Right… this one is going to be longer than my previous stories. Finally, I am writing something other than one-shots! But I don't know whether it will come out good or not, so I hope you like it. By the way, I know absolutely nothing about the fashion industry, so please tell me if I got anything really obvious wrong.
A couple of quick things… 1) I made Bella slightly younger when she moved back to Forks deliberately. 2) Yes, I know the four girls aren't the same age in the books, but I had to make it like that for the story to work.
Oh and I finally have a beta… or two… but they are both friends of mine in real life, not people that I have 'employed' through FanFic. Thanks so much shadowytopaz and glittergirlaura.
Disclaimer: You look at your copy of Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, or Breaking Dawn, and see the name STEPHENIE MEYER in big letters across the front. Then you look at one of my books, and see something completely different. Do you see my point? I am not Stephenie.
Now that I can see
True reality
Tear drops fill my eyes,
'Cause there is no perfect man.
(Perfect Man, NB Ridaz)
Bella's POV
I was terrified. I don't know why, really. I've been doing this job for years, but I still get really nervous every time that I know I'll be stepping onto the catwalk anytime soon.
Let's get things straight. My name is Isabella Swan, known to my friends as Bella. I'm a 22-year-old model, and I work with my three best friends, Alice Brandon, Rosalie Hale and Esme Platt. We live in a flat together in New York, but that's not where we were born. The four of us met when I moved to Forks, WA, back when I was fifteen, because I wanted to spend more time with my dad, Charlie. My mom, Renée was great to be around, but she was just slightly insane, and I felt like I was the mom in the family, not her. I just needed to get away from it all.
So, anyway, when I arrived in Forks and when I went to my first day at high school, I found myself sitting at the same table as Rose, Esme and Alice and we've been best friends ever since. I've also found myself being used as Alice and Rose's personal 'Bella Barbie' many, many times before, which could be where I got my fear of sitting backstage from. It brings back bad, bad memories of having Rosalie behind me doing my hair and Alice in front of me doing my make-up.
When we were all eighteen and graduated, we left Forks and moved to where we live now. Obviously, we move around a lot depending on where we are working. At the moment we're in France, for the 2009 Paris Fashion Week. Sunny France… or not. We've only been here a week and it's rained every day! Some of our shows were supposed to be outside, but everything has been moved indoors. I think its better inside, personally. The girls think I'm mad, but I hate rain and I'd rather be inside. I suppose seeing as they lived in Forks for the first eighteen years of their lives, whereas I lived in Phoenix for about half of that time.
Why was I terrified? As I said before, I don't know. Four years of experience, and I still can't cope with a bit of stage fright! I'm surprised I haven't got the sack yet! Actually, even if I had, it wouldn't have happened at all. It just so happens that Rosalie is the most beautiful creature in the world and can get any guy she wants (or doesn't want!) chasing after her, and whatever she wants from him, she gets from him, be it money, clothes, presents, or her best friend to keep her job.
So I was sitting on a chair with my personal hair stylist standing behind me, gently brushing and then plaiting my hair into the simple look that she knew I loved. I adjusted my eyes to look to my left, without moving my head of course, where Esme was sitting. She smiled at me, knowing what I was thinking.
"It's OK, Bella, you'll be fine. You always are, hun," she said softly, taking my hand in hers to show she would always be there for me. I smiled back at her.
"Thanks, Esme; I'm just a bit worried that I'll trip over or something, knowing me!" I replied, laughing weakly.
Then Alice spoke from where she was sitting on Esme's left. "Bella, you will be fine. I said so, so it must be right." I laughed weakly.
Suddenly, Rosalie appeared in front of us, her hair and make-up already done, and a huge grin on her face. Something was up, but I couldn't put a finger on what it was.
"The four hottest men in the world are sitting out there, front row seats!" she cried excitedly. "Are you up for some serious flirting, girls?" The three of us shook our heads, each with our own reasons.
"I believe in love at first sight," said Esme, a dazed look in her eyes. "If the man for me is out there, I'll know it straight away, no flirting needed."
"I agree with Esme," commented Alice. "Soul mates are soul mates, and you should know it. But you never know, maybe the four of us could find our men all on one day in the same place. It would be pretty cool, wouldn't it?"
Rose smiled. "Yes, it would." She turned to me. "Hey, Bella, what about you? You seem pretty quiet today. Are you OK?"
"Yeah, I'm OK," I replied briefly. "Just scared that I'll fall over on the catwalk." I just hoped that the guy for me would be able to cope with my clumsiness. He might even find it cute! But I was sure that there were no decent blokes out there who would find major klutziness cute.
"There, Miss Swan, all done," interjected my stylist from behind me. "You know the drill, go and wait next to the curtain." I directed a small smile upwards and thanked her, before standing up and moving away to the area that had been specified for my friends and me.
Once I was there, I used my spare time I conjured up a picture in my mind of the perfect man for me, and an image came to me straight away. Tall, handsome, tousled bronze hair… in fact; he was the main character in my favourite book. But there was no way I could find someone like him. Partly, he was fictional. OK, so his millions of fan girls would hate me for saying that, and even I hated to admit it, but it was true. Anyone who seems so perfect is simply too good to be true. That and the fact that I was just plain. No man like that in their right mind would go after a girl like me. Rose, sure, or even Alice or Esme. But me? No way.
I sighed sadly, and I noticed Alice beside me, her hair done and the make-up that she had insisted on doing herself perfect. She reached up to hug me. She was tiny, but still absolutely gorgeous. Plus she seemed to be able to read my mind, although that might have been because she and I were the closest out of the group and we always knew what the other was thinking. "Don't worry about it," she said softly. "The perfect guy for you is out there somewhere. Just like mine is, and Rose's, and Esme's. You'll find him. One day. Soon." I hugged her back.
"Sure he will," I joked. "I'm sure there's no perfect man for me… but if I find him you'll be the first to know. I can promise you that." I stopped, and then added on as an afterthought, "Actually, I'll know first… and I'll probably tell him…"
She glared at me. "Bella…" she said warningly. I laughed.
"Don't worry, Ali, I'll tell you. Well, you'll find out somehow, at least!"
"That's better," she replied.
I gently prised Alice's clinging arms off me as we were shot a glare by the stage manager. "Miss Swan, Miss Brandon, we would all appreciate it if you could at least try to quieten down a bit," he said sarcastically.
"Sorry…" we said together.
"I should hope so," he replied, glaring at as once more before stalking off to rebuke some other bored model who was getting a bit loud for his liking.
After a while, Esme and Rose joined us and the four of us just sat there for a while. Doing what? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. How boring. Yeah, it was really boring, but I suppose we just have to get used to that. Life is boring, especially if you are a model who spends most of her life sitting quietly behind the scenes.
What do you think? Do you like it? Do you not like it? This is my first attempt at writing an AH story, and I have no idea how it has come out to the readers' eyes. Review, and tell me your comments!
Oh, and chapter 2 is in the making as you read this!