+++ This is a fictional story. +++
Elle gets off her taxi, looks up at this enormous glass building, Headquarter of POSE Magazine.
Elle feels a little self-conscious of her usual business casual outfit. After all, POSE is a leading fashion magazine in NY, and Chief Editor of Pose, Joyce Ma, is like a goddess in this business. But Elle has nothing else to wear. She just graduated from college one year ago, sharing a tiny flat with 2 other girls. That’s all she has. So, she just takes a deep breath, and steps in.
“Hi, I’m Elle Watson from NY Press. I have an appointment from Joyce Ma.”
The model-looking reception girl just stared her up and down, and tells her to wait a minute.
Elle sits uncomfortably on the lobby coach, wondering if she did or said something wrong. Then, a very cheerful friendly girl not much older than her comes to greet her.
“Hi, I’m Jenny, and an assistant here. Please follow me.” She gives Elle a blink.
Elle thought that Jenny would lead her directly to Joyce Ma’s office, but instead she is being led to a dressing room. “What’s on earth??”
Jenny makes her sit down, and speaks with matter-of-fact tone. “You know, Joyce Ma is really picky with how people dress. If she sees that you look like just came out of supermarket, she will think that you disrespect her, and she will shut the door on your face. So, I’m here to save you. Don’t worry, I’ve been doing this everyday.”
“I see. Thanks. But who are you?”
“Oh, I’m just a dressing assistant aka makeup assistant aka whatever…. Haha, never mind.” Jenny laughs a lot.
“Well, do you have any makeup on at all?”
“Oh, I don’t…”
“Okay, never mind. People often have misconception that makeup would damage your skin, but it won’t, if you apply the right makeup and remove it thoroughly. It actually form a protective layer on the skin, against UV and air pollution, thus good for you!” Jenny talks happily, while quickly brushing these and that on Elle’s face.
“See, it looks natural, but you look totally different now.”
“Oh… Wow!” Elle blinks and blinks in front of the mirror. Indeed, Jennifer gave her hair & face a makeover in just 5 min. Now, she finally looks like a NewYorker!
The meeting went smoothly, thanks to Jenny. When Elle walks out of Joyce Ma’s office, she feels like singing, hopping like a little girl. Jenny greets her again.
“It’s nice to meet you. You are so different from all the girls around here. Like fresh air.”
“Really?” Elle wonders if being different is a compliment or not.
“Yeah. Oh sorry, I gotta go save somebody else now. See you! Have a nice day!”
“Oh… sure! See you! I’ll just go catch a cab…”
Jenny suddenly turns around and barks. “Nooo!! Call a car at the reception!! Don’t catch a cab. You can put it on us!!”
“Really? Okay… thanks.” Elle speaks sheepishly, but she is glad that Jenny gave her such a kind advice.
Then they part their away. Elle walks up to the reception. The model-looking girl has disappeared. Instead, a doorman-looking middle-aged man was smiling at her.
“Hi, can you help me … call… car please?” Elle was looking at the doorman at first, but a shinny red sports car suddenly pulls up at the front door, and a handsome tall trim man in French-cut suit steps out of the car. In half a second, Elle & that man look into each other’s eyes.
Elle doesn’t remember anything, it was as if she was hit by lightning, she suddenly forgot what she was doing… and then back to herself, quietly walks over to the coach and waits.
That man is Angus Godsmith. He is a well-established investor, just had a business meeting at a nearby building, but all these buildings have shared parking, so he come here to pick up his car, and uses the bathroom.
Angus also felt like hit by something. He has seen plenty of beautiful women. He gets invitations to premieres or parties all the time, but this girl looks as if she is from a different world.
Fresh, simple, ignorant, shy. She isn’t here to impress or seduce or conquer. She is not all sophisticated & confident like other girls here. Instead, she just looks like a girl lost in the woods, make you wonder where she came from, and want to give her a hug.
He continues to stare at her while he walks across the hall. Here she is, spreading her arms and gives a lazy stretch. She looks so cute, like a snow white just waking up. Who is she?
Then, the doorman comes up to Elle, and speaks with a respectful tone. “Madam, your car is here.”
Elle gathers her bag and hurries to the door, but she doesn’t see any taxi. “Where?”
The red shinny car stops next to her, and Angus opens the passenger side’s window. “Hi, don’t you need a ride?” He smiles casually, such a handsome face.
“But I don’t know you…” Elle hesitates and looks a little scared.
“Oh yeah, but the doorman thought we knew each other. He called me for your car.” Angus laughs like a naughty boy.
“And you don’t mind?”
“I don’t. I can give you a ride. Don’t worry, I won’t eat you.”
That’s the beginning of another Cinderella’s story. It happens anytime, anywhere. If you are lucky, you’ll see one!
+++ The End +++