"Sierra, chérie, please keep your mind on the camera. We need this print to come out right!" Pierre told me, before signaling to the photographer to carry on. He was right, my mind was elsewhere. But I had a pretty good reason for it. Tomorrow was my first day of high school... ever. The thing is, I'm a fifteen year old model, and have been homeschooled since I first got into modeling. So about three weeks ago I realized I'd missed out on my whole childhood. I'd never had a boyfriend, and so no first kiss, and I'd never been in a class full of teenage students. I had no idea what it would be like.
I sighed, and put on my best pout, my mind still on high school. My mom had enrolled me in the high school nearby, Jefferson or something like that, and I would be heading into sophomore year. I wasn't going to hide it, I was scared shitless. But there was no way I was going to pass up the opportunity to act like a normal fifteen year old for once. Pierre stopped the photo shoot and came over to me, twirling his pencil in his hand. "Okay, chérie, what's wrong? Big day tomorrow?" I nodded, glad to hear the slight twang of his French accent still in his voice. America hadn't changed him one bit.
"I start high school tomorrow," I replied, my voice sounding so plain next to his.
"Ah, chérie, high school is an experience you would be naïve to pass up! Enjoy it while you can. And watch those boys drool, oui?" he told me, a cheeky grin on his face. He put his pencil in his pocket, before continuing, "I have a perfect idea! Follow me, chérie!" He led me down different corridors, passing by other models on the way, oblivious to the appearance of a mere teenager. We came to a room, filled with clothes that looked untouched. Pierre picked up a few things, mumbling comments as he did so. Soon his arms were filled with enough clothes to fill out my whole wardrobe, and he led me to the changing rooms. "Try them on. Anything you like you can keep."
"What? I can't!" I said, not believing he was gonna let me just take them. But he was deadly serious. He handed me some dark blue denim skinny jeans and a caramel color flowing sleeveless v-neck with intricate detail around the neckline. He picked up a plain white singlet for me to wear underneath and ushered me in, rushing off and saying something about shoes. I tried them on and looked in the mirror, and was surprised that something so simple could look so... amazing. They enhanced my figure, the top cinching just below the bust, and the skinny jeans showing off my legs. I just stared open mouthed until Pierre came back, carrying an armful of high heels, flats and boots.
"You look beautiful, chérie! Try these on," he told me, placing the shoes next to me and heading over to what I knew was the accessories section. I picked up the black leather-look ankle boots - I was a strict vegetarian, and refused to touch any real leather - and put them on, surprised at how snug they felt. I fell in love with them instantly, and put them to one side, trying on the rest of what Pierre had laid out for me. He came back, and I had sorted everything out into two piles: what I was keeping, and what I wasn't. The second pile was rather small, and the first held everything else. Except for the ankle boots and the first outfit I had tried on. I kept those on, now turning to Pierre to see what else he had brought me. He was holding two purses: the new purple Marc Jacobs purse with a gold chain and the Marc Jacobs logo in the top of the lining, and a Chanel black quilted handbag. They were both ones I had used in photo shoots before, but I had fallen in love with the Marc Jacobs bag the second I laid eyes on it. I screamed and hugged Pierre, who laughed and hugged me back awkwardly, since he was still holding onto the purses.
"Oh my gosh, Pierre... You did not get me Marc Jacobs!" He smiled and nodded, handing both the bags over to me. I helped him put everything I was taking into bags, before he stopped, straightening up with a smile on his face that said 'I'm up to something'.
"Close your eyes, chérie." I did as he said, closing my eyes. I heard his footsteps leave the room, and a few seconds later he came back. There was a sound that was a bit like boxes being moved around, but I wasn't sure. "Okay." I opened my eyes and saw a black box in front of me with an electric blue ribbon on it with beautiful writing on it saying 'ma chérie'. I opened it, pushing the paper in it aside to reveal a dress. I picked it up, flattening it against my body and looking in the mirror. It was amazing. It was a black chiffon dress, and there was a thick ribbon fastened around the waist and folding into a neat bow. There were no straps, and it came to just above my knee. "Every girl needs une petit robe noire. I saw it back in Paris, and I knew it would be perfect for you. It's yours, chérie."
