Full contacts sting like a bitch and my body is covered in some glow in the dark paints so that when there is different lighting I have symbols or whatever. Whole setup takes three hours, then two to shoot and I realize that I'm going to miss my meeting with Mr. Akagi and Mrs. Lawson. I am barely able to make a call to Mrs. Lawson but only get her voicemail. I continue to be stuck in full makeup for another thirty minutes and it is after eight when I finally get out of all the makeup and almost make it out of the studio when I nearly run into Mr. Akagi and Mrs. Lawson both of them standing outside the studio talking with Guy. Brave face and smile girl.
"Ms. Christianson, we're glad you were able to get out of your shoot so quickly," Mr. Akagi greets me with a big smile.
"I left a message with Mrs. Lawson about my delay," I try to speak and Guy interrupts.
"Mrs. Lawson got your message and since you weren't able to meet with her she contacted me. I told her that we were acquainted and offered to help her find you so that you three could have your meeting," Guy explains why he's there with a smile and a different suit from what he had at school today.
"Well maybe we can find a coffee shop or something where we can sit down and talk," I offer hoping for some mercy.
"Actually Guy invited us to dinner and we've been waiting on you to get done, we had almost given up hope my dear," Mrs. Lawson informs me of their plans and now I'm stuck," Leave your car here, Mr. Akagi and I will drive and you can ride with Guy."
And now I have to convince Mrs. Lawson and Mr. Akagi of my position while Guy sits there and probably ruins it for me. Guy says a few words to Mrs. Lawson who nods and I watch the officials leave as Guy opens the door to his very sexy car to me, when the hell did he get this? I feel like I'm inside a demon as Guy fires up an engine that sounds angry and drives us away from the studio. It takes less than ten minutes but Guy has me at my house and now I see how he's screwing me when he flips the script.
"Go get something on we have less than twenty to be at the BL Bistro and you need something nice," Guy informs me as he parks in my parent's driveway.
Set a record for picking out the perfect clothes, check. Set a record for classy and tasteful makeup, check. Get out of there before Daddy sees Guy's car and proceeds to keep us up a couple minutes before Guy shakes his hand, which never happens for anyone even Brandon, and off to the restaurant we go. I kept it simple with a nice tight red blouse and black skirt while Guy is wearing a black suit with a flashy blue shirt and black tie. It's a quiet ride and we're parked and in the restaurant with some time to spare. I learned that the reservation was in Guy's name, not Mrs. Lawson's or Mr. Akagi's, both of whom are sitting with drinks at the bar. Our waiter seats us and leaves to get the rest of our party and now I realize what it is about Guy that is so different, he's confident. He wasn't very confident before but now he's so sure of himself it's astonishing. Mr. Akagi and Mrs. Lawson are seated and orders are placed for appetizers and entrees, I'm informed that my bill will be taken care of by someone else. Again I'm left out of the loop. First plates come and go, just the appetizers and I figure while we wait I'll start my pitch.
"How goes the decision making for the scholarship," I ask Mr. Akagi who is sipping his wine.
"Not really a decision to be made. We have several good contenders but there are a couple stand out candidates that have made grand impressions on us," he is avoiding answering.
"How do you feel your chances are," Guy asks me and I want to scream at him.
"I've been in the front of the pack for a while now, so hopefully good," I answer him and Guy smiles.
"Well your modeling portfolio is strong," Guy pulls a small tablet out of his jacket and shows Mr. Akagi who then shows Mrs. Lawson," I mean stepping away from the beauty and glamor for something raw and almost primal is very… what was the word you were using to describe the type of people you wanted to give this scholarship to?"
"The word I was using was earlier Mr. Donnelly was bold," Mrs. Lawson helps him and now they've been talking at length about the scholarship," I mean taking stage in front of so many of your peers was bold, it was daring and too many applicants are routine. Ms. Christianson's current photos are a bold look and really show more energy than some of her previous work."
I see the pictures on the tablet, they're from today. How the fuck did Guy get today's pictures? Only way he could get them is if…. he paid Renald for services before and his name is on the contacts list. I had to put it there when Guy covered an expense on the session and now he's got access to my work. I'm smiling as they're complimenting my photos but excuse myself to the bathroom to catch my breath. Guy is sitting there pushing my work and making himself the host to what was supposed to be my meeting to get my spot back. Wait, why is he pushing my work when he's competing for it? Is he trying to win me over by helping me? Check makeup and back to the table, it's time to eat I think.
Food was good and conversation was light on scholarship and heavy on politics, art, and music. I almost want to bring things around to the scholarship but everyone is enjoying the mood so much I can't do it and not sound like nag. Dinner ends and I'm left with Mrs. Lawson outside while Guy and Mr. Akagi take care of the check.
"So you are worried about your place in the scholarship," Mrs. Lawson asks and I'm too shocked to do anything but nod," I used to be you. Didn't have anything great but my looks and I built everything I have now on those and my desire to succeed."
"You were a model," I ask and she nods," How did you get your break?"
"I didn't want a break, I wanted a life. I modeled enough to be noticed by the right man and then I married him and had a child, and I'll tell you something no modeling agency will," Mrs. Lawson says leaning forward," The husband and child were worth more than a magazine cover."
"But wasn't your husband rich," I ask and she laughs.
"Oh he was rich and successful but I wasn't a trophy, I was a lioness and he was my lion," she explains as Guy and Mr. Akagi join us.
We part ways and I'm back in a car with Guy riding towards my home when I realize my car is at the studio.
"Don't worry, I spoke with your father and he's already picked it up for you," Guy informs me before I can even mention it.
"Why did you invite yourself to my meeting," I ask and he almost smiles.
"Your meeting was at five, you were late. I optioned to turn your meeting into a dinner meeting and Mr. Akagi loves the food at that restaurant. All I had to do was offer to pay and you got your meeting," Guy explains but that doesn't help my question.
"But you were there and you brought my work up, work I did today, to them," I ask and he is still smiling.
"You gave me access to your work and I used it to help make your points for you at 'your' meeting," Guy justifies his position but I'm still not getting why he did it.
"Why help me, after everything everyone has said I did to you and how hurt you were why help me," I ask and he smiles.
"You think this was all about helping you? Understand that if I was going to help you there would be something in it for me and it would be something worth my time and effort. You were a conversation piece, a point of moderate interest at dinner," Guy is harsh and more than a little mean.
"I'm sorry about the winter formal, I didn't want to hurt you and we were really hoping you'd join us. I still think of you as a friend," I say it and he doesn't look affected," Maybe the three of us can sit down sometime and work things out like Brandon and you did?"
"Brandon made a deal and that's all. I don't like him, I don't care for him and I certainly don't care what happens to him after our deal is concluded. You I thought cared about me, I was wrong. I thought you were someone to save me, I was horribly wrong on that topic," Guy explains as we pull up to my parent's house.
"Let's get together then, just you and me. We'll talk and try to put our friendship back together," I offer and Guy almost laughs.
"Why, I have nothing to gain from it," Guy replies before smiling," Besides, I already paid for another dinner and I'm going home alone, you got what you wanted."