After I left the shop, I went straight into the nearest coffee shop, and slumped at a table, trying to push back the overwhelming fact that I was an outcast.
I was definitely over dress-buying today.
"Hello, what would you like to order?" A smiling girl stood at my table, a notebook and pen held at ready. I immediately wanted to run away.
"I was just leaving," I said hurriedly, getting up.
Never come into contact with humans again.
"Um, okay," the girl replied hesitantly, a small trace of confusion entering her tone. I left the shop, the door jingling closed behind.
Walking out, I decided I would go back to Cross Academy, and see about a dress some other time.
Or maybe never, the voice whispered to me. You don't even have to go to the ball. In fact, you could just...die.
Maybe I could. Maybe I-
Giggling and squealing interrupted my thoughts, and I turned around. A group of girls stood in front of a small building, looking as though they were about to go to a beauty pageant.
A middle-aged woman walked out, looking friendly, but stern at the same time.
"Are you the girls who asked for a job here, at the modelling agency?" She inquired. All the girls squealed their 'yes', and she nodded. Turning, she saw me standing there, and immediately walked over. I took a step back. What did she want?
"Hello," she greeted me. "Do you by any chance happen to be applying for a modelling job here?" What was she talking about?
"Um, no," I tried to back away. "I'm sorry, but I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, it's okay," she beamed. "Don't be scared, it's only that you have so much potential as a model, I was hoping you would like to try some modelling for us."
She looked so hopeful, that I didn't want to upset her, I gave in.
"Well, if it's not too much trouble..."
"Absolutely not," she reassured me. "Please, follow me, and call me Seira." A tittering had begun from the first group of girls, as Seira had come over to talk to me.
Even as I walked past them, I heard their angry whispers.
"That's not fair, I worked so hard to get in, and she just gets in without even a form?"
"I know, I had to use the best skin products, and they cost a fortune!"
Their angry murmurings continued as they followed Seira and me into the modelling agency.
"Right, girls," Seira called, turning around to face us all. "You shall all first be assigned to various clothing types, by one of our staff. He'll come around and assess you on which clothes you're best suited to model." A man?
A young man, probably in his twenties appeared, giving us all a friendly smile of greeting. He was actually quite handsome, and I heard some girls giggle.
"So, you will either be put into dresses, casual wear, or swimwear," he explained. "Then you'll model off some clothes, while we assess your modelling ability. You can all just call me Geoffrey." He began to walk amongst us, giving each girl a category and a number.
"I hope I get swimwear," I heard one girl say. "Bikinis are totally my type."
Geoffrey came to me then, looking me up and down briefly, before saying.
"Dresses, go through the left hand side door. You're number four." I did as I was told, walking through the door on the left side of the room.
"Hello, so you're in the dress category?" A girl asked me as I walked in. I had come into a relatively small room, but it had racks of dresses and a series of curtains that I assumed led to change rooms or something else. I nodded, and she studied me carefully. Turning to one of the racks of dresses, she pulled out a dress.
"Here, try this on and we'll see how it looks." I took it, taking it to the change rooms the girl gestured to.
The dress was elegant, mainly black, and reaching my feet. It was strapless, with lacy trimmings that reached up over my chest. A pair of fishnet gloves that came right up my arm accompanied it. It was only after changing, that I realised the gloves were more like coverings for the arm, with nothing over the hands.
I stepped out of the change rooms, feeling strange and not myself. The girl was sitting at the door, and when I came out, her eyes lit up.
"You look amazing," she gushed. "I'm sure the agency will aceept you. In fact, do you belong to the Night Class at Cross Academy? They are elite students and you look as though you are one of them." I didn't know what to say, but I was saved by the door opening, to reveal another girl who had been chosen for the dress category. Or at least, I thought.
Rima stood there, looking bored and sleepy as usual, her golden pigtails dangling on either side of her head. What was she doing here?
"I'm supposed to model one of the evening dresses," she told the other girl coolly, not noticing me. At least, until the girl began to search the racks. Rima turned to me, and it didn't take long for recognition to dawn in her eyes.
"What are you doing here, Saki?"
How should I put it? I was roped into trying for the modelling agency by Seira, and now I'm here, about to model a dress.
"It's a long story," I managed at last.
"I see," Rima still seemed sceptical, but the girl came up with a dress, presenting it to Rima, with a cheerful, 'good luck!'.
"I'll be going now," Rima excused herself, leaving the room.
'OK, since you're ready now, you'll have to go out there, and show the judges what you're made of," the girl beamed at me. I nodded mutely.
"Good luck!"
"Thanks," I mumbled, as I walked out of the door, shutting it behind me.
"Are we all here?" Seira's happy voice called out among the microphone, as she stood in front of us. "Excellent. We'll call you all out in order of your number, then we'll interview you each privately, and ask you to do a bit of modelling." There were probably about ten of us, how long would this take?
"Number 1!" A girl in a bathrobe made her way towards Seira, who directed her to a room. "Number 2!" I was number 4, what would they ask me? I didn't even apply for it formally.
"Number 4!" My turn. I made my way up to Seira, and she smiled at me reassuringly. "Don't worry, just go to the third room from the left, and I'll be with you shortly."
The room was simple, with a table and two chairs, facing each other. I heard Seira call out the rest of the numbers, then the door opened, and Seira walked in.
"Take a seat," she invited me, as she sat down. I sat down too, facing her, feeling as though I was going in for an interrogation.
"I know you didn't exactly apply for a job here," she began. "But you're, how old are you? 16?" I nodded a yes, and she continued.
"But I really hope you can work for us. You see, we already have two part-time models, and one or two full time. We organised this event because we are trying to expand our modelling industry, and so, we need more models. You have a lot of potential as a model, and I really hope you will think about working for us." She smiled at me, and I felt unsure. Should I accept this job offer?
Hello! I'm back, and I'm writing more chapters. Thanks so much for reading, voting and commenting, it's nice to know my story is appreciated XD Don't worry, before the real heat of the exams come in, I've been writing and typing like mad, so I have chapters ready and I'll just upload one every two days or so XD So, check the media box. You should see a collage of a bunch of pictures. Which dress do you think Saki should wear to the ball? Looking forward to your replies!
~Evil_Incubator