the PROPOSAL part 2

“Err…I mean I’m still at home.”

“Oh…can you come a little bit early today?”

“Why? Anything?”

“Just come and I will tell you everything. Someone wants to see you”.

“Alright, boss. See you later”.

I prepared myself as fast as I could. I went downstairs and I didn’t see any sign of the black Cadillac.

I drove my way straight to the office. Lucky for me, the traffic was low that morning.

As I parked my car, I was surprised to see the black Cadillac at my office’s parking space.

“Whose car is this actually?” I asked myself.

I walked into the office and went straight to Ms Jin Au-Yeung, my boss’ office.

“You want to see me, ms?” I asked her.

“Oh…there you are. Come in, Paul. Someone wants to see you”.

“Who?”

“Miss Tania from the Aruna Boutique”, said Ms Jin.

I turned my head to the left and I couldn’t believe my eyes. I rubbed my eyes a couple of times before I make myself sure. It was the girl that bumped into me the other night. She looked very beautiful and pretty. She was wearing a black kebaya and looked very elegant.

I walked towards her and introduce myself.

“Morning. I’m Paul”.

“Hi Paul. I’m Tania from the Aruna Boutique. Nice to meet you”, she said with a soft voice.

All I can do was just smile when she shook my hand.

“I came here to discuss something with you. You’re familiar with the name Aruna Boutique right?” asked Tania.

“Yeah”, I answered while nodding my head.

Aruna Boutique is a household name for selling high quality outfits ranged from night dresses, wedding dresses, gowns, night gowns, blouses, coats, jackets, and etc.

“Okay, so we are going to release our latest collections for next year and we need models to model them for us. The models will wear our collections and the pictures and posters will be used all over our branches in the world”, explained Tania.

“So, what I want you to do is to get your best models who can really work our collections”, she added. “How’s that?”

“Sure, I can do that”, I said confidently. “We have the best models for your collections”.

“Great. So, when can you arrange the meeting between your models and me?” she asked.

“I can’t confirm it with you now but I will inform you as soon as possible”.

“Alright. Here’s my card. Those are my contact numbers and addresses”, she said to me while handing me her name card.

“Okay. Thanks”.

Ms Jin and I then accompanied her towards the main door and I found out that the black Cadillac was actually belongs to her.

At the office, I wasted no time to look at all my models’ profiles. I tried to look for models that can really work their collections.

Wait a second. I don’t have the pictures of the collections, how am I supposed to know which model is suitable to wear which collection?

I looked at Ms Tania’s name card and looked for her phone number.

“Zero one nine two five eight five eight six eight”.

“Hello”.

I don’t know why but I felt happy when I heard her voice was on the line.

“Hello. Is this Ms Tania?”

“Tania’s speaking. Can I know who this is?”

“It’s me, Paul. The photographer? We met morning just now? Remember?”

“Oh ya. Hi, Paul. Is there anything I can help you?”

“Well, I was looking for my best models to model your collections but I can’t decide who’s best for what you know because I don’t have the picture of the collections”.

“Oh ya. Wait, here it is. It’s still in my briefcase. I forgot to give you just now. Sorry for that”.

“It’s okay. I will get it from you later”.

“Alright. Cool. So, is there anything else?”

“Err…no. That’s all”.

“Okay. So, I guess I’ll see you around”.

“Wait!! Actually, there is something that I want to ask you”, I said to her.

“What is it?”

“Do you live at Green Imperiale Apartment?”

“Yeah, how’d you know?”

“Err…just a wild guess. Do you live on floor 17 at room 342?”

“Wow. You really are freaking me out now. That’s exactly where I live. I just moved in a couple of days ago”.

“I see. Alright then, I will inform you again when I want to take all the pictures”.

“Okay. See you”.

I drove all the way back after working hours and parked my car at the basement. As I was making my way to the elevator, I saw the black Cadillac parked just next to the security’s hut.

“Tania”, I said to myself.

I went into my unit and turned on the stereo. I went to the kitchen and Jake followed me.

“You hungry huh?”

“Miaw~”

I took his packet of food and pour in the food into his plate. Jake ate the food with lots of appetite.

I looked at Jake and he reminds me of Kim. Kim is a cat lover. Her house is full of cats. I remembered all the moments that we played together with her cats whenever I went to her house. All her cats are cute just like her.

“I miss you, Kim. I hope you’re doing fine at there”, I said while looking at Jake.

After I took my bath, I sat on the sofa with Jake on my lap. I turned on the TV and it was America’s Next Top Model cycle 14. The show reminds me of Tania.

“Oh yeah. She lives at next door”.

I then decided to send a text message to her.

“ready 4 surprise?”

I waited for few minutes before she reply back.

“wat kind of surprise?”

I went out from my unit and went to next door.

I pressed on the door bell a couple of times before someone opened it up.

“Yes?”

It was the same old man that I asked to move the car few days ago.

“Hi, uncle. Err…is Tania home?”

The man then went in and Tania came out few minutes later.

“Oh my God!! Paul? What are you doing here?” she asked in surprise.

“Don’t you want to invite me in?”

“Yeah, come on in”.

I went in into her unit and I can see the old man was at the kitchen.

“Have a sit”, said Tania. “So?”

“So what?”

“You haven’t answered me. What are you doing here?”

“Urmm…I’m your neighbour”.

“What you mean?” asked Tania with a confuse look.

“I live next door”.

“No way. You’re kidding right?”

“Hm..well, if you say I’m kidding then, I got nothing to say”.

The old man then came out from the kitchen and brought cups of coffee for all of us.

“Dad, this is my friend, Paul”, said Tania.

“Paul, this is my dad”.

“Nice to meet you, uncle”, I said.

Her dad just smiled and sat next to Tania while trying to change the TV channel.

“Actually, I came here to take the collection pictures”.

“Oh yeah. It’s in my room. Wait a moment. I’ll get it for you”.

Tania then went into her room leaving her dad and me at the living room.

“How long have guys known each other?”

Her dad suddenly spoke up.

“Erm…we just knew each other morning just now. She went into my office to look for some models for her boutique’s latest collections”, I said.

“I see. She’s a very good girl. She works very hard every single day just to get to the top. She will do anything just to make me and her mum proud”.

“So, where’s her mum?” I asked curiously while trying to drink the coffee.

Her dad remained silent for few seconds before he looked at the 4R-sized photo near the table lamp.

“She passed away 4 years ago in a plane crash”.

“I’m really sorry for that. I didn’t know”.

“It’s okay. It’s destiny. We never know what will happen. She was returning to hometown from Milan when suddenly something was wrong with the plane led to the crash and her body was never recovered”.

Tania then came out from her room and walked towards us.

“Here you go”, said Tania while handing me the collection pictures.

I went through all the pictures and I got to say that I’m very impressed with all the designs.

“You designed all of this?”

“Yeah. But some were the idea from my friends”.

“I got to say this is good”.

“You guys continue to talk. I am sleepy. I’m going to sleep. Good night”.

Her dad suddenly got up and went into his room to get some sleep.

“So, who do you live with at next door?” asked Tania.

“I live with Jake. My best friend”.

“Oh…so, there are only two of you in the unit?”

“Hm….yeah, you can say it that way”.

Tania and I then just talked about ourselves to one another. I found out that Tania and her dad just arrived here few days ago. They were staying at Canada for the past 11 years. She graduated in Business Management from Harvard University in the USA. I also found out that Aruna Boutique was founded by her great great grandmother. So, it’s kind of family business. From one generation to the next.

Tania was very talkative but she was gentle, humble, and it felt very good talking to her. We talked and talked for quite some time until it was 11.04pm.

“I have so much fun talking to you but it’s getting late. I have to go back now”, I said to her while

looking at the green clock hanging on the wall.

“Oh…okay. So, I’ll see you tomorrow”.

I went in into my unit and sat on my bed. I opened the collections book and looked through once again all of the designs. There were about 60 designs.

There were jackets, blouses, jeans, pants, coats, ties, dresses, gowns, and etc. Just name it and you can find it.

I looked at the designs and at the same time looked at all the models’ picture. I tried my best to figure out which designs are suitable for the models.

In the end, I managed to put all of the designs and the models in their place. I’ve indentified 16 models to work for me and I decided to call them in tomorrow morning.

It’s getting late and I decided to go to bed. As I was arranging all my stuff on the table, my phone vibrated.

One new text message.

“gud nite paul”

It’s was Tania. I’m kind of surprise but at the same time happy.

“nite Tania :)”

I woke up early the next morning and called in all of the models for the collections as soon as I arrived

at the office. I asked all of them to meet me at my office at 9am.

Then, I called Ms Tania to inform her about the presentation and meeting.

“Hello, Ms Tania. How are you this morning?” I said to her.

“I’m fine. What makes you call me this early?”

“I just want to inform you that I have identified all of the models that will model for your collections.

I’ve called them in and they will be arriving at my office around 9.30am”.

“Oh, is it? That’s great. So, is there anything I can do?”

“Urmm…it will be great if you can come join us for the presentation. At least you can give some

comments or feedbacks”.

“I see. Okay. I will be there around 9.30am”.

“Great. See you”.

I sat and waited at the meeting room for all the models to come. Some of the models are university students who took the job as a part-time and some of them are professional models.

I can never get tired meeting all of these models as all of them are really pretty, beautiful, and tall. Just like dream girls for all guys out there.

Yeah, I loved the attention that I got from the public when I hung out with these models in the shopping malls or cafés. But there’s one thing that I don’t like when I hung out with them. I have to look up to them at all time when talking to them. Err…you get the point right?

But I love my job. I have always love photography since I was at high school. There’s something about photography that makes me so attracted to it. Each time when I take some photos, I can feel the satisfaction all over my body. It makes me forget all of my problems. Well, at least for a while.

“Morning, Paul”, said Abbey and Chantelle as they make their way in.

Abbey and Chantelle are two university students that took this modelling job as part-times. I met both of them at a restaurant during lunch hour. I was eating with one of my colleagues when I saw them. I knew they can be good models because I can see their potentials. I went towards them and asked whether they can come for an audition and guess what? They came to meet me the next day.

I looked at the name list and all of them were there.

“Okay. Do you girls know what our project is for today?” I stood up and asked them. “We are going to model the latest collections of Aruna Boutique”.

“Aruna Boutique?” asked Ceza, one of the models. “The boutique that designed the dress for Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza when she won the Best Female Singer Award last year?”

“Exactly”.

“Oh my God!!” said Abbey. “It’s an international boutique right?”

“Yeah. They have branches in Malaysia, USA, Japan, and Europe”, I explained to Abbey and the rest of the girls.

“I’ve read in the magazine that day that celebrities such as Beyonce Knowles, Usher, and Taylor Swift also wore their designs”, added Abbey.

“Yeah, just to name a few. So, that’s the reason I called you girls in today. You girls will wear their latest collections and all the pictures and posters will be used worldwide all over their branches”, I said to them.

“Oh my God!! I can’t believe it”, said Salma Hayek, one of the models whose dad is French and mum is Italian. “We are really going to model for Aruna”.

“Yeah. So, consider all of you are lucky because I called you girls in”, I said. “Another good news is that the great great grand daughter of the boutique founder will come to meet all of you later”.

Knock!!Knock!!

“Come in”.

“I’m sorry. Am I disturbing anything?”

It was Tania and she looked absolutely gorgeous. I can feel the cupids were shooting their love arrows towards me. Fair skin, a little bit blonde hair, pretty face, dimples on both her cheeks, perfect body curve, and to top all of that, she wore a green kebaya and a pair of black high heels. I mean, oh my God, absolutely a perfect 10 for me.