Dream Date

by Ivan Kendrick

  Nathan pretended to relax a little. He leaned back in his chair.

  “In that case, I have no worries.”

  Kayla smiled at him. They proceeded to finish their breakfast.

  The following Saturday, Nathan and Ashton took the former’s car to Manhattan. They’d woken up and had breakfast early to have plenty of time. The fashion show would be in the afternoon, but it took at least two hours to get to the city. They would also need some rest.

  Ashton took command of the radio during their trip to pass the time. When he couldn’t find a station he liked—or when there was no reception—he played music from his iPod Nano.

  Nathan stopped for some fuel once they got to the city. Ashton bought some snacks at the corner store, and then they took off towards Marissa’s apartment.

  Marissa lived at East Village Apartments on 212 East 12th Street. Her apartment was near the top of the building, affording Marissa a good view of the city.

  Nathan pulled into a parking lot near the building. He then killed the engine.

  “We’re here,” Ashton said as he and Nathan got out of the car.

  “Let’s go,” the latter told him, leading the way. They’d visited a few times before. Marissa always waited for them at the Apiary, a New American restaurant a block away from where she lived.

  Marissa waved towards Nathan and Ashton when they approached her table. She stood up.

  “Hi, Nathan!” Marissa said, and the two embraced each other. Then Marissa turned towards Ashton, shaking his hand. “Hi.”

  “Good to see you,” Ashton replied with politeness. Nathan didn’t even raise an eyebrow at their formality. That was the normal way the two interacted.

  “I suppose both of you are hungry, so I felt free to order for you,” Marissa told them. She motioned towards the three plates of food and three drinks on the table.

  “Thank you,” her friends said. They sat down with Marissa, and they began to eat.

  “So, when is this show going to be?” Ashton asked.

  “It starts at half past five,” Marissa answered, looking down at her half-eaten piece of chicken. She looked up at the two of them and smiled. “I’m getting so nervous. I’ve never attended a show like this before.”

  “Are you showcasing any of your dresses?” Nathan asked her.

  “No, but I wish. I’m just glad that I’m going. It’s such a great learning opportunity, even though it’ll likely be a long time before I organize my own show.”

  “Remind us who’s organizing this one,” asked Ashton. He’d missed most of the details when Marissa had been on the phone with Nathan.

  “Clark Rhodes. And he’s not organizing it, he’s just showcasing his apparel,” Marissa told him, her voice taking on an air of reverence. “He’s the most acclaimed fashion designer in New York.”

  Marissa had already told Nathan that Clark Rhodes had been to Parsons for a talk with the students there. When Clark saw Marissa’s talent, it impressed him enough to give her free tickets to New York Fashion Week.

  “You’ll see. In a little over a year, it won’t be long before we start seeing Marissa Velásquez apparel in stores,” Nathan commented. The three of them were in their third year of college.

  “Don’t get ahead of yourself. You’re not the one coming up with the clothes,” Marissa said, laughing.

  “You made Claire a dress,” Ashton said.

  “Well, she’s fascinated with fashion. I knew she would love it.”

  After the three finished eating, Marissa led them back to her apartment. Once inside, she set her purse on a table near the entrance.

  “You can nap in the sofa if you want. Or the bed. I won’t need it during the day.”

  “We’re not sleeping in the same bed,” Ashton told them as he looked at Nathan, who laughed.

  “Dumbass,” Marissa muttered under her breath. She walked towards her kitchen.

  “I’m fine sleeping on the bed. You can take the sofa,” Nathan said, starting to walk to Marissa’s bedroom. There was a history between her and Ashton. If he slept in Marissa’s bed, it would obviously be awkward.

  At a quarter past four, Marissa emerged from her bedroom (where she’d changed into the clothes she would wear to the show). When she walked around the corner of the hallway, Ashton didn’t try to hide his gasp.

  “Women like this one are why some men suffer,” he whispered so low that only Nathan could hear. The latter thought Marissa had average looks. Yet, when she dressed up, she could make guys’ jaws drop. Marissa wasn’t Ashton’s usual type, so Nathan didn’t know what he had seen in her. Regardless, Marissa had made it clear that Ashton was no more than a friend. Contrary to his comment, he didn’t take it hard.

  “What do you think? Is this appropriate?” Marissa asked, looking down at her clothes. She was wearing a black skirt that reached to above her knees, a fuchsia sleeveless blouse with a V-cut, and black high-heels. Marissa had combed her chocolate brown hair into a chignon at the back of her head. Some strands fell down, framing her face. Marissa was also wearing red lipstick and a hint of rosy cheeks. Under her arm, she carried a small silver purse.

  “You nailed it,” Nathan told Marissa, giving her the thumbs-up.

  “I didn’t want to look too…distracting, you know.”

  “Don’t worry. You look just right.”

  Marissa beamed at him. Ashton was impassive, trying not to look too dazzled.

  A few minutes later, the three of them took the elevator down. Marissa then led them towards her silver 2011 Mercedes.

  “Glad you have this car. You shouldn’t even think of showing up in your old one to a place like where we’re going,” Ashton said. Marissa gave him a stern look.

  “I still have the one you mean,” Marissa said, referring to the BMW she’d had since her junior year of high school. That one was around two decades older than that. The Mercedes was a graduation gift from her parents. “Please show it some respect. It still runs like a charm.”

  Nathan laughed at Ashton, and then took shotgun. The latter sat in the back. Marissa revved the engine and drove towards their destination.

  The Lincoln Center for Performing Arts was pretty far from Marissa’s place. It took them around 10 minutes to get there driving. The center consisted of several buildings. The fashion show was to take place at Damrosch Park, an outdoor location.

  Finding parking was easy. Marissa already had her own reserved space.

  “I could get used to having my own space,” Ashton said once he got out of the car. No one commented.

  “Let’s go,” said Marissa, leading her two friends. They’d both opted for two-piece suits. Nathan’s was black with a blue tie and Ashton’s was dark gray with a green tie.

  “Hard as it is to believe,” she said with a soft laugh, “I’ve never been to the Lincoln Center.”

  “It’s not that surprising. You’ve only been living here for a couple of years,” Nathan said.

  “Still. I’ve been to Central Park many times, though. And to the Empire State Building and Liberty Island.”

  Marissa, Nathan, and Ashton reached the entrance to the show area. There was a line of people waiting to enter. Employees at the entrances asked the people for their tickets, and then let them pass through. Scanning them, Nathan saw that most of the people looked high-society.

  “Here are your tickets,” Marissa said to Ashton and Nathan. “Follow me.”

  A few minutes later, the three of them entered the area where the show was to take place.

  “Wow,” Ashton said, taking in his surroundings. A stage was at the far end. Facing it were what appeared to be three dozen rows of seats. From the stage, a walkway cut through the middle of the space, half way to the other end. In front of the end of the walkway, photographers were getting ready to take shots. A row of red roses adorned the opposite end of the space from the stage.

  Nathan checked the time on his phone. It was ten to five. The park was already packed with people.

&nb
sp; “There are lots of VIPs here,” Marissa said, trying to contain her excitement. “Business magnates, press execs, fashion professionals. Oh, look! There’s Clark Rhodes,” she added, motioning towards the man. Nathan and Ashton followed her.

  Clark had his back turned to them. He was talking to a couple of people in attendance. Their age and impeccable suits signaled that they were big shots.

  “…that I enjoyed working on. I’m sure you’ll find the results pleasing,” Clark said, and then turned. He spotted Marissa and turned back to the men. “If you excuse me, gentlemen. It was a pleasure talking to you,” he said, and the men nodded once before walking away.

  “How are you, Mr. Rhodes?” Marissa greeted when he faced her.

  “Fantastic, Ms. Velásquez. You look stunning, if I may say so,” he replied. Clark Rhodes appeared to be in his early forties. He had short salt-and-pepper hair, blue eyes, and white skin. He was wearing an elegant dark tuxedo and glossy loafers. His voice channeled that of George Clooney, which Marissa found attractive. Clark was also a little taller than the three of them.

  “Thank you,” Marissa replied, and then remembered she and Clark weren’t alone. “Mr. Rhodes, these are my best friends. This is Nathan Ferland.”

  “Honor to meet you, sir,” he said as he shook hands with Clark.

  “And this is Ashton Robards,” Marissa continued.

  “Pleasure to meet you,” Clark said, smiling. “Tell me, what are you studying?”

  “I’m aspiring to become a corporate lawyer,” Nathan said. Clark nodded, looking impressed.

  “Fantastic. Business is important for our nation,” he remarked, shaking his index finger twice.

  “And I’m majoring in mechanical engineering,” Ashton answered. “I find electric cars fascinating, so I’d like to work at a factory that builds them.”

  “You three will definitely have great futures,” Clark told them. He then looked at Marissa. “Are you ready for the show, Ms. Velásquez?”

  “You’d think I’m showcasing my designs, nervous as I am,” Marissa joked. “I’ve never attended a fashion show of this caliber.”

  “This one is definitely among the most prestigious in the world. It’ll be a great learning experience for you.”

  “I’m looking forward to it.”

  “Imagine my anticipation. I’ve been preparing for this for months.”

  Marissa let out a soft laugh.

  “Okay, I’ll have to leave you now. I have matters to attend to. Do make yourselves at home. There are more people here that you’d be interested in meeting,” Clark said to Marissa. He then waved at the three of them and walked away.

  “Let’s meet people,” Marissa said, leading her friends. She introduced them to more people that she knew. There were also others that Marissa didn’t know but had been looking forward to meeting. Apparently, Clark Rhodes had talked about her to plenty of people.

  Moments later, a young woman called to Marissa.

  “Hi,” the woman said, stopping in front of them.

  “Rachel! You made it.”

  “Yes. Thank you, thank you for the ticket! This is such a big event. I’m flattered to be here.”

  “Guys, this is Rachel Edwards, a friend of mine. She’s a photographer,” Marissa said. “These are Nathan and Ashton from Ithaca.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Rachel greeted, shaking hands with both of them.

  “What kind of photographer are you?” Nathan asked.

  “I shoot both people and places, but I specialize in the former. Particularly the famous. I want to be a fashion and celeb photographer.”

  “Paparazzi?” asked Ashton. Marissa rolled her eyes.

  “No!” Rachel said. “I don’t want to be one of those vultures. I’ll work for a magazine, not some lowly tabloid.”

  Marissa shot Ashton a stern look.

  “Do you know which models will be in attendance?” Rachel asked her.

  “I’m not sure about the full roster, but Clark Rhodes told me that a few well-known names would be here. Among others, Doutzen Kroes and Nina Agdal will be taking to the walkway.”

  “You’re serious? I can’t believe I’ll see them in person,” said Ashton, who looked like a kid in candyland. Both Marissa and Nathan laughed at him.

  “Let’s go find our seats, then,” said Marissa.

  “Yeah,” Rachel agreed. “See you around.”

  Marissa and her friends took their places on the seats after talking to a few more people. They noticed that the chairs weren’t facing the stage, but towards the walkway.

  “We’ve got a prime view,” Marissa told them, looking excited. Their seats were in front of the right side of the walkway. “Get ready, guys. The show begins soon.”

  Five minutes later, a man (whom Nathan took to be sort of the master of ceremonies) walked onstage. There was a microphone set on a stand there. After his speech, he bowed and the audience clapped in unison. Music started, and then the first model started down the walkway.

  Marissa didn’t know every model, but she whispered the names of those she knew to Nathan and Ashton. It turned out the latter knew more names than Marissa did.

  “That’s Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.”

  Nathan looked at the model Marissa mentioned.

  “Quite a mouthful,” Ashton muttered.

  Nina Agdal came a few places behind Rosie. Nathan thought she looked stunning in the cappuccino brown-colored dress and expensive sandals she was wearing.

  “Lucky bastard, whoever her boyfriend is,” Ashton whispered. Marissa barely heard him. She avoided rolling her eyes, as a camera might catch her. Nathan shook his head at Ashton. He seemed to regret having considered not attending the fashion show.

  “That’s a Clark Rhodes design,” Marissa told them, indicating towards a dark blonde model that was walking a few feet behind Nina.

  Nathan scanned the audience. He didn’t know what had caught his attention. Just then, he spotted a blonde with her head turned to another woman next to her. They appeared to be in conversation.

  When the blonde looked back towards the walkway, Nathan gasped. Even after all these years, he still knew that woman so well.

  She was Amanda Tilley.

  “Who is that?” Nathan asked without looking away from the blonde woman. He knew who she was, but had no idea why she was there, so he thought he’d ask Marissa. She looked at him, and then looked in the direction he was staring.

  “Oh, that’s Amanda Tilley. She’s an aspiring architect and a freelance model. She’s only been active for around three years.”

  With golden blonde waves that cascaded down her heart-shaped head, Amanda looked like an angel. She seemed to sense Nathan’s gaze, and looked at him. He didn’t look away. Amanda flashed a smile, and then looked back at the models walking past.

  She became a model? I guess it shouldn’t surprise me much; she’s so gorgeous. With a woman like that, I wouldn’t be tempted to date even a movie star.

  Wait…I already have a girlfriend!

  For the rest of the show, Nathan pretended to be admiring the models. He was looking in their direction, but his focus was on Amanda. Nathan couldn’t help stealing glances her way every now and then. Amanda looked at him twice more. She seemed interested, which of course made Nathan’s ego go through the roof. It also piqued his curiosity: why was Amanda showing interest in him now, when she never did so all those years ago?

  When the show ended, Marissa and her friends stood up from their seats.

  “I think we should mingle a bit more before we leave,” she said.

  Marissa hoped to have another word with Clark Rhodes, but she couldn’t find him. She saw Rachel and went to talk to her again. Ashton followed her, but Nathan decided to stay behind. He walked among the crowd, looking for Amanda. Seconds later, he spotted her in conversation with someone. There were a few people waiting to speak with her.

  Muster up some courage, Nathan, he thought. Think of something appropriate to say to her
.

  Nathan walked as though he knew where he was going. He then scanned the crowd for Marissa and Ashton, wondering if they were looking for him.

  Just as Nathan was looking at one of the models, a beautiful voice spoke behind him.

  “Hi.”

  Nathan turned slowly. There was only one person that voice could belong to. Nathan couldn’t believe she had broken the ice. He turned around, and came face to face with Amanda Tilley herself.

  She looked stunning from up close. Amanda had almond-shaped green eyes a bit too large for her face, and gorgeous pink lips. Nathan withdrew his gaze from her face long enough to notice that she was wearing a sleeveless turquoise blue dress. The front V-cut displayed very enticing cleavage behind a thin see-through veil.

  “Oh, hi!” Nathan answered with awkwardness. He was having a hard time coming up with more to say.

  “My name’s Amanda Tilley,” she said, holding out her hand. Nathan took it in his. A millisecond later, he felt two things: the marvelous softness of her skin, and something that seemed to be an electric current traveling up his arm.

  Nathan’s eyes widened. He wondered if she had felt the same thing. He liked the feel of her skin so much that he held on to her exquisite hand.

  “I’m Nathan,” he said, trying to sound level.

  “Nathan. You seem familiar,” Amanda said, taking her hand back. By the look of her emerald eyes, Nathan deduced that she’d felt the same current.

  This must be a dream. The show must have bored me to sleep. Why isn’t Marissa waking me up?

  “Are you Marissa’s assistant?” Amanda asked. Nathan blinked in confusion.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Are you the assistant of Marissa Velásquez? I saw you were sitting next to her.”

  “Oh, no. We’re just friends.”

  “Sorry. I’ve heard about her talent in fashion design, and I wanted a word with her.”

  “I was with her a moment ago,” Nathan said, glancing around behind him before turning back to Amanda. “Maybe you could find her over there.”

  “Sure will. Nice meeting you, Nathan,” Amanda said and started to turn. She seemed to have forgotten him. Nathan tried to find more words to say to her.