Inklings

Toria walked out of Fornica with two bags in her hands. It was final; she was never going shopping with Lisa again. Scratch that. She was never going shopping again period. Especially not at Fornica. She didn’t want to tempt the fates. She never wanted to see that guy ever again.

She was absolutely horrified at the fool she had made of herself. She grimaced as she sat on a bench in front of the store. Why had she left her change room in the first place? She should have listened to the old saying…Curiosity killed the cat. Yes it certainly did.

Although...she was kind of glad she had gotten to take a look at him. He was totally appealing. With those striking eyes and handsome face and gentle voice.

“Tor.” Toria broke out of her mental reverie to see Lisa walking towards her. “You won’t believe what just happened.” Lisa said with excitement on her face.

Toria stood up, bags firmly clasped in her arms.

“What?”

“I saw Justin on my way back here.”

“Justin?” Toria asked confused. Was she supposed to know this person?

“Justin Timberlake.” Lisa said. “You know, that guy from Nsync. Hello!”

“Justin Timberlake?” Toria repeated. Justin Timberlake. Something niggled at the back of her mind….and then it hit her. She had just made a complete ass of herself in front of Justin Timberlake of all people. No wonder she had felt like she knew him. He was in one of the biggest groups in North America.

Her face turned red in complete mortification. “Oh my God, Justin Timberlake.”

Lisa looked at Toria in surprise. It wasn’t like Toria to get so worked up…especially over a celebrity. “Tor? What’s up?”

Toria shook her head. This story was not going to be explained. She would never see him again so what was the point of bringing the catastrophe up. “Never mind. So…umm, you ran into him?”

Lisa paused, unsure whether to pursue the subject or to continue her own story. She shrugged. When Toria was ready to tell her whatever it was that was going on, she’d tell her.

“Ok so I bumped into him on my way back here and he told me that they are having problems with the upcoming video. Their current designer ran off to get married and they need a new designer, like, now. So…” Lisa paused for effect. “I told him about you and let’s just say you my friend have a meeting with Nsync to interview for the job. It’s today.” She glanced at her watch. “Right now in fact.” She grinned, her face smug. She was really proud of herself.

And all Toria could do was gape at her friend. “Are you crazy? Are you? I can’t do it.”

Lisa’s eyes widened. “What? You cannot be serious. Victoria Freightan, do not pull this crap on me. You are perfect for this job. Don’t wimp out on me now!”

Toria shook her head. She couldn’t face Justin again, not after her embarrassing tumble. Besides she couldn’t design clothing for an actual well known, popular band. It was too much pressure.

Lisa grabbed her friends’ shoulders, her face serious and earnest. “Tor, don’t you realize what this could do for your career. You can’t throw away this kind of opportunity, you’ve worked way too hard for that.”

Toria looked at Lisa’s sincere face and knew that she was right. She had worked very hard to have an opportunity like this come her way and she might never get another like it.

“Ok.” She said quietly.

Lisa broke out into a huge grin. “I knew you were smart.”

Toria rolled her eyes. “So what do I have to do?”

“Well we’re going to have to go back to your house and get your portfolio. They’ll want to see that. And maybe a couple samples of your work.” Lisa said as they both exited the mall.

“Justin wants us to be there as soon as possible, so we should just go grab the stuff and leave for the meeting.”

Toria nodded in response as they both got into Lisa’s car, to head for her house.

She could do this. She could.

She hoped.

***

Toria shook the hand Johnny Wright offered her. “We’ll give you a call to let you know about the job. Thanks for stopping by.”

Toria gave a small smile. “Thank you!”

She turned around, her portfolio case firmly clasped in her hand.

She walked up to Lisa who was sitting in the waiting room, flipping through a magazine, and drinking some water.

Toria had just had the meeting. When she had first walked in she was surprised to see that the guys from Nsync weren’t there, just a couple people from management. As soon as she realized it, the apprehension she had been feeling had left her and she found herself being comfortable.

She hoped it had gone well.

“Well?” Lisa asked. “How did it go?”

Toria smiled. “Pretty well, I think. They’re going to call me, to let me know.”

“Were the guys there?”

Toria shook her head. “Apparently, Mr. Wright told them to go to another meeting, since he and the rest of the manager team could take care of me.”

“I’m sure he meant that in a good way.” Lisa smiled.

“Yeah, yeah.”

“So?”

“So...I think I got it.” Toria said grinning.

“Yeah?”

Toria smiled and nodded. “I know I was being stupid before but I really want this job. It could do a lot for me.”

“A lot for both of us.” Lisa said smiling. They both walked out of the office and made their way to the indoor parking lot.

“It’s too bad the guys weren’t there then you could have finally met them. Believe me pictures don’t give the real thing justice.”

Toria gave her a small smile. She wasn’t going to touch that one with a ten-foot pole.

When they reached the car, a thought struck her. She paused and rested her hands on the top. “Do you think I would see those guys a lot?”

Lisa opened the car door. “Yeah probably. You would be the main designer. You’d probably have to make fittings and that other stuff you designers do.”

As soon as the sentence came out. The girls looked at each other in shock. “Fittings?” They said in unison.

“Oh my God! I just realized. Do you know what that means?”

Toria nodded her head gravely. Yes it meant being up close and personal with Justin Timberlake. Just great.

“It means,” Lisa continued not knowing about her friends dismal thoughts, “That you will be touching all that boy band goodness. You lucky girl, you.” Lisa squealed.

Toria laughed as they both got into the car. “It isn’t too late for you to get help you know.”

“Oh shut up! You know you love the idea.” Lisa said, starting the car.

“Whatever!” Toria shook her head. Lisa was wrong. She didn’t like the idea at all. But she wasn’t going to worry yet about a job she wasn’t even sure she had.

Even though she had the strangest feeling that the job was soon to be hers.

 

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