CHAPTER TWO: Those Less Fortunate

Um. Well. As you can see, my school has kindly provided me with a new laptop. (Little bit late guys. Just FYI.) So, it's been a while since I've done this… but I'm giving it another shot. Hope you all like it!

In the single heartbeat where her heel caught her dress and she knew she was going to fall, right at the head of the catwalk, Jack caught her eye and she could tell he knew what was going to happen just as well as she did. But before she could even start to topple, Jack was right there, just as he always was – ready to catch her when she fell. None of the redbloods in the audience noticed a thing, only the handsome boy and the beautiful girl up there in the lights, looking for all the world as though they belonged together.

*****

'Darlings!' Lucy cried, waving them over. All the models crowded around her in the cramped backstage studio, waiting for the critique that would make or break their careers.

'Darlings, that was marvelous! A huge success! Everyone was raving!'

Sophia, the blond standing next to Schuyler sniggered under her breath.

'They aren't the only ones,' she muttered. Now that the show was over and the seal of approval given, she felt perfectly entitled to make snide cracks on the dubious sanity of the designer. A few of the girls standing closest tittered in amusement, or possibly just suck up to Sophia. And they would. In the dog-eat-dog world of modeling, you didn't want to be on the wrong side of the Queen Bitch.

Schuyler frowned disapprovingly, but remained silent. She did not particularly feel like picking any fights this evening.

'And so,' Lucy finished exuberantly, 'we're all going to Marcello's for some champagne! My treat!'

Sophia looked simply furious. 'Marcello's? Is she nuts? I mean, of course she is,' she added, laughing angrily. 'Perhaps she wants to be the next big thing in plus sizes fashion?'

Schuyler was confused. 'What's the matter?' she asked Sophia. 'Maybe she's just being nice?'

'Nice? Oh no, sweetie. I've known her a long time. A show will be a success. Good! Great! And then she'll take us out for drinks - and she'll get totally smashed, and won't let us leave 'til we've "eaten some of this exquisite dessert, darlings.' And then, get this, when we turn up the next morning, she'll fire some of the girls for "looking bloated".'

Schuyler frowned. 'But then, if that's true, she'll have to fire all her models.'

Sophia nodded. 'Yep. I bet she's decided everything's getting too simple and too much of what people expect, so she's going to shake it up. With a whole new set of girls. Again.'

Lucy joined them then, and pulled Schuyler towards her by the shoulder. The older woman's long nails closed like a steel trap around her slender limb (or maybe it was just Schuyler's imagination after what Sophia had said).

'Sophie,' Lucy rasped. 'You simply must come with us.' Sophia nodded her blond head regally.

'Of course,' she agreed, a hard edge to her voice. 'It will be such fun.' Apparently, Lucy noticed nothing, giving a smile that managed to show every single one of her very white teeth. The effect was rather off-putting.

'Marvelous. Now, Schuyler, precious, I'm afraid you mustn't come with us this time. I know Bridgette would kill me, keeping you out so late! Go home with that yummy friend of yours; get plenty of beauty rest for tomorrow!' Lucy beamed at both of them, letting go of Schuyler's arm. She felt sure there would be five little angry crescents left from her fingernails.

A large man wearing dark glasses and a suit sidled up and muttered something in Lucy's ear. She nodded, typing frantically on her Blackberry at the same time.

'Girls,' she announced loudly. 'The limo's are here! Let's go!'

There was a ragged cheer from the assembled girls. Schuyler saw many of the more experienced models exchanging gloomy looks, whilst those who were first-timers (like herself) were beaming with feverish excitement.

Sophia half smiled at Schuyler, blowing her a kiss and then following the others out of the stage doors into the night – looking for all the world as though she was being led to her execution.

*****

Jack pulled the shiny silver Jaguar up to the front of the building, letting the engine idle as his… what? Soul-mate? Partner? Wife? Schuyler had made it clear to him she preferred 'girlfriend' if only because she didn't want to be the only high school senior with a husband. He got that.

Regardless, the car idled as she descended the steps towards him, dark hair blowing out behind her in the cool autumn air*.

For one moment, he got a flash of memory so powerful he couldn't see what was really happening in front of him. Schuyler, in some faraway place; coming down ancient stairs to meet him – except it was different. Instead of her jeans and t-shirt, she was garbed in a stiff dress and corsets. She wasn't hurrying, but approaching reluctantly. And when the memory-Jack looked into her eyes, they were closed to him.

He was shoved back into the present, shaken. It hadn't been Schuyler, but her mother. Gabrielle. But that was over now. It may have taken him centuries to realize it, but he'd been looking for someone else. Not all-controlling love with his twin, not unreciprocated love with someone out of his reach.

Schuyler pulled open the passenger door, sliding in next to him. She looked troubled – but that melted off her face when she looked up and smiled beatifically at him.

'Hey,' he said, smiling in response. 'Fun night, huh? Lucy asked me to be in the next show, as well.'

Schuyler nodded happily. 'Sophia told me Lucy is taking all the girls out to give herself an excuse to fire them. So you and I are kind of lucky.'

Jack pulled out into traffic, looking carefully in the mirrors. 'Really.' He didn't sound convinced. 'I doubt that's true. The show went so well! She'd be mad to fire them.'

'Supposedly, she is,' Schuyler said quietly.

*****

Well. Not really my best offerings, I'll admit. But I'll get back into it, promise.

* By the way, what month would it be if it was autumn in America? Nearly winter. October, maybe?