Something Else

The cap to the black pen was in my mouth, my teeth grinding on it as I searched for something to inspire me. I flipped through magazines over and over; Vogue, Elle, Allure, Harper’s Bazaar, circling items and folding the corners of pages that caught my eye. This happened all the time. This was something I’d been doing since I was 13 when I picked up my first Vogue magazine issue and that’s when my heart fell into the world of fashion. I wasn’t a runway model, or a designer, but what I did was something that came natural to me. I helped women like you and I find something that fits us and our personalities.

I continued to study the pages in front of me, searching for something that would call my name and make my brain jump from the creativity. I wanted to put my own spin on things, and I was getting bored with fashion lately. I was tired of the same old thing, I needed something to just jump out at me and shake me from my shoulders so I could wake up. I looked up for a split second from my magazines and sipped softly on the hot caffeinated concoction that was steaming in front of me. I studied those around me, seeing them gaze at their laptops with their ear buds fastened in their ears.

A smile crept on my lips and I went back to doing what I was doing, being lost in my own world of fashion. I had this strange process of cutting out pieces from these magazines and putting things together. I winced at this small little creation that I had put together quickly, and tried to picture it on myself, but more importantly on someone else. I snapped a picture of it with my phone, so later on this afternoon I would search for similar and more affordable pieces. The watch that sat on my left wrist ticked on, letting me know that my day needed to get going. I packed up my things in my bags, and got myself another coffee then made my way out to go see Los Angeles and to keep my eyes open for fashion.

I loved to look at the streetwalkers and the things that they wore. Hollywood had a cynical style about it; glam yet grunge, and I loved that. I loved seeing street wear and people expressing themselves with their clothes. Whether it be a beanie topped on their head, or a pair of Louboutins with a skin tight, hip hugging dress; they were being self-expressive and I was for it. I met up with my best friend, Nicole, at our favorite secret thrift shop in Hollywood. We were here all the time, so much that we were on first-name basis with every employee here.

I flipped through the racks of clothes, keeping my eye out for the specific things I was thinking of today. Nicole was telling me another hilarious story about her and her boyfriend. He was usually with us on these buying trips but today he had a photo shoot to do. He was a photographer, taking pictures of whatever anyone needed him to take pictures of. He made a pretty good income from it, along with Nicole’s stylist pay. She and I met while we were interning for this small clothing brand back in the day. We were both nineteen at the time and very eager to start getting a foot in fashion. We got close really quickly and ended up putting our money together to get an apartment in LA. It wasn’t very nice, but it was something for our first place. We’ve been working together ever since; we were a package deal.

I picked up this really cool blue flannel and showed Nicole. She eyed me with a smirk and nodded, “I love that. It’s so cute.” I hung the flannel on my arm as I continued to hunt for treasure. I found peace buying for other stores or myself. I don’t know why but it did. Just like some found clarity in art, or making music; I found it in digging for something incredible and that just happened to be clothes.

We had shopped around for a little more, paid, then left the little thrift shop and decided to walk around the city until something called our names. My phone rang the typical iPhone ringtone and it showed a picture of my dad on it. I smiled answering it, “Hey dad, what’s up?”

“Hey, what are you doing?” His deep voice asked immediately.

“Nicole and I are doing a little buying; trying to find a little inspiration.”

He chuckled, “Of course. Find your bright light, sweetheart. Anyway, I wanted to know if you were interested in coming to dinner with your mom and I tonight for the benefit?”

I groaned, “Is it one of those lawyer things again?” I rolled my eyes, making Nicole look over to me and smile softly.

“Unfortunately for you, yes. It’d mean a lot if you tagged along though. There is free booze if that’ll make your decision easier.”

“I’m sold. But, do I have to be there the entire time? Those things last forever.”

“Nope, I just want you there to see me get my recognition award, and then you can mingle and leave.”

I scrunched up my nose, thinking. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to go. What’s the dress code?”
“Black tie. So, look lovely like you always do.”

“Thanks, pops. I’ll see you later on.”

“Okay, sweetheart. Be ready by 8, we’ll go and get you from your place.”

“Got it, see you at 8.” I hung up and put my phone in my purse. I groaned looking over to Nicole, “Now I have to find something nice to wear for tonight.”

“Another fancy lawyer dinner?”

I nodded, “Yeah. He’s getting some award so I have to go.”

“Cool. An award for what?”

“It’s like a recognition thing. You know, for being such a fabulous lawyer.” I told her matter-of-factly, making her laugh. "Well, let's continue shopping for a little bit, then I have to go and start getting ready. I have to look prestige for these types of events."

She nodded, "Alright. This newer thrift shop down the street has some incredible things in it, I've heard. I wanted to check this one out." We continued walking down the sidewalk, chatting about things that we remembered to bring up when we saw each other, things we thought were intriguing and soon enough we were in front of this thrift shop that neither of us had been to.

We walked in one after the other and started from the front of the store, making our way back and back to the front again. We were flipping through every item of clothing as I kept in mind my outfit idea that I had come up with earlier today. As I was searching for some buried treasure, Nicole's phone went off and she answered it quickly. The smile on her face instantly informed me that the person on the other line was her boyfriend, Cameron.

I had an armful of clothes hanging off of my arm, dying to be bought. I figured that I would pay as Nicole finished up looking, then go outside to wait for her. The Los Angeles weather was absolutely perfect today. I didn't wanna miss that. I walked up to the counter and placed all of the clothes I had found on top of it. The cashier at the front had a name tag that read Melanie written in black Sharpie marker and had designs drawn on it. She greeted me with a smile and began to rig up my items. Her black hair was in a messy bun and her thick brown rimmed glasses were sitting on her nose, fitted perfectly. She had a septum piercing and an armful of tattoos on her left arm. She was wearing a vintage Guns N' Roses t-shirt from the '80s and I wa jealous. What a find that was. I love vintage band tees.

She smiled as her bright pink-colored lips told me the price and I took out my card. She swiped it and handed it back to me, a receipt printing instantly. I signed my name then turned back to Nicole, whom was still looking and talking on the phone simultaneously, signaling her that I would be outside. I grabbed my black bag and then told Melanie thank you, before walking out of the doors.

I walked to this nearby bus stop bench not too many feet away from the store and sat down. I was trying to imagine my closet and what I could wear tonight. These fancy lawyer events were something my dad's been going to since he started one of the biggest firms in California. He was gone dealing with these big time rich people and celebrities from time to time when I was younger. He gave my mother and myself an amazing and privileged life. I knew how hard he worked to get where he was now and I dare not screw that up for him.

He always said when I was little, that I was a social butterfly. I was never shy in school and I would always be one to take action if it meant me getting to do what I dreamed of doing. In middle school, I fell in love with fashion and he and my mom say that they'd never seen my eyes shine more than when I was looking through a fashion magazine, circling things that I had fallen in love with.

I had gone and done the college thing, not really feeling like it was for me, then Nicole and I decided to do what we loved and that was fashion. With this career of mine that was stranger than fiction, I've been able to get things on my own. I refused my father's help and his money to get me through life. I had to learn to do it myself, just like he had. He didn't have it very easy and I knew that. I remember he told me when he was in law school, he wanted to give up more than anything. But he kept thinking of how proud he would make my grandparents and be the first one in our family who had a career as high rank as a lawyer. I wasn't a lawyer, or a doctor, but I was a fashion buyer. I felt like that was just as important to me as law was to him.

Nicole's voice shook me out of my own personal day dream and I stood up so we could leave. She cleared her throat, "Do you have to bring a date tonight?"

I chuckled, "No. I'm not staying long either, just mingling, drinking, seeing my dad win, then going home. I don't need a date for that."

"We need to find you one, you know, for future events like that." She smirked at me. I already knew what she was thinking. I'd been single for two years, which was fine for me. I was too focused on other things to worry about a relationship.

My last boyfriend was a real piece of work. I had met him through my dad, actually. His name was Steven and he was an aspiring lawyer. He was interning at my dad's friends' firm. He was very pretentious and wasn't a fan of me not being the "Lawyer's Lady" material. Think of Legally Blonde. He was like that Warner guy; a real dick. I wasn't saddened about our break up because I was the one who did the breaking up. I wasn't happy and even though my dad loved him, I didn't. I couldn't let myself be in a relationship as controlling as that one. I can stand on my own two feet, too.

"You never know who you'll meet here in La La Land." She added with a bright grin on her face as she looked ahead of us. Leave it to Nicole to always be optimistic about everything. Eventually, we went our separate ways; her to her place, me to mine. I walked up to the front steps and onto the elevator that brought me up into my loft.

I unlocked the door and let myself in, closing the door behind me, locking it once more. I walked to my room, tossing the bags of clothes from today and my own purse onto my bed before heading straight to my closet to find an outfit appropriate enough for tonight. I went straight for the little black dresses and picked a dress that was perfect. I began to grab accessories that would match.

After I took a quick shower, I blow-dried my hair then curled it to my satisfaction. I looked at the time, seeing 7 o'clock on the dot, and got up to get my makeup done and get dressed before my parents got here. I finished my applying my red lipstick then got dressed. I admired my finished look in the mirror, smoothing out my dress and slipping on my black pumps. I twirled my hair with my hand then put some money, my keys, and lipstick in my blue Givenchy clutch that my mom got me for my birthday last year.

Eight o'clock came and as if on cue, my phone rang with my mother's picture showing up. I answered it quickly, walking down the few steps and to the front door, leaving. I walked down to the front of the building, where my mom told me their car was waiting for me.

I walked out of the front doors to the building and saw a black, so clean it looked brand new, car sitting in front. I walked to it, recognizing it as my parents'. I got in and sat on the black leather seats, holding onto my clutch as I slipped my phone inside of it. My mom and dad greeted me with big smiles. I was carefully studying my parents' clothing choices of the night. "Love the McQueen dress, mom. Very cool. Dad, you're rocking the Tom Ford suit. Good choices tonight, you two." I said proudly.

My mom giggled, "Thanks, doll. I was hoping that you would like this dress." She patted down her red Alexander McQueen dress with pride shining through her smile.

We spoke small talk before we arrived at the Four Seasons hotel. The valet opened the door for me and I got out, making sure my dress was in tact still. "You look beautiful, sweetheart." My dad hugged me and kissed the top of my head.

"Thanks, dad." I grinned and the three of us walked up the steps and into the hotel so he could receive he award. I was mingling as much as I could and also drinking to drown how bored out of my mind I was. I was Steven with his boss and he was eyeing me. Apparently, he was heartbroken about the breakup and Nicole said he was desperate to get me back since she ran into him at a coffee shop.

I sipped on my glass of champagne, wishing hard that it was a glass of whiskey burning my throat. My mom had sat down with me as did my dad at our respected table that was reserved for us and my dad's firm. The room quieted down as the speaker began his speech about my dad and the firm. I was tuning in and out, waiting until he stopped talking so my dad could go up and accept his award and then I could jet out of there.

The speaker had a nasally voice and he was about 50-something. My dad is 58, my mom is 57, vaguely young for this business, I've heard. The speaker finally stopped talking and then claps ensued, bringing me back to reality. My dad walked up from our table to the small stage and then the clapping stopped once he shot the crowd his famous grin. He cleared his throat and began to thank me, my mother, his colleagues, and then told small jokes here and there to keep the crowd alive.

Once he was done, he walked off the stage, to more claps, and back to my mom and I. He kissed my head, telling me he loved me. I stayed for fifteen more minutes before I stood up and told my parents that I was about to leave.

"Be careful, Bonnie. Let me know when you get home." My dad kissed my head.

"I will, dad. I know how to get around LA." I told him with a smirk as if I knew it all.

"Alright, thank you for coming sweetheart. It means a lot." He hugged me tightly, and my mom did the same.

Finally, I walked out of the conference room where this ceremony was being held and then outside. I was waiting for a cab to make it's way towards the hotel to drop somebody off. I was standing there, staring at my phone, occasionally looking on the street for a yellow cab.

The light and cool LA air was flowing around the city, causing small goosebumps to form on my body. I felt my long hair blowing in the wind, I tried to hold it down with my hand. I heard someone clear their throat beside me and my attention went to them. There was some very tall, lanky man, dressed in all black, not far from me, smoking on a cigarette. He was standing under a sign where there was a venue beside the hotel.

He was walking towards me, and I didn't know whether to pretend I was on the phone, run back inside, or just stay put. What if he was a serial killer or something?

"You waiting for a cab?" His soft voice asked, puffing in nicotine from his cancer stick.

I nodded, "Uh, yeah. Just trying to get home."

He face appeared in the lights from the hotel and I noticed a face full of scruff and a piercing above his upper lip. His arms seemed to be covered in tattoos and his body as well, as we was wearing a cutoff t-shirt. He eyed me for a second, giving me a smirk, then he turned to his left looking out on the street. "I see one right now. Why are you dressed fancy?" He questioned curiously as he threw his cigarette on the ground and smushed it into the concrete.

"My dad was getting an award, tonight." I gestured to the hotel behind me. "It was black tie."

He nodded, then just like he said a yellow taxi cab pulled up in front of me. He put his arm out, hailing it for me. "Here's your ride."

I softly smiled, "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." He opened the door for me, letting me in, then shutting it once he saw me get in. He tapped on the cab twice and the cab drove off. I looked back at the man in black in the back window and saw him walk back to the venue. I faced forward once more and made my way back home.

Notes

WELCOME TO MY BRAND NEW STORY! I've had this idea for months, but I didn't want to start it while my other Mike story was still going on. Be kind to this story and of course share your thoughts and comments on it.

This one should be different from my other stories and I hope a plot that is interesting for you as it is for me.

Thank you for reading guys! I love you always.

xoxo,
Amber