"Laken, Laken, Laken!" Kaitlyn's voice travelled down the corridor of the studio. "The pictures came through."
Somehow, she managed to run in 6 inch platform heels, a folder of paper flapping in her hands. Her tatoos where on full show today in their rightful glory, the black crop top she wore showing the patterened butterfly spread over her stomach. The pink tips spiralled up into orange, marvelous flames that touched the underside of her breasts.
She was slightly out of breath when she reached me, her black hair clumping at the back of her neck. "Look. At. These." She said, flipping the pages open. "They're amazing, Laken. I heard you did the editing, right? You seriously need to do it more often."
I took the folder from her hands. The magazine was publishing the article next Tuesday- I hadn't expected them to be printed so soon. I looked through the folder, flipping each thin sheet of paper over with the brush of my fingertips. I was overwhelmed with a sense of pride as the photographs were shown. They were beautiful. Although, I was sure the editing wasn't what had done it. "You look beautiful." I said. "You all look so good."
"I know, right." Kaitlyn agreed. "This is my favourite." She flipped to the back, a lone picture of herself in a tight black silk dress. She stood sideways-facing the camera, so there was a slight view of the open, drooping back, and the wings she had tatooed there were on full show. "Oh my god," I breathed. "It looks great!" I said. Her head was tilted back with her black hair wrapped over one shoulder. The wings of her tatoo looked as if they would come to life, lift her from the ground and fly away.
"And now, with this," She grabbed onto my shoulders and gripped tightly. "You're so getting that promotion." I bit my lip, apprehension erupting inside me. I hadn't been thinking about the promotion for so long. I'd had so much on my mind, it had just slipped out. But now, that's all I could think about.
"Go see her." Kaitlyn gave my shoulders a small shove. "She'll want you to talk about the shoot, anyway. Mention it to her."
I gave her a small nod. "Can I take this?" I asked.
Kaitlyn nodded. "Yeah, of course." And then she added, "Just be careful, the spine is a little loose." She muttered. I smiled and, clutching my bag tightly to my chest, turned to walk back the other way towards Jennie's office. If I could just get this job, so much would work out. I knew the schedule, and it was less open-to-choose, and more direct. I liked that, I needed that. To have someone telling me when I had to be in was so much better than coming in when I thought best.
I knocked twice on Jennie's door, before walking through. That was her policy- you don't enter without knocking, and you don't wait outside the door. "Good evening," I said. "I came to talk to you about the photoshoot. The photo's came back." I held up the book and made my way over to the seat in front of her desk.
Jennie was leaning back in her desk chair, her manicured nails tapping silently away on the keyboard of her ridiculously flash laptop. No doubt, that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe. Her hair was pulled into a tight bun on too of her thin head, highlighting the strict, strong structure of her face. "Yes, take a seat." She said.
I put the folder on her desk as I pulled the small chair towards me. Her office was a dark grey, a large picturesque window behind her desk. It was very modern, the colours all mechanical- blacks, greys and whites. It suited her- cold and fake.
"They just came through, I think you'll be really happy with them." I said. "The girls look really good in them, and they've got-"
"Okay." Jennie cut in. "I'd like to look through these on my own, thank you." She said, without taking her eyes once from the screen.
