#NYFW

I sat through the staff meeting on Tuesday stifling a yawn. Even though it was the day after Labor Day, I had spent most of my weekend in the office. New York Fashion Week was kicking off, which meant over 100 shows on the schedule and seemingly just as many events and parties. I hadn't had much involvement last year since I was brand new to Platform, but now that I had such a heavy hand in digital I felt like I was posting a new update every ten minutes to our website.

"Danielle, can you cover the BCBG show on Thursday?" Colleen asked me, her eyes flicking up from the tablet she was furiously typing into. 

"Me?" I asked, wide-eyed and hopeful. Actually attending the fashion shows was typically reserved for only the fashion and beauty editors, or their leggy FIT interns. I had no idea how to report on a show's success, and the extent of my model knowledge pretty much started and ended with Chrissy Teigen's outrageously funny twitter feed. 

"Yes, they're making their show instantly shoppable via Instagram, so we need someone there who can test and report on that," she replied.

I nodded furiously, mentally fist pumping. So I wasn't attending to report on the actual fashion, just the new way of shopping said fashion. That was something I could certainly get on board with. 

"We're going to have you test out buying an item, so set yourself up with an account via the app and a company card," she said. 

"Okay," I replied, scribbling notes down. 

"You have two tickets, so, Elena?" Colleen asked, and I saw my friend sit up a little straighter. "Go with her." 

Elena beamed at me from across the conference table. This was going to be fun.

When I got back to my desk, I did some serious googling on the show. I had heard snippits of conversation that brands were now trying to make select pieces instantly shoppable, but I had no idea how it worked. Ten minutes later I had signed myself up for the app via LikeToKnow:It. Apparently, when a user then clicks "like" on an Instagram photo with a certain link in the caption, you'd be immediately sent an email with a link to buy the items featured in the photo. Thirteen pieces from BCBG were set to be available for purchase this way. I summarized the process and sent an email to Colleen, cc'ing Elena. This was definitely going to make for a great blog post, complete with selfies of Elena and I at the show.

I pulled up gchat excited to fill Dylan in. He had spent the long weekend down at the Jersey Shore, and we hadn't spoken much between him lounging on the beach without his phone and me buried in work for the past two days. Seeing the green icon next to his name I knew he was online.

Me: So guess what?! I get to go to the BCBG show on Thursday for work! 
Dylan: That's great, D. 
Me: Yeah I guess they're making the show instantly shoppable, so they want someone to test it out. Since I really have no clue about actual fashion haha.
Dylan: Very cool 

I frowned at my computer screen. He had been short with me like this for days now. I had been so immersed in work that I hadn't really had a chance to focus on it. 

Me: How's your day going?
Dylan: Good, pretty busy since I was off Friday and Monday.
Me: Okay, well I'm stepping out for lunch. Talk to you tonight?
Dylan: Yeah.. I'll call you.

I closed gmail and scanned the office for Elena, hoping to have a powwow over lunch to plan out what we would wear Thursday. To my dismay she was no where to be seen but the loud grumble in my stomach reminded me that it was nearly 2 p.m. and I had skipped breakfast. Grabbing my bag I headed down to the cafeteria to grab something quick. 

Sitting at a table with a chicken caesar wrap, I distracted myself with social media since I had no one to talk to. I moved through my Instagram feed, flooded with photos of NYFW prep. Next I switched to Facebook and scrolled through about five billion ALS Ice Bucket Challenges. Now, I'm all for awareness but this was simply becoming a bore, and I highly doubted half of my Facebook friends were actually donating. 

I typed in Dylan's name, hoping to see some photos of him from the weekend. However the last thing on his feed was a funny vine one of his roommates had shared of a goat skipping down a hallway. I typed in Laura's name next, knowing from drunken tweets that she had been in Sea Isle that weekend as well. I scrolled down and immediately lost my appetite. She had been tagged in over a dozen photos and before even clicking on them, I could see Kara in half of the pictures. 

I hesitantly made them larger, pulling my phone up from it's position resting on table and quickly clicked through. One group shot in particular caught my attention. Everyone was looking at the camera, huddled together on the beach. Kara was on Dylan's back, kissing his cheek. 

I dropped the phone back to the table debating what to do. Should I text him, or would I look crazy? Sure, it could just be an innocent cheek kiss. But a deeper part of me was adding up the photo with the fact that he had hardly spoken to me all weekend, and ignored me both times I had tried to call him. I reached down and played with the delicate gold bracelet that hadn't left my wrist since he gave it to me. Taking a deep breath, I opened up his name on my phone and typed a message.

Hey.. just out of curiosity, was Kara there this weekend?

I got up, tossing out my forgotten wrap. I hated how he had such an affect on me. Stepping into the elevator I leaned back against the wall, watching the three annoying dots indicating he was typing back. 

Yeah, why? 

I rolled my eyes. He fucking knew why. 

Idk we just hardly spoke all weekend, and you've been acting strange. Did you two hook up?

I watched, knots in my stomach, as his typing bubbles appeared and disappeared at least five times. 

No, but we should probably talk.