Rainy Days and Photo Shoots

“Just my luck,” I huffed under my breath as school let out on a rainy January day. I had brought my umbrella that whole week without rain, the day I forget to bring the stupid thing it rains. “Hey Shaun,” I called busily packing up my too much stuff for one chick to be carrying. “Yeah Katrina?” He said walking over. “Did you bring your umbrella?” I asked hopefully as we walked under the overhang of the breezeway. “Nope,” he sighed. “Peachy.” Shaun and I stepped out into the cold January rain. I desperately searched around for a friendly familiar face under an umbrella. The most familiar face and the cutest was that of Zackary Korben. Zac went to school with me last year at our middle school. “Hey Zac,” I smiled. “Can I stand under your umbrella while I wait for my bus; I sorta left mine in my mother’s car.” “Sure Kat.” That day something started between Zac and me, something extremely kinetic.

Underneath Zac’s umbrella the two of us started talking. He was so sweet and really interesting. We liked Shakespeare, hated the sun, and had little sisters that we absolutely loved with all our hearts. (I lied about the loving of the siblings part) I started forgetting my umbrella more often just so I could stand there and talk to Zac. He was a good listener and an even better hugger. We would hug each other at least five times everyday. When the raining stopped Zac and I still made a habit of meeting at the bus lot. “Where were you yesterday?” Zac asked hugging me at the busses after I had missed a day. “I had to leave school early. Dentist appointment,” I informed him. “Check up or something else?” “Wisdom teeth are coming in. They hurt like a bitch,” I said receiving a caring “aww” and a warm hug. I was surprised. People rarely noticed when I was there, much less when I wasn’t. Zac noticed and cared. At that moment, I liked him. Not liked him, but liked him liked him. Basically I had a crush on Zackary Korben.
My crush was mutual! By February, Zac and I were officially an item. We were a couple from freshman year all the way through senior year. We went through so much together those four years. We were sitting in Carolina Place Mall at our table in front of Steak and Ale in the food court. I was too nervous to eat my french fries. The source of my nervousness was the envelope in my shaking hand from UCLA, my dream college. “Calm down,” Zac coaxed gently, stroking my hand. I took a sip of my soda and calmed down not one single bit. I inhaled deeply as I tore the envelope open. I hesitated reading it. I looked at Zac finding great comfort in his hazel eyes. “Do I really need to open this?” I asked anxiously. “I mean, I’ve already been accepted into NC State. I can just go there-” “Katrina, just open the letter, this is your dream.”

I unfolded the letter and read aloud, “Dear Ms. Jameson, we are honored to inform you of your acceptance into the University of California at Los Angeles...blah blah blah...We wish you the best of luck as a Bruin.” I froze. I needed a second to absorb what had happened. “I’m in!” I cheered overjoyed. “I’m a Bruin! I did it Zac, I did it.” “Congrats,” Zac said with half joy/half sadness in his eyes. That look in his eyes made me realize what my getting into UCLA meant. He had gotten into NYU the week before. Almost in tears I hugged him. I rested my head on his shoulder and he stroked my back. “We can call each other, and do e-mails and I can write you epic longs letters and we can visit each other. I love you Zac.” He held me tighter and kissed my lips. “I love you too,” He told me. I never told him, but if he had asked me to I gladly would have followed him to New York. He never did, so we each went to our coast and were hell bent on making it work.

We tried so hard to make it work but we got so busy in our new lives. I had classes to attend, a Grade Point Average to keep up, homework to do and a waitressing job to work. Zac had acting classes, rehearsals for roles, and odd jobs to work. He was so New York and I was completely Californicated. We were nineteen when we both decided that there was no way for us to work. As Zac and I broke up I was making a new friend from work. Her name was Codi Shepherd. She was one of those too pretty white girls with a flawless complexion, perfect hair that was died the perfect shade of pink, who could eat like a horse and not gain an ounce. She was really sweet though and wanted to be a model. “Kat!” Codi yelled from the living room of the apartment that we had stated renting together. I was in my room, trying my hardest to read about the human endocrine system without falling asleep...again. “Yeah Codi?” I yelled back, subconsciously thankful for the diversion. She ran into my room and thrust a digital camera into my hands. “Take my picture,” she said excitedly. “Let’s go,” I perked letting my book fall to the floor.

The pictures that I took of Codi were simple ones in the park and some more fun ones a club that was closed for the day. Photography was a fun distraction from the tedious dry boring words of my biology books. I pounced upon any chance I had to take pictures of Codi. She was like a life-sized Barbie doll to me. I was always doing her hair, putting make up on her, putting her in clothes and taking her pictures. Too bad it couldn’t last. I was back to my books and papers for UCLA all too soon. Turns out that my pictures of Codi came out really well. The phone started ringing off the hook from agents and companies who wanted her for photo shoots. The apartment was so quiet when Codi left to do a shoot in London. I turned the page that was filled with words that meant nothing to me as the phone rang. “Hello?” “Hi, this is Anna McQueen from LunarChild Inc.-” “I’m sorry, Codi isn’t here right now, she’s in London doing a shoot for Skechers-” “Actually, Ms. Jameson I was more interested in you.” “Me?” “Your skills behind the camera show great potential. You really captured emotion and detail. How would you love to become a photographic intern to yours truly?”

Anna McQueen was an angel from heaven! My internship at LunarChild was my out. I was twenty, bored out of my mind with UCLA and dying for a chance to be creative. This was it! I had a chance of a lifetime and I seized it. Working under Anna was sweet. She basically found me work and let me take pictures and dictate poses. The pay was great, $1,000 a shoot. I got to pocket $900. I knew that in time my payment would skyrocket. Other then good pay being a photographer gave me free time that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. I capitalized on that time by rekindling my passion for writing. I was working on a novel about a woman named Max who has a string of really bad relationships until she meets Antonio, a hunky Spanish bullfighter. Later in the story it’s revealed that Antonio was simply using Max for her money to support his bull-fighting career and was cheating on her with Amelia. Max in a rage seduces Antonio then kills him, stabbing him in the back with one of Antonio’s prize daggers. Sounds good, huh? The name of it is, Love Always, Max because it’s a long letter from Max to the reader.

With all the free time I had I completed Love Always, Max in six weeks. I was extremely proud of myself for penning such a good story but I still didn’t think it was good enough to do anything with so it stayed on the hard drive of my laptop until a little voice inside me cried out, the voice only stopped after I had submitted my novel along with other material to a local publishing company that was seeking new talent. Waiting for a response was nerve racking. Codi and I covered the time at our new job as Rhapsody Girls. We turned twenty-one and wanted to become bar tenders, the coolest bar in LA was Rhapsody. Its trademark was us; the Rhapsody Girls who got up on the counter and danced. Our dances did get a little racy but it was all in good clean innocent fun.

“That was a really good movie,” Codi repeated herself for the millionth time as we walked into Rhapsody to get ready for work. We had just seen the thriller, Shadow of Darkness. A movie where evil triumphs over good and looks dead sexy while it does. “I know,” I agreed with her. “And the guy who played Satan was a hottie.” “Yeah, that Zackary Korben dude is fine.” Codi was drooling over my Zac! “He actually did it!” I grabbed her arm. “Who actually did huh?” Codi was confused. “Zac, he actually became an actor. I knew he won an award for Best Male in an Independent Film, but wow.” “What, you’re on first name basis with him?” “I’m not on any basis with him now, but he was my baby. We dated for five years.” “What happened?” “He got into NYU and I was accepted into UCLA. He was New York and I was Los Angeles. It just didn’t work,” I sighed happily. “Poor Katrina,” Codi said, with fake sadness, hugging me. “I know. Poor me, right,” I laughed as Jenna, Nikki, Diane and Melissa came in. I glowed a little overhearing Nikki telling them about Love Always, Max by Serenity Flame. Serenity Flame was the alias I wrote under.

As people began pouring into Rhapsody my cell phone rang. “Hello?” I picked up. It was my literary agent Penni Larson. “Hey Dear, guess what?” “What Penni?” “ Love Always, Max by newcomer Serenity Flame has just reached number 1 on the New York Time’s Best Sellers List.” “Really?” I was ecstatic but determined not to scream. “Yes really.” “Wow, I guess I’m good.” Some of my earlier work had made the List as Rising Stars, I had only dreamed of being Number 1. The joy from that call had me glowing and floating all night as we kept making drinks and bringing our pitchers of beer. I had all this excess happy energy now that had to be bottled up until it was time for us to dance on the bar. Our dance moves were infused with sexuality, so were our wardrobes. For example, I had on cut off shorts and a black tank top; Codi had on leather pants and a gray t-shirt that she tore the sleeves off and cut off the bottom; Diane had on a little blue dress, the key word being little.

The dance ended for me with a knee drop, skanky hair thing and me falling flat on my back. Hoots, hollers and catcalls filled the bar. Another good performance. Nikki gave me five as I spun the rum bottle in my hand. “Katrina Jameson,” my name was called.
I jumped and turned around to see Zac! My heart nearly stopped as I gripped the rum bottle. “What are you doing here?” I asked him, already knowing to pour him tequila. “I’m in town for a photo shoot tomorrow for Calvin Klein.” “Excellent movie by the way,” I told him, thinking talking about him would distract him. “Congrats on your Rising Stars and Number 1.” I gave him a skeptical glance. “Yes, Serenity Flame. That was your character in the story I wrote in high school.” “Well, you figured it out.” “Katrina, what happened to you?” Zackary asked sounding genuinely concerned. “What do you mean?” “You went from UCLA future emergency pediatrician to dancing on bars. What happened?” I laughed. “Don’t worry Zac, I love my job and I’m happy.”

“Oh my googles!” Codi screamed. “It’s...It’s.... You’re Zackary Korben. I just, we just saw your movie.” Still modest Zac grinned a bit. “Did you want anything Codi?” I asked, missing out on the star appeal from Zac. “Yeah, Don is here,” she informed me with glances down the bar. Don is a regular to Rhapsody who likes Merlot and favors me. He was a really big tipper so I allowed him the delusion that I actually gave a rat’s ass about him. “Hey Don,” I said leaning forward with my arms pushing cleavage into view and sliding him his Merlot. “How are you tonight, Blu?” He asked. Don calls me Blu as in the Duke Blue Devils. “I’m fine,” I flirted a bit. “You were good tonight,” he complemented me and slid me a ten-dollar bill. Laughing twittishly I shuddered and went back to find Zac. “Hey Codi, where’s Zac?” “He left babe.” “He what?” “Yeah, I poured him a tequila shot and he left, said something about some shoot tomorrow that he couldn’t look tired for.” “Oh,” I said with false nonchalance, going back to looking cute and getting folks wasted.

“That stupid, idiot, asshole, butt monkey, shit head son of a whore!” I cursed and swore about Zac to Codi as we Rhapsody Girls wiped down tables after closing. “Calm down, chick. What’s your deal?” Codi said, questioning, demanding an answer. “Zac! He just shows up and invites himself into my business. I turn my back for a second then he leaves without saying good-bye. He sucks,” I pouted. “Calm down, he’s just a guy. We’re going to see him tomorrow anyways.” Codi winked and nudged me. Codi was also modeling for Calvin Klein and I was taking pictures in place of Anna. “I suppose I had better get plenty of rest to be especially cute tomorrow,” I giggled with Codi. “Yeah, perhaps you had.” Codi and I giggled too much. When we finally got home we pulled out every cleanser, astringent and moisturizer for last second facials before we went to sleep.

I started my day at the set for Calvin’s new cologne line, CK Emotion, by once again doing Codi’s hair and makeup. “Well Pink-haired Barbie you’re beautiful,” I beamed at my work. Her face was done in neutral tones with a bit of shimmer on her cheeks. Her hair was just lightly feathered and tossed a bit. Codi’s wardrobe was a tight pair of purple pants. For her photos, she was lying on her stomach with a spaced out, day dreaming, far away look on her face. It was no trouble at all for her to pull that one off as she lay there with her arms strategically placed and her brown eyes looking at a bottle of CK Emotion-dream. I did shots of other models for happy, flirty, shy, and daring. All of the egos, the skinniness, the attitudes. I was about to be slightly sick of it all when I turned the page of my job book to the CK Emotion-wicked profile. It was Zac!

As the sets were changed from daring, which featured Serge who was also paired with Codi in flirty, Codi snuck up to me and shoved a cookie in my mouth. “Hello,” I said looking at an awfully silly expression on her face. “He is so cute that Zackary Korben but he doesn’t like people much. It’s just the five of us and he’s over in a corner reading.” “What’s he reading?” I inquired about Zac. I’ve always done that. I enjoy knowing everything I can about him. “Some book by Serenity Flame, I think it was The Wrath of the Karmian Empire. You know, the one where the girl takes over the world with her boyfriend but he gets killed during the battle that wins them the only territory they hadn’t conquered yet.” Durh, I’d know it, I wrote it. I bought it for Codi for her birthday. “What did his book look like?” “It looked like he had read it somewhere close to a million times,” she reported as I beamed. I was glad to hear that. The boyfriend in that story is him and I’m Karma. “Now go away. I need to work,” I laughed pushing Codi away.

The new set was a dimly lit library study that put you in the mind of a mad scientist, with a desk as the focal point. Sitting on top of the desk was Zac shirtless in the perfect pair of Calvin Klein’s black pants. His prop for the shoot was a giant old book with pages that had browned slightly with age, beside him was the bottle of CK Emotion-wicked. I indulged and let myself look at Zac like I did when I was in high school. He was still “so cute“ as I took pictures of him. “Eureka!” I exclaimed as Zac fell into the perfect pose. “Hold right there, move so much as a millimeter and I’ll castrate you.” He was sitting there on the desk his head bent towards the book. One hand was supporting the spine and the other moving down one of the pages. He looked up from the book with a cutely evil smirk on his face. “Golden,” I gushed quietly capturing that was completely drool-worthy image. “Am I done?” Zac asked. “Yeah, go.” I said as he hopped off the desk.

“So this is the job that you love,” Zac grinned accosting me as I put my gear into the trunk of my blood red Mercedes. “Yeah, this is my dream job.” “Then why do you work at a bar?” “It’s fun and when I’m not working shoots the pay is good. Why are you so concerned Mr. I’ll-show-up-straight-out-of-the-blue-asking-all-these-questions-then-leave-without-saying-goodbye.” “You were over there pushing your chest in that guy’s face.” “Who Don, he slips me a $10 tip every time I do that and laugh like a twit. He’s nobody but still, you could have said goodbye.” “I pissed you off that much, huh?” “Yeah you did. That was extremely rude of you and I didn’t appreciate it very much,” I fussed at him. “I’m sorry Katrina, the next time I leave I’ll say goodbye.” “Kewl,” I chimed sliding into my Mercedes with the top down. “Bye Katrina,” Zac said sticking by his word. “Bye Zac,” I waved turning on my radio this time it was Charlotte Church, a change from the rock music I usually listen to.

On my way home I noticed that the window of Cinderella’s, a really odd shoe store, had changed. Since I had money from Rhapsody left over after Codi and I did the bills, I was up for a bit of shopping. Nothing brightens the day like a good pair of shoes. I walked straight to the back where the shoes in the display window are. I was looking for the most unique pair of shoes there. After about thirty minutes I picked up these really cool platform tennis shoes that were covered in a cool vinyl that looked like snakeskin. The first pair I saw was turquoise blue. I got those and the purple ones for me. I picked up a Pair in pink for Codi. Carrying the bag from Cinderella’s I climbed up to the apartment. “Codi, babe, I’m back and I bringth the gift of really cool footwear,” I yelled walking through the house until I saw Codi in the kitchen kissing her boyfriend, Marc. “What were you saying Kat?” I held up the white plastic bags with the glass slipper logo on them. “Shoes!” Codi squeaked. “Gimme, gimme, gimme!” “I saw these and I thought of you.” I pulled out the pink pair and gave them to her. “Ooh, Katrina these are really cool!” She hugged me. “I know I got the purple and the blue ones for me.”

For Marc’s sake the telephone rang ending our shoe session. “Oy ‘ello?” Codi picked up the phone. “Hi! Really? Coolness...Yeah, she’s here...Hold on,” She conversed with the person on the other end. She shoved the phone at me. “Hello?” “Hey.” It was Zac. “What do you want?” I asked playfully. “Are you busy tonight?” “Yeah,” I lied. “No she’s not!” Codi yelled. “She has nothing at all to do tonight and she’d love to go see the Midsummer Night’s Dream play!” “Midsummer Night’s Dream? I thought it was sold out.” “It was, but I’m Zackary Korben in the number 1 movie in the nation. I can pull a few strings.” “You were in one big, non-inde movie, deflate the ego,” I said joking around like we always did when we were younger. “Maybe I should then I won’t be able to fit in my car.” “That would be bad.” “Yeah it would. So are you coming out tonight or what?” “I guess.” “Good.” “Cool, I’ll meet you there. I have to go make myself look decent for public viewing.” “You looked fine this afternoon.”

After me painstakingly trying to explain to Zac why I needed time to shower, wash my face and find a spectacular outfit I was finally let go and allowed to beautify my already existing loveliness. I took a shower that smelled of country rose. I changed into black Capri pants, a purple paisley shirt to match my new purple shoes. Codi told me that the play was at seven and to bring a pen. I shrugged and got into my car. I met Zac outside of the Los Angeles Arts Centre. He didn’t have on his usual baggy or skater pants. Zac looked like sorta gentlemanly but still like himself. He had on black pants and blue shirt with burgundy stripes down the arms and a burgundy exploding Buddha in the middle.

Instinctively, from high school when we dated, I hugged him. “Hey Kat.” He hugged back. “Why did I need a pen?” I asked still not sure of why I needed one. “So you can autograph all of your books. I’ve bought them all.” “You have my autograph on all of the epic long letters I wrote to you. Why do you care to have it on those crappy books I wrote?” “They are not crappy,” Zac insisted strongly as always whenever I dissed my writing. “Why do you want me to sign them?” I asked him again. “I want the first autographed copies of Serenity Flame’s work.” I still looked at him like he was crazy. “Come on Katrina, sign the books and I’ll give you free plugs.” So there was something in this for me. “Fine, just don’t make it seem like you’re doing me any favors,” I told him sounding a bit uppity but only trying not to laugh and squeal out thank yous for the publicity.

Zac took my hand in his and walked me into the Arts Centre where we had really good seats. I inhaled in awe as the show began. Zac and I whispered back and forth about how good the costumes were, the fairies especially. I loved Titania’s four servant fairies: Mustard Seed, Cobweb, Peasblossom and Moth. Their wings and make up were so pretty, glittery and sparkly. When the actors bowed at curtain Zac and I rose applauding loudly. “Thanks for inviting me here, Zac. I’ve never seen the play live before now.” “You’re welcome. Come with me to the coffee shop on the corner to sign my books and I wanna talk to you about something.” “Sure,” I agreed sitting in my bitch-mobile, my Mercedes I mean. I looked over at Zac and didn’t see a car. I grinned as he put on a helmet and sat on a Harley Davidson motorcycle. Personally, I hate Harley’s they make too much noise, but seeing him on one was... It was good. Right up there with the dead sexy picture for Calvin Klein.

The noise of Zac’s Harley sliced through the operatic sounds of Charlotte Church’s angelic voice as he parked beside me. “Damn Zac, your Harley makes too much friggin’ noise,” I chide him for riding such a loud bike. “That means I have a good pipe, unlike those damn Rice Burners you like.” “Shut up or I won‘t sign your books.” “Fine, I’m sorry. Geez woman.” Laughing a little I followed Zac into the coffee shop to the back tables in the back corner where all four of my books were dumped out onto the table. I sighed. I pulled out my pen and signed my alias into all of the books. “Are you happy now Zackary?” “Somewhat.” “What did you want to talk to me about?” I inquired. “The Karma story, it would make a really cool movie,” he told me. “Yeah it would,” I agreed passionately. “You could play Rain, hell, you are Rain.” “Yeah, and you can be Karma.” “No. I’m a photographer not an actress,” I protested. “C’mon Katrina, no one else can be the Karma to my Rain but you.” He had a point and I wouldn’t let the movie be made if Zac didn’t play Rain. “I’ll think about it,” I decided ordering a fruit smoothie.

“You never answered my question,” Zac brought up. I looked up from my smoothie. “What question?” “Why’d you drop out of UCLA?” “Why do you care?” “I just do. Tell me.” I sighed sitting down my smoothie. “I got bored. The classes, the books, the papers it was driving me crazy. I moved off campus with Codi and she had me take these pictures of her to submit to this modeling agency. She started getting a lot of phone calls from different agencies and I got a call from Anna McQueen at LunarChild. I signed on as apprentice to Anna, then when I turned 21 Codi and I got jobs at Rhapsody.” “Why are you working at Rhapsody? That place is scundgey.” Zac looked purely disgusted, oh well. “It pays well, it’s a steady job when I’m in between photo shoots and it’s just fun. The girls and I get bananas in that place.” “But you have to bend over and push your tits in guys’ faces,” Zac stressed. “No I don’t,” I corrected him. “I get tips either way it’s just when I do I get paid more, and why do you care?” “Because, I just do.” “Like I told you at Rhapsody, I like my job, I make good money and I’m happy so don’t worry about it.” “Too bad and too late,” Zac smirked as I grinned stupidly.

“What are you grinning for Katrina?” Codi interrogated as I entered the apartment wearing the same stupid grin. “What?” I sounded so stupid. “Oh gosh, you are grinning from ear to ear. What did that Zackary Korben character do to you?” I giggled falling on the couch sipping off another fruit smoothie. “What happened?” Codi kept pestering me. “Nothing,” I chimed. “We saw the play, I signed his books and we talked about turning The Wrath of the Karmian Empire into a movie but he-” “Katrina, what do you have to do with Serenity Flame’s novel?” “Codi, I am Serenity Flame. I write under that alias from one of Zac’s little stories when we were in high school.” “And you didn’t tell me! You’re stupid!” She yelled hitting me. “You know now,” I whined moving away from her. “Well, I have all your books and I think you’re great,” she gushed dumbly. I hugged her for praising me so. “Do you think The Wrath of the Karmian Empire will make a good movie?” I asked for her opinion. “Yeah it would. Zac should play Rain though and you should be Karma,” she teased. “I don’t act.” “If you were Karma, you wouldn’t have to act.” The look on her face when she said that constituted me hitting her in the face with a pillow, it was all in good fun though.

Later that night as I sat on the couch watching Where the Heart Is with Codi the phone rang. I sat down my carton of Red Raspberry Sorbet ice cream. “Hello?” “Katrina, it’s Zac.” “Hey,” I replied warmly, still unsure of why he was calling now. “I’m leaving to go to Florida for a movie audition. I wanted to say good-bye before I left.” “You called me just to tell me bye?” “You told me not to leave without saying good-bye and I’ve said good-bye.” “Well then, I’ll see you later, I guess.” “Sounds good. Later Kat.” I hung up the phone. Giddy high school me, who grinned and exploded with giggles, repossessed my body. Codi eyed me seeming to have a small idea of what could have happened but she wasn’t too sure. It’s not everyday I start grinning and giggling. “Who was that and what happened?” She demanded. “Nothing,” I lied, as was evident by the starry glazed look in my eyes, as I spooned more ice cream in my mouth. “Liar!” Codi yelled. “What happened Katrina? Tell me or I’ll walk through mud in the Prada boots,” She threatened. That was going too far, I’d kill over those damn boots. “It was Zac. He called to say bye before he went to Florida to audition for a movie.” My face took on a smile of Cheshire Cat proportions.

“You like Zac still,” Codi exploded laughing like her usual idiotic self. “No I don’t,” I said matter of factly, eating more ice cream. “You do so.” “Codi hush, I can’t hear the movie,” I laughed giving her a playful shove. “Right,” She said before quieting herself. Did I like Zac still? Yeah, durh. I had no reason not to, the only thing that killed us was the distance. Oh well, right? Right. Just smile and keep taking pictures and dancing on bars. Over time my name became well known for both my writing and my photography. As a writer my books were flying off the shelves and even being publicized on television talk shows. Stars who didn’t even know me were telling hosts about my books. I was even getting fan mail! As a photographer I didn’t have to submit myself to places anymore. After reading one of my stories centering around a lesbanic relationship the editor of a gay and lesbian magazine and book series hired me to do the pictures. Kewl. I also did side jobs that interested me when I wasn’t working for big designers or teen magazines.

The best thing though, was Zac started e-mailing me again and sending me post cards from all the places he traveled to. I was on the set of the White Rabbit; the gay and lesbian magazine that hired me, shooting two women lying in each other’s arms on a bed of rose petals in soft black and white. It was going to come out so perfect once I loaded them onto my computer to change only the rose petals to soft pale color. Anyway, my cell phone rang. “Hello?” “Hey, you busy?” It was Zac! “A little, I am finishing up a shoot,” I told him walking around the set taking pictures from different angels. “I’m in LA for a movie premier and I was wondering if you wanted something to do tonight?” “Sure, why not?” I agreed. Like I’d really say no. He was the leading male in Never an Angel. I was noticing a trend in the roles he went out for, always the villain or someone who dared to challenge the status quo. I gathered from previews that the movie was about a demon who falls in love with the girl he’s supposed to kill. It sounded rather promising.

When the shoot was over I phoned Codi who was in hair and make up for a Versace shoot. I wanted to work Versace. “Codi babe, you won’t believe what just happened to me,” I gushed. “What Babe?” “Zac just asked me to the premiere of Never an Angel tonight?” “You going?” She asked excitedly. “Yeah I’m going but isn’t this like...wow,” I mused. “Yeah it’s like wow! Now let me go chicka they’re about to take the phone away.” “Later babe.” “Ciao.” We hung up our phones. “So you like this Zac guy?” asked one of the models, Cassie. “Yeah, he’s my old high school boyfriend.” “And he asked you to his movie premiere? I think someone still has it bad for someone and the second someone has it just as bad for the first someone.” “Are you insinuating that Zac likes me and I like him?” I paraphrased just to be sure I understood correctly what she was hinting at. “Yes, my lady, I am but that big grin on your face and that twinkle in your eyes says it more than I can,” Cassie smiled. I laughed slightly and bit my bottom lip. “Oh yeah, you have it bad,” Cassie teased. “Just have fun tonight,” she told me as she hugged me before she left the set.

Still grinning stupidly I walk out to my car. I was on a quest. I had to be nothing less than stunning at that premiere. I parked in front of a small glamorous hole in the wall. I walked into the store and found the saleswoman working that day. “I’m Joetta, how can I help you?” “I’m going to the movie premiere tonight and I have to look radiant.” For me looking radiant came naturally, all I had to do was find the right clothes. I leafed through shirts, dresses, pants and skirts. Soon enough I had pieced together a black top with one sleeve missing that gave it a really interesting neck line, a long ball gown skirt colored with iridescent water hues, trimmed along the top with a thin wave of aqua crystals and to bring out the violet shimmers sparkly purple platforms and a cute clutch purse. I looked beautiful. Now I had to run home to Codi so she could do my hair and make up. “Codi!” I screamed running into the house. “What?” she snapped coming out the bathroom. She paused staring in awe. “Pretty,” she mused pointing at me. “Ooh, come with,” she squeaked pulling me into the bathroom. She had my hair curled, twisted and pinned with shimmering rhinestone decorated pins. My make up was simple, accents on the eyes, a hint of colors and gloss on the lips. Diamond earrings and crystal clear varnished nails. “You look delicious babe,” Codi gushed hugging me. “Just go and have fun.” “I will. Thanks babe.”

I tilted my head back and Codi poured soda into my gaping mouth. I was not going to mess up my perfect lips on drinking soda. Codi jumped nearly staining my shirt when the door bell rang. Instead, it splashed on my chest where material would have been if the shirt had two sleeves. “I’ll get it,” I stressed beating Codi to the door. “Hey Zac, ready to go?” I said quickly not allowing Codi the slightest bit of a chance to say something to embarrass me. “Yeah, by the way, you look really nice.” “I know,” I beamed pulling him out the door trying not to mess up his Armani suit. “Don’t go smearing my lip gloss or messing up my hair!” Codi shouted as I left with Zac. I cringed. I retaliated. “That’s your job, isn’t it babe?” I shouted back. “Damn straight.” I laughed. “You yell at everyone don’t you?” Zac teased justly. In closest friendships we always play yelled. “Codi and me, we’re close like that and if she threatens the Prada boots one more time, I will Prada boot her in the head.” “How?” “Kick her.” “Sounds pleasant.”

One minute I’m walking with Zac talking more about changing the book into a screen play the next I’m tripping over my own bedazzling platforms. It was funny! “Nobody saw that,” I cringed, laughing, composing myself. “I am talented.” “Have you ever considered not wearing platforms?” Zac asked facetiously yet smiling. “Nope. The thought never crossed my mind,” I said sitting in Zac’s black BMW. Mercedes are better. “It hasn’t?” “Nope. I have no problem falling. All that matters is that I’m falling in a wicked cool pair of shoes. It’s all about the shoes.” “Really Katrina?” “Yeppers.” He laughed. I was serious. Shoes are a very important part of my life. I wiggled a bit. Zac glanced at me questioningly. “I don’t like being still,” I whined cutely. “So you wiggle?” “Exactly.” “Inner child coming out again?” I nodded. Explanation: I have always been very in touch with my inner child. I like to color in coloring books, watch Disney cartoon movies, and just be childish sometimes. Codi’s good for being childish with. We play Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, Operation and our silly string battles are vicious.

Zac was still laughing at the childlike antics of Codi and me as we got out of his car. The valet drove it away as I took a second to look at the entrance to the premiere. It was just like how it’s portrayed on E! There was the infamous red carpet, the hoards of press blinding you with camera flashes, television reporters running around holding microphones with camera guys trying to keep up, making sure to stay on the reporter’s “good side”. “If I fall, catch me,” I whispered to Zac, praying I didn’t trip over my platforms again. “I’ll just do this,” Zac slid his arm around my waist. “Now you won’t fall.” Words left me. My head was too full of air. I just remember seeing blue flashes as we walked down the strip of carpet to the actual theater. “See, it worked. You didn’t fall,” Zac said, his voice bringing me out of my daydream. “Guess it did, but you have to admit that it would make for some pretty funny headlines tomorrow and it would be all over E!” Zac laughed with me. “True but let someone else fall. Not you.” “No?” “No,” Zac said sweetly as we sat down to watch his movie.

The movie was good. I would definitely have to bring Codi to see it. “So,” Zac said looking at me in question. “What?” “How was my movie?” he stressed. I found it was kind of funny. “What, it was a good movie. What do you want me to say? If you want me to give you a decent review I’ll have to write it and e-mail it to you.” “Sounds good.” “Kewl.” “Have you thought about making the book into the movie some more?” “A little.” “And?” “First I have to find someone I’d trust enough to turn it into a decent screen play.” “That’s going to take forever,” Zac griped playfully. “Ha ha ha,” I said dryly as we walked into the after party. “It’s true. You obsess over your stories and for you to let someone change and alter it is going to be nearly impossible for you Katrina.” “So,” I snapped. “Those stories are my life. I pour bits and fragments of my soul into every story I write. Naturally I’m going to be a bit protective of them. Just like you and your movies.” “Shut up, Katrina.” “Don’t tell me to shut up.” “I’ll tell you to shut up if I want to.” “Nuh-uh.” “Yeah I can.” “No you can’t.” “Yeah I can, so, shut up.” “Fine.”

“Don’t!” Zac snapped still not liking it when I sat there saying nothing. “Don’t what?” I asked playing dumb. “You know what?” “I’m not doing anything. I’m just sitting here being my odd and unusual self.” “Don’t start Katrina,” Zac warned as I laughed. “Katrina, I have this idea,” Zac started. “And, that idea would be?” “I’m starting my own clothing line.” “Really? Kewl.” “Kind of a Kik Gear, Caffine type line.” “What’s the name of it?” I inquired growing more curious about the idea of Zac’s own clothing label. “Hold on.” He shoved his hand into his pockets and came up with a rectangular piece of paper. He showed it to me. Surrounded by blue flames, in red letters, in a very abstract style of lettering was Saffyre. “I like,” I smiled upon the label design. “Could you do the shoot for me?” “Sure.” “What’s the going rate now?” “What?” “How much are you worth as a photographer?” “Nothing. This is one shoot I’ll do for fun.” “What’s in that for you?” “Saffyre has to make shoes and I get all the free shit I want for a year,” I proposed. “Deal,” Zac agreed. “Kewl.”

“Codi! I’m back,” I called quietly in case she was sleeping. “Okay girl, talk. I know something had to happen, now spill.” Codi ambushed me from the kitchen shoving ice cream in my hand. “Well...” I spent hours telling her about Zac not letting me fall down the red carpet, about the movie, and about Zac’s clothing line. “That’s it?” Codi sounded disappointed. “Yeah.” “Woman!” She yelled shaking me. “Get off me Codi.” I pushed her off me. “I wanna be in the Saffyre shoot.” “No.” “Why not?” “You just did Versace, how can you turn around and do Saffyre without doing a shoot for Gap before taking such a drop.” “What drop? I do shoots that have clothes I like.” “I still don’t know what you’re telling me for. I’m only taking the pictures.” “Where is the shoot going to be?” “I dunno.”

“New York,” I cringed when I got the news from Codi. “Yeah, this is so good! We can go shopping at Bloomingdale’s,” she gushed. “New York in December!” I repeated on the phone with Zac. “What about it?” “It’s going to be cold. I hate being cold. It’s probably going to snow and the snow is going to stick to me and it’s going to be manky,” I complained to Zac. “Calm down Katrina.” “Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked him in a non-complaining voice. “Because, I knew if I told you, you wouldn’t do it.” “You are so lucky you’re my friend or else I’d stay in Cali.” “I know Katrina, thank you,” Zac said sweetly as my face did that strange smiling thing again. “You’re welcome.” “Are you mad?” “No, I’m not mad I just have nothing to wear is all,” I sighed then laughed. “You do understand I haven’t been in winter clothes since I got out of Charlotte.” “I recommend sweaters, coats, scarves, hats, gloves and boots, the snow kind not the Prada kind.” “It’s not snowing while I‘m there,” I declared. “I refuse to let it.” “Right. You’re just going to not allow the snow to fall.” “Exactly.” “What if it does snow, only a little.” “Well, then, it better not stick to me.” “It’s just going to hit you and melt?” Zac said, laughing at me. “Exactly.”

“Hurry up, Katrina!” Codi yelled at me as I dragged my big rolling suitcase behind me, with my matching duffle on my shoulder. “Woman, look at these shoes! I can not hurry up in these shoes,” I grumbled inching forward in three inch Prada boots as we made our way to the gate of our connecter flight to New York from St. Louis. “You should have worn tennis shoes.” “When have you known me to travel in tennis shoes? If I die, I want to have the most stylish corpse in the world. No way I die in tennis shoes,” I said as we finally came up on our gate. “You’re not going to die.” “Well fine Codi, no way am I pulling my luggage through an airport feeling like an ox in tennis shoes. I want to be the cutest ox in the world. Is that better Codi?” “No. You’re a cow not an ox.” “Jackass,” I retorted swatting the back of her pink head. “Oww,” She winced. My hit was not malicious although it wasn’t exactly gentle either. “You have been in a foul mood for nearly a month now. We seriously need to get you laid.” “Codi...grrr.” I growled at a loss of all words for that one, who laughed. An almost lethal glare shut her up.

“Codi babe, wake up,” I said in her ear as we landed in New York. Damn child slept like a rock. I felt bad for doing this. I looked away and pinched her arm. “Oww!” she howled waking up. I hugged her feeling guilty. “I’m sorry but we’re in New York.” “We’re here!” she perked jumping from her seat, grabbing our shared carry-on and my hand, and ran down the corridor to luggage claim. I didn’t have her enthusiasm. She slowed for me as I moseyed behind her with my luggage. I was in no rush to freeze. I unwrapping a cherry Jolly Rancher lollipop continued at my leisurely pace stopping in front of Zac. “Here.” I dumped my heavy duffel into his arms. It was killing my shoulders. “Thanks,” I said when he actually took it. I half expected him to let it fall to the floor. “Have a nice flight?” he asked. “Yeah, two nice naps.” “Good so you won’t be tired and I can take you and Codi sightseeing.” “I will see the sights from the hotel.” “No you won’t,” Codi interjected. “You’re not staying cooped up in a hotel in New York. Button up your coat hon. You don’t wanna catch a cold now, do ya?” Buttoning the big black buttons on my long deep plum coat I stuck out my tongue. “So cute this one is,” she teased again. “With such impeccable manners.”

My manners were fine! Stepping outside of the airport my face was hit with cold air. The air was thin, it wasn’t refreshingly salty. The sky was gray not blue and I‘m sure it was cold as hell but with such a thick sweater and my coat I couldn‘t feel anything. I was sure of one thing though, this trip would require lots and lots of moisturizer. “Zac?” I said in the awful yellow taxi. “What?” “Let me see sketches of the clothes I’m taking pictures of and sign this.” I handed him a typed on piece of paper in exchange for a flip book of really fun clothes. This was going to be so perfect! I had already cleared a diner-like place for the shoot. I needed a place to add a funky sense of reality to shoot and fun once the kids started acting natural. They were actual kids. People who the clothes were really made for. The only model was Codi but you couldn‘t really tell that looking at her. “Thank you,” I said taking back the paper I gave to Zac. In the midst of the size four letters, lengthy words, and longwinded sentences he basically gave me total creative freedom of the shoot. “You’re opening one of these stores in LA. You don’t have a choice, and it has to be on Rodeo Drive,” Codi told Zac. Saffyre on Rodeo Drive, that’s really funny.

Our hotel, if you could call it that, was more like a small apartment. “Come in the kitchen! The freezer is huge!” Codi announced as I hung up my clothes in the closet, set my laptop on my bed, and put the stuff needed for the shoot in a drawer. “What’s wrong with you?” Codi asked, falling onto my bed where I sat tapping at keys on the keyboard. “Nothing.” “L. I. E.,” she spelled out. “And I’m not talking about the Long Island Express.” “Shut up.” “What’s wrong?” “I don’t really hate New York. I’m supposed to but I don’t. I just don’t like the cold but that’s get-over-able.” A big bright smile flashed on Codi’s face. The pillow beside me then hit my face. “Codi you are so stupid!” I laughed arming myself and knocking her in the head. “Hey!” she squealed. “No bruising the model.” “Shut up,” I snapped hitting her again. I suffered a killer headshot.

The pillow fight was stopped when the phone rang. “Hello?” “I don’t even wanna know why you’re breathing so heavily Katrina,” Zac said with so much sarcasm. “Pillow fight, you perv!” “That’s what they’re calling it now?” “Yep,” I chimed as Codi slid a brush in my hand and shot me a sweet little Codi look so I’d fix her hair. “What are you doing?” he asked. “Fixing Codi’s hair.” “As long as you’re having fun.” “I am.” “You are what?” Codi asked from her spot on the floor. “Nothing Codi, mind your business.” “Your business is my business.” “How so?” “If you don’t tell me now you’ll just tell me later.” “Hush yourself woman,” I said to her as I tuned her out. “Do you think you could leave the hotel without turning into a block of ice?” he asked being a smart ass. “I guess I maybe possibly could. Why?” “Time’s Square.” “Oh.” “How long will it take you and Codi to get ready?” “I don’t know,” I shrugged. “Just show up whenever. If we’re ready, we’re ready. If we’re not, sit your ass down and wait.” “Alright, bye Katrina.” “Laters.” “Where we going?” Codi asked, talking like a kid, leaving out words. “Time’s Square.” “Sounds fun.” “I know.”

“You changing clothes?” Codi asked. “Nope. You?” “Not my clothes. I’m changing my hair.” She held up a box of hair dye. She threw it at me. “Cherry Candy Red,” I read off the box. “You want me to put this shit in your hair?” “Please Katrina?” “No.” “Please,” Codi begged, whimpering on her knees. “But I like your pink hair.” “I need to change my hair color.” “Why?” “I just want to. Please Kat.” “Oh fine, come on.” I dragged her into the bathroom and dropped a pillow on the floor. “Take your shirt off and get on your knees,” I told her, gesturing towards the pillow. “Bet that’s a line you hear a lot,” I said sarcastically. “I hear it more than some people in this room.” “I hear it enough. Heard it from Marc the night before we left.” “Really?” she asked playing along. “Yeah really.” I squeezed the red stuff on her hair. With gloves on my hands I worked the dye through her hair. “Now sit here and shut up for thirty minutes,” I ordered. “Marc told you that too, huh?” Codi laughed. “Yeah he did,” I joked, admitingly. “Right after he said how much better than you I was.” “As long as Marc enjoyed it,” Codi smiled. I laughed. Just in case any of you think that I actually did anything with Marc, No I did not! That was just a joke.

In a little over half an hour I bent Codi over the side of the tub and ran water on her hair. “Eww,” I squeaked as all of this reddish stuff came off her scalp. When the red stuff stopped rinsing off her hair was this really bold bright shade of red. I wrapped a towel around her head. I covered her face on purpose. “Hey woman, watch the face,” Codi complained from under the towel. I whipped out the battery powered hair dryer and unwrapped her wet red hair. Drying her hair I started planning how I was going to fix it. “I miss Marc,” Codi sighed heavily. “I’m sorry, I miss him too.” “No Katrina, I really miss him.” She was seriously sad. “Fly him out here?” “He’s busy.” “Too busy for you? Doing what?” “College and surfing.” “Poor baby,” I cooed giving her a hug. “Why can’t there be surf in New York? Stupid unsurfable Atlantic Ocean,” she pouted, folding her arms. “Blame it on the ocean.” “Shut up.”

“Calm down,” I told her, combing a part down the middle of her empty little Codi head. “Find something to watch.” “Okay,” she said, sounding like a baby. “An old Tarzan movie,” I protested in slight disgust. “You never said find anything decent.” “Alright Codi,” I gave up, putting her hair in twin french braids. “Yanno, this movie is so messed up. There’s a damn lion on here. Lion’s don’t live in the jungle they live in grasslands,” she analyzed. “And that elephant is clearly an Indian not African Elephant,” I noticed. “You can tell by the smallness of the ears.” “They really should plan these movies better.” We always over analyze movies. Like in Westside Story, how many gangs do you know spend time learning dances and singing. Then again, spontaneous song and dance is just weird in itself. When I finished wrapping bright blue rubber bands around the ends of her braids she got up and put on a green sweater with blue sleeves that matched her bands and a big white snowflake in the center. “Codi, change sweaters!” I was terribly frightened by that sweater.

She changed into a sweater identical to mine. Soft material that was tightly woven instead of thick and uncomfortable. Thinly striped in purple, green, blue, red, and orange with black sleeves. “Great, now I hafta change sweaters.” I don’t like wearing the same thing as Codi unless we plan it. I changed into a black sweater with a huge scarlet A in the center, outlined with gold threading. “Going for the adulteress look?” Codi asked as I dusted off my black flare pants. “ Nope, it’s just a shirt.” That was inspired by The Scarlet Letter. I made it myself. I just sewed the A onto the shirt. “Right,” Codi smirked as I tied my black snow boots. The boots were more for protection from cold wind and icy puddles than from snow. Codi had a pair in pink that reminded me of Miss Piggy boots I had when I was a girl in Baltimore. Thank the stars she left those and had on her tan ones with pink laces.

“It’s not snowing,” I stated strongly sitting on the bed. “Why not?” “Snow is manky. I hate snow and it’s not snowing. It can do that shit after we leave.” “Okay Katrina.” “You know I’m right.” “Of course you are. Katrina is always right.” “Damn straight.” “It was just a sweater Kat,” Codi assured me as we walked down some over crowded New York street. “What is she talking about?” Zac asked looking at me weird. “Nothing,” I chimed playfully as my feet stepped through a shallow puddle. Despite a few things, New York was actually sort of cool. The city had a lot of atmosphere, funky looking people, and lots of places to by clothes. “Delia’s!” Codi yelled out of the blue. “What?” “Delia’s has stores in New York.” “Do you have the new catalog?” I asked. “No, we can get it from somewhere.” “Oh, that reminds me, Saffyre is putting out a catalog.” “It is?” Zac asked. “Yes. Especially at first without stores nationwide. Delia’s and Abercrombie & Fitch get lots of sales from their catalogs.”

“I guess,” Zac agreed. “Think about it, Saffyre starts in New York. Pictures are in teen mags and Circus. A catalog is put out at certain stores and can be ordered from the mags it‘s in. People catch on and Saffyre spreads to LA, Charlotte, and London at first. Then we put some in the Midwest for the neglected people and if you can’t get to the store catalogs come fairly frequently. Sound good?” The Midwest thing was mainly for Codi who’s from Minnesota. “Katrina, do you want to work for Saffyre?” Zac asked sarcastically. “No,” I declined. “Question, are the labels on the pants yet?” I asked. “Yeah.” “Where?” “On the band in the back.” “Give me the girl pants. The labels should be centered on the back right pocket. I can go in a few hours before the shoot and fix it.” “Keep the guy’s labels were they are, that’s cool I think.” “I thought about putting the girl’s labels there at first,” Zac admitted. “Never go against your first instinct,” I advised. “Especially in fashion, just follow your instincts and whims.” “Are you sure you don’t want to work at Saffyre?” Zac repeated. “Pretty much. I’ll just give you ideas and fix your mistakes.” “Aww, thanks Katrina.” “It’s what I’m here for,” I chimed.

Really, there weren’t too many mistakes for me to fix. With Codi’s help the labels were ripped off and resewn rather quickly. By the time the other thirteen kids showed up at the diner we were done. I knew from the minute I met Caprice this was going to be fun. I liked her. Not only did she remind me of me when I was fifteen, but she was reading one of my books. “No! No! No!” I heard a girl’s voice split through the buzz as everyone came in. I looked over at her. She slammed down The Wrath of the Karmian Empire. “What’s wrong?” I looked up from my camera and asked her. “This story,” she spat sounding enraged.

“He died. Serenity can’t do this. Let the reader fall in love with Rain then have him die! How could she do that to Karma? Oh my gosh, see, now what’s Karma gonna do without Rain? I swear that’s an injustice! Serenity should be shot for this but this is really a good story.” I smiled inwardly. That’s exactly why I killed Rain. Dramatic irony. I know how she felt though. Reading that story enrages me too sometimes. “It’s just a story,” I told her flatly. “No it’s not,” she contradicted me. “It is but it’s more than that. You get wrapped up in this story. You start feeling what Karma feels.” “You really like that book, huh?” I asked. “I love it. I got it yesterday and read until my Dad turned my light off. Then he got mad when I was reading at breakfast. He doesn’t understand, Serenity Flame is like a literary genius. When she writes it’s addictive. You can’t just put down a Serenity Flame novel.”

I really liked this girl. “What’s your name?” I asked her. “Caprice, but everyone calls me Noodles.” “Noodles?” I repeated. “The hair,” explained pointing to her purple tipped black spirals. “You read Serenity Flame much?” “I have everything she’s put out. In Love Always, Max I was so happy when Max killed Antonio. Her final monologue to his corpse was so powerful!” “Noodles, I’m Katrina.” “Nice to meet you. I love what you did in White Rabbit,” she complemented me again. Did I mention I liked her? “Black and white with only the rose petals in color.” “Noodles, I really like you so I’m going to tell you a secret.” “What?” “I’m Serenity Flame.” “No way!” “Yeah I am. Serenity Flame is an alias from a story an ex of mine wrote like eight years ago.” “How do I know you’re not lying?” “Trust me. Give me your book.” She slid it to me. I pulled out my pen. It’s a signature, one of a kind, custom made pen. I signed her book. To Noodles who reminded me of the reason I write in the first place, to stir human emotion -Serenity Flame

Let’s just say she believed me after that. Ego inflation over now, time to play. Like I said we were in a diner with tables, a record player and a counter. For motivation I just told the kids to go crazy and be natural. Natural for teenage kids is sitting there in a big group talking, while forming smaller bonds in the big group. As I took pictures of them sitting at pushed together tables and the counter. One guy, Kyle pulled out a radio. He put in a burned cd of blared out as random songs. I laughed royally as these kids took on rockstar roles singing songs from their seats. When Kyle’s cd got around to Awful, by Hole Becki jumped up onto the counter. She was dressed in denim skater pants with a plethora of pockets and a green shirt with fuzzy lettering. The block of fuzzy letters revealed this message, What are you looking at? when you get close enough. She looked nothing like Courtney Love on that counter with her brown hair in pigtails and her feet in stripy toe-socks.

“Future Rhapsody girl,” I girl joked after we had closed out the shoot. “The game of tag that broke out was fun,” Codi mused
sounding like she had enjoyed a shoot where all she had to do was not act like a model. “We need to go shopping,” I realized. “Why this time?” “Clothes for Rhapsody.” “Kewl, let’s go.” “After dinner.” “What’s dinner?” “Greasy pizza sound kewl?” “Yummy.” “What are you two talking about?” Zac asked joining us at one of the tables. The diner was opening so we decided to stay there for dinner. “Clothes,” Codi said quickly. “Shopping,” I followed suit. Zac’s eyes ping-ponged a skeptical glance back and forth. “What?” I demanded feeling oddly uncomfortable with the looks. “You two,” Zac suspected something. “What’s going on?” “Nothing,” Codi cringed. “There is something. Katrina, I know when you’re hiding stuff.” “Fine,” I sighed as our pizza was sat down on the table. “Codi and I were talking about going shopping because we need new clothes for Rhapsody.”

That disgusted look came over Zac’s face again. “What?” “You know I don’t like you working there Kat.” “Why not?” “It’s dirty, that place is gross.” “But you had fun that night didn’t you?” “What guy wouldn’t. Still you shouldn’t work there.” “What makes me any different from Nikki or Codi even.” “I didn’t used to date Nikki or Codi.” “So, that’s no reason for me working there to bother you. I can see if I was a stripper or a hooker or something but damn, all I do is dance on a bar-” “And push your tits in some guy’s face.” “So they’re mine! I can do what I want with them. It‘s not my fault cleavage makes him empty his wallet.” “Katrina-” my cell phone rang. “Hold that thought,” I stopped him. “Hello?” “Katrina, Love, it’s Anna.” “Anna, hi.” “You’re still in New York?” “Yeah, what’s up?” “The LunarChild Winter Holiday party.” “Oh, I’ll be there. I fly back home tomorrow at seven.” “Oh, that’s wonderful! Call me when you get home, maybe we’ll do lunch or dinner or something.” “Anna, that sounds great. Laters.”

“Was that Anna McQueen?” Codi asked filling a silence. “Yeah, that was my Mommy McQueen,” I said sounding a baby. “What did she want?” “Nothing,” I said eating pizza with really stringy cheese. “Kat, guess what?” Codi brought up. “What?” “I am going to be in the next Hilfigure shoot.” “So, I’m still mad that you go to work Versace.” “Oh shut up, you get to be all talky with all the designers and have random kids sing your praises.” “Like Nick wasn’t all over you today.” “Eww Katrina, he is a nineteen-year-old skater guy who can’t tell his ass from a hole in the ground. I’m twenty-two. That’s just nasty.” I laughed at her, Sprite almost coming out of my nose. May the Gods bless Codi who always saw fit to talk about herself to keep Zac and me from verbally killing each other.

When the greasy cheesy pizza disappeared I walked out of the diner with Codi. I threw my camera stuff into the Toyota Echo I was renting. I sighed and drove back to the hotel. I was too... too out of it to shop. I stood outside the hotel for a while. Leaning back against the wall staring up at the sky, my gloved hands shoved into my coat pockets. My breath condensed on the air. I turned and as I was walking into the hotel I heard a cat mew. I looked down. At my Prada boots was a fluffy gray kitten. It was so little and the night was so cold. I scooped it up and slid it in my pocket. Back in the hotel room I just fell onto my bed as Codi was in the middle of packing. My kitten, who I named Apple, crawled from my pocket and onto my stomach. “What’s that?” Codi pointed at the gray fur-ball on my stomach. “It’s my wittle kitten, Apple.” “Kat with her cat,” Codi smiled. “Awful pun Codi, you should be kicked for that.” “Who’s gonna do it?” “Apple,” I cooed stroking his fur.

I spent hours with that cat. I spooned him milk and fed him tuna. After my shower, I slept with him between Codi and me. “Oh my googles!” I heard Codi scream at four in the morning. “What is it Codi,” I sprang up from the bed and ran over to the window. I looked out at a cold dark morning with feet of snow on the ground and huge flakes swirling in the air. “Peachy,” I sighed, knowing the flight was canceled and the roads were un-drive-on-able, going back to sleep. I wasn’t that mad though. I just sat there playing with Apple while I washed more clothes. “I’m playing in it!” Codi squeaked pulling on layers and layers of clothes before running outside. While she played in the snow I grabbed a glove of mine. With some cuts, some stitches and snips the glove turned into a body warmer for Apple. With my Apple all bundled up I joined Codi outside in the snow.

My feet crunched into the white powder. I looked down at it. My face quirked. “What, you never seen snow before?” “I have, just not in a while. It just feels strange.” I gently sat Apple down and picked up a handful of snow as more of it fell onto me, sticking to my hair. In the snow, Codi looked like an angel. Apple’s head popped up as he fell through the top layer of snow. I ran up to the room. I came back with my camera. “Give!” Codi said taking my camera. “Go over there and do nothing,” she imitated me as I went over there and did nothing. As snow fell on me she took pictures. When I picked up Apple and brushed him off, she took pictures. Soon we heard tires screeching. Joining us in the snow was Zac. “Who are you and what have you done to Katrina?” He said grabbing my face in his hands. “I killed her.” “Why?” “She bothered me so I killed her.” “But I loved her,” he pouted sweetly looking so cute.

Somehow, I knew he meant it. I leaned forward and kissed his lips. I faintly heard Codi aww from somewhere in the snowy background. “I love you too,” I said as snow fell on us. “The snow, it’s sticking to you.” “I don’t mind.” “You don’t?” “No.” “Not even a little?” “Nope.” “Then stay.” “In New York?” “Yeah.” “With you?” “Mmm-hmm.” “Really?” My answer came to me in a kiss. I smiled girlishly and hugged him. I should have done this years ago.


July 13, 2001
Serenity Flame