¡brillante, brillante como oro!

//

The surrounding noise had not been great, but Jason had been tolerating it. The woman’s sudden shouting with the megaphone, however, was what he objected to. Her goal to silence the others was admirable, but she had ended up making even more noise going about it. When she addressed him, Jason raised an eyebrow, finding it rather ironic that she had not exactly been showing the greatest of manners either. “While I do share that sentiment, I also wonder if it is necessary to cause even more of a disturbance trying to get some silence,” he commented, his knowing look conveying his displeasure at her action.

.

If it had been just a random person to argue with her, or to even complain, Yaiza would have simply harrumphed and continued with her work. This man, however, seemed like a professional type. The sort of person she could see eye to eye with; and his lack of gratitude was, therefore, particularly bothersome. His raised eyebrow, as if he found the whole thing funny or strange in some way, was the cherry on top.

“Well, aren’t you a sourpuss,” Yaiza scoffed with a frown. She certainly didn’t find any joy in the glare he shot her way. “You gotta make a little noise to get what you want. Now I don’t know what sort of secret strategy you were about to bring some peace to this godforsaken café, but I think my results speak for themselves,” she declared, pushing back her glasses against the bridge of her nose. “Who are you, anyway? Another lawyer from that Hart firm?”

~

Tina considered. She pretended to hum and haw it over, but frankly, this offer was probably the best she was going to get. She didn’t need it by any means, but she did need a distraction, or a challenge or something. Not that this one was particularly exciting. In the end, Tina Bell was terrible as resisting taunts, and conceded. “So, what, three bucks a song? I guess it sounds reasonable enough.”

Tina’s arms crossed defensively over her stomach, a subconscious shield from the criticism she was waiting for. Frankly, Tina wasn’t sure how much negative attention she could take tonight (which made a real change; attention was attention, after all) before she went absolutely ballistic at someone. Of course, she played her folded arms off as stubborn defiance, not letting her nose drop down from the air for even a moment. The tips of her ears were already flushing a hot red as she scrambled for a clever answer. “I’m not interested in the costume competition,” was her reply. “All a shitty tin trophy is going to do is clutter up my vanity.” Oh man, she was really off her game. That sounded way more bitter than she hoped.

.

“It is pretty reasonable, I think,” she scoffed, pushing her bony shoulders back and raising her chin. “Better than your average jukebox, isn’t it?”

Finally Yaiza had to give in and let her grin shine through. Getting a rise out of little Miss Bell was truly the most reliable fun she had in Redwood Hollow. It almost (not really) made her moving out of the Neverland Hotel a sad affair. “It’s not about a stupid trophy,” Yaiza frowned, lifting one eyebrow. “It never is, especially when it’s about something as trivial as costumes. It’s about knowing you’re better than the rest,” she stated the obvious. “Of course, if you already know you have no chances of winning... Then, why even get your hopes up, right?”

-

Adam nodded, for him Paris was his home, but Redwood Hollows just pulled him in. And it was the perfect place to uphold his business. It had a little charm, Redwood. It was different from Paris, more homey, and he didn’t have his past running after him - he also got a break from his parents, the expectations. He had freedom here how could he even explain how he ended here?

“Business.” He said simply. “I’m the owner of the café in this town.” Not favorable for everyone but for those who liked it it was like a second home - he couldn’t see Miss Yaiza adore such a place though. “Just recently I ordered a new tea set, to fit with this months theme.” Nice colors of fall.

.

Yaiza let out a polite chuckle. “Mr Legrand, if you have the means, I wholeheartedly encourage you to enjoy your youth and continue travelling. Yes, Redwood Hollow may be a charming little place, but surely there may be some... Finer places to set roots in,” she said delicately. “Don’t you think so?” Yaiza was really not so much trying to get him to skip town as much as wondering exactly what was it that pulled people from well-off families like Legrand and Di Rossi to such a forsaken town in the middle of nowhere. There had to be a real reason, some sort of business they conducted that she wanted to be a part of.

“Oh, a café? Well, the local gastronomic offer has been a bit of a let down so far, Mr Legrand... Maybe I should pass by your establishment. Maybe even make some good publicity for it,” she offered with a smile. If any reporters saw Yaiza Zelaya dining at a particular spot, it was to be expected for the place to have a spike in popularity. “‘This month’s theme’? What may that be?” she asked the man with a furrowed brow. 

~

Deziree nodded in agreement, listening very carefully to what Yaiza had to say. There was an urge to impress her, a fear perhaps that if she didn’t then her mother would be disappointed. A horrible wave of nerves came over her, the first real feeling she had felt in months. She felt… lost. “It’s a work in progress,” Deziree said, keeping her polite smile as best she could. “But yes, you’re right. It’s definitely limited here. I don’t think there’s much for me here at all. I’m saving. Looking for work experience. Opportunities.”

Deziree blinked. A work offer? She had been burned by something similar a few months prior, but… frankly, Deziree was getting desperate. She now owed Ella a small fortune in rent, could hardly afford her supplies, and she hadn’t bought a new handbag in lord only knew how long! “Tremaine,” Deziree replied quickly, realizing she was overthinking and about to blow her shot. “Deziree Tremaine. A work offer?” she then asked. “What sort of work?” she’d take almost anything at this point. All she really had left was her dignity.

.

“That’s what I was thinking,” she said, nodding thoughtfully. “In that sense, I’d be happy to... Well, be a stepping stone to help you go up in the world.” Obviously, not without something in return. Yaiza had an unfortunate habit of growing fond of her employees, but in this sense, it did feel like it would be appropriate and even beneficial.

“A pleasure to meet you, Miss Tremaine,” Yaiza said politely. Not a surname she was particularly familiar with; but that would be the young woman’s job, to make it known. “The job I am considering to offer you is a place as my assistant; or, if that presents to be a problem and clashes with your studies, an initial job as my personal stylist.” Yaiza smiled, making a general gesture towards the young woman. “I have expected to stay here in Redwood for a month at most, but I have realized I will be extending my stay. Therefore, I’ll need a proper wardrobe for these colder days.” Whether or not the town’s fashion market could supply what she needed, was something that would become Miss Tremaine’s problem.

“In the case you’re interested in the assistant job, you must be warned that you already have competition in that respect; I currently have other two people interested in the position. But, if you’d rather begin as a personal stylist... I would be keeping a close eye, and seeing if you got what it takes to be promoted.”

~

Deziree was not opposed to a once over, though admittedly when it came from an older woman it read a little differently. Almost… Well, she didn’t want to say motherly. Not by the standard dictionary definition, anyway. No, it read exactly like how her Mom would give her a once over before she left the dressing room, or on her way out the door. It read much in the same way that Mom looked over people as a gauge of their status, or lack thereof. It wasn’t a motherly look, but it was her mother’s look.

Her brow raised slightly, confused at what on earth the congratulations was for. It stood to reason that college was on the cards whether she wanted it or not, and tuition in Redwood was free from plenty. It was hardly a feat of great triumph. Still, Deziree Tremaine was not about having her ego boosted, and with mommy dearest gone, she wasn’t exactly getting that anywhere else. “I’m currently rethinking the plan I had when I first started design school,” Deziree admitted, divulging as little incriminating information as she could. “Some circumstances changed, so I’m hoping I can use this year to really carve a better path for myself. I’d like to leave Redwood eventually.”

.

“Oh... Why, that’s a pity,” Yaiza said quietly. “I perfectly understand what you mean. Carving a path for yourself is not easy... There’ll be expectations set upon you, and people will think they know what’s best for you,” she said, raising her chin. “It is your job, dearie, to decide just how much you will be willing to trust those opinions. And to leave Redwood Hollow... You will need resources, and experience, and connections, and a lot of things that life in a small town can just barely manage to supply.” Not that she knew about that, of course. Yaiza had always been raised to be her father’s heir, travelling around the world’s capitals, being trained on everything and anything necessary for a young lady to succeed in business. This meant she knew what was needed to become prosperous, but also that she was acquainted with the other heirs: spoilt, handed everything in a silver platter, with no real abilities nor experience to speak of.

Yaiza gave the young woman another glance. She was needing someone to replace the gaping hole Cuzco would leave in her will, after all... “What would you say to a work offer, miss...?” Just then Yaiza realized the young woman hadn’t introduced herself yet.

-

Adam nodded with pride he felt like any compliment of this woman he should take. She didn’t seem to care much for dogs, which was strange because he remembered her to be an animal rights activist the moment she told him her name.

“The pleasure is all mine.” He said a matter of being polite, as he was raised to be. To treat everyone with respect. Perhaps that was why he was an easy pray for Agatha. After all he didn’t have the heart to tell her no in most cases. “ Oh,no. My family originates from France, I was born and raised in the city of love, Paris.” Adam explained.

.

“Paris! Now, isn’t that nice,” Yaiza said with a wide grin and a little tilt of the head. Really, she didn’t care much for Paris. It was nice, it had good food, good fashion... But service was lousy, the city itself was often dirty and crawling with rats. An overrated city, in her opinion, but she understood why, for folks in such a small town, Paris would seem like such an impressive place to come from. Surely the young man used that little tidbit to pick up girls or something.

Regardless, Mr Legrand seemed to be a perfectly nice young fella. By his words it appeared to be a case of another person coming from away to settle down in that little forsaken town, though God knew for what reasons. “What is a continental gentleman like yourself doing in Redwood Hollow, may I ask?”

“Modeling? Me? Well, I’m certainly not going to say no to that, as long as its mostly the warm tones, those look best on me.” Rosetta said flipping her hair over her shoulder. Rolling her shoulders, the dark haired woman smirked a bit. “Oh uh, he owns the the Casino in town.” She admitted, frankly not going into more detail than that. 

As Yaiza spoke about an opportunity to work for her, Rosetta was sure her heart was about to stop. “Y-You want me, to come and work for you?” She repeated gently. Rosetta was so wrapped up in the idea she hadn’t put two and two together quite yet about Kronk being there as well. “W-Wait, Kronk Cabrera, he’s also your assistant.” Taking in a deep breath, she almost didn’t want to agree. But, to give up this sort of chance would be criminal. “I’ll uh, I’ll get in contact with him. Shouldn’t be too hard, but yes I would love the chance to be able to work for you.” 

.

Yaiza smiled. Miss Ramos course-corrected appropriately, and indeed, confidence suited her much better. Her next answer, though, did surprise her. “Mr Borror?” She could understand why her new young friend could be attracted to him: he was rich, successful, mysterious and had, more or less, good taste. Still, she had been expecting her to pine after someone... Younger? Softer? Easier to handle? If Yaiza were asked, Rosetta was surely better off wooing someone without the inherent risks that came with a man like Mr Borror... Then again, she could respect that the young woman was setting her sights high at such an early age. Big risk, big reward, she had to admit.

The woman chuckled at Rosetta’s disbelief, and nodded. “Yes... Oh, do you happen to know him?” she asked her, in her most innocent tone. It didn’t matter, truly. If Rosetta wanted the job, she would do whatever was necessary to get it. “Well, that’s just wonderful. I’ll be looking forward to getting in touch with you soon enough.” And with that, Yaiza gave her a small head bow as a farewell. “Goodbye, Miss Ramos. And good luck.”

“I mean I’m sure you have people for this. But, if you ever have a need for someone to test out new products I would happily oblige to the task.” She said with a happy grin. When the question of whom her attentions were for was brought up, Rosetta let her gaze quickly scan around the party. She’d seen him once walking through the crowd, but someone stopped her to ask for a picture and she’d lost sight of him. “I don’t think so, well not anymore at least, I know he was here earlier.” Biting her lip, she shook the idea from her head. 

“Uh yes, I’m currently in school studying psychology with an emphasis on family and personal relationships.” Rubbing a hand across the back of her neck, Rosetta needed to think on her feet. “Oh, uh, I signed an NDA.” She lied easily. “For the safety of my clients identity and what they have going on, I’m not at liberty to discuss it with the public.” 

.

“Test products? Dearie, with such a lovely face as yours, you would be much better suited modeling our new cosmetics,” Yaiza said, raising her eyebrows. She knew it sounded like a compliment, but quite truthfully, in her opinion, it was quite a stupid thing for Miss Ramos to say; she had to know she was pretty, and offering herself for a job below her could only be interpreted as sycophantic behaviour or as an honest lack of self-awareness. Still, she was young, and probably still had a lot to learn. Yaiza could excuse some minor faux-pas. “Well, I am quite new to this town, but if it is someone worth knowing, then I must be at least acquainted with him,” she declared, picking another glass. “What is his name? If I happen to come across him, I shall put a good word of you in there.”

Yaiza smiled and nodded. “Very good,” she said approvingly; after all, family was important, even if only for legal reasons. “I understand,” she sighed. The young Miss Ramos intrigued her, but it would have been ridiculous to, even with her status, expect her to simply spill it all to her at a first glance. “I must say, Miss Ramos, that you have striked quite a good impression on me. You are clearly a smart one, quick-thinking, and with charm to spare. Much like me,” she smiled again. “All qualities that are sorely lacking in most of today’s youth... Let me make you an offer. My current assistant, a certain... Kronk Cabrera...” No matter how much she tried to ignore it, she still wondered just what type of people named their kid Kronk. “... Hasn’t been completely up to my expectations lately. It is too early to know, of course, but I wonder if you might be a good replacement.” The young man had a certain clueless charm to him, but charm alone did not make a good assistant. “Contact him as soon as you can, and we’ll arrange for you to begin a trial period to see if you have what it takes.”

“Of course I do. Anyone with half a foot in the door of the fashion world should know about them. If you don’t, you just have no style.” Rosetta said as if it was the easiest thing in the world. Running her fingers through her hair again, she was about to ask the name of the woman before she did it on her own. “Wait, you’re Yaiza Zelaya. I swear by Killa Kosmetics frankly it’s all I wear. You are a legend in my home, you have no idea.” She said starting to gush. Rosetta had only ever met someone akin to celebrity once in her life, and frankly she wasn’t actually old enough to remember the moment. 

“Rosetta Magdalena Ramos, at your service.” She said with a smart nod. Standing a bit straighter in her spot, Rosetta had to think quickly on how best to explain her line of work. “Well, I work part time at the local flower shop to have some extra cash. And then I do uh, private consulting on the side as well.” Private consulting? Yeah, that seemed like the best way to explain her job with Oz. 

.

“I thought I recognized that lipstick shade,” Yaiza smiled proudly. At least someone in that town knew of her, of her name, of her reputation and her success. That alone was more than enough to get her to warm up to the young woman. “So, you’re trying to get a certain someone’s attention... All decked out as you are, it shouldn’t be difficult at all,” she stated, giving a general look at the crowd, wondering who the lucky fella was. “Are you sure he’s at this party, currently?” As her good action of the week, Yaiza was willing to escort the young woman towards this supposed dreamboat, so as to have some of her own glamour and fame rub off on her.

“Oh, don’t you have a lovely name,” she said with a big grin and a head tilt. “Magdalena has such an old-world charm. Gracious, dignified... I don’t know your family, unfortunately, but they do sound like perfectly wonderful folk.” Her explanation of her job, however, had Yaiza frowning. What was a smart young woman like Miss Ramos doing working at a flower shop, like some random riffraff, when she was clearly cut out for something more, something better? “I assume you are studying a proper career, however...” she said, hoping she got a better answer. “And, private-consulting-wise, what is your field of expertise?”