{*}Underneath All the Make-Up{*} A Novel... (+ 11/1/10)

Chapter 28



‘Ms Kamaria, your client is here’
I looked up at Alice and smiled. ‘Good she’s early let her in’
I stood up and arranged my things on my desk before getting my writing pad and a pen.
‘Hi Lisa’
‘Hi Kamaria...I’m too early?’
‘No it’s ok’
‘Ok...here is my journal. I wrote in it every night’
‘Good! Let’s get started than’

She settled down on the floor where she sat the last time and I browsed through her journal briefly.
‘Well...It seems you are getting used to being around Trey but not other guys’
‘Yeah, thing is I really like Trey. When he is around me I feel ok, I feel safe. But with other guys I feel as if they trying to hurt me’
‘Has Trey done or said something to make you feel like this?’
‘Well...I wrote it down. He kissed me and made sure I felt it’
‘Explain that a bit’
‘Ok...well he kinda made me feel relaxed if you know what I mean and then he reassured me of keeping me safe and then when I felt at ease we kissed. It was wonderful’

I flipped through her journal and saw she had written those exact words down. ‘It seems we are making progress, but Trey has always been around you Lisa, so it’s normal for you to let him in quickly. But we need to look at other men now. In your line of work you meet many of those and the task I have for you this time is to get close to one of them. Not like with Trey, but friendly’
She opened her eyes wide in shock. ‘Can I?’
‘Off course you can. It’s not hard, you must fight your past so that it doesn’t torment you anymore’
‘Ok...and I should keep writing it down’
‘Yes and I will see you next week. We seem to be moving faster then I expected’
‘Is there a reason for this?’
‘I believe that Trey has a positive effect on you and it’s causing you to open up at least to him and soon other guys’
She stood up and smiled. ‘Thank you so much Kay...It’s amazing how meeting you has made such a difference in my life’
‘I’m here to help you Lisa cuz I’m not just your shrink...but I’m you friend first’
She nodded and walked out and after setting another appointment with Alice I stepped back into my office and lay down on the couch with a cup of tea. I had no more appointments until this afternoon.

‘Ms Jadestone?’
‘Yes Alice?’
‘There is a young men who wants to see you’
‘Urm...oh well. Let him in then’
She nodded and stepped aside so that the person could get in. I had my back turned to the man while I walked back to my desk. I was looking for another writing pad on my table. ‘How can help you?’ I looked up and dropped everything immediately.
‘Am I intruding?’
‘Oh Laython...No...Not at all’
‘I just wanted to come by and invite you out to lunch’
‘Oh lunch I cannot do today as I have lots of appointments this afternoon...urm...how’s dinner?’
‘Dinner? Great!’
‘Ok...call me then’
He smiled and walked out closing the door behind him. He looked dead gorgeous in a black suit. Must be because he has an interview. I hadn’t seen him since the party and I was beginning to wonder if anything he had said was serious. I wasn’t sure if I could trust him. Why hadn’t he called me since then? Was it because I didn’t sleep with him? I decided to call Rachel and ask for her help.

‘Hey Kay...what’s up?’
‘Rache are you at the office?’
‘Urm...not really’
‘WHAT? Rache...Laython got that interview with you today! I need you to grill him’
‘Why is that? You interested?’
‘Rache please...I know nothing about him and I just want to know what I’m getting into before I actually get into it’
I heard her giggling in the background ‘Ok Kay...I’ll see what I can do for your loved up ass’
‘Thanks...and where the hell are you?’
‘Home!’
‘Not alone I presume’ I laughed hearing Trevor shout out hi to me and then Rachel told him to get up so she could leave too.
‘Kay I’ll call you as soon as I’m done with him ok?’
‘Thanks...love ya!’
‘Ciao!’

I hung up and sighed. I hope that Rache could actually figure out Laython. I didn’t even know his surname. What was I getting myself into?

Chapter 29



‘Call me when you’re done and I’ll come pick you up babe’
‘Yep yep!’
I climbed out the car after a quick kiss which was snapped by the paps. I smiled and waved as Trevor drove away and then I turned on my heels and walked into the building.

‘Morning Ms’
‘Morning Clint’
I greeted everyone and walked to the lift. A hand held the doors open as they began to close and Laython stepped in.
‘Oh hi Laython’
‘Oh Rachel right?’
‘Yep! You come for the interview right?’
‘Yes...urm is it with you or somebody else?’
‘Well, I have meetings to carry out right now so I’ll introduce you to the person who will be interviewing you’
‘Ok that’s cool’

I walked out on the floor which contained my office and I walked to Maria’s office. She was in charge of recruitment of workers and she smiled when I walked in.
‘Hey Ms Rachel’
‘Maria stop calling me Ms!’
She laughed and I pulled Laython in, ‘this young man needs a job and I need you to interview him, once you’re done with him I want to ask him some questions too so send him to my office. I should be done with the staff meeting in 30 minutes or so’
She nodded and urged Laython to sit down. They got into it as soon as I closed the doors. I called my secretary and got her to call everybody for the morning staff meeting.

‘Good morning everybody’ I smiled at everyone making sure they were all comfortable, ‘now we have a huge job to do. The stores have opened all over California and we need to work on opening a few chains in New York and Miami. Has anybody got any news to report about the launching?’
An intern who I liked very much raised her hands. ‘Yes Jane?’
‘Well Ms, all the magazines and newspapers have been praising you and the stores. They find that the clothes are very stylish and affordable to the ordinary women who aren’t rich. There hasn’t been any bad critics...apart from them saying you should start an accessories line as well!’
‘Good...I’m happy people love it, but remember people it’s not all me! We are a team in here and all the good things that are happening is because of all of you...not only me’, Jane raised her hands again, ‘yes Jane?’
‘Urm...I got a call from one of the Kardashians. They won’t to include your clothes in their stores’
‘That’s good, have them call me and we can set up a meeting...Good job Jane’
The others clapped and cheered a bit for her. It seemed everybody was fond of her, especially when we all learnt that she had recently buried her mother.
We discussed some other matters before I ended the meeting by giving out some tasks for everyone. Once they filed out I went to my main office and sat down in my chair turning it around to look out the window at the sky high buildings. It was hard to believe that I came from where I did and now I’m a house hold name.

‘Are you done?’
I turned around and looked up and saw Laython stick his head in my office. I removed my glasses and smiled. This is what Kamaria waiting for. ‘Come in Laython’
He walked in and sat down opposite from me. I studied him for a second trying to figure out what attracted Kamaria to this guy. He had a nice chocolate colour and a strong masculine look. His shoulders were large and he looked well built. I chuckled at the thought that only Kay would know how well built he was.

‘So Laython...urm...I didn’t catch your full name?’
‘It’s Laython Daniel Greene’
‘Ok Mr Greene...tell me about yourself. Where are you from?’
‘Well...my mum is from Cuba actually and my dad is from Miami. They met, fell in love, had me and my sisters and we moved to L.A when I was 14. I was at UCLA for college and just graduated. Top of my class if I may add. My parents are separated at the moment and I have to take care of my baby sister along with a teenager’
‘Wow...so with all of that do you think that you could handle this job? I require a lot of devotion and concentration’
‘No doubt...apart from taking care of my sisters, doing this kind of work is what I love and when I work I don’t let anything tear me away’
‘Ok Laython...I need to ask this. Any felonies?’
He chuckled a bit. ‘No...maybe a speeding ticket but that’s it. But my dad was convicted for drug trafficking. I think that’s what made my mum leave him’
I wrote down some information as he talked some more about his family. ‘Ok well, I think that’s it for now. You seem devoted and I like that in my employers. I will take to Maria and see what she says and then I’ll have her call you as soon we come up with something’
‘Great...so thank you very much’
‘Ok Laython...bye’
He got up and walked away. I was on the phone by the time he got to the lift. Kamaria was probably doing circles in her office waiting for me to call her.

‘Ms Rachel...sorry to disturb but you got a visitor’ I looked up frustrated and sighed putting the phone down. ‘Ok send whoever it is in’
I fixed my hair and looked up. ‘You don’t look happy to see me’ my face registered pure shock at the sight of the person who walked into my office. Talk about a blast from the past.

Chapter 30



I had a music video to go shoot after my appointment with Kamaria. I was excited as this was my 1st music video where I had to learn some dance moves and show them to the world. I knew Rachelle would be there but she was a dancer by profession, so she would be really good.
I parked my car and fixed my hair before I climbed out. Rachelle was standing by her car waiting for me. She had crossed her arms and was tapping her feet to the beat from her iPod.

‘Hey Rae’
I waved so she would see me and she walked up to me. Her face did not look very happy.
‘Your brother is a two time lying son a...Gurl I would insult your ma’
‘What happened Rae? What did Marcus do?’
‘Gurl...I was at a club where I used to dance and I saw him with a girl all over him’
I was in shock because I knew my brother was a lady’s men but not to that extent. Rae was mad about what he had done and I didn’t blame her. I was angry too.
‘Rae don’t worry...Ima talk to the idiot. I can’t believe he doing this to one of my best friends’
‘Yeah well...I swear I don’t wanna see him again’
‘Ok...are you sure?’
‘Yep. Well maybe later, but not right now!’

I took her hand and led her inside. There were lots of men and I remembered my tasks from Kay. I knew I would be dancing with one of them very closely so I decided that it’s time to try and mingle.
‘Hey Rae, I need your help for a task.’
‘What you need?’
‘I need to get friendly with my male co-stars. It’s what Kamaria suggested to me’
‘Ok, well let’s mingle then’
I smiled and linked arms with her as she led me to a group of boys. ‘Hey guys, what’s up?’
She began talking to them and I was just in awe at how easy she made it look. The guys were talking to her like old friends and I found that none of them were trying to make sexual advances or anything.
‘Hey so this is our leading lady Lisa. Joey I think you are the lucky guy who gets to dance with her’
The guy called Joey smiled at me and approached me. Automatically I backed away slowly but Rae grabbed my hand preventing me from moving all the way back.
‘Hi Lisa’
‘Oh...hey Joey’

‘Ok people...get in your costumes and be ready in ONE hour’ yelled the director causing us all to rush in all directions to get ready. During make-up Joey and I spent a lot time chatting. I realized soon after that I was very comfortable now and I was even talking to the other boys who were sitted opposite from me. Rae looked at me in the mirror and gave me the thumbs up sign. I smiled happy that I was actually able to be around these guys I barely knew. Kamaria would be proud of me for doing my tasks so well. I just hoped that I would be able to do all this on my own. Today Rae was with me and she did most of the introductions, would I be able to do it on my own?



Lisa looked so comfortable with the guys that I couldn’t help but be proud of her. My phone vibrated irritating the hell out of me. I looked at it and read a text message from Marcus.
Please talk to me Rachelle. I can explain everything.
I’m too busy right now with work.
Can I come over later on? Please?
Fine. Come at 7 and you shall leave at 8.
Thank you.
I sighed and switched off my phone. I didn’t like to be disturbed when working and I needed to concentrate right now.

For the next 3 hours we did scenes after scenes non-stop until the director said it’s a wrap for today. Tomorrow we would be doing the same thing again. Lisa and I walked to my car.
‘So your brother coming over at 7’
‘Why?’
‘He asked to let him come and explain’
‘Ok’
‘You may lose a brother tonight!’
She laughed out loud and pinched me playfully. ‘Hurt him...with words only. I’ll be doing all the hitting when I get home later’
‘Oh well...I guess so. I’ll see what he says when he gets home. But call me when you’re done with him ok?’
‘Off course’
‘Oh and you did well today...Tomorrow you gon approach them yourself. ALONE’
‘Yeah...I’ll try really hard Rae’
‘See ya...CALL ME!’

She was giggling as she got to her car. I waited for her to get in and pull out of the parking and drive off before I did the same. I was only making sure I had an eye on her in case that dumb negro decided to try anything again. I took my phone and switched it back on so I could make a call.
‘Hello’
‘Yes Rae...what up baby?’
‘All good...so what’s going on?’
‘With your deal?’
‘Yeah’
He chuckled a bit, ‘you in a hurry huh?’
‘Not really but it would be safer if it was done quickly’
‘Ok baby. It’s going down tonight, tomorrow morning the latest’
‘Great. Make sure it’s not traceable’
‘Girl who you talking too’
I laughed before answering. ‘I know. I’m out’
‘Ayt. Later baby’
I hung up satisfied. Ain’t no mother fucker messing with my friends. Not on my watch.