Page 51 of Hot Girl Summer

“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that.”

Ellie shrugs. “It’s okay. Life isn’t supposed to be easy.”

The last statement grips my heart. My dad is a man of few words, but I know his heart is in the right place, and at least he’s still around. I feel sorry for his tough Catholic upbringing, and part of me resents the effect that it’s had on my own.

I’ve never met someone who’s lost a parent so young, and I struggle to imagine a life without mine being so supportive. The thought enforces the reality that life is cruel.

Although my father has never told me he loves me, or is proud of me, I know that he is. In the grand scheme of things, it’s trivial, but sometimes the little girl inside needs to hear it. I make a mental note to call my parents and check in on Kiki once I get to the hotel.

A few more people shuffle into the room and sit down, and they scroll their phones as if technology is the most interesting thing in the world. A sudden wave of loneliness washes over me. I wish it was easier to engage in a group conversation with a bunch of strangers instead of being stuck in our own social media silos. Halfway through my cup of coffee, a man with perfectly groomed facial hair gives a quick head count and addresses the room.

“Good morning everybody. If you’d like to follow me, please,” he says.

The clatter of chairs pushing back and bags slinging on shoulders is a welcome sound in comparison to the incessant tapping of phone screens a few moments ago.

“Can I sit with you?” Ellie asks me, as the man leads us down a long, bright corridor.

“Sure.” I smile. But I feel as though no amount of smiles can compensate for the sheer amount of sympathy I have, and the overwhelming urge to protect her, which is strange considering we’ve just met. But she seems delicate, and a little naïve, and mostly, she reminds me of Kiki.

We follow the man into a large room which is set up with a large round table and chairs in the centre. In the corner is a selection of camera equipment, lights, fabrics, foam boards, and a computer monitor. At the front of the room stands a beautiful Black woman sporting a scarlet lip and short, natural curls. With a warm smile, she greets each of us as we walk in and find somewhere to sit. The interactive whiteboard behind her displays the words, “Social Media & Influencer Marketing,” and the name, “Zahra Davis,” along with social media logos and handles of the same name. Once the group is seated, she introduces herself.

“Welcome, everybody.” The softness in her voice matches her smile, and her whole demeanour has an ethereal quality.

“Welcome to Auréale. My name is Zahra, and I am the Head of Social Media and Marketing. This is Romesh, my assistant,” she says, gesturing to the man who guided us into the room. “I’d like to take a moment to congratulate you all, and welcome you to our company. This is an extremely prestigious course, and we have a lot to cover in the next two days, but I promise that you are all more than capable of keeping up. You wouldn’t be here otherwise. Don’t be embarrassed to ask questions. There is a lot of equipment we will be discussing, and a lot of terminology you probably haven’t come across before.”

As she explains, Romesh hands out branded notepads and freshly sharpened pencils.

“This morning we will cover a little bit of theory, with a focus on setting up your space.”

She points to the corner of the room where the equipment is piled up.

“As you can see over there, we have a limited selection of equipment. These props are purely there so that I can show you the type of equipment we use when creating our videos. This will include an introduction to lighting, backdrops, bounce boards, sound, and optimal use of your camera.

“After our morning break, we’ll move on to some practical sessions. You will work in groups and all have a go at setting up your own workspace and utilising that space to its upmost efficiency. Lunch will be around 1pm, then we will have more theory this afternoon focusing on content and themes, ready for a whole day of filming and editing tomorrow. We will have a short afternoon break, then aim to finish at 5pm.”

I can sense an impending headache. Zahra turns to Romesh, and asks if she’s missed anything. He ponders for a moment, then shakes his head, and she turns her attention back to the class.

“Any questions?” The room is silent while she waits a few more seconds. “Good. Let’s get started, shall we?”

Ivy Rose has booked the same budget-friendly hotel for every member of staff attending the workshop. I’ve stayed in this type of hotel before. The rooms are basic, but comfortable and equipped with the essentials, and the food is adequate. I invite Ellie to join me in the evening to order room service and watch a cheesy movie—a hobby we learn we both have a penchant for.

After I lay out my handbag and small suitcase on the bed, I wander around the tiny room, checking out the bathroom, cupboards and wardrobe space while I wait for my sister to answer her phone.

“Hey, Kiki Bear. How are you doing?” I ask, when she answers.

“Fine.”

I always worry when someone tells me they’re fine, but especially when it’s Kiki. The last thing I want is for her to go into herself and stop trusting me like she has done in the past. “Fine like the acronym or fine like you’re okay but you’d rather I leave you alone?”

“Erm...both?”

Oh no, please don’t let it be happening again. “What’s up?” I ask, trying to keep my voice level and calm.

“I’m just feeling a bit anxious about going back to school.”

There it is, at least she’s being honest. I breathe a sigh of relief.

“Have you been doing your five senses like I showed you?”

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