Stephanie's POV
"Come on, Steph, just do this, and you'll be one of the top models in this agency, or do you want to keep getting scraps and the silly little gigs?" Chris asked while putting his dirty, slimy hands on her face. It took everything in her not to gag and spit in his face. No one disgusted her as much as this man did.
She stepped back and gave as much space as the bathroom stall could allow. Curse these gender-neutral bathrooms; they are the reason he could come in here and invade her personal space.
"What are you doing in here, Chris? You know I could report you for assault. This being a gender-neutral bathroom doesn't give you the right to enter a stall in use," she said, annoyed and frankly very disgusted.
He let out a breathy laugh, which in turn led to a wift of putrid garlic smell invading her nostrils.
"Report me? You must not know who I am. I am the agency; without me, there is no agency. As a matter of fact, I am the goddamn industry." He said he was coming closer again. She had enough and kneed him as hard as she could in the balls. Then I left him on the floor to attend to his little problem.
She left the bathroom after washing her hands and went to meet her friend Kate (her only friend).
"What's up with you?" Kate asked after seeing the look on her face.
"It's nothing; I just had a little run-in with Chris, that's all. Nothing major," she replied, trying to say it with a smile on her face.
Kate looked at her skeptically but decided to drop it, "If you say so."
Two hours after the incident in the bathroom, Stephanie was called by her boss or recruiter.
"Hello Stephanie, I have some not-so-good news, and I think it's best you have your seat," she said in a somber tone.
Scared and apprehensive, Stephanie took a seat at the very edge of the chair, wondering what it could be that she'd want to tell her.
"Is there a problem?" She asked, her voice trembling.
"I'm afraid yes, you are one of the most talented and best models in this agency, and quite frankly, I've taken a liking to you. However, without mincing words too much, I'm sorry to inform you that the agency will have to let you go."
"What? I don't understand. Did I do something wrong?" she managed to get out with tears in her eyes. Where would she start from? This job was all she had. Not only was modeling her one and only passion, it was the job that got everything done and paid her bills; God knows she has a lot of those.
"Look, I'm really sorry, Steph, but the order came from above. I really wish I could help, but my hands are tied," her recruiter sympathized.
From above? Who does she know in power that she could have been offended? Wait, or could it be...
"Does this have something to do with Chris?" She voiced her thoughts with tears already streaming down her face.
Her recruiter avoided her eyes and was silent for a few seconds before finally speaking.
"I can't say much; all I can tell you is that you stepped on some really important toes and made powerful people angry." She stated
So it was Chris, that evil bastard. "Also—and I'm not supposed to be saying—but not only are you fired, the chances of you getting a job in this industry are very slim," she started interrupting her train of thought, "right now you are being blacklisted everywhere."
Stephanie could not believe her ears. How did this happen? How could this have happened to her?
"I'm really sorry, once again." Her recruiter said it apologetically.
She staggered out of the office and met Kate on the way.
"Babes is everything alright," she inquired, concerned.
"I... they...my... I just... I just got fired." She burst into tears.
"What, oh my God? How did that happen? Oh, darling, everything is going to be okay. Come here," Kate said, engulfing her in a hug.
Kate took her to her car, and she explained everything.
After explaining everything to her friend, Kate was enraged and was ready to confront Chris.
Stephanie, however, stopped her. "No, Kate, come on, there is no need for both of us to lose our jobs. I'll find something; I'll be fine. I promise. Please just take me home."
After a long and silent ride to Stephanie's apartment, Kate spoke up.
"You know what? We'll think about a solution tomorrow, but tonight we party. We can't let Chris win. Tonight you and I vixen. We are partying." Kate declared
"I really don't want to, Kate; I just lost my job. The last thing I want to do is go clubbing." Stephanie protested, but Kate was having none.
"No, no, no, I'm not leaving you to mope around all night on your own. Not happening. 8 p.m., I'll come pick you up. Be ready. Wear something sexy; who knows, you might just meet a nice hunk of a man ready to take away your sorrows for the night." She said, winking.
Stephanie couldn't help but let out a laugh. Her friend was too ridiculous.
"Fine, I'll be ready by 8," she surrendered and went into her apartment.
At 7:45, Stephanie was already ready and waiting for her friend. She was dressed in the tightest and shortest black dress she owned. She left her hair to flow down her back in its natural curls. She applied minimal make-up to her face and wore a 6-inch black stiletto.
Her doorbell rang at 7:55, and her friend was at the door with a bottle of vodka.
"Pre-game?" Kate asked with a smile. She gave a smile back, took a swig, and they were off.
When they arrived at the club, everywhere was already busy. The body's gyrating and swaying
"I'll go get us drinks; what do you want?" Stephanie yelled over the loud music.
"Um, a gin and tonic, please, thanks," Kate yelled back.
Stephanie got their drinks from the bar but couldn't find Kate anymore.
After searching, she finally sighted her on the dance floor with a stranger. She shook her head and went to sit at the bar.
"Hello, pretty," she heard a voice say.
"Um hi," she turned to face the owner of the voice. It was a guy who looked like he had had a little too much to drink.
"You want to dance, baby?"
"No, thank you."
"Come on, baby, I insist," he said, coming closer.
"Actually," she stood up. "I need to go use the bathroom," she more or less ran and went up the stairs.
"Where is the goddamn bathroom?" she had been walking about for about ten minutes and couldn't find a bathroom, and now she really needed to pee.
She stopped in front of a door and wanted to open it to see if it was the bathroom when she heard voices from inside.
"How the fuck am I supposed to find someone to get married to before two months? I don't even have a girlfriend or need one. Love is the last thing on my mind," one of the voices said.
There was a long silence and Stephanie was about to go back when she heard
"I mean, you could always hire someone."