CHAPTER 25
*PRESENT*
“Fashion show”
Aaron
Cassie’s fashion show was situated in a very beautiful place in the city center of Málaga. The sun was starting to set and the sky was changing color, looking like a watercolor of oranges and pinks.
The weather was perfect, and the view from our VIP seats was stunning. The runway had a smaller Roman theater and an Arab fortified palace as a background, both clear influences of the history of this city.
It was the first time that I had seen such a mixture of cultures in the same space, living together.
Cassie made sure we were wearing the right clothes for the occasion. We all were wearing Cassie and Selena’s designer brands.
I was very proud of my little sister. She had been working very hard for years to get here. After some failures, her clothing line became a success.
She started it a couple of years ago with her colleague from her art college, Selena. I only met her once, but she and my sister seemed to be great friends.
My family and I were sitting in the first row surrounded by actors, singers, and celebrities. I recognized some of them. One drew my attention, a pop singer with long, dark hair and a serious aura.
She and my sister were splashed on the cover of a gossip magazine some months back, and everyone wanted to know if they were dating.
I asked Cassie about it, but she told me not to listen to rumors. I believed her, but I must admit the photos of the two of them together seemed cozy, and my sister looked so ecstatic in all of them.
I hoped the pop singer didn’t break my sister’s heart. This was my sister’s day, and she wouldn’t have invited her otherwise.
My sister and Selena had all these famous people wanting to know what they were going to do next. I looked at Maya, and she had the same face of pride and awe for what my sister had accomplished.
Maya knew how hard my sister had worked since she was little. She listened to her and saw her cry when she thought she would get nowhere because of her difficulties to study and focus. She proved herself wrong.
Maya grabbed my hand and squeezed it. The lights turned down and the show started. A line of models started to catwalk. The clothes had a lot of color and different fabrics. The style was eclectic, but also like something coming out of a fantasy book.
It matched perfectly with the stunning background.
We applauded, and Maya and I looked at each other like proud parents. My sister and Selena came out from behind the scenes and walked to the middle of the stage.
I saw Carlo get tense beside me. He didn’t do loud places with many people, but he came to support Cassie. I got closer to him, knowing that the best way to soothe him was to talk to him, making him focus on something else.
“It was a great show, don’t you think?”
I asked happily.
“Is that Cassie’s associate?”
He surprised me by changing subject.
“Yes, you haven’t met her?”
“Not yet.”
“Her name’s Selena.”
He nodded but kept looking at her.
We applauded and they left. Once the show was over, we took some photos on the stage and waited until Cassie came out to take some photos and do some interviews. Selena was doing the same. It was clear from the dynamic that my sister liked the cameras much more than Selena. My brother kept looking at Selena with a frown. I didn’t have any idea where that was coming from.
Do they know each other?
When my sister finished her duties, she came and we took some photos with her. She was talking too fast to understand much of what she was saying until a voice cut her off.
“Congratulations, Cassandra.”
We looked to the side and the pop singer was next to us. “Delightful show.”
My sister became speechless, and it was the first time that I saw her doing that. She mumbled something and Daphne left.
My sister’s cheeks were red and Maya and I exchanged looks. Something was definitely going on.
Does my sister have a crush on the singer?
Before we could ask her about it, she left saying that she needed to check something. I saw the look between my parents. They were thinking the same as us.
It was new, seeing Cassie so flushed and shy.
“I’m betting something’s going on,”
sang my wife with a wide grin.
“Something’s definitely going on,”
I replied, matching her smile.
Evelyn was congratulating Selena while she nodded happily with a huge bouquet on her hands.
“I’m Carlo,”
my brother said, interrupting. “Cassie’s brother.”
He moved and put his hands closer to her, wanting for her to shake hands with him.
Evelyn gasped. Selena looked back at her without understanding anything.
She shook his hand with a puzzled expression on her face.
“Your earrings match your eyes,”
Carlo declared, unfazed by the looks from our family.
Selena had heterochromia. Her right eye was hazel and her left one a light green, almost grey.
On her right ear, she was wearing a dangle earring with a sun. In the middle of the sun was a brown crystal. On the left, a moon with a crystal of the same green as her eyes.
She blushed and just nodded. Carlo was mesmerized and was smiling at her with soft eyes.
Someone came asking for Selena and she left with a small goodbye. Carlo didn’t move from his place. I got closer and surprised him by touching his shoulder.
“We have a reservation for dinner, Carlo.”
He followed me. We found the restaurant Cassie had reserved for us, and I grabbed my wife’s chair and pulled it out so she could sit. Before she sat, I got close to her eyes and whispered, “I’m betting something’s going on between Carlo and Selena.”
She laughed. “Well done, Willow.”
“My wife has me on my toes,” I joked.