Frozen in time

Chapter six

Sophie.

Foreign? That explains the weird accent and the international beauty. But he speaks our language so well that I would never know if I didn't ask. But if he came to work directly at the agency, why then did he photograph in that store that day? I have so many things to know... and I have to ask Thiago everything. But now that I think about it, I'm feeling something weird that hits my whole insides, just remembering to get three feet away from him.

I'm sitting on the toilet lid of the agency's bathroom, having thrown up all the sweets I ate in Catito's car. I never imagined my stomach was like this, so traitorous.

- Is everything okay in there, Sophie? - Priscilla asks me, outside. She's the one who helped me get here before everyone saw me.

- It is. - I say, and open the door to leave. - I just think I ate what I shouldn't.

- Wow, you're so pale. Wash your face and blush on your cheeks.

I look at myself in the bathroom mirror and see that she's right: I look like a corpse, and I must have puke breath too.

- All right... hmm... I think I brought one in my purse.

I don't think anyone saw me running to the bathroom five minutes ago, because when I left, everything was normal and quiet. I opened the door to Joe's living room, after knocking, and found him sitting in a big red velvet armchair, flipping profile pictures of some fourteen-year-old girls on TV through the tablet. His office is the biggest and most elegant in the entire building, with hundreds of photographs of models scattered everywhere.

- What do you think of this one, Sophie? he asks me, in his charming and elegant voice.

I walk, discouraged, and lie down on a couch. Then I look at the TV, where there is a photo of a thin girl with blond hair, light eyes, and rosy cheeks.

- Beautiful for an ice cream commercial. - I say, low.

Then he looks at me, his eyes wide and hard. Joe is an interesting person, a guy with a lot of money, married, no kids, strong personality, and his own style. He always looks elegant in his well-organized suit and tie, and he always wears the one that brings out his pale green eyes the most. He's not gay, (as people say about agency owners) he's quite a man by the way...

- Is everything okay with my favorite model?

- It is. I'm just a little... tired.

- Tired? - He raises an eyebrow, ironically. - You're not old enough for Night House yet, and considering that your father would never let you stay up late... what did you do to get tired?

- I don't know... hmm... I think it's high school.

- Calm. It's a little while before you graduate. And I guarantee you that it will only get worse from now on...

I scared.

- Just kidding. - he laughs. - But... I called you here to have an important conversation with you. Have you met the new...? - He stopped.

- Thiago. - I said, caressing his name. - Yea.

- Well... he's gonna be our new photographer for a while.

- For how long? - I say quickly.

- I do not know. Maybe for the rest of the year... why? - He smiled. - Aroused interest in the New York stallion too?

- No. I just... I want to know more about him.

- There's not much to know about a photographer who is only twenty-one... he graduated early from college, started shooting for the New York Way... they liked his work and recommended it to me. But before I hire him, I need to know if he's really that good... so I selected Priscilla, Fred and you to audition him today.

- But if he works exclusively for Way... why did he photograph in the store that I went to do the photo shoot?

- That, I didn't know. - he says, but he doesn't seem upset. - It must be to earn some extra money. That's not a problem... at least, not if his name is highlighted, and that could get me into trouble later...

Saying this, Joe hurried to type something on his computer. Now he looked more annoyed.

- Thank you for letting me know. - he says. - I'll have to reconsider hiring him.

- Will you send him back to New York?

- I do not know yet. Like I said... we're only going to get in trouble if his name is highlighted in this photo shoot.

- Hmm...

Putz! Did I just ruin Thiago's job?

"Anyway..." He looked at me, less agitated now. - Let's get straight to the point because with this news, I feel I have a lot of work to do.

- OK.

- Sophie, as you may already know... every weekend, we select our best models to represent our agency at the big New York Christmas event...

- Know. But I can't because I'm a minor. You already told me that Joe.

He smiled, very excited.

- Only you turn eighteen in a few days...

I frowned slightly...what the hell did he mean by that?

- And I want you to be the model that will represent our agency in the Vogue edition!

Oh my God! My jaw drops. I can not believe!

- Swear? - I stand up, with my hands over my mouth. - Is playing?

- And I look like I'm kidding? - He smiles and gets up.

- But I just joined the agency.

- But you have a lot of talent.

I ignore the good manners and give Joe an awkward hug.

- You mean you're in?

- If I can photograph and parade for Vogue? - I smile. - Did you really ask me that?

- Sophie... - he became serious. - I'm not so sure if your father will let...

- Joe... - I interrupt him. - This event will be very important for my career. And if my dad doesn't let me in on it, it's because he doesn't want to see me happy. And I won't let anyone spoil my happiness.

He smiles at me, and I widen my smile even further. I'm so happy about it, that NOTHING can spoil this moment.

As soon as I leave Joe's office, I'm not surprised to see that Catito and Priscila have their ears glued to the door to try to hear the conversation. So I just hope the three of us are alone in some corner to scream and laugh like crazy.

- I'm so happy for you Sophie... - Catito says, in a crying voice. - It makes me want to cry just to think that my friend is going to walk on the most watched catwalk in the world in a few weeks.

"Don't cry Catito," Priscilla says, still clinging to me. - Otherwise, I'll cry too!

- Aiii, guys, stop you two! Joe is right...my dad may not like this.

- Aren't you going to be the owner of your own nose? Just don't tell him yet.

- It's a good idea Catito. But it would be great if my dad didn't have the gift of figuring things out.

- Just try. - Pri says. - Who knows, it might work.

- OK I will try.

- Girls... are you ready for the photo shoot with Aphrodite's son? - Catito says, smiling.

- I am. But... do you know where Rick is?

- He left a few minutes ago. - Priscilla says.

- No... - I whimper. - He must be mad at me.

-He said he had something urgent to take care of, but that he would talk to you later.

- Damn it! Catito, please call him and tell him I'm taking pictures but I want to talk to him as soon as I'm done.

- It can leave. Blast girls!

I hand him my bag, and then walk with Priscilla towards the eighth floor salon, where we're going to get our hair, makeup, and clothes ready for the photo shoot.

The theme of the photos is royalty. Pri and I had to wear long dresses with fluffy, full skirts, like Marie Antoinette's dresses, and Fred, a tall model with light eyes and very black hair, was wearing a prince's costume but with very few clothes. too much to be royalty. The setting was a ballroom, with an ornamental staircase, where we had to take some photos while sitting on it. And we had to make it look like Fred was the ''handsome'' and that Pri and I were fighting over him.

It was a little weird having to pose and concentrate, with Thiago pointing the camera inches from my face. He looked serious as he took the photos. But when he took the camera away from his face to give tips on how we should pose... hmm... in short: I held myself back so I wouldn't run away.

***

Alice.

Yesterday finally the man (whom I have no idea what his name is) who works at the concert, brought the memory card from my notebook. But he said that the device is ''no way out'', which made me want to stick the fifty reais bill right up his nose for stealing so much from unconscious people, since anyone with a head and hands can remove the card from a notebook.

Anyway, I'm glad to know that my dear books are safe. Now I just need a new laptop.

I woke up not in the mood this morning, as yesterday there was an Ice Age movie marathon, and my dear brothers were allowed to stay up until ten. Which would have been no other, but screaming, tag, and the sound of things breaking during movie breaks (and to my bad luck, my room is right at the top of the living room). I tried to put ear plugs in, but my brothers scream so loud they could work in Hollyhood, making horror movies.

So, after struggling with my sheets, pillows, and myself in bed, I got up and came to breakfast, then run off to hitch a ride with Gabriel, - which I'm pretty sure you'll want. go walking to college. I know he's only five blocks from my house, but is he serious?!

While Professor Dayla fills the blackboard of the third class with a review of the material we already studied in the last two months, - because when the year is almost over, the teachers repeat everything we studied throughout the year, so that everyone can have one more chance to to study. - I pick up my cell phone and take a look at the messages, I answer some of them naturally, but stop to meditate on Gabriel's:

''Hi Alice, just wanted to ask you if you liked your walk today? If you like, we can do this more often. Oh, and I was already forgetting to say that yesterday you looked good with yellow hair. Have you thought about doing some highlights? It would be nice. Kisses. Gabriel.''

I chuckled softly at this message. And I would reply that I didn't like walking all that distance when he could take his bike and drive us, but I know that wouldn't be appropriate...

''No! We could come on his bike, if you weren't so in love with it that you wouldn't even want to use it so it wouldn't scratch, or whatever! And about the hair... don't bother me!''

It's okay... I'm not ''suitable'' with my friends anyway.

''Do you have PMS? Why are you discounting everything on a poor, faithful friend?''

''Oh, don't even expect me to apologize. I'm in Math class and counting every second to get home and get my new computer. But you don't want to leave me alone.''

''I'll leave you alone once you accept my proposal for tomorrow night.''

''Like this? Which proposal?''

''I was invited to go to Cascavel's birthday party, his parents traveled and his house will be free all night. It's just going to be fun for me, though, if you go.''

I didn't even want to ask why the boy's name is Rattlesnake...

''Why is my presence so important? Besides, I'll have to go to the championship on Saturday with you. That was not in our agreement.''

''No. I'm sure it wasn't. But I want you at that party tomorrow, or I get my notebook back. P.S.: I'm not kidding.''

Everything is fine. The notebook does not.

''OK.''

***

Eliza.

I am so happy for Sophie. Today on break from high school, she said she's going to be the girl in the Christmas issue of Vogue magazine. It must be really important because she kept showing those teeth and jumping around like a kangaroo. Alice also told that she is going out with Gabriel. I don't know what's between these two, sometimes I understand that they are really good friends, but they have everything to work out as boyfriends.

Anyway, I still can't believe I was promoted at work. My mom made a point of cooking dinner yesterday because everyone was really happy for me. I know it looks like I won the lottery, but really for me, the job is important. And I don't think it's going to be as difficult as it sounds. Working for two interns is like working as an employee with a real steady job. I mean...I think it's just that.

I don't know what Eduardo thinks about that, because I haven't had a chance to talk to him yet, hmm... ''NEWNESS''. But I don't think he's going to have anything against it. After all, he didn't want to work right here. We haven't spoken since the movies, and it's Wednesday. It's as if he has a double life, like spies in action movies, and disappears every now and then.

Sometimes I wonder if other girls my age would find a date like mine quite normal. Of course the girls I know also have a very complicated life, but Sophie at least runs away from home and gets to see Rick. And I don't have experiences with that, so I can compare. Eduardo was my first and only boyfriend so far, of course he's not the first boy I've kissed, after all, we've all played mixed salad as a kid, we kissed a little friend of ours and spent a week or more without each other. speak. Only as a boyfriend, I only had him, which, I'm not even sure if it was a real date, because it lasted so short, and because I don't even know where he lives. Well... it's overkill, I know. Because I know he lives near the hospital, in one of those huge houses with high ceilings and well-kept gardens, but I never really went there.

As soon as I get off at the subway station on my way to work, I see the person I least expected to see in my life: Edu. Like... what is he doing in this place?

Our gazes meet, through the crowd of people who are late for their lunch hours, he runs towards me, a worried expression on his face. As if someone I know had recently discovered a terminal illness.

- Edu...? What are you doing here?

"Hi." He smiles, taking a breath, and ignoring my question. - All right?

- I'm fine. But what are you doing at the subway station? Like... you have a car.

'No...' He shakes his head, and looks a bit confused. - I really wanted to talk to you before you arrived at the hospital and didn't have time to talk to me.

- Hmm... is it important? because you know I have a double job today...

- That's what I wanted to talk to you about. - He says, frowning again. - Eliza, you can't accept my father's job offer.

- What? - I say, surprised. - And why not?

- Look... can't we find a quieter place to talk?

- Hmm... - I mused, there are only fifteen minutes to my schedule. - All right. Let's go.

We walked towards the nearest diner, and sat at a small table by the window overlooking the square. And order water for both of us.

- Want to order something? - he looks at me, and I already know where this is going. Him talking nonstop while I try to swallow my food.

- No, thank you. I would like to get straight to the point.

I know I'm being rude even though I have no idea what he wants to talk about. But I'm late for my work, and it makes me so mad...

- OK. - He takes a deep breath, and I get even more impatient. - Look, you can't work for you and me at the same time. It's going to take up a lot of your time, and it's going to be very tiring.

- But it will only be until you get back.

- It's still risky. You're finishing high school, and you need to focus on finals.

- I can do both.

- I know you can Eliza. - He fixes his green eyes on mine, seriously. - I'm just saying that my dad gets tough with the interns who work in my ward. You'll have to organize all the documents of patients who come and go every day, schedule appointments and endless things.

- Eduardo... - I say, low and slowly. - I can do all that. I swear. Besides, I need the money.

- I know you need money for your trip. But I'm worried about you, and I really want you to pass your year in high school, without having to worry about other things. Just because I like you is that I don't want you to suffer, you're too young for that.

- I'm too young for what?! - I scream. - Like this? We're both about the same age, and you already do a lot of things. Why would it be any different with me? Just because I'm a girl, do you think I'm fragile and can't work?

- I did not mean that...

- Of course I did. Otherwise you wouldn't go after me at that station. And look... I don't want to talk about this anymore, if you don't have anything else to say, I have to go to work.

I get up from the table before he can say anything else, and head down the street to the hospital. I'm so pissed off, how can he be so sexist that he thinks I can't fill out some papers, and take the temperature of some coma patients? I'm sorry Eduardo... but I've been doing this for a long time.

As soon as I entered the hospital, I was greeted by Miss G, who handed me a completed form with the names, room numbers, and other personal information of a hundred patients. I didn't even know there were so many in this place. But I thanked him, and hurried off to start another day of work.

- Hi how are you?

I walk over to Carol's bed for the usual checkup after a long walk with dozens of files from dozens of patients in hand. I notice the rock band posters on the bedroom walls and some of her stuff thrown around in the corners. She decorated the room to her own taste, it's as close as she's ever going to get to feeling in her real room.

- I'm fine. But you're the one who doesn't look good.

- No? But I am fine. Why don't I look good?

- I don't know... you look tired.

- I know. - I surrender, and sit in an armchair beside her bed. Because I know we're friends already, and I can count on her. - I'm exhausted to tell you the truth. I woke up too early to go to high school, and because of my promotion, I have to work for two people.

- You told me that yesterday. Only do you really need to do all this? I mean... I'm your age and I feel like an invalid around you. - She laughs.

- No. You're not an invalid. And it's going really well.

- You know... Nurse Silveria brought me the sweet news this morning.

- Ah, - I remember, and I am immediately very sad. - I know.

The Doctor has discovered that her cancer has reached one of her respiratory organs, and that she will have to undergo surgery very soon before it spreads. I was very sad when I heard the news, but I know she will come out of it. After all, Doctor Roberto is very good, and Carol is very strong. Well... at least stronger than me.

- But I'm not saying that because of the surgery, Eliza. - She says seriously. - I'm saying that I don't make things happen like you do.

I didn't understand what she meant. But even so, the way she's saying it seems interesting. So I look at her, trying to understand each word.

- What do you mean?

- It's just... things just happen to me. Like cancer. This is a good example. I would never make that happen to me...I mean...who would? - She laughs, but for a measly second. - But things are like that, they happen to us without even asking our opinion, or our authorization. It's not like a problem came to us and talked to us... But it's just an example. You make things happen. And I think I... - Take a breath. - I envy you that.

- Hmm... - I blink. - I don't think you should. I don't make things happen to me. I have a lot of problems, and if I could choose when to solve them... I would choose to live away from them, and fulfill all my wishes.

She presses her lips together, and looks away. Thoughtful.

- But you're trying to solve your problem. You are struggling to fulfill your dreams... but I...

- Of course you're doing that too. - I say quickly. - Carol, you're here, aren't you? If you're here, it's because you're struggling with your problems. I think you are very wrong when you say you are not fighting. Because since you got here, you haven't stopped fighting.

She laughs. And I don't know why, but I laugh too.

- It's weird you say that. - she says. - Because I don't see myself fighting.

- I did not understand...?

She gets serious, gets up, and rushes over to give me a big hug. I didn't understand, but I hugged her too.

"Eliza..." She finally lets go of me, and looks into my eyes. - I'm not taking any medicine.

- What?! Like this? - I say, confused. - But you are monitored during your medication, and the needles...

'I'm sorry,' she shakes her head, and looks very sad. - I... throw them all away when you go out, and Nurse Silveria stopped giving me injections because I exchanged my medication sheet with that of a girl with Anorexia. She has the same name as me, and is in the next room. It was easy to fool Nurse Silveria.

I stopped listening to everything she was saying right on the wall where she said ''I'm not taking any medicine''. Because I'm too shocked to listen, speak, or even blink.

- Eliza... say something! - She says, frowning.

- Why did you do that?! - I say, annoyed.

Like... really angry. I'm super angry, because besides me and Ms. Silveria might lose her job, she's risking her life. MY GOD! How did this happen?!

-I know it's stupid...-she says, desperate. - I know the meds are to help me. Only I can't do it. I can not.

- What do you mean ''can't''?! - I say, loud enough to let her know I'm serious, and low enough so no one can hear outside. - That's pretty easy. All you have to do is take the medicine and pray for it to take effect! What do you have on your mind?

"I...I know..." she says, and I notice her voice is cracking and she's getting angrier than usual. - Excuse me. But I didn't want to feel sick.

- Ah, I'm sorry to inform you Carol... but you're already sick!

As soon as I scream, she clutches her throat with her hands, and falls onto the bed writhing, her face pale and coughing.