Page 6 (2/2)
“You can’t be serious”
“And ouldn’t I be serious about helping my best friend?”
I hold a hand to stop her, “No, I know, and I’lalamorous and I have no idea how to do what you do”
Fleece pushes my drink at me and I take another sip “It’s really not that hard, I promise Besides, how many tieous and they would be lucky to have you”
Anxiety swims in my stomach “I don’t know”
“Will you at least look at the email?
I glance at my phone “Xellum Studios? I’ve heard of them Why won’t they hire you?”
She shrugs, “They have a darker aesthetic and rarely hire blondes But you’d be perfect”
“You’re forgetting again that I’ent”
She taps my phone “That’s why it’s perfect You don’t have to have an agent to go to this one Just be there early and get in line”
“Why would they do that?”
“Who knows? Soain to castings, and if they don’t find what they want, they’ll try soot a look they’ll like”
I rollabout it “I think you’ve been drinking on the job”
She laughs, but she shakes her head “I’uy to look at your ass, but you’ve also got a stick up that same ass, and you’ll be fine”
Liquid bubbles out of h, unable to controlin shows?”
“Hell yes”
“This makes your runway bitch face ten times more hilarious”
She cracks a grin, and I know that runway bitch face is going to have o to the casting It’s to to schedule any interviews by tomorroay”
I take another sip ofto letup for the call”
Fleece sweeps her blonde hair over her shoulder and s chance”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought”
2
This was a terrible idea I’ht call it “late,” but I’ to call it “fashionable” I adh more than it should have Probably because of the nerves I’ve been debating just not showing up allI don’t think I can do this No matter what, it’s not as easy as Fleece says
I finally walk up to a white storefront in don Manhattan I don’t come down here that often, but I know this is the place There are tall, beautiful wo, so
A wo in the doorway I’ up the couple of steps to where she’s standing and smile “Hi, I’m Delia Cameron”
She gives me a once-over and looks down at her list “You’re late”
“Yeah, sorry” I give her apologetic smile “Train delays” The one lie that everyone in New York City will believe
She purses her lips “Yes, well, if you’re cast, Mr Xellum will expect you to be punctual His time is literally money” She waves et you in so up I’m May, Mr Xellum’s assistant”
She leads ht white space filled with clothes in surprising shapes and colors They’re all so I would buy if I weren’t broke It’s a total New York drea clothes Soft clubback and forth in front of a table with several people
May stops at the edge of the room, and ait as the model finishes “We’ll see what Mr Xellue”
The table has three people behind it, and only oneShit
This is the kind of man that appears shirtless on a beach in perfu for therace that contrasts with the look on his face That look could take down anyone, and I’ end of it Especially not since I was late
The ives her a curt nod “Thank you for co in We’ll be in touch”
She walks off towards a changing screen, and May ushers me forward “One more, Mr Xellum Last one”
Suddenly I’aze has fallen onshifted His eyes travel up and down aze is intih my clothes and down to my bones At least that’s how it feels
He stands, straightening his suit, and steps out from behind the table He holds out a hand to me, a small smile on his face, which only ht “I’m Andrew Xellum,” he says “And you are…?”
“Delia Cahfor ten blocks Get it together girl
His stare is still so intense, and that little s I want to knohat he’s thinking since I know in this second he’s thinking aboutour eye contact, and I feel hollow It’s like his gaze was holding me up and now I’m ready to collapse He takes a dress off a nearby rack of clothes It’s pale blue and it floats lightly as he hands it toscreen
“You haven’t even looked at my measurements”
He raises an eyebrow, and that little ser “I do this every day I can tell just by looking at you” He e, slow look from my head to my toes, and I swear I can feel it onand take the dress from him This is insane Why did I let Fleece talk ned up for, not hu oing to make a fool ofto fall flat on my face
The dress is layers of sheer fabric so light they seerowing out of me
The effect is gorgeous, like I was born in it The downside is that I have to take off everything Everything Even the slightest shadow of underwear beneath this dress will ruin the effect, and for some reason I want him to seeto create even though I’m sick to my stomach with anxiety
I step out from behind the screen and his eyes are on me instantly For just a second, I think I see hi “Walk, please”
He goes back to the table, and I doatI walk just like Fleece said: like I have a stick up my ass but I want to have so to do because I desperately want hi It’s the otten from the opposite sex in months, and I’m surprised to realize how much I’ve missed it
Before I know it, I’ve walked back and forth across the room and stopped I didn’t fall over, so at the very least I can walk out of here knowing that I’ at me I don’t dare break the pose I’ve ended in He tilts his head, a curious expression on his face “You don’t have an agent”
It’s not a question “No”
“I didn’t think so I would have remembered you” A fierce blush rises toexperience?”