The Selection (Is A Modelling Competition)✔️

Chapter 13: This Is Not A Date

The gardens were nicer than I remembered. They still held that magical quality, despite it now being daytime, with the sunlight rather than moonlight streaming through the canopy of leaves overhead. The colourful flowers around me gleamed in the sun, popping out of the greenery and foliage like gems.

"So, why did you meet me here?" I asked Maxon.

He looked both distracted and conflicted, fidgeting with the camera around his neck.

"Maxon?" I repeated.

"I'm sorry, my.. America. I've just been a little distracted lately." He smiled, though it looked more like a grimace. "My father is putting some pressure on me to make a choice quickly, and to make the right choice, but it's nothing you need to worry about."

I still didn't like to see him so unhappy. I didn't know why, but I felt a rush of affection for him, and his kind heart and cute smile and gentle eyes. He was the kind of guy, I thought, that would rub your feet and bring you ice cream and never forget your birthday. "Are you sure there's nothing I can do?" Please don't send me away, I thought. My family needed the money. Then I shook my head, ridding it of the selfish thoughts. My family would be fine. From what I'd seen of Clarkson, Maxon's father, Maxon was probably on the receiving end of quite a few loud lectures.

"Yes." He paused for a moment, then his expression turned from serious to playful. "You can pose for me. Taking pictures always makes me feel better. But if you're not comfortable, I guess the flowers wouldn't object to being photographed."

He laughed a little. It was a ridiculous laugh, wheezy and snorting and sounding a good deal like an asthma attack.

I smiled, not at his joke, but at the sound of his laughter. "Sure."

And so we spent the afternoon carefree, him taking pictures of me, and me making ludicrous faces or throwing myself dramatically against a tree. I couldn't remember the last time I had this much fun. And best of all, I didn't think of Aspen for a single moment.

Unfortunately, it had to end. He was called away on some business duty - which confused me, because he was a photographer, surely he didn't have any part in running the company? - and I went back to the Models' Room.

"So, how was your date?" Celeste asked, smirking. I did my best to ignore her.

Maxon and were friends, if anything. We had a professional relationship, just like he did with every other girl here. He'd even brought his camera - though I was beginning to wonder if that was a hobby as well as a career path for him - on the so-called date.

As I walked back to my room slowly, I felt uneasy. Was it just me, or were all the girls giving me dirty looks? Jenna was glaring at me, Tiny said nothing when I smiled at her, and even Kriss, whom I thought I could be friends with, turned away as I passed by her.

Finally, I found Marlee, and asked her, "Why does everyone seem like they hate me?"

She sighed. There were dark circles under her eyes, and she looked like she'd just been napping. Was she sick? "You haven't spent a lot of time with other girls, have you?"

I shook my head. I'd been homeschooled, and my friends had mostly been Kenna and Kota, who were my siblings. I didn't know how girls acted around each other.

"You've been spending more time with Maxon than the rest of us. They think you're a threat, that you're the favourite. Personally, I think the two of you are just friends, but you know how Celeste is. She's got everyone thinking you're sleeping your way to the top or something else like that."

"That's ridiculous! Every other girl here would make a better model than I would," I said loudly.

"You're good, America. Maybe not the best, but you're good. And if the one person were all trying to impress seems to like you the best..." She rubbed her eyes. "Sometimes, you and me, we forget this is a competition. We don't want it as badly as the others do. But we can't forget that everyone here is out for something. Everyone's here to impress Maxon, and be on their way to being Illea's Top Model or something."

I understood. This was a competition, and like it or not, I would have to compete.