Chapter 11

Mikan flips her hair over her shoulder, as the photograoher suggests.

Today is her first OFFICIAL day in Crimson as an Image Model.

The past week she'd spent in training. Sometime during that period, Mikan realized modellung wasnt as hard as she'd first thought. As long as she stuck to her guns, she'd do fine.

The past week had blurred past in a whirlwind of lessons, mock shoots, fittings, etc. After all that work, when Mikan finally thought she could rest for two days on her weekend, Aoi had called her, inviting her to a two-day shopping spree, all expenses paid by the designer herself. Well, there was actually no expense, not when Aoi owned the botique they'd gone too. It amaze Mikan and blew her mind! A thirteen-year old owned a botique!

"Technically, I do. But the deed is in my mom's name... For now. Wait till I'm eighteen and officially the owner..." The petite Hyuuga had said then, before sending Mikan home with bags and bags of clothes that sunday afternoon.

Today was Monday, and Mikan had woken up excited. But as the day drew to a close, Mikan felt the fatigue settle in. Goshz who knew smiling in front of a camera was such hard work?

Mikan hadn't heard from Natsume, not sincr the day she signed the contract. When she discreetly asked Aoi, the girl only said that Natsume was busy following around their step-father. Mikan only nodded then.

"Okay, that's a wrap!" The 35-year-old photographer, Miage, exclaims around the room. "That was wonderful, Mikan-san! Wonderful!" Miage tells Mikan, who replies with a quiet 'thanks'.

Mikan goes to the dressing room she shares with another model, someone she's yet to meet. She was told that the model's name was Luna, a veteran who has been working for Crimson for 3 years and is about to graduate college.

Mikan expected the room ti be empty, but when she opened the door, she was met with a tower of different kinds of flowers. The tower was a head taller than Mikan, with roses, daisies, baby's breath, and mums spiralling its length. She walked aeound it and was met with a friendly face smiling at her from across the room.

"Hey there Mikan." The stranger greets casually, as thoigh she was an aquiantance.

"Umm... Hi...?" Mikan nervously replies. The woman was so beautiful. Long strawberry blonde hair flowing to her hips. Plump lips painted with a daring shade of red. Striking ice-blue eyes, glinting with a friendly spark. Cherubic deatures sculpted to perfection. And a body to die for.

The person gives a short, hearty laugh beforr walking towards Mikan, one hand outstretched.

"Luna." She says as an introduction.

"Mikan... Although you probably already knew that."

"Of course. I was sitting as an audience during the fashion show and practically dazzled everyone in the room. That was before you fainted. Because when you fainted, everyone, even me, panicked! An angel fell down!"

:[Mikan's PoV]:

I could only stare at her, my mouth hanging open. In a moment I was able to gather my wits. "You didn't walk?" I ask.

Luna shakes her head. "I was accompanying someone."

"Oh."

"Yeah. And anyway, the runway isnt my scene anymore. Im finishing up my degree in Film Arts. Modelling was a side job, although I cant ddeny that I loved the experience." She says, walking to her side of the room and sitting down on a couch. Only now do I notice all the flowers scattered around the room, with packages of chocolates and stuffed animals.

Luna notices my not-so-discreet observation, and laughs again. "I just came back from a shoot in LA, where I met a big-time director who's willing to give me an internship. Everyone just sent me their congratulations. And farewells."

"Farewells?" I ask, curious.

"I'll be graduating college in a year, and I've got enough money now to last me a few years. I plan to put all my energy into studying. So I turned in my resignation this morning."

I didn't know what to say. I searched my mind for an appropriate response and came up blank. Luna noticed my struggle and chuckles.

"You dont need to say anything, we technically just met. But I'd love to get to know you. Maybe we'll have coffee sometime, and you'll share your frustrations with me. And I'll give you as much advice as I can. Gimme your cell." She stretches out her hand. I take out my phone from my pocket and hand it to her. She swiped through the screen ans hands it back to me a few moments later. "Give me a call, anytime at all. Now that I'm not busy with modelling anymore, I'll have a whole lot of time inmy hands. I'll need some company, and if you do, too, ring me."

I nod at her, and flash her a smile.

"Wow. You'll go places with that beauty of yours. Give acting a shot, and I just might cast you in one of my movies." Luna stands and grabs her purse from her table. "I'll come by sometime tomorrow for all my stuff. See ya later, hun." And before I could blink, she was gone.

I may only have talked with her for a moment, but Im pretty sure I like her already.

(^_^)

:[Mikan's PoV]:

I stare at the board in front of me. Its 7:06, and I'd arrived almost an hour early for school.

Today is the first day of school.

Spring break passed by. I spent most of my time with crimson, had an occassional lunch date with Anna and Nonoko, did some quality shopping time with Aoi on weekends. But I didn't hear from Natsume. Nor anything from Hotaru.

And as I stare at the board, the best thing that could happen to me, while also probably the worst, I pinch myself, wondering if I am dreaming.

I'd known I'd passed the entrance for Alice Academy, an elite institution only for the smart and talented, but I didn't expect that I'd be put in the Special Abilities class. It was the class for geniuses and prodigies.

For short, people who weren't ME.

But since I am in the class, apparently, I am special.

Not only that, but I was put in the A cluster.

In this school, not only are the students divided into classes according to their levels of abilities, but the classes of 45 students are divided into clusters which are smaller groups created to rank the students in the class. Alice Academy is a high-level institution whuch takes the word 'competency' very seriously. Once a student is put into a class and cluster, he or she will be there until graduation, a permanent standing, unless there is a serious mistake is committed. This permanency ensures that the students will not try to kill each other during high school.

The students are divided into the following classes: Special Abilities, for the intelligent mind; Artistic Faculties, for the creative and artistic; and Physical Curriculum, for the sporty and athletic.

The classes of 45 studentseach are then divided into 9 clusters, A-I, A the highest level of achievement, and I the last but not least.

All of this is a somehow messed-up system, but it has worked for the academy for six decades.

And I dont plan on having it changed.

Because there, on Cluster A with me, is Natsume and Hotaru.

Well, jolly good news.

(#)

Yaaaay! Updaaateee!

There is finally some other kind of plot in this Storyline aside from the modelling. Phew.

Well, LEAVE A REVIEW OKAY?

Kisses x,

HazelChii