Chapter Text
Moriah felt light-headed walking to the studio this morning. She saw the same buildings and streets every day, but today they looked unfamiliar. Her world has looked different since yesterday at the cafe.
She walked into the studio, and saw Corey next to the camera, hunched over his laptop. Usually there's at least a makeup person and a camera guy, but sometimes they're late, and she gets to be alone in the studio with Corey for a couple minutes. It reminds Moriah of times when it was mostly just the two of them, with a camera and a green screen.
"Hey. What's up?" She asked.
"Oh," said Corey, "Some idiot reposted the wikipedia page of me after I deleted it last night. Douchebags. I mean, that is private information."
"It is?"
Corey shot her a strange look. "You know what I mean. You got your lines down?"
She nodded. She could tell that today was one of those days, when Corey got so absorbed in the work that he barely noticed Moriah. Sure, he spoke to her and and responded to her questions, but she could tell his mind was entirely preoccupied by some artistic vision or another he had the night before, usually after getting high. Days like this, when he looked at her he would only see Poppy, his doll, his princess, his starlet. On the one hand, he looked hot when he was in full-blown artist mode, confident and driven. On the other hand, she would feel strangely ignored despite technically being lavished with attention.
But today was a strange day. Moriah's thoughts were preoccupied today, too. So much so that, she felt hardly bothered when Corey gave her about fifteen different shoes to try on with the outfit. She thought she should say something to him, about yesterday, but she was so distracted by the glint in his newly-dyed blonde hair, and by the fact that she had no idea how to describe what happened, that before she knew it, all fifteen pairs of shoes had been tried on, and Corey had settled inexplicably for the sixteenth. Makeup and camera had arrived.
Possible ways of telling Corey what happened kept bubbling up in Moriah's mind, and popping just as quick.
Yesterday, I...
The strangest thing happened...
You know that cafe next to the pet store? Well, yesterday...
"Poppy. Poppy. Moriah!"
She blinked. Corey's face came into focus behind the camera. Poppy had trailed off with a train of thought while Titanic was adjusting the lighting.
"I need you to stop shifting your eyes, okay? What is with you today?"
She mumbled an apology. When they were done and grabbing a bite, she still felt so disoriented, she was thankful that Corey took no notice of her.