A/N: WARNING, THIS STORY INCLUDES VERY GRAPHIC AND SOMETIMES RACIST LANGUAGE MUCH LIKE THE CARTOON ITSELF. IT IS BY NO MEANS CREATED TO INSULT ANYONE OR ANY RACE. PLEASE BE CAUTIONED WHEN READING THIS STORY. Themes are rated G, language rated M and violence rated T.

"Raise your hand up a little bit more… there you go. And tilt your chin a little further to the right- my right. Good, good."

You focus your gaze on the camera and position your limbs accordingly as the photographer continuously clicks away. When he finishes, the director orders the lighting crew to adjust their angles.

"OK, we're going to try something new now, Healey, take those lights and put them on over there! …No a little bit higher. Almost- Too high!"

You drop your arms back down, moving into a more comfortable position as the director, Ceri Jackson, rolls out orders for the next set.

You grab a seat in a nearby chair and take a breather as the crew continues to prepare. Your manager, a sharp and sensible woman in her mid-twenties, comes over with a glass of your favourite iced tea. You accept it graciously. "Thanks, April."

Your manager grins at you. "Good work. They're only going to take a few more shots for the summer collection before you're free to go."

You exhale and touch the glass to your cheek, feeling the coolness against your heated skin. There's a soft sheen of perspiration across your forehead and you move to wipe it away.

April quickly hands you a towel. "Those bulbs can get pretty hot; make sure you keep yourself hydrated."

You nod as you take another gulp.

The makeup artist is called to do some touch ups while the hairdresser changes the design of your hair. You change into a new set of clothes before Ceri calls you up for the shoot. When you step into the set, the set coordinator adjusts the positioning of props to compliment you. The director instructs you on the next few sets of poses before he has the photographer on standby.

"Yea, get that right there. I want that glow but try not incorporate too much of the glare." He turns to the large fan. "Someone lock it there, and turn down the speed. That hair just now was perfect!" The man quickly turns back and further instructs the photographer.

Another 30 minutes or so passes before Ceri calls it a day.

"Great job, people! Take 20!" He walks towards you with a lopsided grin and smacks you on the back. "Another job well done, Naomi."

You smile wearily, rubbing the spot he smacked. The man used so much force that you can feel your skin turning red. "Thanks again, Ceri."

His grin widens. "Heheh, at the rate you're going, you're gonna hit national in just a few more months. I heard you've been getting offers from all sorts of magazines." He crosses his arms and puts a hand to his chin, rubbing against his light beard. "You're gonna be a hot commodity real soon."

April smiles proudly as she slides her notebook into her carrier bag. "Not only is she getting magazine offers, she been getting CM offers too. We're just not sure if we can fit everything into her schedule."

Ceri whistles. "Well, hot damn. When you reach the top of the celebrity world, I hope you'll still remember this old man!"

You laugh modestly. "I'm still really green. Plus it's only been one year; I think you guys are exaggerating. And how can I possible forget you, Ceri? You were the one who helped me debut. Not to mention that you're already one of the country's leading directors!"

Ceri throws back his head in a loud laugh. "Glad to know you're aware of that! Haha!"

"Now, Mr. Jackson. If you won't hold Naomi any longer, I believe she has places she needs to get to." April gives him a polite smile as she begins to usher you away.

The middle aged man pouts at the way she addressed him. "Will you quite calling me that already? It's Ceri. There's no need to be distant."

April continues to smile and leads you away. "Have a nice day, Director Jackson."

You sweat-drop and wave back at him. You wonder if April secretly enjoys teasing him. You hurry to the change room and switch back to your normal clothes. Taking off as much make-up as you possibly can, you put on your sunglasses and push your hair into a cap before hurrying out the door, catching an unsuspecting April by surprise. "See you later, April! Thanks again."

April tenses up at your rapid movements. "I can still drive you if you want!" She calls after you.

"That's OK. I already have a ride!" You call behind you as you continue running down the hall. Dodging left and right around the many staff members, you thank each and every one as you pass them. Finally reaching the back entrance, you break out into the parking out and see the familiar black corolla. Walking to the driver's window, you peer into the tinted glass. Smiling at the sight of your friend reading a book at the wheel, you tap the glass to alert him of your arrival.

He looks up, and you give a slight wave.

Walking around to the other side, you open the passenger door and slide in. "Thanks for picking me up. I hope you didn't wait too long."

Huey turns the key in the ignition. "Not really. How was work?"

You stretch your arms, feeling more relaxed in his presence. "Pretty good. It was fun."

Huey pulls out of the parking lot and onto the road.

You give a small smile at the brooding frown that hangs on his face. Even though he didn't say much, it was pretty obvious that he wasn't happy with you taking on this modelling gig. You give a small smile and turn on the radio. Leaning back on the seat rest, you let your mind drift away, past memories resurfacing.

Over the last 6 years, you have encountered numerous exciting and frightful adventures with the Freeman family. You remember back when Huey first turned 14. His continuous refusal to shave off his afro was taking a toll on him. You laughed at the small inconveniences his hair would occasionally bring him. In the end, he settled on tying his hair back, remaining resolute in keeping the afro.

When he turned 16, before you or anyone else could even wish him a happy birthday, he left first thing in the morning to take his driver's test. You knew he had been waiting for it for a long, long time. He had even saved up enough money from his part time job and bought a car. It had been sitting in the garage for a whole month before he could actually legally drive it. You watched when he dissembled some of the parts and restructured them until it was finally finished to his liking. You couldn't really blame the urgent need he felt for his own vehicle, after all the plans he had to abort simply because he was unable to get a ride.

Though you had long wanted to buy him a car, you decided against it in the end. Huey probably wouldn't be very happy with such an extravagant gift. Hence, you opted on buying him a car stereo, the best of its kind. It came with a GPS as well as mini TV screen, not that he used it very often.

As you both grew, you've notice subtle changes in the way Huey would treat you. On rare instances, he would suddenly give you the cold shoulder, and on others, while it was obvious he had things on his mind, he simply wouldn't tell you. Though you brush these occasions off due to the scarcity of their occurrence, you do sometimes wish things would go back to the way were.

When you reached the age of 14, people started to notice you more. Everyone constantly drew attention to your appearance and complimented you on your looks. A little bit uncomfortable and unaccustomed to all the attention you were getting, you simply nodded and thanked them. You, however, didn't see much change in yourself when you looked in the mirror, except that you were taller and your hair was longer. In a few months, there was an odd increase in the number of boys who wanted to be your friend. You noticed that was the beginning of Huey's dark mood swings. Though you've tried to keep your engagements with your fellow classmates to a minimum, this didn't deter their interest in you.

At the age of 15, you started getting business cards from local to private model agencies. While this disinterested you at first, the frequency of their offers steadily grew as you drew closer to 16. One day, during an evening in November, a middle aged man wearing a ridiculous checkered fanny cap persuaded you into having coffee with him. This man, director of Bridge magazine is the director you currently work with. He explained to you about your rare and exotic looks and how much he wanted to work with that. Though you were quite unsure of his proposal, he did his best to persuade you. He explained his passion in finding beauty in humans of all ages and body types and his desire to portray them to the world through his vision. His explanation quickly turned into a rant and you laughed at how much of a tangent he went off on. In the end, he offered you his business card and asked you to think his proposal over, and when you were ready, he wanted you to go to his company building in downtown. He repeated over and over again about how he was a professional and by no means was this a shady operation. You laughed at his sense of urgency and were moved by his passion and sincerity. That night, you went home and did some research on the modelling world. You didn't realize how many people tried endlessly to get into the industry and how little of them actually succeeded in staying there. During your first time meeting with Ceri, he had told you that if you were to accept his offer, you would be stepping into a whole new world. He presented it as an exciting adventure and that you'll be meeting many different people from all walks of life. Eventually, his words rubbed off on you and you consulted your brother.

Mikhail was quite hesitant on the offer. He thought long and hard about the proposition and did his fair share of research. When he finally gave his consent, he accompanied you to see the director. When you presented his business card to the front desk, you were immediately delivered upstairs to his office. The man was overjoyed to see you. Mikhail quickly discussed the terms of the offer with the director, pulling up conditions and restrictions he was adamant on. He even had a legal document drawn out for the director to sign. After going through the whole of the document, Ceri was quite strained on the level of constraint Mikhail had imposed. However, Ceri was not about to let you get away, so he signed the document and presented your contract. A week later, after Mikhail was completely satisfied with the contract's adjustments to the last period, you finally signed it and were immediately pulled into work. Your schedule became increasingly hectic and with school, you had less and less time to spend leisurely. A few months into your job, you finally got a decent manager, April Lewinsky, and your schedule cleared up immensely.

Riley, Robert and pretty much everyone else thought your modelling job was just about the best thing since sliced bread. The only person who was against it was Huey, though he didn't put up much of a fight.

There was a big hype at school when people first noticed you in magazines, and when you appeared in your first commercial, you just about became a celebrity at school and your neighbourhood. The experience didn't please you as much as you'd thought. You constantly had to put up a happy face for them, straining your mask hours on end without break. Ironically enough, the only times you really felt relaxed was when you were alone with Huey.

A month after your commercial debut, an incident befell you when you were getting off work. An avid fan of yours attacked you when you were exiting the building. The man had been waiting outside in the parking lot for quite some time to meet you, and though he didn't mean to harm you at first, his excitation got the better of him. While you weren't at all hurt due to your defensive abilities, Mikhail and the company board were quite distraught by the event. And so, every time you had work, you were driven to and back from the workplace. Though you felt it tedious, everyone, especially Mikhail and Huey, was adamant on it.

...

You feel yourself being shaken. Reality pools back and your mind breaks from the haze. Opening your eyes, you let out a small sigh. "…Huey?" You see Huey looking down at you; the sun glares from behind his back, stinging your eyes.

"Wake up. We're back." Huey lets go of your shoulder and moves back, revealing the familiar scenery.

You rub your eyes a bit and stare at him before getting out of the car. 'He's in a much better mood….' You wonder what the cause might be. Pushing the door shut, you look around dazedly; you must've been more tired than you thought. You follow Huey as he walks toward his door and unlocks it.

"You know, if you're this tired all the time, maybe you shouldn't accept so many jobs."

You shake your head even though Huey's back is turned to you. "Mm-mmh. I haven't accepted that many recently. I just finished a shoot today, and I only have two more." You walk in after him. You see a slight tensing in his shoulders; he's irritated again. "They'll be over in a week or two." You try to explain.

Huey doesn't respond as he leads you to the kitchen. Lifting your backpack from a chair, he hands it to you. You've made a habit of giving Huey your backpack when you have work since you're always at his house. Recently, however, you've been made to spend time with him for a different reason.

Though you've typically been a good student, balancing your school work and your job has taken a toll on the former. You've never been one for the quantitative fields, and now that you no longer have the extra time to work on it, you've lagged behind. That's right. You're failing math. The sole life support of your current academia has been Huey's tutoring. Mikhail tries his best to put in as much time and help as he can, but his career simply cripples his efforts. Feeling guilty for constantly making Mikhail take time away from his rest, you've convinced him to leave the job to Huey, much to his dismay. So now, you're at Huey's house almost every day, asking him for his help.

"That's wrong."

You set the pencil down and sigh. With a grimace, you look up at Huey, reluctant to know where the mistake is.

He points down to the middle of your page. "X isn't 4, and you used the wrong formula here."

You scrunch up your face. It's only the second question, and it's been over 30 minutes. You are never going to finish this. Your face falls toward the table, your head making a clinking sound as it meets impact. "I hate math, why is this so complicated? Why are there so many equations and formulas?" You grumble into the table.

Huey sits back into his seat and though you can't see his expression, you know he's frowning at you. You also know the words that's about to come out of his mouth.

"If you haven't spent all that time modelling, math wouldn't be so difficult."

You glare into the table as if it's him. Why is everything always because of modelling? Just what is Huey's issue with modelling? It's as if he's purposely trying to paint the job as a bringer of misfortune. Modelling has required a lot of hard work and focus, and it's an earnest way of making a living. You aren't hurting anyone. It's just a job, and it's fun and exciting. Why isn't he happy for you like everyone else? Even Mikhail has shown his approval at some level, but you know his reasons for feeling wary. What are Huey's reasons? Why does Huey have such an issue with modelling? You just realized you've never gotten your answer. You slide your head upwards, resting your chin on the table as you stare at him.

Huey stares back at you indifferently, his cheek resting against his hand.

"Why do you hate modelling so much?"

Huey blinks in surprise, not expecting the question. He looks away, averting his gaze. "I don't hate modelling, but I don't care for it either."

You narrow your eyes skeptically. "Liar. You obviously have a problem with it. Never once have you been happy with me taking this job." Your mood is foul from your frustrations with your schoolwork and you're taking it out on him.

Huey looks back at you, his gaze a little vexed. "And why should I be happy?"

It's your turn to look away. "Everyone else is happy for me…" You mumble under your breath.

"Just because everyone else does somethin' doesn't mean I have to follow along."

You scowl. "You're avoiding the question."

"And you're avoiding your homework."

'Dammit.' You frown. "I hate math."

Huey's gaze softens; he sighs. "Here, I'll do one question for you, but that's it."

"Ok!" You immediately sit up with a smile, your former dark mood forgotten.

Huey's lips press into a thin line, unimpressed but unsurprised by your sudden change in attitude. He looks back down to the page and directs your gaze with his pencil.

"First you find the coordinates for this intersection…"

XXX

You breathe in deeply as you slide along the side walk in roller-skates. Feeling the warm spring air fly through your hair, you feel at bliss with the world. You had decided to go to school alone this morning; you wanted Huey to sleep in a bit. After Huey finished helping with your schoolwork, he had to go to work.

Huey always had a natural talent when working with machinery, so he took up a part time job as a mechanic at a local car repair shop. Due to his skill and careful precision, he quickly became a pillar of support for their business. Being constantly called upon, he would also frequently work late into the evening. The job is strenuous, but rewarding. You hope what little extra time Huey would save from not walking to school would help him a bit.

"Hey Mimi!"

You turn to your left at the familiar bell like voice. "Jazmine! Good morning!"

A black sedan pulls to a slower pace as Jazmine waves at you from the passenger window. She turns to her father and tells him to stop. Her straightened hair is pulled into a high pony tail today; it shifts a bit in the breeze. "I'll walk from here. Thanks, daddy."

"You sure, sweetheart?"

"Yea, there's only one more block anyways." She kisses her dad on the cheek before getting out of the car.

"Good morning, Mr. Dubois." You greet warmly.

Tom smiles back. "Good morning, Naomi! I hope you girls have a good day at school. Bye now!"

You and Jazmine wave as he drives away.

"Where's Huey and Riley? I thought you guys usually walk together."

You shrug as you slow down your rollerblading. "I decided to go to school alone today. Mr. Freeman told me Huey had to work pretty late last night."

Jazmine nods in understanding. "How was the shoot by the way? When do I get to see you in the new issue?" Her evergreen eyes twinkle with excitement.

You laugh. "It was good, but you won't see it for another two weeks. It's for their summer collection."

Jazmine narrows her eyes slyly. "Are there gonna be riské shots?"

You raise an eyebrow. "You know Bridge isn't that kind of magazine."

Jazmine pouts. "It'll still be funny to see the school's reaction if you did."

You shudder at the thought.

Jazmine giggles. "Huey would probably blow a blood vessel."

You laugh and shake your head. "Just what is his problem with modelling anyways? I tried asking yesterday, but he just avoided the question."

Jazmine looks at you with what seems to be an 'are-you-serious-face'.

"What?" You ask her quizzically. You feel like you're missing something.

Jazmine's about to open her mouth when a quick honking suddenly interrupts her.

You both turn towards the noise.

A red Lexus sports car pulls up alongside you, the passenger window rolling down. "Hey there, Naomi, Jazmine. How're you two?"

A young teen with an angular face and copper hair grins at the two of you, his grey eyes twinkling.

"Hey, Kyle. What's up?"

You glance over to Jazmine's casual reply, unable to replicate her calm.

Kyle Anson, a relatively new student to the school, became quite the popular figure in no time at all. With his charming demeanor and handsome looks, he's made a member and leader of multiple groups and clubs. Needless to say, Kyle is an attractive guy.

When you don't respond, his lucid eyes look over to you with interest. You feel your cheeks getting hot.

"Good morning, Naomi." He repeats his greeting.

Your grip tightens around you skating gloves, feeling oddly conscious of the stupid helmet you're wearing. You give a small nod. "Morning."

Jazmine looks to you, amused.

Kyle chuckles, showing his pearl white teeth. "There's an event by the Woodcrest's Youth and Life foundation today afterschool. It'll be cool if you two came and showed your support. We're trying to get as much attention as possible for the media."

Jazmine is visibly impressed, having always been an avid supporter for anything charitable. "Wow. That's so nice of you! I'll be there."

He looks over to you, an inviting glimmer in his eye. "How about you? I know you're busy with your job and all, but having a celebrity there will give us a lot more leverage."

You look away nervously, trying to hide your timid expression with your bangs. "…I'll try."

"That'll be great. See you at school." With another smile, he drives off.

When his car disappears, you exhale, finally able to relax.

Jazmine smirks and leers at you. "Girl, you got it baaad."

You glare at her with crimson cheeks. "What?"

Jazmine gives a small snort. "You like him! It's written all over your face!"

You tense up. "Are you serious?" You grab on your cheeks, feeling the warmth radiating from them. You groan.

Jazmine giggles, clearly enjoying your adolescent torment. "Wow, Kyle Anson. He's not bad, I guess. There's a lot of girls at school after him, but I still think Hiro's way cooler."

Hiro Otomo has been the object of Jazmine's desire ever since he first moved to town. The young Japanese American was a calm and silent character who was pretty much a musical genius. However, against much of his parent's wishes, he decided DJing would be his passion. The day Jazmine first heard him spin, she's only had eyes for him ever since.

You look down, a little disappointed. Of course there'd be a lot of girls after Kyle. He's amazing after all.

Jazmine notices your distress and pats your shoulder. "Cheer up! Those girl's got nothing on you! I mean, you're a model for god sakes! And by the way he looks at you, well, let's just say you've got more than a fighting chance."

Her words seem to invigorate you. "You really think so? He looks at me differently?"

Jazmine's expression is a cross between smugness and amusement. It's her first time seeing this side of you, and she is clearly entertained. "Yep." Her eyes turn pensive. "But take it slow, OK? Get to know him a bit more before you get close." Her advice seems to hold a deeper meaning, but she doesn't elaborate.

You nod compliantly. Realizing you've reached the school grounds, you and Jazmine hurry when you hear the bell.

XX

"C'mon, Naomi, please? It's purely academic."

You lean back against the lockers, uncomfortable with his request. The boy standing in front of you is the vice president of the art club, and he's been trying to get you to model for their club for a while now. "Look, Jeffery. I really don't think that's my area of expertise. I can't stay still in one position for a long period of time."

Jeffery rubs the back of his head. "We'll just do quick 15-30 second poses. It'll be a good skill practice. For the longer ones, we can take photos."

Your face drops, shooting him an 'are-you-kidding-me-look'.

He gives you a sheepish grin. "Most people in our club are girls. I'm not trying to be creepy-"

"There you are, Jeff!"

You and the irritating art student look up. Your heart skips a beat when you notice Kyle walking towards you.

Jeffery looks back, momentarily distracted. "Heya, Kyle. What's up?"

Kyle gives you a small smile before turning to the other boy. "Ms. Peterson was looking for you just now. Something about an application to Rochester."

Jeffery smacks the side of his head. "Shit. Right! I totally forgot about that!" He quickly turns to leave. "Uh, I'll see you later, Naomi!" He calls back and disappears around a corner before you can object.

You sigh before turning to Kyle. "Thanks." You say weakly, not looking forward to seeing Jeffery again.

Kyle laughs, making you smile. "It was just good timing." He looks away deliberating, rubbing the back of his neck. "So… I was wondering if you decided whether you could come or not."

"Oh right." You look to the right, remembering the recent freeing of your schedule due to the completion of one shoot. You go through the programming of each job one more time before confirming your answer. Looking back, you give him a nod. "Yeah, I'll be there."

He grins. "Cool. The event starts at 6 pm at the Woodcrest community park, and it's a 2 hour event." He pauses, seemingly mulling over something. He looks you in the eyes, his gaze piercing. "Do you think you'll have time afterwards?"

You wonder where he's going with this, feeling a little hopeful. "Yes, I'll be free for the rest of the day."

Kyle gives a small chuckle; his grey eyes seem to gleam. "I was wondering if I could take you someplace."

You tilt your head to side. "Where-"

"Hey Kyle! You're gonna be late!" One of his friends calls over from the other end of the hall.

"Yeah! I'll be right there!" He looks back and steps away. "It's a secret. Do you trust me?"

You hold back a smirk. "We'll see."

He grins. "Oh and the event is semi-formal. I already told Jazmine earlier. See you, Naomi." He turns and jogs to his friend's side. You watch as Kyle receives a large smack on his back, laughing and joking with his friends.

You smile to yourself. This is a good day.

XX

"You're in a good mood."

"Hmm?" You look down to your left at Huey.

He's lounging on his back under the sun, his arms folded behind his head. "What happened? You've been grinning nonstop to yourself."

You blink, realizing your smile never left you. Your cheeks redden. Looking up towards the blue sky from your sitting position, you wonder with anticipation of what this evening will bring you.

It's lunchtime, and you and Huey are in your usual spot on the school rooftop. You two have a habit of coming here whenever the weather's nice enough. This place also brings some peace and quiet from the constant bustle of the student body.

You give a small chuckle at the memory. "Kyle invited me to a charity event for tonight."

Huey doesn't respond for a long time. Before you decide to glance at him, he opens his mouth. "What's the event for?"

"Woodcrest's Youth and Life foundation."

Huey makes a face.

You smile at him. "You should come. Kyle said they'll need as much support as possible."

Huey closes his eyes, seemingly tired from the sun. "No thanks."

Your smile drops a little, miffed by the negativism. "Why not?"

"Charities nowadays have a tendency to be about the ego inflation and the career advancement of whoever starts it, and not the actual charity, especially when the organizer is a corporate felon by the name of Wuncler."

Your lips pull into a thin line, unimpressed by his cynicism. "It still helps, Huey. Even if it's just a little."

His eyes remain closed. "By who's standard?"

You sigh, giving up this silly tug of war. You're never going to cure him of his pessimism, and you're not about to let his sourness get the better of your current euphoria. "It's up to you, Huey. But I'm definitely going. Jazmine's going too."

Huey suddenly gets up, standing with his back facing you. Moments pass and he doesn't move. You wonder what is going through his mind. He interrupts you before you can ask. "C'mon. Class is starting."

"Ah, yeah." You pick up your lunchboxes and drop them into your bag.

XX

You examine yourself in the mirror, wondering if the clothes you chose are appropriate enough for the charity event. You turn from side to side, looking at the white dress shirt and dark dress pants. The attire is certainly formal enough.

"You look cute Mimi. Going for an interview?"

You stick out your tongue at your brother.

Mikhail leans at the doorframe to your room while holding a cup of tea. He looks more refreshed than usual.

"You know you shouldn't be drinking caffeinated stuff in the afternoon."

Mikhail's eyelid droops a little. "It's herbal tea, Mimi. Give it a rest. I sometimes wonder who's the guardian and who's the kid."

You giggle at his response.

"So where are you going?"

"Jazmine and I are gonna go to the local charity event for Woodcrest's Youth and Life. Wanna come?"

"Nah. I'll be there in spirit. But are you sure you should be going out in public?"

You shake your head. "It'll be fine! I'm still a newbie. They probably won't even remember my name."

Mikhail's face is expressionless. "Uh-huh. Well, my number's set on your speed dial anyways." He turns to leave. "Oh, and try not to come home too late. It's a school night after all. Call me if anything happens or if you need a ride home or something…" He trails off.

"I'll be fine, Mikhail!" You grab a small handbag nearby and skip out of your room, brushing past your brother. "See ya! Dinner's on the counter!"

"Be careful!"

You close the door before he can say anything else. You dart across the street to Jazmine's house and knock on her door.

She comes out in a small pink dress with a light coloured cardigan. Her hair is tied stylishly below her left ear.

"You look great!"

Jazmine grins at your compliment. Her expression falls a little when she eyes your attire. "How come you're not wearing a dress?"

You shrug. "I wanted to look a bit more professional."

She crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow. "But aren't you going on a date with Kyle?"

Your eyes double their size. Grabbing her by the shoulder, you pull her close. "How did you know that?!" You scream at her in a whisper.

She pulls your hand away and straightens. "I might've overheard you when I was heading over to Bio."

You look at her condemningly.

"What? Like you were gonna tell me this yourself?"

You sigh and let the subject go. Why even bother arguing with Jazmine on the privacy of your love life? She clearly holds rights over them.

"Girls, are you ready?"

Jazmine turns and calls behind her, "Yeah, dad. We can go now!"

Tom strolls out in a light blue shirt and greets you before moving to the car. During the ride there, Tom compliments the two of you for participating in such positive events, commenting on how youth should become more active in society. Jazmine looks at you apologetically as her father continues his rant. You simply smile back. When you finally arrive at the park, you and Jazmine wave Tom goodbye as he drives off.

Turning around, you examine the park entrance. The sky is tinting purple and the entrance trail into the park is lit up with strings of lights. Many people in formal dresses and suits are filing through the entrance.

Jazmine claps her hands excitedly. "C'mon Mimi!" She grabs onto your wrist and pulls you along. You're surprised she's able to run so well in those heels. When you reach the area for the main event, you spot Kyle immediately in the crowd. He's busy directing the set up crew while greeting many of the guests. Kyle quickly catches sight of you and waves.

You smile.

Jazmine gives a small snigger before whispering in your ear. "I'll be over at the stage if you need me."

You snap your head at her as she parts, leaving you with a snide grin on her face. You look back when you realize Kyle is pushing through the throngs of people toward you.

"Hey! You came!"

You laugh nervously. "I said I would, didn't I?"

He smiles, a little out of breath. "Yea, but I couldn't be sure. I'm glad."

You can feel yourself melt a little.

He looks around. "Where's Jazmine? I could've sworn I just saw her standing right next to you."

You give another nervous laugh. "She's probably around." 'Spying and laughing at me.'

"Oh." He rubs the back of his neck again.

You wonder if it's his habit whenever he's nervous.

"So how do you like everything? The set up, I mean."

You look around. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves. You nod with approval. "It's very well done, Mr. Setup coordinator. You should be proud of yourself."

Kyle gives a deep throated chuckle. "I'm glad you approve." He stares at you a bit, making you feel self-conscious. "You look really nice."

The sides of your lips pull up involuntarily. "Same to you."

He smiles. The moment feels dreamlike.

"Oy, Kyle! Don't run away in the middle of work! The announcements are almost starting!"

The copper haired boy gives a small groan. "Ah, sorry about that. Kinda escaped work for a bit. I'll be busy with the whole show, but I'll come find you afterwards. Promise me you won't leave without telling me."

A small burst of delight bubbles within you. "Yeah, sure. See you later."

"Kyle! Hurry the hell up!"

He grins, the string lights from the trees dance off his eyes. "See you, and enjoy the evening." He turns and runs back to his colleagues.

During the rest of the event, you have your fair share of greetings you have to make with many of the guests, leaving little time for you to talk with Kyle or Jazmine. To your bigger dismay, you even have to endure the unrelenting presence of Jeffery, who is still adamant on you becoming their model. You're thankfully saved when one of the setup crew members suddenly orders him to help with something. You suspect it's Kyle's doing.

You are quite impressed at the level of professional in this event. It contains an announcement of their goal, the growing number of their proceedings, as well as a little performance by a local band that isn't bad at all. Kyle is among the centre of the event, constantly directing and helping out on the sidelines or in the back. He's quite the hard worker; it reminds you a bit of Huey.

You stay behind by the park fountain after saying your goodbyes to Jazmine. Though she's still acting quite playful, she reminds you to take things slow again, her tone a little cautionary. You wonder what she is keeping from you, intentionally or not. You're glad the lights are still on, it's dark quite now, and the wind makes you wish you brought a jacket. You look up and are a little sad to see how little stars there are, you wonder if it's becoming cloudy. There's no moon either.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

You look back down to see Kyle smiling at you. "Not at all. You're all done?"

He nods, "Yea. You still willing to come with me?"

You nod. "Where are we going?"

He chuckles. "Still a secret. I wanna show it to you."

You hear sniggering from the side and see two of Kyle friends laughing.

Kyle glares over at them while you're a little confused. "Ignore them. They're just being idiots." He steps to the side and blocks them from your view. "So? Coming?" His words are softly pleading, and the way he speaks makes you can't help but feel compelled to go along.

You nod again.

His smile grows, and he turns toward the park entrance. "My car's parked this way."

You let him lead you to the parking lot. He unlocks the passenger door and holds it open for you. You promptly slide in before he closes the door and moves to his side. "Are you going to give me a hint at least as to where you'll be taking me?"

"Not a chance." He replies with a smirk.

Pulling out onto the street, he heads in the direction of the highway. You sit silently beside him, unsure of what to say.

"Um, I wanted to ask you…"

You look at him eagerly, happy he broke the silence. "Yes?"

He keeps his eyes on the road. "Why did you decide to become a model?"

"Oh." You sit back and set your eyes forward, not sure of how to answer him. "Hmm… No one's really asked that…. It just sorta happened I guess. I was more curious than anything else."

He glances at you with a look of slight surprise. "Just curious? I haven't heard of anyone getting into the modelling industry with just their curiosity. Isn't it a tough field to get into?"

"Ah… yea." You scratch the side of your cheek. "Um. It wasn't really my intention at first. Ceri- the director of Bridge magazine, approached me and asked if I wanted to work with him. That was basically how I got in."

He gives a small nod. "I see."

You watch as Kyle changes lanes, now moving east.

"I'm guessing you enjoy it, since you're still doing it."

You nod and grin. "Yea, it turned out more fun than I thought." You catch his eyes looking at you through the rear-view mirror. You look down at your lap with a blush.

"Which part of modelling do you like best?"

Your eyes flicker to him, surprised by his question. You've never been asked that either. You look away, deliberating. "I think it's the moment when I'm facing the camera."

"Oh?"

You nod to yourself. "When I'm in front of the camera, the director gives me a character I have to portray, and I lose myself-" You give a slight laugh, "well, I'm still there, of course, just more like an audience almost, like a separate entity. I can feel new emotions and live in the moment as someone different. That feeling… is… amazing." Your cheeks burn, feeling self-conscious of your little rant. "Haha. I wonder if any of that made any sense." When you peer over to Kyle, you find him smiling.

He leans his chin over to his left hand and strokes his jawline. "You are just the cutest little thing."

You stare at him wide eyed. Did he just call you cute?

Kyle notices your expression and laughs out. "Sorry. It's just that you always seem to surprise me. I was expecting you to say something like fame or money. It's a more generic response anyways."

You smile wearily. "Fame isn't really all that's cut out to be. Even though it's nice to have people look at you with smiles, things can end up pretty demanding."

"That's true." His gaze becomes a little hard. "They start asking you for things and it never ends."

You chuckle. "Yeah."

During the remainder of the ride, your conversation turns lighter, dabbling on random subjects from school and your day to day lives. You notice you are moving closer to the bay. He exits the highway and moves in the direction of the waters. "You're taking me to a beach?"

Kyle gives you a crooked smile. "Close." He turns around a corner on a main road and through an entrance with a sign that said 'Herald Harbor'. He pulls the car to a stop at the base of a tree in a small gravel parkway.

You watch curiously as he pulls the keys from the ignition and opens the car door. "Where are we going?"

He walks to your side and opens the door for you to get out. "We're almost there, I promise." He offers you a hand and you take it gladly, letting him pull you out. He doesn't let go as he leads you through the dirt trails until you reach a clearing. You realize it's a fenced off cliff side overlooking the harbor. The waves from the water gently brush along the edges of the land. The feeling is completely peaceful.

"I first passed by this place when my family and I moved to Woodcrest. Ever since then, I was always curious of this place until I finally found the guts to come here. After that, I would drive here whenever I could find the time." He looks out into the bay longingly.

You follow the direction of his gaze. "It's really nice here."

He chuckles. "Though it'll be a lot nicer if you can see the moon and stars. I wish I chose a better day."

You shake your head. "It's fine."

He turns and stares at you, his eyes glittering in the dark. You see some kind of unspoken emotion behind them. Before he could say something, you feel a drop of water hit the tip of your nose. Looking up, you feel another drop on your cheek, then another.

"Ah, crap." He looks up as well, blinking when a few more drops fall on his face.

You look at the ground as the rain starts start to pour.

Kyle rests his hand on your back and ushers you in the direction from which you came. "I think we better go."

You nod in agreement and quickly move back down the trail. The rain grows significantly heavier and you feel as though you're being pelted by it. By the time you reach the car, you are thoroughly soaked.

Kyle quickly unlocks your side of the door before going back to his.

You slam the door shut and wipe the heavy rain drops from your face. You wish you had a towel or a jacket with you; you're starting to feel chilly. Looking down, you realize with horror how translucent your shirt is. You squeak embarrassingly, trying your best to cover yourself.

Noticing your noise, Kyle glances over at you.

You keep your head down, avoiding his gaze. "Um… do you think you have a jacket or something here?" When he doesn't reply, you slowly peer over to him. You jolt back when you realize how close he is to you. "Kyle what-"

"You like me don't you?" His face is so close you can feel his breath against your cheek. His grey eyes have never felt so intense. There is a smoldering emotion in them, a look you can't discern.

You blink, Huey's face suddenly flashes through your mind and you don't know why. You try to move back as he continues to push closer. "Um, I don't know what you mean…"

"I've seen the way you look at me. I can tell. You're in love with me." He snakes one hand behind your neck, pulling you closer.

You push against his chest. You are not prepared for this. "Kyle, I don't think-" You squeak again when he moves another inch closer. His lips almost brush against yours when you suddenly turn away and pull your hands up, covering his lips. "I'm sorry, Kyle, but I don't think I'm ready!" You cry out, squeezing your eyes shut.

You hear him chuckle, but he doesn't move back. "Don't be ridiculous." He pulls your hand away. "Just relax."

Every muscle in your body locks when you feel his lips against your neck. Your mind is in a frenzy, but your body is screaming in rejection. You don't understand. You like Kyle, so why is situation so uncomfortable?

You're shocked out of your thoughts when you feel his hand sneak under your shirt. Before your mind can react, your body jumps into motion. Twisting out of his hold, your hands push him back, your legs pulling inward and setting themselves into a more stable position.

Kyle suddenly doubles over.

It takes you a moment to register that your knee had hit him in the groin when your body tried to defend itself.

He grunts in pain, clutching onto the car seat.

"Kyle! I'm so sorry!" You reach out to him, but he swats you away.

"Fuck! You stupid bitch! Agh!"

You're frozen in place as his words echo in your ears. You wonder if you're hallucinating.

He looks up from his doubled over position with a scathing glare.

A cold chill shoots through you. "…Kyle?" Is this really the same person you were with a second ago?

"Get the fuck out!" His words are ice.

You blink, wondering if this person is a mirage. Where is the kind and gentle boy you were just with?

"Kyle, please, I'm so-"

"I said get the FUCK OUT!" He reaches over you and pushes the door out. Grabbing you roughly by the shoulder, he thrusts you off your seat.

You fall on the wet gravel, landing on your side. You stare wide eyed back at the person glaring down at you with disdain. He grabs your bag and tosses it at your feet, the contents scattering across the ground. You watch numbly as he slams the door shut and drives off without another glance.

You sit motionless in the same spot, staring out into the darkness. You remain there in what seems like an endless amount of time. The rain continues to pour over you.

A familiar ringing from your phone snaps you from your daze. Your eyes pass over the vibrating phone that lies a few feet away. A picture of your brother flashes on the screen, the image is blurred under the many droplets of rain. You stare at the phone as it continues to ring. When the final ring finishes, a second passes when it rings again, but it's a message this time.

Today 10:39 PM

Where are you?

Reality crashes down and your feel the tears in your eyes. How could you be so stupid? So foolish?! The tears pour down your cheeks in hot streams, mixing with the rain. You clutch onto your face. You hate crying, but the frustration and humiliation you feel only makes it worse. You can't see your brother right now. Not like this. It's mortifying enough to be sitting in the rain. If you had to explain to Mikhail what happened, you don't think you can take it.

Moments pass and you remain under the rain. A corner of your conscious tells you to move, and you slowly start to gather your things, dragging them back into your bag. The last thing you pick up is your phone. You stare blankly at it…

"Hello?"

You snap out of it. You didn't realize you had just dialed Huey's number. His voice washes over your conscience like a warm tide. Remembering him, feeling his presence, the effects of Huey's existence seem to ripple through you very soul. Fresh tears spill from your eyes.

"…Naomi?" He calls out when you don't respond, a new sense of urgency in his tone.

"…Huey…" You whisper out. It takes everything you have just to say his name.

Huey's voice grows fierce. "Where are you?"

-

Happy Valentine's Day! ...lol
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