During the next two days I was busy preparing everything to shoot the commercial.
Basically the commercial was inspired by the legend of Princess Layla and her Captain. In a way we were going to represent how they fell in love, with a little help from the sweet fragrance of our new perfume, in a 30 second clip or less. It was a big responsibility. Their story meant a lot to this people, to their culture and we wanted to represent them well.
Today we were having the final fittings for the actors, and a general rehearsal. Tomorrow we were finally going to begin shooting. We only had two days in the Palace so we had to make sure we had everything we needed at the site.
"We have a problem." Olivia says approaching me with a serious look. I give her my full attention. "There was an accident on the main road that leads to Hathour. They had to close the road to clear out the rumble. Our actors are stranded until law enforcement gives them the go ahead. We have no idea when that will happen. It could be in an hour, or three."
"If we don't have the final fitting and do the rehearsal today then we will fall behind schedule." I comment starting to get anxious. "It's an already tight schedule has it is. We can't afford to stay behind."
Oh, this is not good. Not good at all.
"Let me talk to the seamstress, see what she has to say." I say trying to think of solutions. I'll see what she has to say and then work from there. There is always a solution for everything, we just had to get creative sometimes.
Heba was an Egyptian old lady. She was hired locally, after Olivia saw her creations in the market place, and sent photos to me for approval. I approved her immediately. Her style was exactly what we were looking for. She had a way to create dresses that took in the Egyptian ancient style and mix it a little bit of the modern times. I met her once since I arrived. She was a little bossy and her english was not the best, but her assistance helped us communicate when we struggle.
"Heda" I greet her stepping into her atelier. She stood in front of a mannequin who had on the dress that was going to be used for our commercial. "You have exceeded yourself Heda, this dress is beautiful." I tell her admiring the dress. The dress was made with a fabric that imitated a chain armour. It was light silver and it contrasted beautifully with the golden touches of its belt, shoulders, and hand pieces. It looked royal and yet sexy and feminine at the same time. I loved it.
"Not ready" she responds placing some needles on the dress hem. "Need girl. Where is girl?" she asks with her tick accent.
"She can't make it. It there a way to finish the alterations to the dress without her?" I ask hopeful
She shakes her head not even considering.
"Need girl." she insists.
"Well she can't be here. Can someone else fill in for the final changes?"
Her assistant Nayla helps her translate, since she didn't appeared to have understood me completely. She takes a moment and analyses me with a stern look. I see her eyes run over my body and for a moment I wondered why she was checking me out. I didn't understand her stern gazing until she opened her mouth again.
"You'll do. Strip." she commands putting on her glasses that hanged around her neck.
"Excuse me?" I ask not fully processing. Is she asking me to strip?
"You have similar body." she says coming closer to me and invading my space, her hands start feeling up my body, presumably taking in my measurements. "Same height, breast size is not same, but very close. You will do."
I laugh nervously. Yeah, I'm not going to do that. I'm running the commercial, not playing mannequin. And I tell her exactly that.
"You want dress ready? You strip. You want delay, you wait for tomorrow." she answers as if she wasn't bothered by either answer. But the witch was right. The dress had to be ready today, or else we will fall behind and waist precious time. I look at Olivia for support, I can see an amused smile on her lips. She was obviously not going to help me then.
"Fine." I consent, not having any other choice. I give my purse to Olivia to hold. "Where can I change?"
Naya instructs me where to go, and instructs me to remove everything, including my earrings and necklace. In the end I only got to keep my panties. Nayla steps inside with me after a minute with the dress in her hands. I felt a bit awkward standing basically naked in front of what was mostly a stranger while she helped me put on the dress carefully, but I got over it quick enough. I thought the dress would be heavier, considering what it seemed to be made of, but it was actually very light. My bust was pushed up tight in this dress, giving me one heck of a cleavage. Clearly the actress had a little less volume on that area.
Nayla helps me put on the golden hand pieces, also made out of what it seemed to be chain armour, and places a beautiful golden collar on my neck. She also pulls my hair into a bun at the top of my head, Heda could have a full visual of the dress. Front and back.
Nayla pushes the curtain aside and slowly and carefully I step outside. They all turn to me.
Olivia had her mouth right open as she stared me over, and Carson...well he didn't show any emotion at all, but I could feel his eyes glued on me, and somehow, strangely that thought made me blush. It was weird because that man had already seen me without clothes on and I didn't blush then, but now, as I wore this beautiful dress, I felt my cheeks heat up with his attention.
"Step here" Heda speaks pointing to a small round platform that stood in from of three mirrors.
I do as she says, not wanting to anger her. It's her creation I am wearing and I do not want anything to happen to it, while I am wearing it.
I take my first look at myself when I step into the platform and look at the mirror positioned in front of me. For a moment I lose my breath. I could barely believe that the person I saw in the mirror was me. I looked...different. But good different. Like I can't believe this is me different.
"Fits good." Heda speaks watching me closely "Tight here" she says placing her hands on my bust zone "But other girl has less, so good" she speaks nodding. She steps behind me and I feel her hand pull the fabric tighter at the end of my back, placing some needles there.
"Turn around." she orders
I do so without complain.
She looks me up and down nodding and murmuring something to herself in arabic. I take the opportunity to look behind me, to where the mirrors are and take the chance to admire the back of the dress. It was as beautiful as the front.
I even start picturing how the camera could catch the magnificent of this dress in my mind. Maybe we can have the camera slowly approaching her from the ground and then gradually going up as the camera gets closer.... something I would have to discuss with the director.
"As the director seen the dress yet?" I ask curious, million ideas going through my mind.
"He has seen sketches but Heda did not allow him to see the dress until it's finished." Nayla tells me with a not so pronounced accent in her speech.
"Olivia, is Director Zane on set right now?"
She checks her phone.
"Yes, do you want me to ask him to come here?" she asks already ready to make the call.
I look at Heda for permission. This is her creation, and she had not allowed him to see the dress yet, but it was really important that he got to see it before tomorrow.
"Heda? Can we show him the dress? It's important that he sees it." I ask her, hoping I am not offending her.
She says something that honestly sounds quite rude in her language, but Nayla tells me she agreed to let him see him.
"Thank you." I tell her. I turn to Olivia who was awaiting directions. "Make the call. Tell him it's important."
It took Director Zane around 15 minutes to get to the atelier. He came with another man behind him, his producer if I am not mistaken. They both stare wide eyed at me.
"So what do you think?" I ask them through the mirror since I was forbidden to move while Helda worked on the helm of the dress.
"Gorgeous." the Director said with a radiant smile. "You look like a Queen."
Director Zane was a very well-known commercial director in the marketing world. Already in his 50's, he made some of the most notorious tv commercials, and we were very lucky to get him to agree to work for us in this project.
"I know. It's perfect. Heda and her team really went all out with this one." I agree running my hands through the fabric.
"My mind is already filling with ideas." he says exited
"I know, I actually wanted to run some ideas with you." I tell him. "Helda do you mind stopping for just a minute?"
She hesitantly steps out.
"Do you see how the dress has this tail?" I ask him speaking to the Director "I was thinking, we could have the first frame be of her walking to the balcony where she will watch her beloved training. The camera could start low, very close, just on the tail as she walks..."
"And then the camera starts backing away revealing her entire frame..." the Director says following up my thought. He kneels on the ground behind me, moving his fingers so they could form a square. "Yes...yes, I can see it."
"Can you walk a few steps? Just so we can have a full visual." the producer asked making some notes.
"Careful." Heda orders sternly "You rip, I kill." she threatens. Yeah, she didn't need to say a lot of words, for us to understand what she meant.
Nayla helps me get down.
I walk carefully to the other side of the room. I felt as if I was on a runway.
"Young man, can I ask for your assistance for a second?" Zane asks Carson.
I look at Carson, he seemed ready to argue but then he finds my eyes, and he must have seen something there because he complies without arguing. Zane places him in front of me but on the other side of the room.
"Alright, now, I want you to walk towards each other and when you are halfway towards each other I want you to raise your arms like you want to reach other. Yes. Yes. Just like that! Beautiful!" he screams when we do as he says. Carson's eyes are the only thing I focus as I walk. He takes my hand and holds it with its own. I felt warm with just this small touch.
"This will look fantastic on screen!" Zane exclaims re catching my attention.
It doesn't take long for me to get out of the dress. I think Heda would have a stroke if I wore it for much longer.
*****
The car ride home was made in comfortable silence.
It was only me and Carson in the car now. I was sitting in the front next to Carson, who was driving. Usually I would sit in the back and work for a while, but I felt like sitting at the front today.
I found myself staring at my driver a lot during the journey, and he must have noticed because we were mid-way there when he finally asks me about it.
"Is there anything you would like to say?" he asks stealing small glances to the side so he could see me.
"No, I'm good." I tell him not pretending to not be looking at him anymore. I turn my body so I could stare him all I wanted.
"Then why are you staring?" he asks with an amused smile on his lips
"Because I can." It has simple as that.
"Well...don't. It's creepy." he says holding tight to the steering weal.
"Some would say it's romantic." I counter back
"Doesn't make it any less creepy." he counters back
"Says the guy who literally stares for a living."
"Hey! I observe, I do not stare." he argues looking at me before turning his eyes back at the road. "And as it happens, that is one of the job requirements."
"Whatever you say, cowboy." I say chuckling and turning to sit right on the seat.
"So I'm a cowboy now?"
"Sure you are. You have that right the wrongs, and fight the bad guys attitude right to the T." I tell him laughing
He scoffs which only makes me laugh harder. After a while he starts laughing with me. I stop laughing just so I could hear his laughter. He notices I'm not laughing anymore, instead I was looking at him with a soft smile on my lips.
"What?"
"You really are great, you know?" I tell him surprising him. "I mean it. You didn't have to help today, but you did, without complaining I might add. I really appreciated."
If not for the darkness outside, I would have seen how his cheeks had turned a pinkish colour at my compliment.
"I was only doing my job." he says like what he did wasn't anything important.
"You're job it's to protect me." I remind him
"And you were already stressed about the time. I was protecting your mental state and your nerves from a full breakdown." he teases me
"Oh shut up!" I tell him hitting his arm.
He laughs at my response. I liked seeing him laugh so casually. I had a feeling he didn't do it often. These moments with him, when it was just the two of us, was the only thing that made me feel better about having Private Security following me around everywhere. In a way, it allowed me to spend time every day with Carson, but he insists on following his rule of not sleeping with his clients. That was a downside, although I did get to know him a little better from our small talks. I learn he had enlisted in the army when he was 18, waiting to serve his country. Yes, because he, apparently is from America. I mean, I suspected but it's always nice to have confirmation. He was honourably discharged after receiving an injury, and he had started his own Private Security firm not long after that, hiring other veterans who had left the army to join him. Including his best friend Xander. Unlike me, he was an only child. But I had enough sisters to compensate, and I told him as much.
I was enjoying getting to know him. I just hoped that we could do more than just talk, but I know that is as far as he will allow us to go.
There was something between us. We both knew it.
For now, we just had to content ourselves with our talks and our small innocent touches, that we both knew meant a lot more.
In a daring move I remove my seatbelt and, gently, I kiss his cheek, surprising him. His head snaps to the side as I go back to my seat, and put on my seat belt again.
"What was that for?" he asks
"For being you." I answer honestly.
He doesn't say anything for the rest of the way home. Few words were exchanged on the way to my room. So when I open my room door and he stops me from entering by grabbing my wrist, I am surprised. I am even more surprised when I turn to him, ready to question his motive, but never get a chance to say a word because his lips are on mine. My lips move beneath his, but it was over too soon, when he pulls away.
"Goodnight Adalyn." he simply says.
"Goodnight." I respond quietly. I enter my room and close the door behind me.
I stand against the door, letting it support my weight. I was feeling slightly dazzed still. I touch my lips, softly caressing them, remembering the feeling of his lips on mine. I feel my lips lift into a smile.
I didn't know what this meant but I was only going to allow myself to overthink this tomorrow. Tonight I lay in my bed, and hug my pillow. A smile on my lips and I drift off to sleep.
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