The Invisible Silver Lining [CURRENTLY BEING EDITED]

Chapter 24

By the time January was almost over, I finally heard from my agent. Colette called me up and said she found a job for me to do. I had no idea the job was modeling. As we drive to the building where the shoot will take place she reassures me, "Don't worry, you'll be fine. I'm doing a favor for you and for a friend of mine at the same time. He needs a new model to work with one of his old ones." Oh joy. I try to look forward to the job, but I've heard that models usually have attitudes while they're on the job. But, maybe, they're all rumors. The drive is pretty short, from USC campus to a tall skyscraper building. The taxi that Colette and I have been riding in stops outside of the skyscraper's front rotating door.

Colette leads me inside of the building. It looks like a normal office firm. She heads to the elevator, drags me inside and pushes button number thirteen. As the doors close she gently smoothes down the wrinkles on her pin-striped jacket. She looks very sharp, dressed in a pin-striped skirt suit with black stilettos to match. Her hair is carefully curled and sits on her shoulders in a way that is carefully laid. The door opens and we step out into a room that looks like an artist's studio. There is no furniture and nothing on the white white walls. A man walks into the room as the elevator leaves this floor. He's Hispanic, about 5'7 and has a stocky build. As he gets closer, a smile makes itself known on his handsome tan face. He's bald and has sparkling grey eyes that match the sweater he has on. "Colette. Lovely as usual." The man says in a deep cheerful voice. "Its good to see you too. Dominic." She says sweetly. Colette brings me forward. "Dominic, this is my newest client, Emilee Thorn. Emilee, I'd like you to meet a photography genius, Dominic Rodriguez. He's been in the business for years."

Dominic Rodriguez extends a hand to me and I give it a firm shake. He smiles cordially at me. "Its pleasure to meet you Emilee. Let's get down to business. The type of clothes line we're modeling today is swimwear. And it will be all types of swimwear, so there is going to be a lot of changes. You'll be doing some single shots as well as some shots with my client. Speaking of which, lets introduce you two." Rodriguez just now draws a breath. The man speaks like a fast-talking slicked up salesman. Mr. Rodriguez walks into another room. Colette gestures for me to follow her as she follows him. We have to look like a train or something with the way we're marching, one right after the other.

We enter a room full of cameras, light stands, backdrops, and other random things that are probably used during a photo shoot. I see Mr. Rodriguez standing by a closed door, I walk over and join Colette by the door as Rodriguez knocks on it. He calls out in a loud voice, "Out Ian! Your partner's here." Ian? The door opens and out pops Ian. Somerhalder that is. I facepalm. Great. Juuuuuuust Great. Ian smiles cockily at me as he leans against the door post. He's dressed in black swim trunks and is wearing no shirt to match the shirt. No shirt at all in fact. I strain to keep my eyes away from his finely toned chest and his hard sixpack. His abs aren't as impressive as Xander's eight, but they are still eye candy. Oooooh....

I turn away from Ian and ask Rodriguez, "When do we start?" I feel an arm slip around my shoulders. My head jerks up to see Ian leaning on me. He answers my question, "As soon as you get changed sweetheart." I roll my eyes and pull his arm off of me. "Where's my changing room?" Ian answers me yet again. "I'll show you." His arm falls down my back and he grabs my hand. Ian pulls me around a corner and I yank my hand back out of his grasp. Ian laughs, "You're gonna get lost Precious--"

"Enough with the pet names." My comment earns me another laugh from Ian. He keeps on going as if I didn't say anything. "As I was saying--you're gonna get lost if you don't stay with me." He grabs my hand. I roll my eyes and try to pull it out once more. But Ian holds it too firmly and I can't free my hand.

After going through several hallways, we stop at a door. "Are we finally here?" I ask him. He smiles. "Yes Princess, we're here." I swear. One more pet-name.... I open the door and see hundreds of swimsuits on racks. There's also a very comfortable looking bed with several suits on it as well. Ian follows me into the room. I'm beginning to browse through the suits on the bed when Ian shows me a very skimpy yellow bikini. "Try this one." I roll my eyes and grab the suit from his soft hands. I set the bikini back on the rack and grab a pale blue one-piece instead. "Go change Em." Ian says with a smile. I push him out of the dressing room. "Now I'll go change." He opens his mouth to respond and I close the door. I lean against it and sigh. Why is he being a jerk today?

I quickly change into the swimsuit. I look in the mirror. It looks pretty good actually. Better than the bikini. I don't have a bikini body, never have probably never will. But it doesn't bother me. I don't need a bikini to look good. Personally, I'm not a fan of the two-piece suits because they show off your body in ways that make me feel uncomfortable and extremely self-conscious. I exit the dressing room when I'm done and I see Ian standing on the other side, waiting for me. His eyes look me up and down. I roll my eyes when he smiles. "Blue is your color." "Thanks....Can we just get back to the shooting room?" Ian nods and starts walking back. It seems to me to take much longer than it did to get back here. After about ten minutes of walking in complete silence, I say, "This isn't how we came." Ian stops walking and looks back at me. I'm slightly shocked because his eyes seem slightly sorrowful. "No. Its not."

"Then lets get back." I turn around and start to walk back. I freeze when I feel Ian grab my hand. "Wait." His words hold such conviction I can't help but wait. "I need to talk to you." I take a breath and turn around. He's still holding onto my hand and is closer in proximity to me. "What about?" I ask. Ian responds in a cocky voice, "Did you read Spiralz today? This month's edition came out." I shake my head no. "Well, then here." he pulls it out of his pocket. "Read." I'm confused. "What does that have to do with you talking to me?" Ian exclaims in a loud voice that sounds upset to me. "Just read!" He takes a big breath and says in a softer tone. "Just... read it. Page forty-five." I open the magazine to the page Ian said and read the article to myself. Its short, but still shocking.

Love is in the air!

You all know Alexander Ludwig. For those of you who didn't read our October edition, we've discovered that Alexander has found himself a girlfriend. Her name? Emilee. These two are inseparable. Whether they're at a dance, downtown or at the beach, Emilander is always together. We know Alexander has something major planned for his girl when Valentine's day rolls around!

At the bottom of the article there are a couple of pictures. One is of Xander and I at a magazine kiosk, one of us exiting the limo at the Noel Ball, and finally at the beach. I can feel my face transform into a tomato. The beach pictures have no business being able to be reached by the public. There's one of Xander and I laying on the sand, his hands on my waist, mine on his exposed chest. My mouth drops. We were only like that for a milli-second! And then another of when his lips brushed mine. It looks like we're having a major lip-lock from the view of this shot. I'm furious. Paparazzi. Suck. Period. They have no business sneaking into the private lives of others! Not to mention twisting the pictures!

I look up at Ian and have to step back. He's literally just as close as Xander was on New Year's. I'm shaking, I'm so upset. Ian asks me in a soft voice, "One question. All I want to know. Is it true?" I shake my head furiously. "No. Not a single word of yet. I mean.... well. Yes, we did go to those places. But not as a couple."

"So you're not a thing. You and Ludwig?"

"No we're not. We're friends." At least, as of now. A small smile crosses Ian's face. "That's what I wanted to hear." Before I can do or say anything I feel him push me up against the wall. His lips find mine and, oddly enough, sparks fly. I close my eyes as my breath hitches in my throat. I begin to have an internal battle with myself. Wow. Wow wow wow......! EMILEE!!!!! SNAP OUT OF IT!!! Think about Xander! But.... what about Ian? Ooh....

His lips are soft and they fit perfectly on mine. His soft hands gently hold my face as his thumb caresses my left cheek. After forever in heaven, he pulls back. And I hate myself for letting him kiss me. For not breaking away. I thought I didn't like Ian. Now I know without a shadow of a doubt, I thought wrong. There's something about him, something I can't put my finger on, that is so attractive to me. And none of this has to do with the fact that he just kissed me wonderfully.

His cockiness, his sweet side. His humor, his seriousness. Its all so overwhelming. But yet, I can't forget Xander.

Ian's eyes, his gorgeous captivating eyes, gaze into mine. I'm finding it very hard to breathe. "What I wanted to talk to you about, now that I know the truth, I know I can talk to you about." His words puzzle me. But, thankfully, he continues. "I, I know its gonna sound stupid. But I... I love you." My eyes widen. Oh. My. Freaking. Gosh.