Maria Leòn is the highly popular new independent rock sensation.
Ingrid Engen is the shy assistant working in the shadows.
What happens when the two meet again in an unexpected situation?
Standing in the middle of a room in the Museum of Modern Art I New York (MoMA), Maria Leòn and myself are looking at the imposing work of art in front of us.
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To look without fear - or how the exhibition about Wolfgang Tillmans was titled by the renowned museum. At my surprise, even an untitled prick like Leòn really stopped and got mesmerized by the painting in front of her.
To look without fear - and I could see a tear rolling down her cheek. Unable to even talk, mostly because I didn't know her at all and did not know what that oeuvre triggered inside of her, I just stand there.
Wiping her tear away, the tattooed blonde - who is wearing a cap so people couldn't recognize her that easily - just looks my way and smirks.
"Uneasy in social situations that require empathy and a natural talent with helping people, I see ?"
I frown, quite annoyed that she was able to describe my whole persona in a few words.
"What gave it away?" I ask, curious.
"Let me guess: you have been raised in a family where crying equals weakness so you had to hide your emotions."
I smirk, quite amused.
"I have always believed showing emotions and vulnerability to random people consists in an error of judgment."
"Funny" Mapi comments, although very serious in her facial expressions, "is that a feature of Southern Europe families?"
Raising one eyebrow, I inquire:
"What do you mean by that?"
"I don't know - I guess, since I spent my whole childhood and teenage years in Spain, I gathered we were quite expressive and open about expressing our feelings and stuff."
"Maybe it is a feature - I don't know." I admit, confused.
The blonde smirks.
"To me this painting symbolizes the inner turmoil we hide inside of our minds" Mapi declares out of the blue, turning her face toward the painting. As I nod, looking at it as well, she continues in a deep voice: "This dark, uncanny matter, just inexistent and so damn present at the same time, infiltrating every sphere of our spirits..."
Actually surprised of the depth of the superstar's thoughts, I just remain silence, as we both look at the painting longly. Then, without speaking a single word, we make our way out of the museum, walking in the busy streets of New York, just like it is at the end of each day.
As the November air brushes our faces, I just look at her and realize how our height difference would actually help me look at her in another way. And, from under her cap, I know she could feel my eyes on her.
Looking up at me, she then asks:
"So, are you still convinced I am a bitchy decaying celeb trying to forget about the harshness of life ?"
I nod my head.
"Yes."
"Oof, you're a hard audience to please, Engen" the blonde comments, amused. She then hears her phone ringing, before briefly looking at the screen and adding: "Duty calls - see you around, babysitting was fun but now I've gotta go at Ale's."
"Have fun with that" I only comment, amused.
I watch her disappear in the ever-present crowd of New York, before going my own way.
***
MAPI
The morning fight with Alexia really brought painful memories back into the surface - so when I got a text message from her, I sighed in relief. Our friendship had always been rocky : with two very different ways of thinking and behaving, we randomly could fight for hours, before becoming the bestest friends three minutes after the fight ends. I guess this is why having her as my manager was so important: apart from her, nobody truly gets me, neither did they understand my way of thinking and functioning.
As I enter Alexia's spacious and luxurious apartment (being a superstar's manager kind of pays off), I see my oldest (and only) friend sitting on her living room's table, eyes focused on her computer screen.
When I sit down next to her, I can see her leave the internet page she was currently looking at in a hurry, pretending to be looking at some rehearsals schedules.
"Look at you being shady and shit" I comment, highly amused.
But Alexia ignores me, before immediately saying:
"Instead of mocking me, you should adulate me: I managed to reverse your latest sex scandal."
"How did you even do that?"
"Proved Williamson's undercover journalist illegally filmed you, which will result in an expensive law suit for the Times, as well as discreditation of their 'sex scandal story. This actually turned public opinion in your favor, as people on Twitter see you as the undeniable victim."
"You're a wizard" I comment, truly amazed.
Nodding her head, meaning 'I know' with her eyes, my manager then opens another application on her screen, this time an Excel file with current reservations for concerts.
"In other news: your European tour is fully booked - not one single ticket left since early this morning."
My eyes go wide.
"Wow."
"Rosalìa asked if she could be your first part in Barcelona, which I agreed upon given her amazing career. We opened a new date two days prior to the others, which means we're leaving for Barcelona tomorrow at dawn."
"Woah."
Alexia smirks.
"We will be travelling light: my assistant, Ingrid, as well as our technical manager, Keira Walsh, head of security Aitana Bonmati and a few security agents. Be ready tomorrow at 6 am on your doorstep."
Rolling my eyes, I just nod my head in agreement.
Before I leave, I just flash a look at my best friend, before asking:
"You sure you don't wanna tell me what you were looking at before I came in?"
Rolling her eyes this time, Alexia just shakes her head.
"Fuck off."
"Alright, love you too bestie, bye"
The driver was waiting for me in the alley, as I asked him to take a detour by the local private bar only reserved for people having a certain standing.
Of course it was a shitty idea - but I gotta stick with my messy aesthetics, right?
