Catwalk Confidence - Part 66

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Catwalk Confidence

By Connie Alexander

Part 66

The sound of the door to our room closing wakes me up. The first thing that I notice is it must be late morning as the sun is coming in the window. The second thing I notice is all my aches and pains which aren’t nearly so bad until I try to move. Oy vey I feel like I’ve been beat on all night long.

Rolling onto my back I can’t help but groan a bit with the effort.

“Morning, sweetheart. How are you feeling?” asks Mom.

“Ohh,” I groan, “I’ve been better. What time is it?”

“Nine o’clock, I was just about to wake you.”

“Nine!”

“It’s okay, honey, you looked like you needed the sleep and I thought that having breakfast sent up would be nice. Ohh, poor baby, you look like a raccoon,” Mom says as she comes over and sits next to me. “Your face is a bit puffy, too.”

“Oh no, no one is going to want me in their show now!”

“Easy, easy, it isn’t that bad. You have some dark rings under your eyes but it’s nothing a bit of concealer won’t fix and as for the puffiness, well there’s not much help for that. I tend to get a little puffy sometime during my period too but only for a day or so. It’ll get better.”

I feel terrible about deceiving Mom. I really can’t tell her the whole truth, but I cannot lie to her.

“Mom, um I’m sorry, I-I’m not having my period.” Looking down at my hands I continue, “Th-the blood you saw was from a bloody nose I got. I didn’t want to tell you ’cause I thought you’d be mad.”

Mom takes my hands and says, “Honey, I never want you to lie to me. How did you get a bloody nose?”

“Weellll, you see, I was, ah working out, kinda running and jumping around. You know, around the Galleria and there’s a little piazza over at the other end and well, um I kinda misjudged a jump ’cause I was also watching out for other people and I slipped and smacked my nose. I didn’t even know it was bleeding at first.” That’s not exactly a lie but boy am I skating close to the edge.

“You were running in the Galleria?”

“Oh no, no, no, outside, I was outside. No way can you run in the Galleria, it’s far too crowded.”

With a sigh Mom says, “Honey, you should have just told me. We could have done something last night that might have helped; you didn’t need to let me think that you started your period for goodness sake. What’s up with that?”

“Oh, Mom, I just felt like such a bonehead by getting myself smacked in the face. I’m sorry.”

Mom gives me a hug and says, “Don’t worry about it, honey. Let’s eat then we’ll see what we can do about your face.”

While I finish up my lighter than air waffles, Mom goes over to her suitcase and pulls out a large zip-lock bag and takes it into the bathroom.

“Finish up then lay down,” says Mom.

I do as I’m told and Mom soon comes out with the bag partially filled with cold water. Handing it to me, Mom says, “Place this over your eyes. It should help with the swelling and should also help the bruising. Fortunately you never have bruised easily.”

“Yeah and I know I should have told you last night, Mom.”

“As I said, don’t worry about it, honey. What you do need to worry about though is your father realizing you have his Shamrock Rovers jersey. How’d you manage to get that away from him?”

With a smug smile on my face I say, “He gave it to me. Told me that he doesn’t care for the black away jersey and much prefers the green and white. When he got the number nine jersey signed by Gary Twigg last month I asked him if I could have this one and he said yes.”

“Humph, must have caught him at a weak moment then. Soccer, excuse me, football, is one of your father’s few vices and the Rovers are his favourite team.”

Before I can reply my phone starts to ring. Blindly reaching over I snag it off the side table.

“Hello?”

“…Oh hello, Lisa…Fine thanks, just finished up a scrumptious breakfast.”

“…Yeah, I think so. Hold on a sec and I’ll ask. Mom, Lisa wants to meet with me at eleven at the Next offices. That won’t be a problem will it?”

“No honey that will be fine.”

“Great. Lisa? We’ll be there at eleven.”

“…Okay then, see you later. Bye.”

As I hang up and readjust the bag over my eyes I tell Mom, “Lisa wants to discuss the bookings with us before this afternoon. I hope everything is okay. Oh, do you think maybe Cavalli took me off option and confirmed me for the show? Wouldn’t that be great? He’s one of Ellen’s favourites, mine too for that matter.”

“I’m sure it’s good news, honey. Keep in mind though that they said that they’d be happy with you getting just one booking and right now you have three confirmed and optioned for a fourth. I think you can confidently say you’ve been successful at this point. You’ve done far better than a lot of girls who come here to try and get in the shows. You should be proud of yourself.”

“Oh I am. You know its one thing to have friends and family telling me that I can model but nothing drives it home like actually having a designer say that they want me to show their clothes. I know you and Dad say I need to believe in myself but I’m still awfully insecure about all of this even though it’s something I really want or maybe because it is something I really want.”

“Keep believing in yourself, honey and you might want to ease up on the running for a bit. We wouldn’t want something else to happen that would ruin your chances. At the very least you need to pay better attention when you do run. Now let’s keep that bag on your eyes and hope that it gets rid of the swelling and dark circles.”

I lift up on the bag to look at Mom but her back is to me. Now why did she put so much emphasis on the word run? Does she know or suspect?

“I’ll be careful, Mom, promise.”

* * *

Spending the next hour with the cool compress on my eyes does wonders for improving things. Using just a tad bit of concealer, I’m walking into the Next offices without looking terrible: the puffiness is gone and the dark shading below my eyes has faded to almost nothing.

Going up to the receptionist I say, “Buongiorno. Alexandra Conners di vedere la Signora Pang, per favore.”

“Un momento. Si prega di avere un seggio.”

“Grazie.”

Mom and I go to sit where indicated, but on the walls are pictures of all the models for Next and I start to look them over, checking to see who I can identify. I do recognize several from all the fashion magazines that Ellen collects and finally come to one clear at the end on the second to the top row.

“Oh my god, Mom come here!”

Mom comes over and asks, “What, honey?”

I can’t say anything right away, all I can do is bounce up and down and point to my picture on the wall.

“Oh, sweetheart, that’s great.”

I put my arm through Mom’s and just stare at my picture for a minute. Out of the corner of my eye I see someone come out to the lobby, I turn my head and can’t believe my eyes.

“Mom, Mom,” I whisper, “Look who it is!”

“Who’s that, honey?”

“Oh, Mom really, you have got to know who that is. That’s Karlie, Karlie Kloss. She’s like the queen of Vogue. Practically every other issue has her either on the cover or in an editorial or both. She’s one of the fastest rising stars out there right now.”

I turn and watch her leave thinking that could be me in the next couple of years.

A cheerful, “Hello” surprizes me and makes me jump a bit. Turning I see Lisa behind us.

“Hello, Lisa, you startled me. Hey, that really was Karlie Kloss wasn’t it?”

“Sure was, you’ll get to meet her later. She’s in at least one of the same shows as you. Speaking of which, why don’t you come on back. I want to talk to you about your bookings.”

“Really? Oh wow, that is so cool. Which show? Did Cavalli take me off option? Is she doing Cavalli too?”

Laughing at my exuberance Lisa replies, “I don’t think she’s in the Just Cavalli show but why don’t you take a seat and we’ll get to that.”

“Sorry, I guess I’m just a little excited.”

“Just a tad but that’s perfectly understandable and nice to see as well.”

We go into a small conference room and Lisa continues after we all take a seat. “Now to answer one of your questions, yes, Cavalli took you off option and confirmed you for the show. In fact what we need to discuss now are the bookings you’ve received since we last talked.”

Lisa pauses and gathers her thoughts, “We owe Paul a fancy meal at the very least. You see as I mentioned and I think Bobby said this too, I would have been happy with you getting any bookings, just one would have been nice and when we last talked I was overjoyed that it looked like you had four. What I did not expect was having so many that we needed to decide which ones to take and which ones we needed to turn down. The casting agents and the designers are impressed with your potential. They’ve said that you have a very upbeat and personable way about you, that they love your walk and your ability to take direction.”

With my eyes the size of dinner plates I’m sure, I stammer, “Turn, turn down? So many we’re turning some down?” The last bit comes out in almost a squeak.

“Yes indeed and I’m as stunned as you are. I knew that you had everything to make a top model but I thought it would take some time to get the word out about you. This is unprecedented, I really haven’t seen anything like this before. Now the big question we need answered from you is, are you ready?”

“You bet I am,” I blurt out excitedly.

“I hope so but before we commit you to anything I want to make sure you know what will be involved.”

Opening up a folder, Lisa pulls out some paperwork. “Okay, as of right now we can get you in shows for almost every day of fashion week, some days several shows. What that means for you is a whole lot of work, work that you aren’t fully prepared for. Each show will have at least three, possibly four hour-long sessions for fittings and rehearsals then there’s the show itself. Although the show is only going to take about fifteen minutes, you’ll need to be at the show site at least two hours prior for hair and makeup. For the days you have multiple shows that will mean a lot of running and praying you get there on time.”

“Fashion week is always chaotic and the more popular you are, the crazier it gets. What I don’t want is to so overload you that you burn out or can’t put forth your best effort. That won’t be fair to you or the client, so with that in mind, let’s go over all the offers and pick out which is best and see if we can get a feel for how many we can commit to.”

Sobered by her talk, Lisa, Mom and I start to go over the list of designers and first seeing it I damn near have a heart attack at the names there.

“Oh. My. God.” I say in a stunned croak. “Are you serious, they all want me?”

“Very serious and as you can see, there are some that we need to do everything we can to accept so let’s go over all the pros and cons of each.”

For the next hour we discuss each show and designer and where the scheduling for the shows lies in the calendar. Some of the shows that, according to Lisa, are a blast to do unfortunately conflict with some of the shows that are too big to turn down. In the end we come up with a schedule that is heavy in the beginning of the week and lighter towards the end.

“Okay, Alex this looks good. You’re going to be one busy lady but this will allow some flexibility for later in the week in case something else comes up. So, for Wednesday you’ll start the day doing Marani, then Rocco Barocco. After lunch, well a lunch on the run for you, you’ll do Gucci and No. 21: a great first day. Thursday will be your big day by doing Fendi, D&G, Krizia and Prada: four that any model would kill to do just one of. For Friday only Versace but if you’re only going to do just one, that’s the one to do. Saturday will be Just Cavalli, Armarni and the Pucci shows. Missoni has you on option for Sunday and you currently have nothing scheduled for Monday.

“All in all, this entire week couldn’t get much better. I just wish that we had gotten to you earlier so you could have done New York and London as well, you would have been the talk of the season; you might still be even so.

“Now we’ve changed things up a bit given the response we’ve had for you. Bobby will be dealing exclusively with you for this week. He’ll be managing your full schedule regarding the bookings. He’s going to try to keep conflicts to a minimum and will let you know where you need to be and when and most of the time will pick you up and take you to your appointments.

“It’s going to be very important that anything concerning your schedule first goes through him. Some of the designers are going to want you to stay longer than scheduled or get more time and we can’t have any of that happen unless it’s first cleared though him or you’ll find yourself needing to be in two or three places all at the same time.

“Now he will be with you most of the time but if something comes up and he isn’t there, you call him, if you can’t reach him, call me but don’t ever agree to anything without our okay first. You won’t be seeing too much of me: you’ll be too busy and I’ll be here trying to see if I can find anything else for you.

“So, are we scaring you away, no regrets?”

My smile probably says it all but I respond, “No regrets at all. It’s exciting isn’t it?”

“It is indeed,” Lisa answers with a chuckle. “Now you should go grab a quick bite to eat then get back here. You have your first fitting at Marani right after and Bobby wants to go over the rest of your schedule in detail before then.”

* * *

Lunch is a blur as Mom and I run out and grab a sandwich then hurry back to Next to meet with Bobby.

By the time Bobby finishes going over the week’s schedule I’m feeling better about things, at least in part. I’m still frantically worried that I’m going to screw things up because I have no idea what I’m doing but at least it’ll be harder to do so with Bobby there with me. He’s amazingly helpful at easing my fears and giving me a good idea on what to expect. The other benefit with Bobby, well babysitting me is what it amounts to, is Mom won’t have to.

Mom assures me that she’s going to be there most of the time but at least with Bobby there too, she’ll be able to get a break in now and again. I know I need a ‘keeper’ but I wish I didn’t. Bobby tells me that he thinks if I had to I could handle it all on my own. He seems very impressed by my ‘maturity’. Boy do I have him fooled.

One of the most frequent comments I hear is how well I’m handling everything–from the bookings, to the walks, to the meetings with…well, everyone. What no one seems to have caught on to yet is I’m faking it. I’m scared to death and I haven’t a clue as to what I’m doing. It’s like the lights came on and I’m just dancing as fast as I can and hoping that no one notices I don’t know the tune that’s playing.

It’s all very exciting but there are definitely times that I’m so scared that I feel like I might pee my pants and oddly enough that fear is kind of enticing too. It’s like riding a rollercoaster that might have part of the track missing, or like last night jumping and not knowing if I’d make it or not. Man, that sounds so screwed up and when I get back home I really should talk to Amanda about this but until then, I guess I’ll just keep at it and enjoy it as much as I can.

* * *

As my schedule is rather tight this afternoon, our meeting with Bobby has to continue in the taxi as we head over to the Marani site for my initial fittings. Once there and introduced I’m immediately whisked off to go and meet with Angelo Marani and his assistants. He’s a very nice man but intensely focused on his work as they have me and the other girls there try on several outfits.

Polaroids are taken of all the girls then we start to try on outfits.

After almost an hour I finally learn that I’ll be showing two looks: the first is a cute little yellow and black beaded slash sequined dress with biker style shorts that are a tad longer than the hem of the skirt, a half-leather jacket that’s a bit like a motorcycle jacket and these tall open toed heels that at first look, appear to be ankle boots–they’re very cute. My second look is another short dress with the skirt part pink with a black pattern and a black fuzzy hem and the top is white with a black pattern, a large scooped neck and finished with a wide black belt and the same heels I have with the other outfit.

One of the last things we do is walk with Angelo and his assistants at the end of the runway conferring over each of us girls as we walk towards them.

Once that is done and we’re released it’s off on a run to Rocco Barocco to do it all again.

As I’m coming out from Rocco Barocco, Bobby comes up and says, “Lisa called, you have a casting in fifteen minutes and we can just make it, come on.”

The three of us rush out and get in a taxi and once settled I ask, “Who is this one for?”

“D-Squared. They need a couple more girls and Lisa called as soon as she heard. The show is on Monday and you don’t have anything scheduled for that yet so that’s good.”

“So what are their shows like?”

“They usually are full of energy. Dan and Dean are a great couple of guys and they always put on a good show. If you can get on with them that would be great. Be your usual cheerful upbeat self and you’ll do just fine.”

When we get there I’m surprised there isn’t one of the usual super long lines. When I mention this to Bobby, he replies, “They’ve already had castings for the show. I can only guess that they either didn’t get who they want, who they want is now booked elsewhere or we beat the word that the casting has reopened. It could be a combination of all three or something else entirely. In any case, it’s our good fortune. Now in you go and good luck.”

There’s an obvious rush to the casting and myself and a couple of other girls are immediately told that we’re wanted for the show and once confirmed with Bobby, I’m whisked back for fittings.

* * *

The next couple of days are crazy busy with fittings, castings and runway rehearsals. My days have been starting around five-thirty or six and I’m finally crawling into bed between eleven and midnight and they’re only going to get longer the deeper into the week we go.

Despite the crazy schedule and all the hectic running around, I’m enjoying myself immensely. I know when all this is over I’m going to need a couple days to recover but it is great fun. The other models I’ve met have all been real nice and I’m making friends with a couple that are in some of the same shows that I am.

Just as I’m settling down to sleep Tuesday night my phone rings. Groaning I reach for it and hope I’m not being called in for a last minute fitting. That happened this morning and it started off my day at four. It’s now eleven-thirty and I’m wiped.

“Hello?”

“…Yes?”

“…No, not yet. What’s up, Bobby?”

“…Oh my god, you’re kidding me. Really?”

“…Yes, yes, of course. Oh, Bobby, this is great news. Thanks and I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

“Well?” Mom asks as I hang up my phone. “What was that about?”

“That was Bobby. Angelo Marani wants me to open the show tomorrow and they want me there a half-hour earlier.”

“Honey, that’s wonderful. Best get to sleep then, I’ll reset the alarm. I’m so proud of you, honey. ’Nite.”

“’Nite, Mom.”

We turn out the lights and I lay back down, a huge grin on my face and my mind awhirl over the news. Having a designer pick you to open or close a show is a big deal and there’s even a ranking given for the models who open the most.

Settling further down in bed I close my eyes to sleep.

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Comments

Sorry for the delay on posting

Seems like every time I get geared up to start writing, life throws me some curve balls. This time it was in the form of a large truck trying to mate with my small hatchback. The problem was I was in the car at the time.

Oh well, I'm still alive so can't complain too much although it will be some time until I get my full stamina back.

I'll keep plugging away and hope to have more soon.

Enjoy.

Connie

As they say Connie!

The light at the end of the tunnel is usually a steam train coming the other way!

This was an exciting chapter alright, and it's all go from here on.

Lucky our girl is so fit?

Thanks Connie for a great read.

Hugs.

Age is an issue of mind over matter.
If you don't mind, it doesn't matter!
(Mark Twain)

LoL
Rita

Vehical matting richtuals

wolfjess7's picture

It can be said that when two defferent specs mate the resalt is not always possitive. As is the case with Large trucks and small hatchbacks. Ive just recently started to read this delightful story as a way to pass my time.Unfourtunealy I know too well the pain of a car reck Im currently in a cast from the left hip down to my toes. So dont rush things and take your time and dont rush your recovery just too get out a story.

May the peace and happiness of the Goddess keep and protect you
as always your humble outlaw
Jessie Wolf

I hope there's nothing permanent!

Excellent story, sounds like she's got herself into a whirlwind! Can't wait to read more!

Get well soon!

Wren

Mouse in the wall

I'd so love to be a mouse in the wall when Miss Snooty "I'm a Professional Model" finds out! Hopefully somebody will have some tearsheets to show. LOL!


"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin

A truck and a car mating? That's unnatural...

Say so in the...

Oh... Oh dear! Never mind.

So happy you are okay. Car crashes are terrifying things and in big vs little, the bigger mass usually wins.

As to Catwalk, sorely missed and was not a disappointment at all. Some things are worth waiting for. You knocked this one out of the park!

Damn is she a hot prospect in Milan. If she can make it though the week she has made herself a career and a star, potentially.

The Parkor still worries me. She could have died that night or been crippled/disfigured. She forgot her own rules and ran a route she had not fully and carefully scoped out and then she let herself get distracted.

It does wonders for her fitness, agility and all but it is so dangerous. At least as she did it that night. I noted she felt she should talk to her therapist. This is IMPERTIVE. Maybe a few phone call sessions ASAP are needed.

I wonder if this almost fearlessness, this adrenaline junkie attitude is a reaction to the depression and pain she felt during and after her kidnapping and torture? IE now she has her life and good looks back she is almost daring fate to take it away. There is laughing in the face of danger and there is taking on a speeding train head on. At least she recognizes there may be a problem. Perhaps that in itself is enough.

I understand modeling can be VERY competitive. I hope the *friends* she made with several models and her minders realize she is only 15 and to not trick her into booze, drugs or sex.

And although it is some weeks away, what about school and that very unfair suspension by the temporary Principal? Hope the regular one on her return investigated and cut him a new cakehole and expelled the plastic surgeons prim donna whelp, um daughter.

And what of that bastar* "reporter" who wrote the lies that caused all the trouble at school and with the Nike people?

BRAVO.

John in Wauwatosa

John in Wauwatosa

Love this story

I am sorry to hear of your accident, and can sympathize as I have been injured many times, though I was in the military at the time. Rehab sucks and so do physical therapists, though it's not personal, (yah right!) so take your time. As far as the story goes, nice addition to the already wonderful world of Alexandra Conners and family, thank you for it, and know we readers love it!

Draflow

busy week

and now the shows start. she is going to be jumping (as it were)
great chapter, thanks

Health first, then continue writing!

Glad your doing better!

Alex is certainly being kept busy. I keep wondering when or if we will learn more about the other people on the roof the other night. Also, Alex needs to be made aware of the implications of an injury which would prevent her from working when she is already committed.

_Bev_

Great Chapter

I've enjoyed following Alex's adventures. It looks like fashion week is going to keep her very busy. lol. Keep up the good work.

Mark <3

Have a great day, it's the only one you have.

Catwalk Confidence - Part 66

Hurricane Alex has struck.

    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine

Very glad that you're Okay:)

A really great chapter though filled with a whole bunch of jargon but that's part of the charm here that you pull us into it and we're learning through immersion.
*Careful Hugs*
Bailey.

Bailey Summers

Finally!

Finally! - another installment. Now to sit down and read.

Dani

Great Story

Great story. Sorry to hear about the truck and glad you are ok. Hope you will be able to bring us more on Cat.

Dani