You're To Blame

Fame (2)

Chapter 9: Fame (2)

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“Gabriella… is this make up really necessary? I feel like it might be a bit much…” I told her as she began taking out one product after another. Skin prep, foundation, concealer, contour, every little step she did seemed over the top, the amount of different brushes she used as well left me in awe. It was like my face was a canvas and she was using up all of the space without leaving a single spot…

Gabriella continued in much the same cheery manner as before as she explained to me. “You should know it by now but make up in real life and on screen looks vastly different from each other. We have to put on more so that the lens won’t wash you out.” That was her advice.

“I understand.” I should trust her because she is a professional. I shouldn’t even be surprised she has to use so much stuff on me since maybe I’m not that pretty as I’ve been told I am… at least compared to her and rest of them… I’m no match…

“I wonder what’s the deal with you?” Gabriella suddenly asked me as she was powdering my face with translucent powder.

“What do you mean?” I asked her. I glanced over she had a million other products she’d likely use, some of which I didn’t even know the names of.

Gabriella blinked a few times. “Sky is used to picking up talented people, it’s kind of what he does… but he doesn’t do it out of the kindness of his heart. Surely he must have asked for something in return from you. Yet you don’t seem like the type to do that.” Her words made me feel strangely out of place. Was it really so odd all of this? No, it definitely was… but why did she think I’m the strange one and not anyone else?

“He didn’t actually ask me anything.” I replied, though it wasn’t completely true. It’s just that we didn’t discuss anything properly. And I just went along with the flow. But I’m not sure how much I can tell her at the moment…

“Really? How strange…” Gabriella didn’t seem too keen on my reply. Maybe she found me suspicious for some reason and truly I wouldn’t even blame her for it. After all I am the stranger that came into their house uninvited.

“What did he ask from you then?” I changed the subject mostly because I was uncomfortable but also because I wanted to know more.

Gabriella took a moment to think. “Hm… I’m not sure if a kid like you would understand.” That was her response and I realized she must be older than me… although she didn’t seem like it, she looked to be around my age.

“Try me.” I said while looking up and she smiled and nodded her head.

“You see, it was a while ago, maybe five years ago when I first met him, I used to work as a beautician for another celebrity. I met him accidentally on set.” Gabriella recalled the past fondly, I could tell by her expression that day must have meant a lot to her.

“Right…” I gently nodded along with her words as I listened, her hands not once stopped moving even as she spoke.

“I was abused by my celebrity. I was his personal punching bag how she used to put it. She was a deva that couldn’t stand anyone else taking attention off of her. It’s why I have this scar on my face.” I could see the slight changes in her expression when it came down to it but what caught my interest was.

“What scar?” I asked as upon her beautiful face there was nothing there.

Gabriella looked concerned for a moment but then grabbed a cotton pad and put micelar water on it, then turned to me and wiped the side of her face, the left side towards her chin. “Hm… let me just…” As she finished she moved closer. “This one.” She pointed out.

“That’s… it’s reddened as if you were…” I hadn’t noticed it before but she was wearing a lot more make up than I imagined. Although it looked so smooth that it wasn’t as noticeable.

“Yes, I got burned by boiling water… It was such a painful thing, but you know? I lived through it as well.” The way Gabriella casually spoke about it made me feel unnerved. Why was she so calm about a story so horrifying?

“Why would you stay with someone like that?” I asked her in disbelief but then I realized just how rude that question of mine was.

Gabriella looked at me as if I was a complete child. “I needed the money. In this world just having talent isn’t enough, you also have to have connections and I didn’t have that… so I stayed there and worked my ass off, taking whatever she wanted me to until she was satisfied. I still have a few other minor scars although it was so long ago and most of them have healed.” Her explanations, her gentle mannerisms and the way she continued working and carefully doing my eyebrows without missing a beat… all of that spoke of her professionalism and how seriously she took her work.

“So, how did De- I mean Sky… help you out?” I asked her almost letting slip his real name through.

“He yelled at me.” Gabriella smiled as she said that as if it was the sweetest thing in the world that had ever happened to her.

“What?” I asked, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the situation. She was so serious as well… it made me feel bad.

Gabriella shook her head as if seeing I was misunderstanding everything. She began explaining. “After seeing the scars, after I told him what was happening, and also seeing it for himself. He got angry… it was the first time anyone’s gotten angry on my behalf… for me getting hurt.” She thought back to it and she was fond of that memory.

“And… then?” I wanted to hear more, for her to continue.

Gabriella shrugged her shoulders and brought out a lip liner. “Well, it might be a boring story… After he got angry and yelled at me, he encouraged me. ‘You don’t need to work for someone that doesn’t value you!’ He told me. It was silly…” She tried to imitate his voice but couldn’t. It made me laugh to imagine that scene though.

“I don’t think it’s silly.” I told her.

Gabriella moved her slender fingers to finally put on my lipstick on. “But it was… because that day I realized not all celebrities were complete pigs. That there were some kind ones out there… and ever since I quit that job, he hired me here. I’ve been on the team and working my ass off here instead… but I’m glad.” She continued to smile ever so brightly and I continued to feel just as out of place as before.

“What did he ask of you? Is it just your skill?” I questioned since I couldn’t get it out of my head. That man Sky definitely had ulterior motives I could tell at a glance.

“He wanted a guarantee I’d work for him. But that’s a bit too personal for me to share with you.” Gabriella said without blinking, she looked like the type that over shares but I noticed she was carefully weighing each of her words. She’d definitely not the type to say anything she doesn’t want others to find out. She’d not the type to carelessly share other’s secrets either. It was impressive.

She spoke through it all and didn’t get distracted even once.

“I’m sorry for asking.” I couldn’t stop myself from apologizing. The moment I realized I had overstepped her boundaries without even meaning to do so.

“Doesn’t matter, your make up is done already! Here we go!” Gabriells seemed proud as she handed me a hand mirror to look at the finished result. What I saw in my reflection… there was absolutely no way on this earth, that that was me on the other side…

I had to turn the mirror around worried I might be getting tricked but the more I looked I realized her skill was just something else… I couldn’t recognize my own face, my skin seemed smoother, and the way she paid attention to each and every detail and color put into the exact place it was supposed to be… I couldn’t help but be in complete awe at it all…