Dreamful

 

DREAMFUL

 CHAPTER:43

                  ...When Dez was in line for the photo shoot, she was busy texting Ivy, who had finally completed her tutoring session when a girl sitting beside her said, or rather whispered,

"Are they together?", Dez flung her head in the girl's direction. She had blonde curly hair that was neatly knotted, and freckles on her cheeks and nose, she had deep green eyes and was a beauty, for sure. Destiny followed her gaze to find Edwin and Stephanie taking selfies. Stephanie had the phone and was sticking to Edwin while he just smiled at the camera. And when Stephanie caught Dez looking at her, she smiled one of her very evil smiles. Like she was there to win Edwin, not the title, not the pageant.

"I don't know about that.", Destiny answered, averting her gaze back to the girl. Something inside her heart was going round and round with God-knows-what-emotion that swam through her soul. How could he possibly click pictures with Stephanie?! Unbelievable! 

"Oh, I thought he was a family friend of yours", she said, with a smile of her own that made her green eyes look even prettier. 'Family friend?'

"By the way, I'm Emerald! Nice to meet you Destiny...or, is it Dez?!", she said, looking toward Edwin. Destiny found herself turning red at that last statement, sure enough, people were observing, watching her, but she hadn't quite ever been conscious about that. It wasn't like Edwin 'only' spoke to her, but he did have a nickname for her. When did Emerald even hear him calling her 'Dez'?!

"Emerald?! So that pretty name of yours is after those green eyes!", Dez said, all amused and beaming. She laughed,

"Yes, that's there! And we never got to talk before but Dez, that poem you recited last time at the talent round, it was the best piece of literature, trust me, I'm not really into poems, but you could be a poetess, doubtlessly."

"Thank you, Emerald, That's very sweet of you!". Dez wanted to compliment her back as well, about whatever she would have performed for the talent round, but the truth was she didn't know. She hadn't cared who performed what because she had had a terrible, terrible evening last Saturday at the talent round, Dez found herself looking back at Edwin and Stephanie, and this time he was smiling at something she was talking about.

"Next!", the photographer shouted and Emerald gave Dez a polite smile before moving away toward the photo shoot area which was lined up with cameras, props, and lighting. Destiny found Coral and waved toward her, while she made her way toward her seat,

"Your mood's better?", Destiny joked, inspecting her look.

"Oh, Hannah was just joking around, that's not true, which makes me raise my hopes!", she answered with a laugh, and continued, "on a serious note, after the talent round is streamed and everyone votes for us, they'd be eliminating ten more of us! The thought creeps me out! What if the people don't like how I sang!", she said, covering her face. That was true. Ten more girls would be eliminated from 'Miss Photogenic', shortlisting only forty, and Destiny was worried as hell about it because it had been a bad evening for her and all she had done was recite a poem written by herself, what if the people found her a nerd...someone who belongs in a library or probably some literature school and not someone fit to be a model, walk the ramp, pose for photographs? And not to forget her dress and sandals being mismatched! Only thinking about that made Destiny feel timid and low.

"I guess the best I can do to keep my demotivational thoughts at bay is...I'm not thinking about-"

"Miss Destiny Decker?! Next up, Please!", the photographer shouted at the crowd of girls.

"Good luck!", Coral said as Destiny got up and walked toward the cameras. So, she was instructed to play golf, or 'pretend' at least that she was playing golf.

"Move a little right and eyes down, please.", the photographer instructed.

"Nah, that angle isn't right, try shooting from there.", someone chimed in. She looked up and saw Edwin, instructing the photographer and when he caught her eye, he smiled. 

"Dez! at least pretend you know golf!", he said again and laughed. She didn't smile back though because he never addressed her with a nickname while they were at work, it was either Miss Destiny or simply Miss. This was different, which left Destiny in maximal shock. Though, the photographer didn't seem to notice. Destiny rolled her eyes. If there was someone who could never shut up it was, by all means, him. Then patting the photographer's back, he said,

"Do a good job with this picture, dude!". Okay. No. He was Edwin's friend-for a hundred and ten percent sure.

"Are you two friends?", Destiny questioned, as she positioned for the next shot which required her to look straight at the camera. It was a close-up shot. Edwin who was typing something on his phone looked up and smiled,

"Your friend's dad, that's him.". Destiny gave him an addled look for a second but then he looked toward Austin who was a distance away, playing golf on his own. She laughed understanding the irony,

"It's good to meet you, though, I have to say, your kid drove me crazy today asking for candies on a bet I lost!". she said and then quickly remembered his 'three- candies per week policy' he had made for his Austin. He raised one of his eyebrows when Edwin came to the rescue,

"Not that we gave him any." LIE. He had.

"Yeah...yeah right, we didn't", Dez said, holding on to Edwin's statement. And then his friend laughed it off like it was no big deal.

"Saturday is your gig at ten A.M. Sharp, so I'll pick you up-"

"I'll go by myself!". Dez interrupted. It was a little toward the end of the event and Destiny was all prepared to go home.

"You won't find the way there, it's a hell of a mix of streets on Avenue 4.", he said, smiling, "but if you want to get late and keep asking people around, then I'll leave it to you."

"Okay fine! Come pick me up and be on time!"

"The same reverse to you!", he laughed. Destiny rolled her eyes and smiled,

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow at the gym."

"You won't.". Destiny looked at him, confused,

"You will directly see me on Saturday...pain it is...isn't it?".

"Where are you going?"

"Nowhere, but I have the clips to edit for the talent round which need to go live on Saturday, and a lot more other work.", he sighed. For once, Destiny saw the hint of sorrow in his eyes which was very, very rare for somebody like Edwin.

Destiny thought of asking him about it but didn't find it something he would be willing to answer, besides, it was him helping her, finding her gigs, rescuing her in the middle of the night, the best she could do was not ask him anything related.

                                                                                              TO BE CONTINUED...

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