Although, almost flattered, she withdrew her hand hesitantly; she emphasized a wedge because her curiosity had been injected by Cameron's latest query.
"Thanks, but what makes you think I could model? I mean, you just met me. I don't know you, and I'm not even sure if you're a real designer. You might be a scammer… or worse, " said Lily, maintaining her dissecting gaze on Cameron as she scooted away from him.
Cam laughed, paused, reached into his wallet at the back of his pocket, and pulled out his business card to hand it to the woman as proof. "My dear, I promise, I'm not a scammer, most definitely not what you're thinking. My name is Cameron Vergara, son of Faith Vergara of Rue de Rêve Fashion."
Still skeptical, the woman reached out to grab the card and read it. She looks at Cam with one eyebrow still raised, handing the card back again to him, but with a push from Cam, she returned the card to her.
Suddenly at a loss, the woman asked, with one side of her mouth lifted in skepticism, "If what you're saying is true, shouldn't you not be riding a taxi in the first place?" A glimmer of both curiosity and distrust crossed her face, followed by a few seconds of heavy silence.
Cam's ears turned red as he quickly diverted his gaze, hoping she did not see the embarrassment on his face. Coughing and trying to remain nonchalant, he said: "Why does that matter to you now, when I'm offering you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? To be one of the faces of the fashion industry? I introduced myself already, and your name is...?"
The woman politely mumbled, "Lily Parson."
His smile grew wider at the sound of her name, and his eyes sparkled with a hint of excitement that he was still trying to hide. He offered his right hand for a handshake, which Lily took, shaking it firmly.
"I'm so glad to meet you, Lily. I've been searching for the perfect muse for my upcoming Gala. I couldn't believe I've found that muse in you, Ms. Parson."
He and Lily exchanged glances, and he continued speaking: "You are the one I am looking for. I can offer you more than the hourly pay of an average model. I can make you a star -
"What the hell is he talking about? My God, he must be crazy. Is he serious right now? I just can't wait to get out of here. Does this car go any faster? If I leave now, I'll be late to submit it. Ugh, I would have to pretend that I was actually considering his offer. Smile, nod, and look interested. I am almost there." Lily thought to herself.
The taxi weaved between cars, and Lily had to awkwardly smile and nod while pretending to be interested in Cam's vehement discussions about his vision: this collaborative act combining the daring lines of his designs with high-fashion sophistication. Honestly, she couldn't have cared less, but she found it rude to ignore the man who had practically offered her his taxi.
Lily was certain this meeting was more than just coincidental, but skepticism remained afresh in her mind. Cam recognized this hesitation in the young architect's eyes, and with a glimmer in his eye, he leaned forward.
"You want to know what I think? Together, we could create an amazing fusion of architecture and fashion that is nothing short of a miracle," Cameron said.
Little did she know that she was almost caving in, charming, but still caving in. She kept gazing at the window view, and when she saw that she had barely a few meters left before her stop, she thanked heaven in her heart. Lily blinked.
"Ohhh, look at that- this is my stop!" she said loudly, quickly packing her stuff except for some things that fell on the floor, and threw the door open.
"Thanks, sir, for the ride. Bye." With a smile, Lily closed the door and took off toward the school gate, waving goodbye to Cameron. He remained with his mouth agape, words frozen on his lips. "But I wasn't done,"he murmured under his breath.
The taxi resumed its journey; Cameron gathered his composure, turned his head to get a view through the window, and stretched his legs out comfortably with one arm resting low on the armrest while the other elbow was propped high with his hand cradling his head.
He leaned back just enough against the seat angled away from him, so it felt like a recliner but not so much that he looked lazy. He chuckled in his mind, "never mind, at least I've got a lead on where to find her."
He smiled softly, not the grin made for the social world, but that deep and quiet warmth that rises in you when a thought manages to surprise you into comfort.
The cab driver glanced at him in the rearview mirror, catching the expression. "Looks like you had a good time with her."
Cameron remained impassive. Only after a noticeable length of time did he give a slow nod, still smiling. "Yeah," he murmured, a comment that dripped with irony concerning how it really went.
But days went by, and Cam kept on without faltering. Every morning, he was waiting outside Chester's apartment, where Lily usually rushed past him on her way to school. Cameron would never miss a day waiting there, hoping to change Lily's mind and convince her to be his model. But Lily continuously ignored him and firmly rejected him.
While trying to cover her face and hastily pass the place where Cameron usually waited, Cameron still wasn't giving up, he sped up, stood in Lily's way, and presented her with a note.
"Ms. Parson please. I got some place important to be, so here if ever you change your mind. You can reach me through this number, it's private or come here, this building, room 32, and just ask for Chester Wong. I wrote it on the paper."
The student architect found it hard to say no to Cam's urge to collaborate since she was torn in between allowing her craft to be her guiding principle and fancying such a creative collaboration. But she is afraid she might not have the time. Her course takes a lot out of her.
As the deadline for Met Gala approached, Cam was getting impatient and continued to design gowns with thoughts of Lily modelling for him. On the other hand, Lily has so many projects to rush plus finals on her head.
Sighing to herself, she skimmed through the materials needed for the construction of her scale model for Architectural Design.
"A thousand for a Scale Model, where will I get that so much money? I still need to pay my tuition fees. Just one more year and I'll be graduating. If I fail this subject, that's another year for me to stay as a student."
In the haze of thoughts burdened by tuition fees, Lily walked along familiar streets thinking about the deadline essence of her life. Her eyes gazed at the flashy billboard that seemingly pierced the sky. Images of glamorous models clad in an elegant display surrounded by a serene grace embellished the giant canvas.
This made her recollect Cameron's offer. After some hesitation, it hovered in her mind whether this would save her a fee or two. But then she discarded the thought.
"There's another way. I can handle this," Lily told herself, resolutely, her eyes shining with determination as she clasped her hands tightly in front of her chest.