Sunlight sneaked through the curtains and shined on Precious’ face. Glancing her pastel-colored room and her watch, a mournful voice heard. “It’s just six o’clock. Oh GOD!” Waking in the mornings has always been a torment for her.
She took a shower and picked something to wear. Headed downstairs, sleepwalking.
“Good morning sweetie.” Chirped Aylin, lifting her head up from her cooking.
“Morning.” She murmured and grabbed OJ from the fridge as Mr.Engurlu came in the big, bright kitchen, decorated in French style.
“How’s my princess today?” he said kissing her on the cheek.
“I wanna sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeppppppppppp!!!!!!!!!!” she groaned and placed her head onto the kitchen table.
“Scott phoned earlier today, that he couldn’t take you to the studio. I’m gonna drop you there.” Mr.Engurlu exclaimed.
“Doesn’t this guy sleep ever? Whenever he calls, it’s always early in the morning or late at night!” she murmured forlornly, not moving her head from the kitchen table.
“Are you ready? We’re running late.”
“Yup, I’m ready.” She said and stood up, and took her backpack to her shoulder.
“Don’t forget we have guests tonight, be back early!” Aylin yelled from the kitchen window, overlooking the backyard as they made their way outside.
**********
“Alright, we’ve done. Good job Prec. Scott told me that you must be at his office after the shoot. You better go.” Told the photographer, Vince.
“Alright, alright.” She sighed. Whacked from working, she want to the dressing room she shared with the other models.
The others were talking about fashion and celebs like everytime, and like everytime, the two of ‘em tried picking on Precious cos they had got bored.
“Hey Precious, we saw you at the fan conference last night.” Said Kyle enviously, a 16-year-old brunette.
“Yeah, I was there.” Replied Precious without paying attention and walking over to the corner where Eve was getting ready for another shoot.
“We thought you weren’t a teenybopper.” Said Margaret sarcastically.
“I’m not you.”
The two girls were baffled for a sec before Margaret managed to speak again.
“Who do you think you are Precious or should I say ‘princess’?” Margaret was still having the urge to insult her.
“You’re just verbose.” Precious answered back, keeping her calmness.
Eve tried hushing her but she was late.
“Oh, so you’re the incredible, intellectual Precious then?”
“I didn’t say anything like that and sorry guys I don’t have any time to waste listening to your nonsenses.” She said nonchalantly, glanced Eve for a sec, and stormed out of the room, leaving the two dazed in shock.
“What’s up Scott?” Precious entered his office and collapsed to the nearest armchair. Even she didn’t admit anything to Scott when he asked if something was wrong, the fight in the dressing room had jolted her. She did her best not to show it to Scott cos the signs of excitement could be read from his eyes.
“You can never guess...I have a surprise for ya!” he said fidgeting.
“What is it?” she asked curiously.
“Teen People is coming to interview you!” he bombed the surprise.
“Oh my god!!...But why did they want me?” she asked suspiciously.
“Girl...they chose you the most successful model of the month!”
“Oh my god! Scott, it’s wonderful! When are they coming?”
“Half an hour later!” he said still fidgeting.
“What?! But I must be at home.” She said shocked.
“You can’t honey. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance. And you’re gonna do it right?” Scott approached her and held her shoulders, looking into her eyes.
“Okay then.” She said reluctantly. She didn’t like the idea very much but she had no other alternatives.
“Now everybody’s here so the show can start!” Scott said clapping his hands. Precious could feel that it wasn’t her once in a life time chance, it was Scott’s. She was the first professonal model of Scott. So, Precious’ fame meant Scott’s success. She looked at the young reporter sitting across her.
“Are you ready?” the reporter asked smiling. Precious was still pondering her thoughts but managed to flash a smile.
“Now on to the photos.” The young reporter said after a half an hour interview. It was fun and Precious had already erased the bad thoughts from her mind.
“Do we have to do this?” Nick whined as he and his band mates walked through the entrance hall.
“Yup, time for new photos.” Denise, AJ’s mom exclaimed.
“But my hair is a mess and not even a full box of gel will work.” Nick continued whining.
“Stop whining Frack, we don’t like this either.” Brian said as they entered the studio where the photo shoot would be.
“Oh, welcome boys, we were waiting for ya.” Said Mr.Mitchell coming near them and shaking their hands.
As their manager and Mr.Mitchell continued talking, the guys went over to the nearest couches. Bored as hell, Nick put the headphones of his discman but sometihng caught his eye. Blue oceans widened again from the thing they saw.
“Rok...Rok...”
“What Nick?” Brian was a bit irritated to his friend’s violent nudge.
He pointed the studio and hissed.
“This is she. And don’t ask me who she is.”
“Nicky has his eyes on other girls...” AJ teased when he looked at the point Nick had showed.
Nick sent him a stern look as a comeback which AJ didn’t care even a bit.
“But...nice job Nicky...she’s damn beautiful.” AJ tapped him on the shoulder.
Even though none of them admitted, this girl mesmerized their interest.
“I remember this girl from somewhere.” Howie chirmed in.
“Yup, she was at the fan conference.” Nick piped up.
“Wow...slow down Nicky and say the hour please.” AJ was still teasing him.
“Shuddup Bone...We’re just friends.”
“Did ya talk with her?” Kevin chirmed in.
“He even drove her home.” Brian needed to add.
“Two girls in a row.” AJ said this time genuinely amazed.
“We’re just friend, I told ya.” Nick hissed.
“Whatever it is Nick, be careful, we’re all here for advice.” Convinced Kevin. Knock, knock big brother’s always ready for advice.
“Thanx guys, I really appreciate it.” He put his headphones again and this time with AC/DC he tried to shape his thoughts as he watched everymove of Precious during her photo shoot.
Precious expelled her keys from the keyhole, shut the door behind, kissed Aylin on the cheek and stormed up to her room when she heard her phone was ringing.
“Yeah?”
“Hi, um, can I speak with Precious?”
“Speaking.”
“Hey Prec, this is Nick.”
“How’s it goin’ on Nick?”
“Good, how ‘bout ya?”
“Incredible, I just came from the studio, you won’t believe this, Teen People came yo interview me. I had choosen the most successful model of the month!”
“Didn’t I told you last night, you’re gonna be the top one day, your fame start to increase.”
“Nah, I don’t think so.”
“Uhm..anyways, do you wanna do sth today?” precious could feel the shyness in his voice.
"Well Nick, thanx for your offer but is it alright if we postpone it to tomorrow? Cos i just learned that we have guests over tonight and I’m damn tired, I need sleep...” she counted all the excuses she could find. Well..they weren’t excuses basically but she needed to think about Nick over and over again before meeting with him again.
“It’s alright, don’t worry. Beauty sleep huh?”
“Yeah, course. I must keep my beauty till the end.” She said joking.
“Okay beautiful girl, see ya tomorrow.”
“Alright, bye bye.”
“Bye.”
“Bye.” He whispered and hung up the phone. With a deep sigh, he stared his big living room with empty eyes just as Mandy appeared.
“Sweetie what’s wrong?” she asked, sitting on his lap.
“Nothing, just thinking.” He mumbled rubbing Mandy’s back.
“Whatever stresses you, just forget all about it and enjoy these minutes. We’re here in our home.” She rested her brown head to his shoulder.
‘What the hell are you doing Carter?’ he thought. ‘You have everything you want, besides an amazing girlfriend. Who cares if some stranger is amazing too? You love Mandy.’
He kissed Mandy softly on the lips and wiped his thought about Precious away, hoping they would never come back.