A/N: So this is a little different from my usual… not sure how people will like it… it starts off a little slow but I guarantee a big and exciting ending like with all my stories. However I don't know if people will like this but let me know in the reviews. If you don't like it let me know so I can do something else, if you want more adventure then let me know, if you want more romance then let me know, you know the drill.
I don't own Ally Carter does.
'Hurry up Cammie!' I heard Bex say through my comms unit.
'I think we've got a tail!' I whispered urgently, slipping through the centre of the carnival with Macey that was taking place in the centre of Roseville, which just so happened to be the place Mr Solomon had taken us for CoveOps practice. My task had been easy, finger print the man in the blue. Well I had done it and I had been on my way back to Mr Solomon where the rest of the class were waiting for me and Macey until I had noticed a man was following us.
Me and Macey slipped through the crowds, the strange thing wasn't that the man was following us though, it was that he wasn't making an attempt to hide it.
'Oh my gosh wait!' Macey breathed sounding astonished as she stopped in a clearing a little way away from the carnival.
'What is it?' I said impatiently noticing the man gaining on us. 'We need to get back to Solomon now'
'He's a civilian' Macey said pointing at the man that had been following us. 'I thought so' I said turning to get a proper look at him. He was squat and muscular; he had a hard kind of look about him. There was nothing particularly out of the ordinary about him, except that he was panting, and running towards us.
'He's a model scout' Macey cried excitedly fluffing her hair up. 'I saw in Vouge that they were scouting for models for a new agency and his picture was in there naming him as an official scout!'
I couldn't help but smile. He'd probably been running after us so that he could offer representation to Macey and he looked like he'd been struggling to keep up. I couldn't help but feel excited for my friend, I knew he would probably offer her a massive opportunity.
He finally got near us and I could have sworn he breathed a sigh of relief. 'I've been trying to catch up with you girls for ages!' he cried, with a strong British accent.
'Do you know who I am?' He grinned, revealing pearly white teeth.
'Of course!' Macey cried. 'I read Vouge'
'Great!' cried the man grinning again.
'Well as you know our new agency is getting some great new jobs, just some not so great models, so we're looking for some superstars to join us, there's a huge opportunity to model for Vouge too if we think you're good enough, and well it's pretty obvious you are!'
I wasn't really listening, I had been kicking the dirt with my bright white new trainers watching the cloud of dust coat them a not so attractive grey colour. I looked up though when I realised that Macey hadn't answered. I looked up and saw him looking at me.
I looked from Macey to him and back to Macey again, Macey's face holding the same amount of shock that was on mine.
'Me?' I asked shakily, thinking it was a joke.
'Her?' asked Macey, obviously shocked too.
'Of course!' The man replied laughing.
I looked at Macey with her long black hair coating her shoulders like a cloak, her designer clothes layered on her with her 5 inch heels. I pictured myself as the man must see me. I was wearing my comfiest trainers complete with a baggy t-shirt and boot cut jeans. My hair was tied up in a high bun as it always was during missions, practicality and comfort over appearance always won for me.
'you've got a brilliant look, your cheekbones are striking and your eyes reflect the light brilliantly, we can do great things with you! All the other scouts are going to be fuming they weren't the ones to discover you' He continued to press on talking about my 'amazing' features, even stating I had the perfect nose!
'So, what do you think?' He asked excitedly.
'Oh, I think you have the wrong girl' I said shrugging him off, thinking that if this was a joke it was a very, very cruel one. 'Macey's the one who's done modelling work before'
'Well no disrespect Miss but we don't want Macey. Sure, she's a stunning girl, but you… You're fabulously unique!'
'Well, thanks for the offer but I've never done any modelling or anything like that before' I said about to walk away.
His face hardened.
'Of course she's in!' a voice cried and I turned in shock to see Macey smiling at me.
My mouth fell open in shock as the man beamed a shocking smile again. 'Great!' he cried.
'Well let me just get a picture so I can show the other scouts, and then I'll give you my card so you can give us a call later today'
'Great!' Macey answered for me as she pushed me in front of his camera.
I blinked stupidly as the flash went off in my face.
'Brilliant!' he cried. 'Just brilliant!'
'Well I hope to hear from you soon! Nice meeting you both' He passed me a card and then walked away.
I stared down and the name 'Fame Model Agency' stared back.
'Wow' breathed Macey who seemed happier about it than I was. A lot happier.
As we turned to walk back the card felt heavy in my hand.
'Macey, I can't do modelling' I whispered.
'Cam you really have no idea do you?' Macey questioned accusingly. 'That agency represents celebrities, cover models, famous actresses, Cammie that's like a guaranteed modelling job in five minutes!'
I felt sick as I looked at the card again, shoving it in my jeans pocket.
We returned to the Gallagher Gates and I was shocked to see all my classmates staring at me in shock. I frowned until I almost passed out on the floor. My comms unit had been on.
'Don't worry' Macey whispered. 'Mr Solomon wasn't on comms'
I'm pretty sure that was meant to make me feel better, but it didn't. I would have actually preferred Mr Solomon to have been listening so that he could tell me how ridiculous the idea was. I knew my classmates would do the opposite.
'Amazing!' whispered Tina as we walked up the stairs to our rooms. 'Who would have thought, Cammie on the cover of Vouge!'
'Shh' I hissed as Tina's voiced carried out across the hall where all the eighth graders stood. 'Tina, you know I won't be on the cover of Vouge' I laughed her comment off.
She just raised her eyebrows before disappearing into her room, no doubt to gossip about me. I carried on down the corridor in a kind of trance as I opened the door.
'Oh my gosh!' breathed Liz as soon as I opened the door and saw that Macey and Bex had obviously already told Liz all about it.
'You have to call them now!' Bex said excitedly.
'Oh with what?' I said, knowing we had no phones.
'Phone in your mom's office!' Liz said, I was shocked to see she was almost as excited as Macey and Bex.
I sighed. I knew the agency had made a mistake, they'd got the wrong girl, and when that man showed the other scouts my picture they would probably be in hysterics.
'Okay' I said snidely, thinking that if I called the agency and they turned me down then it would get my roommates to leave it alone.
'Just do it' Macey instructed a little louder than she should have considering we'd snuck into my mom's room when she was only a few floors down having dinner.
I picked up the phone and dialled the number, my hand shaking. I would never admit it but a small part of me hoped it hadn't been a joke, mainly because I would be a complete laughing stock if anyone found out.
'Hello' I said politely as the phone was picked up the other end. 'I'm Cameron Morgan, I…' I was cut off by an excited shout, it was the voice of the man who had scouted me.
'Oh thank god!' He cried. 'I was worried you wouldn't call!'
'Oh' I said simply.
'Okay so let's say your face created quite a stir here, everyone's saying your name! We've decided we want you down here as soon as possible so we can get you started straight away, we think we've already got a few jobs for you, how's tomorrow?'
'What?' I cried ignoring my roommates telling me to keep my voice down. 'Tomorrow!' I hissed.
'Yep' He replied 'Our office is only half an hour away, you can bring parents or friends along, and it won't take long'
He gave me the address which I told Bex who said she knew exactly how to get there and where it was.
'Well…' I started ignoring my friends glares as they saw me attempting to back out. 'I'm not sure…'
'Please!' He begged.
'Urm, Okay' I replied knowing that if I didn't say yes I would get killed in my sleep.
The next morning was a blur. I was forced out of my bed and forced to get my makeup done by Macey who plastered me in foundation and eye makeup. I looked in the mirror and wondered for the hundredth time what he thought was so great about me. I then suddenly thought that he hadn't seen Bex yet who was practically a goddess and I realised he would probably take her on instead. I relaxed.
It was easy enough to rush through dinner and tell my mom we were going to be watching movies all day. It was someone else I hadn't been prepared for.
'Where are you girls off too?'
I turned round to face Zach as my hand hovered dangerously close to the secret passageway.
'Cammie's got a modelling job!' cried Liz.
She got a hard elbowing from Macey. I just slapped my hand to my head and sighed.
Zach laughed. A day ago I would have laughed with him, but now I knew this was no joke I felt annoyed.
'let's go' I hissed.
'Wait' Zach put his hand out to stop me. 'I want to come with you'
It was my turn to laugh as I said 'No way Zach'
'Fine then, I guess I'll go and tell the guys about this' He smirked.
'Fine!' I said angrily 'Just don't tell anyone'
'Deal!' he agreed as the five of us trekked through the secret passageway and out of the Gallagher Academy. We got to the bus stop and luckily Liz had researched the times.
When we arrived at the studio we all stared in shock. It was massive. A large building made out of glass seemed entirely out of place amongst the other greying buildings enveloping it.
I took a deep breath as we walked in. I could sense Zach smirking beside me as I walked up to the large marble counter and cleared my throat to get the attention of the woman on reception who look totally bored out of her mind.
'I'm here to see Henry Burgundy' I said repeating what he'd told me to say on the phone yesterday.
The woman raised her eyebrows sarcastically. 'Do you have an appointment?'
'No' I stammered 'He's expecting me though'
'Oh!' her eyes widened. 'Are you here for the cleaning job?'
'No' I said shocked and annoyed as I saw Zach beside me trying not to laugh.
I didn't look her in the eyes as I said 'I'm here to join the modelling agency'
I saw her eyebrows rise even further in disbelief. 'Right…' she said as if I was playing some kind of practical joke on her. Still, she got out her phone and dialled in a number speaking in a hushed voice to someone.
'You can go right up' she said 'Room 141'
'Thank you' I said despairingly as she eyed me curiously as we walked to the lifts.
'Don't worry about her Cam' Macey reassured me. 'It was obvious she was jealous'
I nodded but didn't say anything.
I knocked on the door of 141 and the door opened immediately.
'Come in, come in!' he cried glancing briefly at my friends before his eyes settled on me.
'First things first let's get this stuff off!' he said brandishing a makeup wipe and throwing it in my direction. I wiped it off smiling as I saw Macey's annoyance at me erasing her good work.
'That's better!' he smiled and dragged me out the door, my friends following closely behind me.
He brought me into a large room and I froze in shock as I found myself surrounded by absolutely stunning girls that towered over me, they were so stunning they made Macey look ordinary. They made me look stupid.
'These are the other models who are trying to get the Vouge shoot' He said.
I almost laughed out loud. I was competing against these girls? There really was no competition.
I sighed as he lined me up behind them. I was meant to pose in front of the camera in front of the white wall and then he would send the shots to someone else who would decide who would be on the Vouge cover.
The other models wondered up effortlessly and posed with lips pouted before going straight back home again. I got talking to one of the nicer girls in the line who seemed to be the only one who wasn't cutting me sarcastic stares, she told me she'd driven for five hours to get here. 'All that to stand in front of the camera for five minutes!' I thought shocked.
As she posed in front of the camera though I knew she would get it, the photographer didn't give her any direction and I caught sight of the picture on his camera, she was flawless.
It was finally my turn and I walked shakily to the white wall.
I pouted like I'd seen the others do and waited for the flash but it never came.
'No that doesn't look right' the photographer sighed. I blushed embarrassed.
Henry rushed over 'What's going on Cammie?' he said as if it were my fault, after all I hadn't wanted to be here.
'He said I wasn't right for the job' I said my voice breaking as I turned to walk away.
'No he doesn't mean that, it's the pose!' Henry exclaimed. 'I want you to try to look angry, that look makes you look seductive, it works'
'Angry?' I questioned.
'Yep' he said walking away.
'Okay, let's try this again' the bored photographer said as he held up the camera.
I was about to pose until I caught sight of Zach, his famous smirk on his face. I stared at him angrily, losing my focus for a minute, he was so annoying.
'Yes!' the photographer cried, snapping away on his camera frantically. 'That's it! That's the look we want!'
I stared at him in surprise and he continued clicking away 'Yes, surprise, I like it!' He yelled as he actually stood up and I saw him come closer to me, right in my face.
He must have taken about fifty photos before he finally let me go. I sighed with relief, it was over, I would never have to do anything like that again, or so I thought.
