Harry
"I don't know what to do." I pace.
"Just bloody call her, Harry. What's the matter with you?"
"I don't know, Adam. It isn't that easy." I sigh, running my fingers through my tangled mess of hair.
"Was easy for you before. What happened?"
"She happened - I mean I don't know. She doesn't want to talk to me."
"You never know if you don't call her." He shrugs, strumming random chords on his guitar and humming along.
"What if she doesn't pick up?" I worry.
"Leave her a message." He simply replies.
"What if she does?"
"Jesus Christ Harry, then you talk to her."
"What do I talk about?"
"Anything! Harry, you're being ridiculous what's the matter with you?" He looks at me like I'm crazy. Which, maybe I am.
"I don't know, Adam. I'm nervous, I - "
"Why? There's no reason to be. You are just friends, right?" He stops playing and raises an eyebrow, and I know he's internally scolding me for acting this way when I technically have a girlfriend.
"Yes of course, Jesus, I - I just - she's just incredibly attractive. Makes me nervous."
"Okay... well... I mean if you want, invite her to that party. Y'know, the one Nick's havin'."
"No way, not Nick's."
"Well then I'm outta ideas. Sorry, Harry." He sighs, resuming his playing on the guitar. I sit silently listening to him dabble, trying to come up with something, anything to talk about.
"Whatever. Fine. I'll invite her to Nick's. You're going, right?"
"Hell yeah. Wouldn't pass up an opportunity for free beer." He laughs and I chuckle, shaking my head.
"Well then you'll have to meet her. Talk to her. I don't want her to feel left out. When do I call her?"
"Well, do you know her schedule?"
"No. I'll just call her later on I guess."
"Call her now." He shrugs.
"Now?" I widen my eyes.
"Yeah, why not?"
"Bloody hell Adam, because - well - "
"No reason, see? Just do it, Harry."
"Fine." I grumble, pulling my phone out of my back pocket and going to my recent calls. She was the third one down, after my mum and Adam. "Adam, it's ringing." I whisper, pulling my bottom lip between my finger and thumb.
"Yes, Harry. That's what the fuckin' phone does." He rolls his eyes.
"She's not answering, it's - Hello? Uh, Hi. Beverly?" I widen my eyes and Adam's head pops up from his own phone and he snickers at me as I hold up my middle finger at him.
I'm already off to a bad start.
"Hi Harry," She chuckles, her voice clear as day.
"How are you?" I ask, clearing my throat and shifting nervously in my seat.
"I'm good. How are you?" She asks sounding urgent.
"Good, thanks. So erm - are you... busy right now?"
"Uh, no... yes - no." She sounds hesitant.
"Okay... uh, great. Um, listen. I wanted to ask you something."
"Yeah, sure what's up?"
"Are you busy this Friday?" I blurt.
"No, I don't think so."
"Great. Erm - do you want to attend a party? With me, of course. I mean - it's my friend Nick's party."
"Sure. Just text me the details. Listen, I have to go, I'll talk to you later. Thanks, Harry."
"Of course, I'll see you soon." And the line disconnected. I stare at my phone for a while, before looking up at an eager Adam.
"So? Did she say yes?"
"Yeah." I breathe out. "Yeah. She said yes."
"See? I told you there was nothin' to be afraid of, ya sissy."
"Shut up," I grumble, tossing a pillow at him.
"Hey, watch the guitar, you fuck!" He tosses it back and I laugh as I feel a weight being lifted off my chest.
• • •
Beverly
"Miss Gold, we need you for hair and makeup."
"Okay, I'll be right there." I say, shoving my phone back into my bag. I'm shoved into a chair as they begin tugging at my hair and sweeping product on my lids and face.
Once the makeup is finished, my skin was made to look flawless but my eyes barely had any product other than a bit of mascara and very natural eye shadow.
"He wants your first test shots to be as natural as possible while still using makeup on you." The makeup artist says. "Says it's good to see your 'natural beauty.'"
"Oh. Thank you," I smile at her. I like the way it looks. I don't mind the minimal makeup. My hair is just left straightened.
"They're ready for you, Miss Gold." Another lady with a headset and clipboard comes to tell me.
"Okay," I breathe out a long sigh, and get up from the chair, following the lady with the headset.
"Miss Gold. Lovely to see you."
"You too, Mr. Knight. Please, call me Beverly." I smile as he goes in to kiss me on both cheeks.
"Alright darling. We're gonna run a couple of head shots today. Just look straight into the camera and follow my directions."
"Okay." I nod. Sounds easy enough. For the next hour, I'm told to tilt my head down, turn it to the right a little, then back to my left, pulled to touch up my makeup and get my hair curled, told to look more sultry, and more.
The commands came at me nonstop. After it was all done, I was given back my clothes to slip in, and sat while I waited for my pictures to be ready.
"Miss Gold, your test shots are ready." Headset lady said, and I smile at her and follow her. The pictures are amazing. They surprised me in a good way. I looked different, confident, sexy.
"Beverly they look beautiful. We'll send this in for companies and then we can - "
"Wait. I um... I - can we wait a little bit? I haven't made up my mind yet. I just wanted to see how today would go, and then I'd decide whether or not I want to pursue in this kind of career."
"Oh. Are you sure?" Mr. Knight cocks an eyebrow. "The pictures look great."
"Yeah, they do. But yes, I'm sure." I nod.
"Alright... but we'll need a deadline. You can go ahead and take this copy of test shots, and we'll give you a call."
"Thank you so much." I smile, and take the pictures. I head back to the dressing room, slipping them into my bag, and pulling out my phone, where a new message was waiting for me.
I'll pick you up this Friday at 6:00. Dress nice. H. x
I smile at the text, unable to ignore the 'x' that followed at the end.
I'd prefer meeting you there if that's okay... wouldn't want to ruin your night just in case I need to leave early. Thanks, though.
I reply.
Are you sure? I can drive you home at any time.
Yeah I'm alright. Thank you.
I respond back and put my phone down.
The drive home was easy. There was minimal traffic and it gave me time to think about stuff. My thoughts weren't interrupted until Melody called.
"Hey! How did the shoot go?"She eagerly asks.
"Good. I got to keep the test shots."
"No way, I'll have to look at them. So... did you like it? Are you gonna do it?"
"Um, actually I did. But I still don't know."
"Bev... what's holding you back?"
"Just - I don't know... everything. I just don't know if I can handle the pressure. I mean I've never even thought about modeling before. This is all just so new."
"Beverly. Let me just tell you this. You're gorgeous. Literally, gorgeous. Like I'm nothing compared to you. But Bev, you deserve this. I think you should do it."
"Oh shut up. You're beautiful, Melody. But I don't know, I'll think about it. Anyways, where are you?"
"Headed home from work. Do you want me to stop by?"
"Yeah. Listen, I just got home so I'll see you later, okay?"
"Sounds good."
"Pick up ice cream on the way!" I yell into the phone, and hang up before she can say anything.
• • •
"So anything interesting happen today?" Melody asks, spooning ice cream into her mouth.
"Funny you should ask." I lightly laugh.
"Really? What happened?" She looks at me and I raise an eyebrow. Realization hits her as her eyes widen. "He called you again?"
"Yeah." I say and can't help but smile slightly.
"And? What happened? Oh my God he totally likes you."
"He doesn't. He just asked me to go to a party his friend's having."
"A party? That means you're his date! Oh my God this is so good."
"No, not as his date. Just as a friend."
"Oh come on. Do you even believe that, Bev?"
"Of course! He still has a girlfriend, Melody."
"Then why isn't he taking her to the party?" She crosses her arms.
"I - " I pause, realizing that I actually don't have an answer for this. This was a good point, and I now found myself second guessing whether or not I should even be attending this party.
"See?" Melody waves her arms.
"Okay, so I don't have an answer. But we're just friends."
"Whatever. Anyways, when is it?"
"Friday. But now I don't even know if I should go."
"What? No, you're going!"
"I don't know. You're right, Mel. Why isn't he asking his girlfriend to go with him? Besides, I won't know anyone there except for him and he has like a billion friends. He'll probably forget about me."
"No, Bev. He won't forget about you, trust me. Look, I know you don't think he likes you like that, but I saw the way he was looking at you the first time we met. Go to the party. You can make new friends, plus - what's the attire?"
"He said to dress nice."
"Plus you get to wear a hot dress that will knock him off his feet." She shrugs making me laugh.
"Fine, I'll go. But if I want to go home you have to pick me up."
"Deal. I'll drop you off then." She offers.
"Thanks, Mel. Really, for everything."
"Of course. You're my best friend. But I have to ask you... do you like him?"
"No, Mel. I swear. We're honestly just friends. We've only known each other for a few weeks." I sigh.
"Things can happen. Feelings can develop."
"But they haven't, and they aren't going to. He has a model girlfriend, Mel and she's gorgeous."
"If he dated you he'd still have a model girlfriend." She points out and I roll my eyes.
"No, he wouldn't. I'm not a model."
"Not yet." She points out but I shake my head.
"His girlfriend is a real, like - Victoria's Secret model. I'm talking the tall, blonde and leggy ones."
"Ooh. Those are the good ones."
"Yeah," I breathe. "Like literal bombshell."
"But he isn't taking her to the party." Mel whispers.
"Maybe she's busy. It's just a party it isn't like he's taking me to a freaking awards show or something."
"I guess..." She sighs.
"Look I know you have some weird theory that he likes me, but let's look at the reality of it, Mel. We've known each other for a few weeks, not months. He has a girlfriend, who is not me, and like I've said before, we're just friends." I explain.
"Alright, alright." Mel sighs again. "I'll stop assuming things. I just can't get past the way he talks to you. I'll keep to myself. But Bev, your relationship is different than normal friendships. Like you and Blake's relationship is different than this."
"Well Harry is different than Blake. And I've known Blake for longer. They're different people than each other, that isn't how it works."
"Fine. Okay you know what? You guys are just friends."
"Yes, thank you." I breathe, relieved this is the last time we'll have this conversation.
• • •
A/N: Thanks for reading and voting if you did! x