Chapter 7
Elmira was still buzzing after the Atalia show; she’d met a good group of men and women in the changing rooms and they had bonded over being bigger than average in this industry. Most of the other models did this professionally but there were a few, like Elmira, who were merely fashion industry adjacent.
Kara was an underwear model who got most of her work in catalogs. This was her first runway walk as well and she’d been more nervous than Elmira. The blogger could understand that. After all tomorrow morning she’d wake up, write up her segment and move on. This was Kara’s life.
She’d spent most of the evening distracting her new friend which in turn distracted her from the fact that Sven hadn’t bothered to attend and Florica had also walked the runway. She didn’t even know why the latter thing bothered her.
Florica was always fluttering around fashion types ever since Elmira had known her. Of course she would walk a runway if given the chance. Elmira couldn’t help wondering though, why had she been given a chance? Was it because she might know some designers or had she gotten Sven to pull some strings? And was that why Sven wasn’t here? Was he avoiding having to ‘handle’ both of them at the same time?
Elmira hated that she was even having these thoughts but she really couldn’t help it. She snagged a second…or was it third? glass of champagne from a passing waiter and swallowed it down, barely tasting it. Kara had gone off to talk to some other model so Elmira was on her own for now.
That was until Florica slinked up to her, smarmy smile in place. Elmira firmly held back the sneer that wanted to blossom on her face.
“Florica,” she said wishing a waiter would pass by so she could snag another drink.
“Elly. I saw you walk. You did not embarrass yourself.”
Elmira couldn’t help the smirk, “Yeah. Thanks.”
Florica looked her up and down, head tilted to the side, “Of course I was surprised that you had the gumption to even walk the runway given your tires and all but I guess you’re a braver girl that I would ever be. Why even with my svelte frame I was soo self conscious.”
Elmira just stared at her.
Florica didn’t seem moved by her silence.
“You know I was thinking while I watched you walk, ‘That girl isn’t afraid to make a fool of herself’…you know? I mean, I watched you chase after Sven Marcel the other day like some eager puppy…it was quite pathetic to watch. You know he’s way out of your league right?”
Elmira smiled, “And there you have it,” she murmured.
“Excuse me what? I didn’t catch that.”
Elmira breathed in deeply. The air was thick with smoke and fumes from all the different perfumes in the room. Also the foul stench of Florica’s bitterness befouled the air.
“Are you done?” she asked the other woman.
Florica shrugged, “I’m done if you are. I’m just telling you for your own good Elly girl, stay away from Sven. He’s out of your league. So far out you’re not even in the same galaxy. Okay?” Her hand reached out to pat Elmira’s shoulder but she shied away quickly, face like thunder. Florica whirled and flounced away like one of Cinderella’s ugly sisters. Elmira watched her go, steaming inwardly as she thought furiously.
Florica was clearly jealous as fuck of her. Why else would she give her the ‘the boy is mine’ speech? Now that she’d left, Elmira could think of about five choice things she could have said to Florica but too late. She turned away, suddenly tired. She wasn’t about to start fighting over a guy on a night where she had just achieved a new milestone in her life. She’d walked the runway at New York Fashion Week!
Fuck Florica.
Fuck Sven.
And Fuck Sascha too for abandoning her for yet another flavor of the night.
She was going to have a good night if it killed her.
*****
Elmira turned around and her nose was met with a pleasantly firm chest. She took a step back and glanced up. “Well you’re unfairly beautiful.”
“And you’re drunk,” Sven replied.
“I am completely drunk!” She exclaimed loud enough for the bustling party to pause in silence, before garnering a few strange looks from the other patrons. Sven was visibly trying to shush her, but Elmira leaned in conspiratorially towards him anyway with a cheeky grin.
“Tell you what though, I’ll be sober tomorrow morning and you’ll still just be as beautiful.”
Sven did not appear to be the slightest bit impressed.
“Is that from a movie? It sounds very familiar.”
“Fuck, you caught me.” Elmira pressed herself against Sven, staring up at him as they were pressed chest to chest.
“Okay, have you seen Sleepless in Seattle? ‘Cause I can also quote the fuck out of that.”
Sven sighed and pushed Elmira away gently by the shoulders.
“No, I don’t think I have.”
“Well, maybe you and I should watch it together some time,” she replied, completely undeterred.
“It sounds like you watch a lot of movies.”
“Sure fuckin’ do, ‘specially when I was still in college.”
The fashion blogger made a move to walk and stumbled terribly. Sven caught her before she could hit the ground.
Elmira gave him a smile. “Well you’re unfairly beautiful,” she said again.
“Yes, you’ve already used that one,” said Sven as he pulled her back to her feet.
Elmira visibly deflated. “Oh. I think I’m drunk.”
“Yes, completely drunk.”
“D’you know I walked a fashion runway today? I was on my Naomi Campbell tip. It was awesome. You missed it.” Elmira paused in apparent thought and swayed slightly. “Wait - ‘course you knew I was walking coz you organized Fashion Week.”
Sven shook his head. “I’m taking you back to your hotel, Elmira.”
“I’d watch movies when I was nervous or anxious; it was a good escape,” she said as Sven led her out the party’s front door. “Figured you also liked movies, what with Pretty Woman, Nikita, Trading Places - watched ‘em all, you know.”
Sven waved down a cab.
“Just thought it might give us shit to talk about.”
A cab slowed to a stop and Sven pulled open the door and nudged Elmira inside.
“Where to?” The cab driver asked.
Sven looked over to Elmira, expecting her to give the cab driver her hotel address.
Elmira flashed him a cheeky wink and gave the cab driver Sven’s home address instead.
Sven mentally went over a list of the least painful methods of rendering her unconscious, before deciding against it and sitting down inside the cab.
The cab took a sharp turn and Sven rudely found himself with an armful of Elmira.
Again.
Elmira blinked slowly. “Well you’re unfairly beaut-”
“Yes, I know,” he interrupted.
Elmira rested her head against his shoulder, her breath warm against Sven’s neck before she shifted slightly to mumble into Sven’s suit jacket.
“I fuckin’ wish I could just tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
Elmira was silent.
Sven elbowed her in the side.
Nothing.
Elmira had finally passed out.
Sven waited a few minutes, just listening to the sound of her breathing, before leaning his cheek atop Elmira’s head.
“Tell me when you’re sober,” he replied quietly.
*****
To say that Elmira looked hung over was putting it mildly. Sven watched as Elmira forced herself down the stairs, tugging around her eyes to keep them open as she followed the smell of breakfast. Elmira groaned.
“Please fuckin’ tell me I didn’t do anything too embarrassing.”
“Not at all, I assure you,” Sven replied from the kitchen.
Elmira slumped into the dining chair, noticing a tall glass of water next to some Advil tablets on the table. She quickly downed two pills between massive gulps of water.
“Fuck, you’re a lifesaver.”
Sven gave a half-hearted shrug. “Breakfast will be ready shortly.”
Elmira leaned into her chair. “Breakfast too? Shit, did I woo the fuck out of you or what?” She paused. “No wait, I can’t have, I woke up in the guest room.”
Sven placed a large plate of greasy food down in front of her. “Just eat something.”
“Alright, give it to me.”
Sven gave Elmira a confused look and lifted the coffee pot. “Did you want more coffee?”
“What?” Elmira shook her head. “No, not ‘more coffee’. How fuckin’ bad was I last night?”
Sven lowered the coffee pot. “I told you, nothing you need be embarrassed about.”
“Really? No confessions of undying love or anything?” Elmira paused at the odd look Sven was giving her.
“What? I’ve been known to do that a few times.”
Sven poured himself another cup of coffee. “Not once,” he replied after taking a sip. “Though I’m admittedly a little offended that I didn’t get at least one love confession.”
Elmira laughed. “I’ve not broken your heart too badly, have I?”
Sven sighed with apparent mock-sadness. “You most certainly have, but I’m sure I’ll learn to get by somehow.”
Elmira rolled her eyes and got up to move the empty plates over to the dishwasher. “You’re a dramatic jerk-off, you know that, right?”
“I prefer the terms ‘eccentrically charming.’”
Elmira looked over her shoulder and winked. “How ‘bout ‘unfairly beautiful’?”
Sven choked on his coffee as Elmira turned the dishwasher on and laughed.
Sven lowered his coffee down onto its saucer. “You shouldn’t say things like that.”
“I find that rich coming from Mr. ‘I-hired-you-cause-I-was-interested-in-getting-in-your-pants,’” Elmira replied as she closed the dishwasher shut.
Sven had to huff a laugh at that. “Touché.”
Elmira wiped her hands on the nearby coffee towel. “I’ll stop if it actually bothers you.”
Sven wasn’t entirely sure how to answer that. “I would appreciate that,” he replied, deliberately trying to sound vague.
It didn’t work. “Fuck, it actually does bother you?” Elmira tossed the coffee towel onto the kitchen bench and sat down in the chair next to Sven. “Why didn't you say? I’d have stopped flirting with you.”
“I-”
Elmira poked the side of his ribcage. “Sven, you know I love to wind you up, right? Best fuckin’ pass time in the world, but it’d kill me if it really bothered you.”
“The persistent prodding would suggest otherwise.”
If anything, Elmira continued to poke at his side even more consistently.
“Like I said, best pass time in the world.”
She glanced up at Sven. “You gonna tell me to stop or what?”
Sven sighed and caught Elmira by the wrist before she could land one more irritating poke.
Then with a firm push, he shoved Elmira off the chair and tried desperately not to laugh at her look of utter surprise.
“Okay…fun and games are over. I have a blog post to write,” she said.
“Feel free to use my office.”
*****
Phresh Out the Runway
Yesterday was a phenomenal day for me people. I got to walk an actual legit runway at New York Fashion Week.
I’m sure y’all have heard of Atalia Tirtzah right? The new ‘it’ designer with revolutionary looks; the rebel with a cause. Lover of dogs and women? If you haven’t then you should ask about her.
Anyway so she took a different approach to her show where she used ordinary women rather than models to show her clothes. I ran into her at the Reuben after party and she came up to me and said I was exquisite.
Me.
I almost squealed but my mama did teach me how to act so I just said thank you and smiled.
And then she asked me to walk in her show.
That time I couldn’t hold it in.
I squealed.
(Insert gif here)
So anyway I considered maybe rushing to the gym to do some emergency push ups but then my friend Sascha discovered this new hamburger joint…long story short; bacon cheese burger and fries with a shake.
Yum!
The clothes people! The clothes. Oh my God I have never felt so decadent in anything. The collection had a dog theme named for Atalia’s dog Fido Castro. (I love when people name their pets after dictators).
Anyway, I got to keep a belt from the collection and I’m definitely planning to buy an outfit or two from that collection.
Now let’s get to the clothes. Click on the link below to go to the gallery!