I’m excited to show her, I can’t wait to let her know, I’m thrilled to be back near her again. I have missed her so much since she left me it hurts. I really hope that she feels the same way about me and that my presence isn’t something to annoy her. No, there was love there, me and her are right for one another and she knows that too, it was just everything else that was wrong for us. But not anymore.
Now, I just need to use my knowledge of her to find her, like my father said. There is no way that I will be able to find where she’s living, not in this massive city, but I might be able to use her career to find her. If I go to every makeup themed event in the city, then surely, she has to be at one? I’m willing to search for as long as it takes, I will do whatever I need to do. This is where I need to be. I can’t be in a place where Darcy isn’t anymore. I have tried that life and it doesn’t work for me. The only time that I am truly happy and comfortable is when I am with her. I’m sure that the same goes for her as well, and now it seems like we have a baby to fight for too, a reason to carry on with our love…
Chapter Thirty-Six
Darcy
February 8th
My heart skips about ten beats as I look around the room with a giant smile on my face. There is so much more realness to the event here, it’s completely different to what I experienced in LA where it was all a popularity contest. I am finding people incredibly interested in what I have to offer, and who I am as a person, rather than who I am dating. This is incredible, I couldn’t be more sure that this is where I am supposed to be.
I have been talking to all kinds of people. Including some of the most awesome online influencers, beauty bloggers, drag queens, reality TV stars… the people who, if I am even seen once on their social media accounts, my business will take off. I can’t wait to see if that happens.
“Hello there.” A sweet girl in cosplay (Japanese anime) touches me on the arm and smiles. “Are you Darcy? My friend, Audrina Vixen, just posted a new photo story about your makeup and I wanted to see it for myself.” My face must speak volumes because she giggles and continues talking. “Look, it’s a really cool story. I will show you it here.” She pulls out her cell phone and shows me. “You’ll like it.”
My pulse races as I watch the beautiful influencer post about my makeup, my creation, and I can already see that she gets it totally. She sees what my vision is and she’s sharing it with her… oh my God, millions of followers. More than I could ever hope for. They are all liking and commenting on it as well. This is huge.
“See? It’s fab, isn’t it? And she tagged you in it. So, I’m sure you will have lots of new followers as well.” She gives me the sweetest grin ever. “I was wondering if I could do the same thing for you. I have a lot of different followers than Audrina Vixen and I want to show them what you have to offer. Because I love it.”
I can’t believe my luck. I might even be getting a little emotional about this. “Yes, of course.”
I grab one of my boxes of samples and I hand it to her happily. Luckily, I don’t let my tears fall because this sweetheart wants to take a selfie with me. This isn’t something that I am used to, I don’t know if I’m exactly selfie ready, but I’m willing to go along with anything. It’s all leading back to more popularity for me from all of the right people, so I’m more than happy to join
in with whatever comes my way.
“Thanks, babes… that’s amazing. You will see my story later on today. I will tag you in it so people can see.”
“Thank you so much… oh, and what is your online name so I can follow you, please?”
She smiles and cocks her head to one side as if she’s examining me closely. Uh oh, have I committed a real faux pas by not knowing exactly who she is? “I’m Francine K. Easy to find.” She winks. “See you soon.”
Holy fuck, I do know her. I just didn’t recognize her in her costume, but she is one of the hottest up and coming pop stars around. She’s known for always looking different and people love her. I smile and wave, the nerves now chattering through me as I wonder what her posting about me will lead to. It’s so thrilling.
As soon as she is gone, I cave to temptation and grab my cell phone to see if I have any more followers, and I’m shocked to see tons. I don’t keep the numbers close to my heart, but they have definitely grown ten fold. I have comments as well, and the sort of comments filled with love. Not the sort that I have become used to. I guess the Internet can be my friend after all, if I let it. Before anyone can come and ask me for more things, I quickly hit my email to see if I have orders and I do. Oh my God, this really is a dream come true.
See? I say as I grab on to my belly to silently communicate with my baby. I told you that I could do it.
I am so freaking proud of myself. Today I have really stepped out of my shell and shown the world that I can do it. I can be the person that I have always wanted to be. To show someone else this, I send a link of the story to Ivy to show her and wait for her excitably reply which comes instantly. I know that she was nervous to leave me behind at the airport, and I can’t blame her for that, I would have felt the same had it been the other way around, but she must see now that I have made the right decision. I am on the way to make myself me.
I could have done this in LA, maybe, if I tried hard enough. If I worked then maybe I could have found some inspiration to be this successful, but I was too wrapped up in Seth, too unhappy, it wasn’t possible.
Soon though, I have to put my cell phone away because I have more people wanting a piece of me, wanting to see and understand my makeup, wanting to wear and talk about it. The more that I get used to talking to people, my confidence builds, and get excited along with me. It’s an amazing journey that I am on right now, and I love it.
“Oh my God.” All of a sudden, I am captured by someone who seems way too excited. I can immediately tell that she’s not here in a blogger capacity but is the media instead. A journalist probably, which isn’t great for me. I don’t have the best experience with writers… but then again, I need to keep an open mind because the Internet is being much kinder to me today than usual, so I smile. “You’re her, aren’t you? The ex girlfriend?”
My blood runs cold. For the first time today, someone who is recognizing me for Seth Bishop and not me. Just when things were going well, something has to come crashing down to change my mind.
“Er… I’m here for my makeup…” I try, but I’m not about to pull the wool over her eyes.
“Oh my God, if I can get an exclusive on this, my career will skyrocket.” Her eyes shine with excitement, I can see the hunger on her face. She is coming for me whether I want it or not. “Is he with you?”
“Er, who?” What the hell? That isn’t the question that I was expecting to hear.
“Seth, of course.” She rolls her eyes and giggles. “Is he with you? Because he has been missing ever since he finished his latest film. He hasn’t been helping Winter Basel with any of the promo, and people want to know where he is. A while back someone thought that they spotted him in New York, but no one could understand why, and now I get it. Because he feels bad for cheating on you, and he wants you back.”
“Cheating?” That’s the one word I pick up on because it’s the one to hurt me most. When I left LA, it was just a rumor and some unfortunate pictures, but now it might be more. “There is evidence of that?”
“Oh!” Her eyebrow shoots up into her hair. “I don’t know about hard core evidence. Just rumors, probably. So, did he not cheat on you? Was his with you the whole time? Because that’s a good story as well…”