Life Begins at Midnight

Witness

The crew wasn't there, as they were preparing for the shoot which would be by the poolside. They could be seen from the Lounge, through the one-way glass. Richard idly wondered what they would make of her, with her lush hourglass figure, dark hair and dark eyes, and the peachy lips so ready to smile at the wonder that was life. He didn't know what they would see in her 5'4" frame, and he couldn't help but wish that one of them were here to stop him from hurting someone so good and so wholly innocent. He thought of calling Zoe. She was the only one who'd dare to ask him to stop if he went too far. So he lazily speed-dialled for her, and she was there within the minute.

She saw Analemma, and badly wanted to smile, or to be friendly to the girl who could easily have been her younger sister. But she held back, because this was the girl who had happened to beat her real sister to this shoot. And although Zoe did not bear any personal grudge, she could not bring herself to be nice to Anna either, because in some way she felt that it would amount to betraying Monica. So she decided to just do her job, and not to have anything else to do with Anna in any way.

Richard decided to dish out his second dose of rudeness. This was sure to sting, he knew.

"So, Ms. Wrenner. Where's the model who was supposed to come from your High-School?"

"I am the model, Sir." She said, blushing easily like she so often did.

He felt horrible saying it. But he couldn't stop himself. "I didn't ask for a girl straight out of pre-school. I had asked for a model."

"I'm so sorry, Sir. Not everyone gets what they've asked for all the time. I didn't ask you to choose me either. I was just accompanying my friend who is the actual model. You could have had her if you would have chosen her. But you chose me instead." She said it sadly, as if she'd have been happier if the friend had been chosen instead of her. Richard didn't know what to make of that. He should have felt happy, his rudeness was working its way, and the girl already felt bad that she'd been chosen. But he ended up feeling sad, because he could see that she genuinely felt that her friend deserved the chance. That she, Analemma Wrenner, had not wanted the photoshoot. His photoshoot. He felt a spike of anger burrowing its way into his head. He felt unwanted. He would get back at her for this. Who was she, anyway, to make him, Richard West, feel so small and unnecessary?

"So where's the model, girl?" he snapped. He had expected Zoe to intervene, but she hadn't. He was already beyond stopping himself.

"I am the model, Sir." Anna said. But this time she added something she otherwise wouldn't have. She asked him — "Could you please tell me where's Richard West? I am supposed to report to him."

He knew that she did it on purpose. He glared at her, his dark feelings finally open for everyone to see. He had heard Zoe gasp, but she still hadn't done or said anything to stop him. He was enraged now. The girl had given him a reason. He was unstoppable.