ROCKETEER

Chapter 7: What's That Look For?

                        "Elegance is when the inside is as beautiful as the outside." - Coco Chanel

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I spent my Sunday lazing around my apartment, catching up on sorely needed sleep. I looked online for apartments near me that supported animals and found a couple that I planned to tour on my next day off. 

Which, according to my calendar that Marina planned for me, wasn't for a while. 

Monday came all too soon, and I found myself walking past the glass doors of Danza Studios at seven-fifty in the morning in my hero costume. It was eerily empty, the opposite of what I was expecting of a top-end photo shooting company. No one was behind the desk in the lobby, so I hung around eating sweets from the candy bowl until someone came stomping down the nearby stairs. 

"Jackson? Emma Jackson?" I looked at the short young woman striding into the room in expensive-looking professional attire. 

"That's me. Are you Charnell?" I asked her. She flashed a bright, friendly smile. 

"That's me, darlin'! Won't you follow me right this way?" She sped past me to a hallway, and I followed her best I could. I was amazed at how fast she moved in those heels. She led me down two brightly lit hallways, a set of double doors, and two staircases until she finally stopped and knocked on a smooth black door that had a sign hanging that said "Studio 2: In session". 

Charnell knocked twice, then twisted the door knob open, welcoming even brighter light into the hallway. She gestured for me to follow, and disappeared through the door. I stepped through the door lightly, closing it behind me.

I had entered a lavishly decorated room, with camera and lighting equipment everywhere. In one corner, across from the door, there was a deep red leather (real leather, I might add) set of couches and chairs, each piece more expensive than my entire life savings.

Walking further into the studio, I gasped in awe at the astonishing number of jewelry sets popped up around the room. Each brand had its own collection, from Rolex watches to Gucci earring studs.

I'd never, in my life, been surrounded by so much money. So many valuable things, in one place. It was a plunderer's paradise.

And perfect, it seemed, for the model that was showing them off.

The one and only Hawks sateven farther in the room, sitting in what looked like a director's chair, being pampered while he happily chomped on a breakfast burrito.

I immediately narrowed my eyes.

"I didn't realize I came here to be your cheeleader while you took some photos, Hawks." The bite in my voice was a tad too aggressive, but I was already irritated as is.

"Ah, Miss Priss! I was missing your sarcasm." Hawks grinned and waved at me. I scoffed.

"And I didn't miss yours, Chicken Little." Hawks clutched at his shirt, feigning hurt feelings.

"Oh, and right when I thought we were passed the namecalling, too."

"You started it! You big fu-"

"You two already know each other?" Charnell interrupted our banter, furrowing her brow. She looked between us, confused.

I nodded. "Sadly, yes. We've met before."

Charnell laughed lightly, and I realized she wasn't anything like Miranda, like I expected her to be.

She's actually capable of understanding a joke.

"Well," she said, clapping her hands together. "That sure does make things easier, doesn't it?"

She ushered for the phone on a desk stuffed in the corner of the studio to make room for the photography stuff. She dialed a number, then held the phone up to her ear while it rang.

Hawks stuck his tongue out at me, and I maturely returned the gesture, before his make-up artist lightly tapped his cheek to keep him still. I silently giggled at the look of shock and slight embarrassment on his face from being reprimanded.

"Hello, Mrs. Gardner? Can you send Suki up here, please?" I heard mumbling on the other end, and Charnell hung up. She beamed at me.

"You'll love Suki, darlin'. She's just a peach to work with."

Knocking was heard not thirty seconds after the phone call, and a young woman, about my height, a little older, came in. She wasn't dramatic about her e trance, like Charnell had been.

She was lanky, a skeleton with skin. She wore no make up, but I didn't think she needed to. Her facial structure set her purple eyes as the main attraction, alone with her pink lips and rosy cheeks. Her brunette hair was up in a bun, with a few whips accentuating her face.

She was very pretty, although she didn't hold eye contact with anyone in the room. She almost slunk through the door to Charnell.

"Suki, sweetheart, meet your next client, Emma!" Charnell grabbed my wrist lightly, nodding me towards Suki.

I held out my hand, looking her square in the face. Suki glanced up at me and immediately cast her eyes down, timidly shaking my hand.

I smiled warmly at her. I felt out of place in this overly extravagant studio, too. I wanted to let her know she's not the only one. I was rewarded with a flash of a smile, no teeth.

Suki scanned the room, before she landed on Hawks, who was just finishing his burrito. He waved at her, unable to talk as he stuffed his face while his make up artist had turned her back.

Suki blushed, her eyes widening for a fracture of a second, before whisking over Hawks and back towards me.

"She's a little shy, but she'll do you good, pickin' out your outfits." Charnell said, grabbing a key from one of the staff walking around the room. She handed it to Suki, who held onto it like a life token.

Wait, did she says outfits?

"Um, outfits for what?" I asked, but Charnell had already turned away to flutter around Hawks.

I looked at Suki. She turned the key over, apparently reading something on the side of it. She snapped her head up, looking directly at me. I jetted my head back, not ready for the sudden eye contact from someone who hadn't even spoken yet.

"Um, what outfits is she talking about?" I asked. Suki smiled that little smile again, upturned one side of her mouth.

"She means the Crimson Collection. For Hawks and yours photo shoot." I nearly gagged.

"Our WHAT?" I almost yelled, making Suki flinch. I would have felt bad, if not for the wave of shock from this new information.

"I - I can't be a model, I'm just a - a hero! Definitely not a model." I shook my head. This has to be a joke, Marina wouldn't in a million years choose me to-

"Oh, yes, you can. You've got the perfect face structure, eye shape, cheek bones. You're the whole package, sister." Suki seemed to have broken out of her shyness stage, because she smiled brightly now. "Let's go pick out your outfits, hm?"

She grabbed my hand, leading me out of the room. I swapped a glance over my shoulder at the scene I was leaving: Charnell chirping around the camera crew, the lighting being tested, and Hawks, who....

Was giving me a death glare?

No, he was giving Suki a death glare.

The door closed behind us, Hawks's face disappearing.

Well, that was weird.
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1217 words