A/N: One day I'll convince myself not to write a new story when I already have so many published. Until then, bear me. I started writing this story last year and I finally decided to share it with you. Hopefully you'll enjoy it. I apologize for the grammar and spelling mistakes. English isn't my first language.
Enjoy! ;)
Drift Away
Chapter One - Poor Misguided Fool
- I'm sorry, but the Agency doesn't want to renew your contract. Starting tomorrow, you have parted ways with us.
Stacy Keibler wasn't a morning person. It had spent years since she had to wake up early in the morning. Certainly when she did it for the last time, she still had to attend college classes and that had happened more than a decade ago.
When the cell-phone rang the previous night informing her that she had a meeting with her agency at eight of morning, the blonde's first thought was that the song blasting throughout the nightclub affected her hearing capacity. After the Agency sent a cell-phone message with the meeting hour due to her personal request, the soon-to-be unemployed model understood that she heard every single word correctly. There wasn't a mistake as she hoped so.
The night of clubbing obligated her to drag her body out of bed to be on time at the early meeting. Her roommate was still sleeping without intentions of waking up when she left their apartment not too far away from Downtown Los Angeles.
However, now Stacy was one hundred percent sure that her hearing had been hurt along with her vision. As soon as the business gathering was over, she would go straight to a medical clinic. He couldn't have said that her contract would expire the next day and that another one wouldn't be signed. It meant that beginning tomorrow she was a jobless model. He plainly couldn't have just said that.
- I don't understand - the blonde stammered shocked after being in silence for mere minutes. Of course, she understood every single word that he told her. Nonetheless, it was difficult to accept as true what the man told her.
Throughout her modeling career, the Agency he worked for had represented her. The blonde refused to believe they were abandoning her now. She had always been an ideal employee. Perpetually ready to accept any job - unless a Playboy invitation and that wasn't even offered by the Agency -, the model had always done everything in a power to please them.
As hard as it was to believe, her mind wasn't playing tricks and the unwanted truth was right there. She couldn't run from it. There was nothing she could do to change their minds.
Were they actually letting her go? In other words: were they freaking firing her? Next month, the tall blonde would celebrate twelve years working under their wing. She had proposals from other modeling agencies and yet she never left them.
They just couldn't fire her out of nowhere as they were doing right now after all the years she worked for them. She was always a dedicated employee all the way through those years. She didn't deserve to be treated like she was a D-list worker.
- Stacy, don't make this more difficult for us than it already is. We like you, we seriously do. - It was a lie. He wasn't having a hard time firing her. Every day he let someone go. She was just one more person to be fired on his list. It didn't mind all the years of her life that she gave them. And, it certainly didn't matter the fact that the company liked her.
- Why? - He raised his eyebrow in confusion. Which reason didn't she want to hear? Their reasons would without doubt hurt her. - Why are you letting me go? Why are you doing this to me? I have worked for the Agency for twelve years and I have always been a perfect employee. You can't let me go without a reason.
- If you want the truth…
- Yes, I do want the truth. My working schedule is faultless. I've always done everything you asked me to. - She wanted the truth more than anything. From a moment to another, they were letting her go. She deserved to know why they took such decision.
- Stacy, you are thirty-two and you seem to be in your forties. People are saying you look too old. Your looks have vanished. - And they had to think the same thing as those people or they wouldn't kick her out if they thought differently. - This agency can't keep you working under its name when your time is over. You would give us negative publicity. You wouldn't want that, would you?
Until that moment Stacy never thought that she was old - or looking old, if it matters. The blonde stared at her own reflect and she thought she looked good for her age. Of course, she didn't have the same appearance she did years ago - who would have? A few wrinkles around her eyes were appearing, but it was all part of the aging process. She couldn't reverse it.
- You can't fire me like this. It's unfair. - She was sounding a teenage girl instead of a woman in her thirties. Stacy was flabbergasted by the fact that she was still able to pronounce a word.
- It is already done. Another contract is out of question. We spoke with our attorneys. After all that we gave to you, you better not to do anything stupid.
- But… - The words were cut off by the man's voice. He had more important stuff to take care of than to console or listen to Stacy's mumbles. As quickly as this conversation came to an end better for him.
- We wish you good luck in your future environments. We know you will be happy and very successful.
Future environments? Happy and successful? Without this job, she had no future ahead. Her life was officially over. She was living the moment, without worrying about the future because this day was too far to come. If she had understood before how wrong she was about it… This day arrived sooner than she was expecting and now she was disorientated.
- What am I going to do now? - Twelve years ago, Stacy had left everything behind to live in Los Angeles; to start a modeling career. She had nothing left from her old life and the new one she built over the years was being taken away from her. In a blink of the eye, they took her current life away from her. What was she going to do now?
- I don't know Stacy, but this isn't the end of the World. - It indubitably was the end of the World as she knew it. It wasn't the end of his World, but it was the end of hers. - Perhaps it's time for you to settle down. You aren't getting younger and without the demands of this job you can have kids. Maybe one day you can bring the kid here to be in some commercial. If he is good looking as you, the Agency would love to hire him.
First, they fired her for being too old. Then they ordered her to settle down and get pregnant so they could sign with her future son or daughter for some diaper commercial. What was wrong with those people? They were firing her and it meant they didn't have any more power over her life; they were far from having the right to tell her what to do.
Without saying another word, Stacy rose up from her seat. The unemployed woman walked away from the office with her eyes getting watery. She promised to herself that she wouldn't cry in front of this man or any other member of the Agency. She wouldn't give them the pleasure of seeing her hurt and desperate.
Life can be unexpected and the tall blonde had a taste of it. In a heartbeat, she lost everything she fought for; everything she knew. She gave up so much to be in Los Angeles, to be a model. And now it was all taken away from her because she didn't appear a woman in her twenties.
Outside, the morning sun caressed her skin. Its warmness pulled away the dark cloud covering her day. Her career was over, but she still had her family - even though her parents lived miles away -, her friends and her boyfriend. They would support her through the difficult moment she was facing. The comforting sensation didn't last long. Bad news never came alone.
Listening to her iPhone ringing, Stacy took it out from her purse. Her lips coiled into a lighthearted smile. Thinking of the devil…
The person calling her from the other side was her current boyfriend, George Cook. He was a photographer and they met through their professions. After a Valentine's Day photographic session, he invited her to a dinner and they hadn't let go each other since then. They had been together for the last four years.
Stacy never said it out loud, but she was expecting him to propose to her any time soon. The evidence was there: he was acting so out of the ordinary lately and one of her friends saw him leaving a jewelry-store a couple of weeks ago. At least one excellent thing was going to happen in her life those days.
- How did you know I would be awoken so soon? - Her boyfriend was aware of her sleep patterns. The only away to get her out of in the early hours of the day was a photo-shoot in a heavenly island.
- I thought I would wake you up. Stacy, I… - Before he went further with the reason he called so soon, the model interrupted him. He had no idea of how thankful she was for his call.
- I'm so glad you called me. - She needed someone with whom she could speak with after the last events. Of course, she was still hoping it was all a mistake and the Agency would call her to apologize and renew her contract. - You have no idea of what happened to me this morning. May I pass by your house?
- I would rather not - he said, catching Stacy off guard. Why didn't he want her to go there? - Look Stacy, I have been thinking and I think it's best for both of us if we spend some time apart. I need to sort out a couple of things and I can't have you around.
To spend some time apart? He needed to sort out a couple of things? Was George breaking up with her? But he was going to propose. He went to a jewelry store not too long ago and he certainly bought an engagement ring for her. He wasn't being himself towards her.
A devastating truth hit her core. If George wasn't preparing himself to make her an honest woman, then he was cheating on her. His sudden disappearances and the many unanswered calls started making a lot more sense. She wasn't going to become Mrs. Keibler-Cook as she had expected.
- Are seeing someone else? - Inside her, Stacy found the energy and courage to ask him if there was another woman in his life. She wasn't going to be the second option in case he didn't "sort out a couple of things". She refused to be the second choice.
- I'm sorry, Stacy. I need some time.
The blonde turned off her cell-phone, not wanting to hear another word from his mouth. If he needed some time, then she would give him all the time in the World. George may have not said the words, but for her they were over.
In less than an hour not only she lost her job as she broke up with her boyfriend. Her life was turned upside down. A tear finally fell from her hazel eyes. The life she knew in Los Angeles had come to an abrupt end. What was she going to do now?
When she finally arrived home, Stacy locked herself in her own bedroom. In the darkness, the blonde tried to forget how badly her day started. Of course it was an impracticable chore. The consequences of the latest developments in her life weren't going to fade away.
The World was against her - it did steal from her dream job and a boyfriend on the same day. The perfection she fought to achieve crumbled down to her feet.
A knock on the door interrupted Stacy's pity and crying session. Someone still cared about her well-being. Torrie Wilson, her roommate, opened the door and stepped into the bedroom.
Noticing Torrie wasn't at home when she arrived, the model sent her a text message informing her of her setbacks - she was fired for being too old for the Agency and George was cheating on her and not planning to make her his wife. Torrie was the closest person she had in Los Angeles - the fitness mode, who worked for a different Agency, was the first person she met when moved to the dream city - and the only one with whom she wanted to discuss the matter.
- Stacy, I brought vanilla ice-cream and two spoons. I thought you would like to share. - The blonde woman moved into the room. She took a seat on the bed edge, near the depressed model. - It's one of your favorite flavors.
Torrie's eyes scanned the bedroom and found the wrap of chocolate bars and two empty boxes of jelly gums surrounding her friend. Perhaps she shouldn't have brought ice-cream. It seemed Stacy had already had her share of sugar for the day.
Stacy swerved her eyes from the television screen and looked at her friend. She did eat more candy than she should. However, after so many years of counting calories and exhaustive work-out sessions, she deserved a day without worrying about her weight. After all she went through that morning, the astronomic amount of calories she ingested was the last of her troubles.
- Don't give me that look. From now on, I can eat everything I want without worry about the calories. I'm jobless and boyfriend-less.
- Not if I want to take you to Fashion District - Torrie replied, turning on the bedside lamp. Shopping always makes a girl feel better and Stacy was no exception. Now, she had to figure out a way to drag Stacy out of her sudden misery.
- I don't want to go there. - Rubbing salt on her wounds wasn't going to change her state of spirit; it would only make it worse.
And her bank account wasn't going to survive to a hopping spread. After twelve years receiving constant works, she should have a lot more money on her account than she had. Nonetheless, being a model meant she renovated her closet every single month. Saving money wasn't on her mind - especially when she thought she had a few more years ahead before retiring.
- What are you going to do now?
- I don't know - Stacy whispered, wiping the drops of salty water from her cheeks. The tears stopped running from her eyes.
What did the future reserve for her? She didn't have money to pay the rent. If her modeling agency rejected her, no other Agency would accept to work with her - especially after what she was told about her age. She hadn't felt old until that gloomy morning.
After one year and half, the blonde quit college to pursue a modeling career in Los Angeles. As much as she told herself that she would return to college when her career established, the blonde woman never found time to complete her studies. At this point, she wouldn't find a single job with a nice paycheck to keep her fabulous and expensive life.
There was only one available option: to return to her hometown.
The only option frightened her to death. It had spent more than ten years since she had been there. Her hometown would be so much different by now. Since moving to Los Angeles, her parents always visited her and not the otherwise. She didn't hate the town where she grew up. But after all those years, that place wasn't her home anymore; it wasn't enough for her after the live she had throughout the last years. She had to find another solution and she had to find it fast.
