The hot water surrounding me had soaked into my skin, the heat fogging the glass and leaving me in a pool of lukewarm water.
Seeing that I had a long day ahead- the photoshoot- I decided the unnecessary overuse of water by having a bath was, today only, completely necessary and deserved.
So I'd woke at the crack of dawn to settle into a bath of lavender foam and summer fruits bubble bath, until my skin pruned like little maps had been drawn into my skin.
Who said baths couldn't clease the soul? That extra 20 ¢ for water was completely worth it.
And I hadn't heard anything back from Levi in the four days it had been since I'd last seen him. Not that I was waiting, of course. I'd told myself that if he somehow got in touch with me, I'd tell him I couldn't see him again. But as I lay in the water, I wondered if he'd beaten me to it.
So as I wrapped my towel around my body and stepped from the bath, I wiped the mirror with the corner of my towel, exposing the pale skin of my face, the big green eyes, and the sunken cheekbones. I looked like my mom, I knew I did, from photos. But where she worked her large eyes, her thick eyebrows and long lashes, the creaminess to her skin, I just looked like a scared porcelain doll with my dad's brown hair instead of my moms honey blond, and pink, flushed cheeks.
***
As I entered the front room/kitchen, dressed in a tight fitted pencil skirt, black in colour, with a light blue loose shirt, I pulled the catalogue of sample photos from the table and went over to grab my camera.
The battery was still plugged in, and it had been all night. But I noticed something strange about it. On the small black contraption where the battery slips in, theres a small LED light, which lights up green when it's fully charged.
It wasn't green.
So, it either was nearly fully charged after 12 hours in the plug, or... as I stepped closer, I felt anxiety tear at me.
"Oh my god." I muttered, crouching down next to the it. I hadn't switched it on. "No, no no no no no no no." I chanted. Pulling the battery from the plug, I pushed it into the camera and flicked it on. The screen lit up, and for a second, I felt like I might have been saved some how, but just as I thought it the screen went black, the lights fading out.
"Great," I said. "Just great." I had other camera's, that was not the problem. The problem was that this camera was the one I used for these sort of shoots and the macro on this one faded the background more prominently. They looked better, and now I had to go and find one of the others.
Great start, Laken. Great start.
So by the time I pulled up to the studio, my bag strap had snapped and I was jogging along holding it by the leathery buckles, my radio broke so I endured the full 35 minute drive in silence, wrong camera, pounding head ache, and better yet, I was running 15 minutes late. What better way to cure a migrane than to earn another when my boss noticed my tardiness.
As I step through the revolving door, the familiar smell of mint and something much like paper met me. Take away the bosses and most of the models, and I'd love this place. It had a feeling to it that can't be beaten, and I know I'm almost moments away from snapping pictures, which is always a benefit.
"Miss Bennet," The sour voice is like a nail digging under my fingernails. Turning on my heels, I force a polite smile.
"Jennie, sorry for running late, I just had to-"
"Laken, honey, what time is it?" Her voice was soft.
I checked my watch. "Urm, 8:13."
"And what time does work start?"
"8:00." I said matter of factly.
"So, you're late." She smiled. "It's really getting like a regular thing now, isn't it, honey?" Her British accent was like ice.
No, I wanted to say, I'm always on time, because I was. "Is it?" I asked instead.
With her clipboard in hand, she placed her pen on top of the paper, writing something with her lips pursed and her eyhebrows lifted accusingly. Like that, she had an extra 20 years on top of her possible 8000 year old self.
"Get to the shoot, please, we've had enough time wasted."
I nodded and walked stiffly passed Jennies small frame, her stiff neck and bright red lips, and followed the routine to the shooting room, where the models were lined up, waiting for me and my camera.
"Hey, Laken." Kaitlyn called from across the room. She was sitting on a stool, one of the makeup guys, Tyler, giving her what I guessed was a second coating of lipstick. She wore one of the more popluar designs from the catalogue; an open back, black chiffon top, with leather pants and black boots, reaching her calfs. How she pulled it off, I couldn't work out. It had got to be the tatoos.
"Morning." I called. "How's everything looking?"
"Great," One of the other models, Abbey, I think her name was, answered. "But these shoes are just..." She sighed, waving her hand in the air like she couldn't even fathom the effort it took to wear such shoes.
"I take it you know about the new arrangements?" This, from Kaitlyn.
"New arrangements?" I asked. Walking over to where she was perched, I leaned my elbow on the mirror-desk, and raised an eyebrow.
"The photographer-trainee? The one who's coming in today?" I shook my head slowly. "Seriously? I'm just the model, remember." She said, quoting our earlier conversation. "Some girl's coming in today for some sort of work experience thing. Again, I'm just the model, so I don't really get it. I think she'll just be watching what you do, taking notes or whatever." After a pause, she said, "Jennie didn't tell you this?"
I shook my head, biting the inside of my thumb nail. "From now on, let's just suffice it to say there's always going to be a mismatch in communication between Jennie and her employees." I muttered.
Kaitlyn laughed, finally being done with her final touches. "Thanks, babe." She offered to the makeup-guy. He was new, but I was pretty sure his name was Tyler, and he did an exceptional job with Kaitlyn, before turning back to me. "Alright, ladies, lets do this." She called over the top of muttering and chattering, gaining the attention of most of the surrounding models. She put her hand on my arm briefly as she walked past.
They all got in their positions, some on set, some off, waiting for their turn. I took the camera in hand, lifted it to my eyes, and got straight into it, losing myself in the images in front of me.
