𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓫𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴

𝕲𝖎𝖛𝖊 𝖎𝖙 𝖘𝖔𝖒𝖊 𝖙𝖎𝖒𝖊

The studio buzzed with energy as the crew bustled around, setting up lights and adjusting equipment. I stood in front of the mirror, Gabrielle at my side, both of us wearing robes as we waited for our turn in hair and makeup.

Gabrielle grinned, her excitement contagious. "Can you believe we're going to be on the cover toghether?"

I returned her smile, trying to mask my nerves. "It's surreal, but I'm grateful to have you here."

As the makeup artist worked her magic, Gabrielle and I chatted about her past shoots and experiences in the industry. Her confidence and warmth helped ease my tension, and before long, it was my turn in the chair.

The makeup artist enhanced my features with subtle touches, while the hairstylist transformed my straight hair into sleek waves. When I finally stood up and faced the mirror again, I barely recognized myself. Gabriella squealed in delight, her encouragement boosting my spirits.

Once we were both ready, we were ushered onto set. The photographer greeted us with a warm smile, guiding us through different poses and angles. Throughout the entire shoot, I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. Among the crowd of workers and other models on the set, there was one person whose eyes seemed to burn into me with their intense stare.

Every time our gazes connected, it was like a magnetic pull drawing my eyes to him again and again. No matter where I turned or posed, his gaze followed.

It was both thrilling and unnerving, this silent exchange of looks across the room. I was captivated by the intensity of that stare, unable to tear my gaze away.

As the shoot progressed, I couldn't help but wonder about the emotions behind those piercing eyes. What was he thinking as he watched me?

"Alright everyone, take five," the photographer announced before heading off in the direction of the bathroom.

I excused myself from Gabrielle's side, quickly navigating through the tangle of cables to reach him. "You did good," he assured me with a small smirk as I sat down beside him, letting out a sigh and closing my eyes. "These heels are killing me," I complained. "Welcome to the modeling industry, baby," he chuckled.

"Bill?" I whispered, sitting up and turning to him. "Yeah?" he replied with a smile.

"Are we good?" I asked, my voice barely audible. Sadness flickered in his eyes as he met my gaze, his hand brushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "Your hair looks good like this," he said softly, but his smile faded with each passing moment.

His words pierced through me, shattering something deep inside. The realization that he hadn't forgiven me, and perhaps never would, hung heavy in the air between us. "I should probably head back," I managed to say, forcing a painful smile before standing up and making my way back to Gabrielle.

"You good?" Gabrielle asked, turning to me as I approached her. I glanced back at Bill, who was scrolling through his phone. "Yeah, I'm alright," I replied, mustering a small smile. "So, when can we see the photos?" I tried to shift the conversation away from the tension with Bill. Her gaze flicked briefly to Bill and then back to me. "When they're on the cover," she replied

***

"Hey, how's it going?" Kath chirped right after I answered the phone. "Normal, I guess," I sighed. "Bill is still really hurt."

"Listen, it's all my fault, if I hadn't..." she started, but I couldn't let her blame herself. "No, Kath, it's not your fault. It doesn't matter what you did, I messed it all up when I had sex with Tom."

"Maybe he just needs some time," she suggested. "Maybe," I whispered.

"Okay, let's just change the subject. How was your photoshoot? It was today, wasn't it?" she quickly shifted. "Oh my God, yes, it was so cool! We didn't get to see any of the photos, but I bet they turned out amazing," My mood had immediately lightened up.

"I'm glad you had fun. But wait, I have a very important question for you," she became serious all of a sudden. "What is it?" I inquired, quite intrigued.

"Well, it's not like we're in a rush, but we should start planning your birthday party. You are already really popular, but when that magazine comes out, you are going to have a lot of new fans, so you need something big," Kath explained. Before now, I hadn't put much thought into it, but she was right. This was huge.

"What are you suggesting now?" I asked. I had a feeling she had something on her mind.

"Well, at first, we need to see how people react to the photos. But if everything goes well, are you okay with me and Georg planning something?" It seemed like there was something exciting that she was holding back, but I decided to just not push it.

"Alright, you have my permission. Just nothing too wild, deal?" It didn't seem like a smart idea, but it sounded like she really wanted to do this.

"Deal."