Euphoria

March 2014.

It was some ungodly hour when the sun had not yet breached the horizon, when I sat up next to my boyfriend Martin. It was still quite dark in my bedroom as I blindly searched for my phone on the bedside table as well as my glasses; I closed my eyes tightly and groaned when the bright light switched on burning my eyes out. In the early days of March, it was still cold. As I was dressed in silk singlet and shorts I quickly searched for my grey jumper which I pulled over my head and fetched my fluffy purple slippers from under the bed before trudging out of the bedroom on my way to the kitchen.

I glanced at the clock, it read 5:15am; early starts were definitely not my thing - it usually took two alarms, a few angry toss and turns and a hell of lot of motivation to get myself out of bed. However today was important, quite important, life changing-ly important. Well, It would either be the start of my life time career or not.

I leant against the small counter of my kitchen as I slowly sipped my tea and watched the sunrise the daybreak seemed to warm the city that started to wake up, I felt a nudge on my leg and looked down to see Kitty; my white cat.

“Hello Kitty” I leant down and scratched the top of her head right in-between her ears. I decided it was time to shower and get ready for my job interview; I placed my tea cup in the sink and shuffled to the en suite. It was the first time I saw myself this morning; my blonde hair was tied into what used to be a bun and my bright green eyes were smudged with yesterday’s eyeliner, that I was too lazy to remove. I placed my glasses onto the counter, turned on the water in the shower and brushed my hair out as I waited for the water to heat up. It was pure bliss stepping into a hot shower the steam bellowed through the bathroom fogging up every surface, I drew pictures in the glass letting the tea-rose smelling soap rinse from my body the bathroom smelt wonderful as I stepped out of the shower onto the mat. I dried off quickly and put my glasses back on, wrapping the towel around my head I ventured back into the bedroom to pick todays outfit.

I pulled a leather pencil skirt out of my closet and placed it on the bed next to my sleeping boyfriend’s feet, I found my super comfortable long sleeved white turtleneck and my army green cargo jacket that added a little colour and it well and went nicely with the brown satchel and boots I picked. I did my makeup lightly for my face quite natural but my winged eyeliner is a must. My long blonde hair reached the small of my back it was slightly damp still, I ran some product through it with my fingers.

As I walked through my apartment I collected my portfolio and resume from my dining table and carefully put them in my satchel before putting in other things. I traded my glasses for contacts and put my glasses also in my bag.

It was 7:46am before I was ready to leave the door; close enough on time- a little early wouldn’t hurt. I patted kitty before after I wrote a note on a purple sticky note and left it on the fridge for Martin. I left and locked the door behind me before chucking the keys into my bag, I didn’t drive in LA, even though I had a car, it was just easier and a time saver to take public transport. As I stepped into the wind outside it was cold but I liked the colder seasons, I hated to sweat and the body odour of the general public in summer.

The ten minute walk to the closest train station was stretched to fifteen as I stopped at my favourite café to grab another hot beverage to go to give me a boost for the day – Caramel latte is maybe my second favourite after Coconut black tea. I needed the coffee especially the interview, the train was busy as the business commuters were on their way to work early in the day, and I stood on the train as it was only a twenty minute commute to the closest station to Lava records. I threw my empty cup into the trash as soon as I got off the train, the walk to Lava records seemed like it was longer than it actually was- I was getting nervous.
I took in a big deep breath as the building came into view the sick and fluttery feeling in my stomach was almost eating me alive as I crossed the road in front of me and pushed open the door to look straight at the receptionist desk.

“Hello, Welcome to Lava records. Are you here for the interview?” She politely smiled, I nodded and returned her smile, She tapped in a few things into her computer’s keyboard “What’s your name?” she looked up briefly; the nerves almost made me forget how to speak. “Hope, It’s Hope”, She smiled handed me a ‘visitor’ badge.

“Thank you” I returned her smile as she seemed to ease my nervous demeanour, I pinned the badge to my shirt, just visible behind my jacket. As I turned around I was met with hot liquid poured down the front of my jacket and skirt, I quickly pulled my jacket off before I was burnt, the receptionist gasped. I looked up to see a girl possibly a little older with a Starbucks coffee cup in her hand tipped towards me, I held my jacket from my body while I cleaned the coffee from the front of my skirt with my already stained jacket.

“Oh oops, my bad. I didn’t know I was that close, if you’re here for the interview you’re not make a good impression with coffee stains on you” She gave me a fake smile, I sighed and gave her a blank stare.

I kept it calm and polite “It shouldn’t need to matter to you, just be careful next time. You might hurt someone” I calmly walked off to the bathroom.

As soon as I got into the bathroom my thoughts flooded the bathroom walls “What. The. Fuck. Oops? My fucking ass. What a fucking dead shit..” I wet a piece of paper towel and wiped down my skirt to prevent it from becoming sticky “Like, Hunty, Those Ugg boots and Jeans. Uh, no. Fashion victim 101, like this isn’t 2002 and you’re not Brittany spears” I raged at no one in particular as I assessed the problem, the front of my Jacket was completely soaked with Coffee but outfit underneath not so much, I could deal with this. I took my perfume from my bag and sprayed the jacket to hide the smell of coffee and then I folded my jacket in half so the front was face down and hung my jacket over the middle of my bag.

Lucky I wore the leather skirt it doesn’t stain; I fixed my shirt as it was a crop top it showed a little stomach. I looked at myself and sighed “good enough.” I mumbled out loud. As I walked out of the door the receptionist was standing there, I raised an eyebrow.

“Oh good, you are okay! I was worried you were upset, you handled that really well” She complimented on my skills to deal with assholes, I grimaced

“Thanks, but I didn’t really. I dealt with people like that in school too.” I smiled and reassured her I was fine and went to find the waiting area. I sat on the chair in the waiting room, I saw a few other girls around along with the asshole who poured her coffee on me, she seemed to eye my up and down when I entered I gave her a smug smile then sat down and readied myself ignoring the stares from the ‘Wanna be Brittany’. I think my nerves started again as the interviews seemed to go extremely quickly, I let out an audible laugh when the man emerged from the room and called the ‘Brittany 2.0’.

“Stacey Bau” he called and looked around, asshole mc-ass. Stood up and he looked her up and down visibly judged her outfit and hesitantly called her in. She was in the room for less than two minutes and walked out in a fuss, guess they didn’t care for her ‘Fashion choices’.

“Hope Tolland?” The man called, I lifted my head and smiled, and I followed him into the room and was greeted with a heavily pregnant woman and the man.

“Hello, I am Hope, lovely to meet you.” I shook both of their hands and smiled before sitting, the pregnant lady smiled back at me.

“Hello, I am Black veil brides’ Stylist and photographer, Georgia, nice to meet you too. Do you have a portfolio?” She asked, I nodded and fetched it from my bag I flipped it open to the first page and placed it on the table in front of her. She started her barrage of questions.

“How long have you been studying photography, have you done any work before?” she continued to look through my portfolio

“I haven’t, I’ve only just finished University” I was worried my lack of experience would hinder me in a way, Georgia looked at me surprised.

“These are amazing, what did you study at university?” she pointed out a few pictures to the man sitting next to her and he nodded.

“California college of the arts” I smiled, I had worked hard to get into the university I attended “I also have a sketch book if you are interested” I mentioned, Georgia’s eyes lit up.

“Definitely, please” She eagerly said, I also pulled out my sketch book and she looked through it intensely “Do you want the job?” She asked without looking up from the sketch book I was shocked.

“Of course! I’ve always wanted to do this” I choked out, I was almost speechless. Georgia smiled and shook my hand,

“When can you start? You’ve had the most wonderful portfolio and the only one with a sketch book all morning, twice as good as anyone” She smiled brightly, praising me. I broke out in the biggest smile, my cheeks flushed with excitement.

“Tomorrow, I can come in tomorrow” I tried not to let my extreme excitement show, She smiled and nodded agreeing with me, I bent forward and shook her hand again “Thank you so much! I won’t let you down, Thank you.” The smile wouldn’t leave my face soon, she handed me back my portfolio and sketch book.

“I’ll see you here tomorrow at nine to meet the boys if they are here” She smiled, I nodded and smiled brightly and that’s where I left her, I left the room and walked straight out to the reception.

“See you tomorrow!” I smiled and waved and the receptionist gave me thumbs up.

Notes

First chapter..

Hope's outfit. Would you guys like me to continue to add reference photos?

Thanks,

Mira-