(Un)Fortunate

Chapter 11

"THIS is the photoshoot?" Brandon says, surveying the beach.

"What did you expect?" Jen says, slipping on a pair of Ray Bans.

"I don't know, high tech photography stuff?" He shruggs, opening the door to the Jeep Wrangler.  A wave of hot air blew through the car. It reminded me of the last time our whole family went to the beach. Though it was years ago, I still remember it like it was yesterday.

The waves crashing on the shore created a  mist that cooled  her skin. Brandon and Caleb were being boys and had started a bet to see who could swim the farthest out in the ocean.

"Boys, be careful," Their mother scolded, laying out a towel  they had received from one of the many commercials Caleb had done. It supposedly 'Was America's #1 Choice For Soaking Up Water'. In Ellie's opinion, it worked the exact same as her towel she had brought.

"Don't worry Mom,  we won't have to go far. Caleb will give up before then," Brandon smirked, pushing Caleb into the waves.

Caleb retaliated by finding a long piece of  nasty looking seaweed and wrapping it around Brandon's neck like a scarf.

"You look marvelous darling," Ellie laughed, seeing Brandon's face turn red from what  she had thought was embarrassment. A few minutes later, when Caleb and Brandon were frantically swimming to go furthest, Caleb looked back at a loosing Brandon. The winning smile disappeared from his face as he looked back at Brandon's swollen, puffy face.

One hospital trip later they found out he was allergic to some type of weird  bug that lives in seaweed.

"Just don't go near the washed up seaweed," I say, pointing to some washed up on the beach.

"Ha ha, very funny," He jokes, checking his cell phone yet again for the fifteen hundredth time.

"Whose call are you expecting?" I say, elbowing him in the ribs.

"No ones," He says much too quickly.

"Okay, I don't need to know. It's your buisness. Just know that while you are sleeping later, I will look at your messages," I smirk creepily.

He rolls his eyes, turning towards the ocean.

There aren't very many people at the shoot, but those who are are busily carrying around wardrobe, makeup, light s, and a few very peculiar looking gadgets.

A pudgy woman in flip flops saunters over to us. She has a clipboard in one hand and a Starbucks cup in the other.

"Hello there, my name is Suzannah. You must be Jen and Ariel," She moves some things around so she can shake our hands. Not that I don't get called Ariel a lot,  it just hurt my feelings a little bit.

"Actually it's Arielle."

"I'm sorry dear, I was told it was Ariel. Rest assured, I will make sure to call you Arielle from now on," She smiled.

"Thanks."

She looks at us for a few moments before screaming, "JESSICA! GET THESE TWO LADIES INTO HAIR AND MAKEUP!"

We all three jump at her sudden screaming. A petite girl with wavy golden hair that stopped at her shoulders came running over, looking just as rattled as we were.

"Hello, I'm Jessica. Follow me."

She leads us to a trailer parked on the beach. She opens the door, leading us inside.

"Kris, the girls are here!" A teenaged girl holding a hair dryer, curling iron, and a clipboard shouts behind her.

"Alright girls, I will see you in two hours when I take you to clothing. Have fun," Jessica says, her eyes darting between us.

A few moments later and we were left standing at the door of the trailer.

"He-llloooo, my name is Kris. And you are?" A surprisingly tall man wearing a black suit with a pink tie approaches us.

"I'm Jen and this is my friend Arielle."

"Wow, even more gorgeous than I expected!"

I didn't know whether to be offended or happy.

"How do you like my beauty office? Is nice, yeah?" He gestures to the silver walls. The flooring is a light grey, and all the bland color is making me feel like I am in an alien space ship.

We both nod, and he startles us with a loud clap.

"Let's get these girls even prettier!? Shall we?" He shoves his jacket into his assistants hands, and she stumbles back.

We sit in chairs in front of a huge mirror with at least 20 organizing shelves filled to the brim with makeup, hair extensions, brushes, curling irons, straightening irons, and so much other stuff it was making me dizzy.

He did Jen's hair while another lady dressed to match Kris does my makeup. Then they switch.

While Kris does my hair, he rambles on about the latest celebrity gossip. Caleb comes into the conversation, and he asks if I have ever seen him at a social event. He started talking about how well dressed he was, and how he wondered what shampoo he used. I just let him ramble on, not saying anything. The truth was I didn't want to say anything.

"Finished!" He yelps, dousing my hair with hairspray.

I inspect myself in the mirror. He added extensions to my already long hair to make it look fuller. My hair now easily touched my hips. He had used a curling wand to make my hair have a beach washed look. My make up was subtle but bold. My eyeliner was laid on thickly, as was my mascara. They had put lenses in my eyes to make my eyes a more ocean blue. And to top it all off, I was spritzed with perfume.

Jen looked really good. No, she looked hot. She has extensions in as well, but they weren't as long as mine. Her hair was stick straight, going down her mid back. Her makeup looked like mine, but she had grey eye shadow on to bring out the baby blue lenses they had put in her eyes.

After looking ourselves over, Jessica busted into the trailer. She then took us to the wardrobe trailer, where we changed into our first outfit. We were both dressed in different colored plaid shirts. We had on washed out jean shorts and cowgirl boots and hats. After taking 50 or so shots in that, we switched outfits again.

Seven outfits and what seemed like a bazillion shots later, we were finally allowed to go home.