head. "Sadly no. Most of them are invite only and he isn't like some big figure in the fashion world that will get an invite. I know Lewis will be attending one of them, though."
"Maybe he can smuggle Lando in under one of those big coats," Fayen grins at her friend who laughs at that and shrugs.
"I can always ask him." Grace lays her menu down and folds her hands under her chin, leaning her head down. She bats her eyelashes, looking very poignant at Fayen who instantly knows what is coming. Her parents isn't the only topic she wants to avoid and she looks everywhere but at Grace to avoid this particular topic.
"I know someone else who is attending as well." Well shit.
Fayen rolls her eyes and has a weird déja-vû to a conversation that they had a couple months ago. She finds a distraction from the subject by signing a waiter so they can order their lunch. Though after the man leaves Grace pins Fayen down with a stare and the brunette knows she is not getting out of this.
Fayen heaves a heavy sigh and gives in. "Alright, yes I know too. He texted me yesterday. I guess Pierre slipped up about me being at some shows."
Grace's eyes almost roll out of their sockets as she gapes at Fayen from that confession. "Fayen Gasly, why didn't you tell me you two are texting now?!"
Fayen shrugs, ignoring the dramatics of her friends and telling the lie she is also holding up to Pierre. "We have been friends since that night in Monaco and have been texting now and then, it's no big deal."
"Liar," Grace scoffs. "You two could never be just friends and I know you still hated the guy a month ago so don't pull shit with me, Fay."
Blood rushes to Fayens cheeks out of shame. She should have known better than trying to lie to Grace. Of course she sees right through Fayen, what else did she expect. Still, fake or not, her relation with Charles is more or less friendly at the moment. So she is not totally lying.
"Am not, we buried the hatched so to say. One drunken talk can fix a lot, but we will never be anything but friends. Even friends is stretching it. We're more acquaintances through a mutual friend slash brother." Fayen leans back in her chair, selling her story supported by her body language.
Grace pulls an eyebrow up in mockery, also leaning back in her chair and taking out her phone. "Yeah right, so it doesn't bother you he has been spotted with several girls after the Canadian GP?"
As fast as the heat came to Fayens cheeks, just as fast it now turns into Ice. A bone chilling cold creeps over her whole body when the words land and it takes a massive amount of strength to keep herself leaned back and not jumping out of her chair to snatch the phone out of Grace's hand. It shows a gossip article about Charles with a photo of him and some unknown girl leaving a bar in Montreal.
Fayen gives herself one second of the old disgusted feeling. The feeling of her prejudice about all drivers being manwhores and dickheads. One second of the old hate she still harbours for the Ferrari driver somewhere. The feeling of jealousy she can't fully ignore. One second of the betrayal she feels when the texts shoot through her head that they had exchanged that whole weekend and from which she thought she had gotten to know Charles better than she did before, maybe even rethinking her prejudice about the man and, although she will never admit it, thinking he is a great guy.
One second before shrugging in the most convincing way she can master and keeping her face natural. "No, why would it?"
Grace just right out laughs. Hard and obvious laughing at Fayen. She is still laughing when the waiter comes back with their food. Fayen is getting annoyed when Grace's laughter flows over in a sort of hiccupping, like she is out of breath. She doesn't say anything though, knowing that everything she says now can and will be held against her.
When Grace finally quiets down Fayen pulls an eyebrow at her with an arrogant face, swallowing the bite she had been chewing on. "Yeah, you're done now?"
Grace just dries her eyes, tears from the laughter still glistening on the rim. "Oh babe, I see we've only just gotten started." She lets out an after chuckle but shuts up about the subject for the rest of the lunch to Fayens delight whose mood has visibly dimmed a great amount.
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This is the last filler I promise! Tension is coming back next chapter and then it will stick like gum to your shoe hehehe.
Lots of love