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"

I have chosen to no longer be apologetic for my femaleness and my femininity. And I want to be respected in all of my femaleness because I deserve to be."
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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Margot

Brrrrrrng

What is that strange sound?

Brrrrrrng

Is Rapture about to take place?

Father in heaven, forgive me for being such a bad girl, forgive me for not going to church regularly, forgive me for always sleeping with strange men, forgive me for...

"MAAAAAARRRGOOOOOT!"

What?

"MAAAAARGOOOOT! I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME! DON'T LET ME COME INSIDE THAT ROOM AND GET YOU! YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AT YOUR SHOOT NOW! IMAGINE MY SURPRISE WHEN I RECEIVED A CALL SAYING THAT YOU ARE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND! AND DID YOU NOT SAY WE WERE TO MEET THERE? INSTEAD..."

I put my hands over my ears to prevent having to listen to whatever Her Royal Highness 'I know how to rant' has to say. The only thing that registers in my head is the word 'shoot'.

Shoot?

Wait, what?

If there were a record for the fastest person to get out of bed, I am sure that with my speed, I would have beaten whoever held the first position.

I was supposed to be at my shoot.. what's the time again..

THIRTY MINUTES AGO!

Holy Mary, Mother of God!

And here I am, comparing my alarm clock to rapture like an idiot. I swear, there are times when my idiocy surprises even me.

I was just about to run off to the bathroom before my loving manager, Miss Maria Alexander, comes to haul my derrière out of here whether I get dressed or not, when I stumble on something hard.

"Hey," a voice husky from sleep says below me (oh, it's actually a someone).

"Hey, Miguel."

"It's Michael," the lean, dark-skinned dude answers, still in the same facedown position.

"Yeah, whatever." Like I care, he should be grateful I remember him coming here with me. "What are you still doing here?"

"Excuse me?" he asks, turning to look at me.

"Do you have a hearing problem?" I ask, now getting pissed off. Maria might actually have to haul me out of here undressed after all.

Exactly at that moment, Her Royal Highness Rant ( I never call her that to her face) sashays in.

My manager, at the age of fifty-five, is always looking good, even in the middle of the night (I ain't kidding). The woman could decide to wear a sack and still look like a model. I tell you, the word 'Suave' was invented because of Maria.

Also, nothing ever seems to disturb the calm demeanor she wears every time, even now, as she stares at the men sleeping in different destinations in my purple-themed room.

Yeah, I said men, like, plural for man.

Still don't get it? Well, let me explain. Matthew (or was it Miguel?) happens not to be the only guy I invited over, there are actually two more. I think one is Ryan and the other, Pete. Can't be too sure.

I know some might see me as a whore for inviting three guys over for my pleasure but, not trying to defend my actions or anything, I recently broke up with my boyfriend of close to a year and since I've got the money to use the services of these pretty boys to take my mind off, probably my hundredth heartbreak, (just kidding, but honestly, it's been broken so much that I lost count already) what else is a girl supposed to do?

"And what do we have here?" Maria questions, folding her arms over her chest, slightly creasing her lime green suit top as she stares at me calmly, deep blue eyes into my light brown ones.

"Maria, I..."

"Margot Johns," Maria begins and I automatically know that I am in serious trouble, "what you do in your free time is certainly no business of mine. But this..." (wait for it).

"This..." (keep waiting).

"This..." (wait a little bit more).

"This..." (NOW!).

"IS OUTRAGEOUS!" Maria exclaims with an earsplitting scream.

Yeah, she tends to lose the calmness sometimes, usually my fault.

As if she didn't just yell her heart out, she calmly points her finger at each of the guys, who are now wide awake, staring at the calm lady cum drama queen.

"Now, Syphilis, Gonorrhea and AIDS, I would greatly appreciate it if the three of you can exit the room this very minute. Thank you."

The guys keep staring. I'm even starting to think they've gone deaf or something.

"I SAID LEEEAAAAVE!" Another scream leaves Maria's lips but at least, this one got the guys to quickly put on their clothings and scramble out.

Maria will definitely not forgive me for making her lose her composure thrice in one morning.

I had started biting my lip in fear by the time she finally regains her composure. "What are you waiting for, Margot? Go get dressed before my phone starts ringing off the hook again."

I smile as I walk past her.

Maria Alexander has been my manager for ten years now. When my mom was alive, they had been best friends, so close that there had been nothing they didn't know about each other.

Eleven years ago, when my mom had died of an heart attack, it was exactly three months later that Maria's husband also died from an accident due to drunk driving. The grief of the two people who meant something to her almost drove her crazy. But she survived, just like I did, because we fought grief and healed, together.

Since then, we've been so close people sometimes ask me if she's my mom or manager and I always reply with a smile and say 'She's my momager'.

However, as much as I love Maria, she can be tiring at times, especially when she has the kind of scowl she's spotting right now as we head to my hair product shoot.

"Maria, you know I am not normally like that, don't you?" I ask, putting on my best puppy dog face that even movie directors find hard to turn down.

Maria just looks at me, her scowl still in place and then turns her face to the other side.

Oh, so she doesn't want to talk to me.

Fine!

Perfect!

Dandy!

Let the silence reign on...

------------------------------------------------------ Soooo, there...Chapter one is done. I really hope you liked it.

To all my readers, voters and commenters, I say a very biiiiiiiig thank you for taking your precious time to read this first timer's story. It means a lot to me.

Do let me know whattcha think of Margot.

And don't forget to VOTE, COMMENT AND SHARE

Thanks cupcakes😉