The Model

Ch.16 - It's All Business

"Oh, Renée, can I talk to you in your office please?" I ask. Im nervous for many reasons. After that night with Erika, she drove me home but it was uneventful. I drowned myself in my work over the weekend after that and now Clarke is finding out his schedule for the summer.

I don't get why Erika pushed me away after that night. Well, maybe she didn't. Maybe it was too intimate for her and she didn't want to push me after the panic attack.

"Alright, come in." Renée is striding into her office as I nervously follow, playing with my fingers. Im nervous because I'm going to decline the Vogue offer. I don't want to be anywhere near the eastern states if I can get a panic attack in a snap of a finger.

"What's the matter? You look nervous. Is it Erika or even Blaise?" Renée looks through her glass walls at Blaise scanning the cubicles, harmlessly looking.

"No, no. I just think you should be able to offering this job position to-"

"Not this again." Renée looks at me and I frown. "Are you scared of going into a new city? Getting away from the comfortable life you have?"

"No I-"

"Then what's the problem?" She asks with haste but is gentle.

"I just can't be in the same state that's close to where I used to live." I sigh. There. I told my boss.

"You're finally opening up! Oh, it's going to be a good day because you never open up to me!" She hurries over and embraces me quickly. She squeezes me tightly and I wrap my arms around her awkwardly.

"You need to really think about what you're saying. You're letting personal issues get in the way of your career and that's not healthy. It shouldn't stop you. It should encourage you!"

I nod my head and hug her tighter. I realize now that Renée is really like the mom and older sister I never had. She's strong and bold and courageous. Never takes 'No' for an answer. If she wants something, she takes it.

"I'll reconsider." I sigh and pull away, smiling bashfully into the ground.

"Good. Now where is my article," Renée says with a devilish smile. I hand her my flash drive and she scurries over to her computer.

"I'll see you later, Renée." I laugh and walk out. As I head over to my desk with a weight hanging around my neck, Peter intercepts.

"Hey, Mina, want to get some food?" He asks and I shrug and nod my head.

"It feels like it's been so long since we've hung out." Peter chuckles more to himself. I shrug.

"We've both been busy," I say and he nods his head.

"Are you at all nervous about the Vogue people?" He asks and I shake my head.

"Are you?" And he nods.

"Do you want the job?" I ask and he shrugs. We enter a small pizzeria from the firm. We wave hello to the owners and take a seat at our usual table in the middle. I like it because I can see all the Italian pictures. Peter likes it because there's a football match in the TV hanging up in the corner.

"I do but I kind of like being a wanna-be-botanist." He laughs and I crack a smile.

"Do you want the job?" He asks as we're given water and garlic bread. Jeez it's Italian all weekend I suppose.

"I do. It'll jump start my long time wants but I'm nervous that it might not be what it's lived up for. You know?" I ask and he nods. We both know it's a 50/50 shot at having a pretty decent life in New York. I don't want another Gatsby thing. No thank you.