DOGS

Chapter 15

Celebrities make modeling look so easy. They always look calm and flawless standing in front of those hot lights posing for the camera. They never show the part where they have to run back and forth between the dressing room and green screen, get their hair combed in all different styles and get new makeup placed over their old makeup. Not only are Simone's feet killing her, but her cheeks are aching from smiling so hard and her sweating forehead has made her baby hairs curl into little ringlets.

"Tired?" Eli asks and hands her a cold bottle of water.

Simone takes it gratefully, "Exhausted," she breaths out before twisting off the cap and taking a long sip. "This doesn't look so hard on Top Model."

Eli chuckles as Kyree comes over holding the camera. "I think that last shot was the money maker," he turns the camera to face them so they can see the picture of Simone wearing a purple fur coat gazing down at the camera. "That's a wrap."

"Thank God, I didn't think I would be so relieved to hear that," She kicks off her heels reveling in the feeling of the cold floor beneath her aching soles.

"Wait, lemme get a picture with Dimples." Eli says, taking her water from her hands and setting it down on the floor.

Leaning her head on his arm since she can't reach his shoulder, she groans. "I can't stand any longer, my feet hurt."

"You don't have to," In the blink of an eye Eli has scooped her into his arms bridal style. She wants to put up a fuss but ends up laughing as her long legs hang over his strong arms. She feels as light as a feather and his curly hair tickles her arm, making her want to run her fingers through it.

Towards the back of the room, Ashanti watches them with narrowed eyes before throwing the brush she was holding onto the table and walking down the hallway to the front of the store.

Kyree takes a few steps back and holds up the camera. The shutter clicks and the flash nearly blinds Simone from the close proximity. She blinks a few times to clear her vision and the shutter clicks twice more before Kyree lowers it again. "That's enough of yall."

Eli looks down at her in his arms, his long lashes framing his dark brown eyes. "I need to get you home before your mother hunts me down, huh?" He jokes but she can sense the seriousness in his words.

"Yeah, she doesn't play with her little girl." Simone agrees, swinging her legs in the air.

Kyree chuckles, "She must know how good her little girl looks."

Butterflies flutter around in her stomach and she lets out a nervous giggle. Eli sets her down on her feet again and she gathers her heels before retreating to the bathroom. Changing out of the skin tight silver leggings and black and white jersey, she slips back into her romper and flats. She looks in the mirror and decides to leave on the smoky eyeshadow and nude lipstick that Ashanti expertly adorned her with. Gathering her outfit, she walks out of the bathroom and back into the studio.

It's significantly darker than before now that the big lights have been shut off and her eyes have to adjust to the dim lighting. Eli and Kyree have disappeared and it's eerily quiet without them in the room with her. She places the outfit back on the rack and flings the shoes back into their spot before hurrying out the studio and into the hallway. Rounding the corner, she runs straight into something hard and grabs onto the wall to keep from falling onto her butt.

"Whoa, who you running from Baby Girl?" Kyree asks, peering into the darkness over her shoulder.

Ignoring her racing heart, Simone stands straight again trying not to seem too shaken up. "No one, that room is just creepy when it's empty."