Disclaimer: I do not own anything Clique related, sadly. But hey, that's ok, right? Because we all know that my story is ten times as good as anything Lisi Harrison writes (JUST KIDDING!) Anyway…I'm spending way too much time writing this disclaimer, when I could be just getting on with the story. Who cares about the story anyway, though? (ONCE AGAIN, JUST KIDDING!) We all know the reason everyone goes to is to read disclaimers. Ok…now I'm really getting bored of this whole disclaimer thing as I'm sure you are too. So let's just get on with the story!!!
And now for your feature presentation…..
But….not quite yet….
Massie Herrington: It is said that pregnancy can be some of the happiest days of your life, but Massie is having a hard time believing that that will ever be her. Now that her husband, Derrick, the love of her life, is being drafted to Iraq to fight alongside fellow Americans and English allies, she sometimes doubts that she'll ever see happiness or her husband again.
Claire Lyons: World War III has begun and all men physically able to shoot and reload a gun are required to go overseas, which means that Josh must leave her. And her friends can't quite tell what's going on in her love life….who does she love? Is she happy or depressed that Josh had to leave? Will she ever straighten out her messy love life?
Alicia Rivera: Ok, so a big war has begun…but Alicia is facing her own battles as she fights and claws for the top spot in the model world. And she will do whatever it takes to get there.
Dylan Marvil: Jason is leaving home…Dylan is trying her best not to express her feelings by eating. Maybe a new hobby to keep her mind off the pain would help?
Kristen Gregory: Wedding has to be postponed thanks to the war….but….what if its for the better that the wedding be put on hold?
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New York City, New York
Catwalk Studios
December 15
4:11pm
"Gorgeous, gorgeous…work it Rivera!" Mindy Hall said as she watched her future super models strut down the practice runway in four inch stilettos and Galliano gowns.
One of these future super models just happened to be Alicia Rivera, a Spanish beauty with thick black hair, entrancingly gorgeous brown eyes, full red lips, a long elegant neck, strong arms, full chest, tiny waist, curvy hips, and amazing, long legs. She was the best looking out of all of the other models there. Every single girl in the room was envious of Alicia Rivera. Hah! Beat that Massie Block!
"Wait a minute….Aleda, come here NOW!" Mindy shouted furiously at the Norwegian sweetheart. Alicia watched as the girl walked to Mindy with her head down, blonde curls bouncing the whole way and wondered how Mindy could be so rude to such an innocent, angel-like girl. But yet, even Alicia could see Aldeda's many flaws in her performance today.
"Aleda, what have I been telling you to work on for the past 3 weeks that you've been in training?" Mindy questioned in an angry tone with her thin lips pursed and thing arms on her crossed.
"Umm…" Aleda began.
"I don't want an 'Umm'! I want you to know what you are supposed to do and what you are forbidden to do, ladies. And so far this week, the only girl who I know and trust to actually become a super model is Alicia! She has stuck to the diet plan, the hair products, the makeup tips, exercise schedule, clothing, walk, attitude, and everything else required to wow the audience at your big show in less than 3 months!"
Alicia tossed her silky hair over her shoulder and smirked in a 'You'll never be this great' way at yet another compliment received.
"Aleda, you look like an elephant! How much have you gained over the past few days, 5, 6 pounds! Disgusting! Utterly disgusting! I have every right not to use you in fashion week!" Mindy spat.
"I'm sorry Miss Hall…I….I have been with my cousins lately. They cook lot of chubby food…ummm…how you say….lots of calories? Yes…have lots of calories…" Aleda explained.
"What do you expect me to say? I'm sorry for yelling at you? No. You are expected to stay away from 'chubby foods'!" Mindy shot back. "Now get your ass back on that runway and show me what you've got!"
"Mindy's right….Aleda does look like a cow! She must be a size 4! She's huge!" French model, Valerie, whispered in Alicia's ear.
"I know! Talk about fat…." Alicia replied to her best model friend.
"Oh, girls….it's time to end the session for today….I will see you tomorrow 7am sharp or you will be fired. Trust me, I don't lie often. Remember, ONE salad should tide you over until morning when you will be allowed to eat a bowl of fruit here at the studio. Understood? And I do not want any of this Norwegian food shit anymore." Mandy hollered so that every model in the studio and maybe even Vogue next door could here….
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Meanwhile, at Vogue HQ
"Oh my God! That's the biggest even of the year! You've seriously been invited to Fashion Week??" Massie squealed.
"Yeah…I'm going to be photographing all of the most popular models. And there's a little fashion rumor going around that Alicia is one of them." Claire gossiped.
"Well no, duh! Alicia Canaille is always at fashion week….modeling Versace or Marc or someone….but she's always there. I've just been dying for her to model for Secret Couture. Do you think she'd model for me, Claire?" Massie daydreamed.
"No silly! I'm talking about Alicia Rivera. As in our Alicia!" Claire said.
"Nuh-uh! She would tell us if she'd been invited to Fashion Week…let alone, become a pro model. Plus, she never quit her job as my assistant, so she'd have to be working two jobs at once, and when you're modeling, that's humanly impossible." Massie munched over the phone. Lately she'd been eating a lot more. She was trying not to, but she'd been craving strange things and the only way to ease the cravings was to eat exactly what her stomach said it wanted. And she was getting fat…but honestly, she wasn't too worried about it.
"I dunno…we both know that Leesh is a really tough cookie. She might be able to pull it off…" Claire sighed.
"Well….omigosh! I have to go! I have a doctor's appointment in 30 minutes that I CANNOT be late for…" Massie exclaimed.
"Are you gonna find out the gender yet?" Claire asked, while typing away on her keyboard.
"Nnnooope. But in a few months….I think….but I just need to read that What to Expect When You're Expecting book you gave me. It tells me like, everything. It's like it reads my mind and walla, there it is! Creepy….but anyway. I gotta go, hun!"
"Alrighty…toodles!" Claire chimed.
"Ciao!"
Claire placed the telephone back on its base and began tapping away on the keys of her wireless keyboard. She glanced at the clock on her 20 inch flat screen monitor and realized that it was already past 4:00, time to head home. In the past, she would have waited an extra thirty to forty minutes before finally shutting down and locking up, but lately, now that she had a more exciting man to come home to, she hurried as fast as she could to get where she needed to be: with Josh.
Her phone rang right on cue. Josh always called at this time to be sure that his beautiful girlfriend would be racing home to him so that they could spend the rest of the evening just relaxing….maybe…but usually not. Usually, there was little relaxing done from the time she got home till six in the morning. Claire picked up the phone.
"When are you comin' home, babe?" Josh inquired before Claire could even say hello.
"I'm packing up right as we speak. How was your day?" Claire giggled.
"Aw, it was pretty tough….you know, we had to do hundreds of suicides across the entire field. It'll get us ready for the Olympics, though." Josh responded with a deep breath.
"Oh…so do you really think you'll be going to the Olympics….you know, instead of the draft?" Claire worried.
"Baby, it's practically a done deal! We are the best team out there." Josh chuckled, feeling completely calm about the entire topic.
"That's perfect….I just….don't want to lose you, you know?" Claire sighed as she stacked up some papers and stuffed them into her binder and shoved that into her Marc Jacobs messenger bag.
"I won't let that happen. Whether we really make it to the Olympics or not, I will be sure that I stay alive for you. I really love you, Claire. I would never ever let anything happen like that. I promise you." Josh said, smiling the whole time. Damn, he loved her. All he wanted was to marry her…but he knew inside that she wasn't ready for that. He said to her before, "I will wait a lifetime if that's what it takes. I love you so much, from the bottom of my heart."
"I love you too…." Claire replied, not resisting the sudden urge to laugh. She loved him so much it made her happy and sad and giggly and frustrated all at once.
"Oh…ummm….I have something else to tell you." Josh nearly whispered.
"What is it?" Claire asked, suddenly worried again.
"You know how I had that physical today…to make sure that I was in the right shape to go to the Olympics?" Josh began.
"Yeah….what's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong….it's actually pretty exciting."
"Well, then get on with it!" Claire shouted impatiently.
"Yeah…uhh...I can have kids. They said that it was all a huge mistake and that it happens all the time." Josh explained.
Claire jumped out of her seat and squealed happily.
"That's so exciting, Josh! I just…can't believe it! I just…." Claire was going crazy from the news she'd just received. Maybe someday, she'd be the mother of one of his children.
"So, I know you're going to think I'm totally out of my mind…but…I was wondering….if you would….I was pretty much wondering if you'd like to help me out in the whole having kids process…I've always wanted children and…" Josh stuttered.
"You mean you wanna make a baby? Like, soon?" Claire asked, astonished. She immediately drew her thumb nail to her mouth and began chewing.
"Well, yeah…." Josh continued "But, only if you're ready….and I know that would mean a whole bunch of commitment and all..."
Claire thought about it for a second….but she knew she'd need more than just a second to decide whether she wanted to be pregnant again. After all, she had just recently gotten an abortion. She'd told Cam that she'd lost the baby, but she just didn't have the heart to say that she didn't want his baby! Besides, she was Josh's girlfriend at the time and didn't need to be carrying some other man's child, end of story. It tore her up inside, and she wished she wouldn't have done it in the end, but she was all in the moment and pissed at Cam for cheating on her.
"How about this, I'll think about it on my way home, and give you my answer once I'm there." Claire concluded.
"Sure….no prob. Well, hurry home."
"Kay, I will…love you!" Claire hooked her messenger bag over her shoulder and shut down her computer.
"Love you too, angel."
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a/n: I hope you love it! Claire gives her answer to Josh in the next chapter so look forward to it! I know some of you Claire+Cam4eva fans are kinda disappointed that they aren't back together. But I'm just kind of going with the flow. I don't even know if Cam and Claire will ever get back together, nor do I know if Josh and Claire will stay together...so just keep your minds wide open and expect the unexpected.
