"Excuse me, what?" I say my thoughts out loud, looking at Alessandro Michele apparently.

He laughs that laugh again and I'm doing anything but laughing. How could I not recognize Alessandro Michele? He's the ambassador of Gucci. This justifies Selene's disbelief.

Did he just ask me to shoot for Gucci?

"If you're interested, of course. Our photographer had an emergency. He couldn't stay. I can't wait for him to come back. This issue is to be published a week from now and for that, the work is to be done in one or two days' time." He pauses and looks at me. "I'm in need of an emergent photographer who is also very good at what she does. Roberta told me about this photography she saw by a new artist and here I am."

I stand there, gaping at him and his incredulous offer. I have done some shoot for magazines but they weren't Gucci. He's asking me to photograph for Gucci.

I think he might mistake me for a monument if I don't speak. So I say, "I-yes. I am. I'm interested. And I'm good. You won't regret it. When should I come? Where is the photoshoot?" I don't tell him that I have to catch a flight to Japan. What does that matter now? I have been given the opportunity of a lifetime.

"Right here in Rome. We have to shoot today." His eyes wander around the gallery and up to the ceiling adorned with art. "The paintings on the ceiling are impeccable. Maybe I'll shoot here next time."

Selene claps her hands together with enthusiasm. "Yes! Why not?"

"Alright, then. Let me give you a ride to the venue." He extends his hand towards the door and motions to me to go out the door. I see a car in front of the benches. I lead the way, not believing my luck.

-----

We stop in front of the garden. The garden that I broke my legs to get to is the venue. I was destined to come here anyway.

I get out of the car and follow Alessandro inside. The crew is still working. There is equipment everywhere and the barricade is still set up. We enter from the other way, where there isn't any hindrance. The garden is as magnificent as it looked from the outside. The villa situated beside it is only adding to its splendor. It wasn't visible earlier but now it stands there in its glory. I realize that it's Villa Lante. The garden itself was so huge that the Villa was ignored by me.

"This way," Alessandro says and a woman walks up to him, a headset dangling from the side of her face.

"Any luck?" She asks and he waves to me. "Unbelievingly, yes. I didn't think I would find anyone."

The woman doesn't look amused though. She looks from me to him and says, "Chi è lei? Non hai trovato un professionista?"

"Mi chiamo Jahanara Khan e sono una professionista, sono moltp brava in quello che faccio." I reply and she looks at me in surprise. Yes, I understand what you're saying.

She clears her throat and says to him again, "Abbiamo bisogno di qualcuno ben noto."

"Non troverai nessuno migliore di me qui." I retort and she huffs. "I'm talking to him."

"About me." I cross my arms and give her a fiery glare.

"Let's give her a try first, shall we? Then, we can judge." Alessandro says to the woman and she shrugs before giving in. "We don't have any other choice anyway."

She walks away, shouting orders in Italian at the workers and Alessandro turns to me. "We're all unsure. Change our minds." I guess he's right. He brought a photographer he doesn't know to shoot Gucci's next issue. Some uncertainty is fine.

I see some animals, running around in the grass. Piglets and small dogs. "What are we shooting?"

"It's the new tailoring campaign. The model is in the dressing room. You'll have to wait for a while. Let him get dressed up and ready."

The animals are an unusual touch but I don't say anything. He walks inside the Villa and starts talking to some of the crew members. The lighting is being set for the shoot. I walk inside the maze of a garden and take out my camera from my bag. I snap some pictures of the garden and take my place in one of the many stairs. I didn't even ask who the model was. It doesn't even hold any importance at this point.

I won't be able to make it to Japan today. But the exhibition can wait. I'm sitting here in the garden of Villa Lante, about to work for Gucci. I am so elated. I might join Selene in the act of detonating from exhilaration.

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A/N

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