Author's note:
Trigger warning: Continued theme of eating disorders
Cleo rolled her eyes at Nefera's display. Why did she always have to suck up to their father like that? And more importantly, why did it always work when she did it?
With Nefera finally seated, their food was presented to them on golden platters. it all looked delicious, Cleo had to say. Not that it didn't any other time, but it was somehow nicer being able to eat with her family in their grand and elegant dining room.
She was eager to start her food, but of course it would be rude and completely against etiquette to begin before her father, head of the household, so she tried to bring up a little small talk instead.
"So… what exactly is the new audition for? Dress photo shoots? Shoes? Will you be on the runway again, or might I see your advertisements in some of the fashion magazines?
Nefera looked at her food in disgust. Instead of answering her sister's question, she thought about the excuse she should use for THIS situation.
Should she go for the I-am-not-hungry-excuse? Should she tell her father that she didn't want to eat before the audition tommorow? Or should she just say that she had already eaten before (which was actually true.. A little bit at least!)?
Nefera was sure that Ramses wouldn't tolerate any of these excuses, but she decided to go for the last one.
Nefera was a pro at telling lies, but she had to make a good impression first, so her father would believe her. NOW it was time to answer Cleo's question.
"I will be on the runway again soon, little sister. Many model coaches have told me that I am a perfect runway model. Everything on me is perfect for the job. My style, my height, everything! Except, well, except one thing.
Many professional people in the business told me I was too thin! They said I should gain some weight to get thicker. Much thicker." She made a little pause. "What do you think about me getting thicker, daddy?"
Nefera had never talked to a model coach before and none of these things were true, but she really knew her father. He would probably say something like 'Gaining weight?! I do not think this is a good idea, my daughter.'
Ramses looked surprised. "Gaining weight?! I do not think this is a good idea, my daughter!"
Personally, Cleo thought that putting on a little weight might do Nefera some good. Not a huge amount, but enough to keep her from looking like she'd only just been unearthed from her tomb. She kept quiet, though, prodding at the food with her fork while her father and sister discussed Nefera's career.
"I've been eating the whole day long, daddy! I do not know if knew this," and of course he did not, "but models are always getting thicker and thicker! I ate so much, I feel very sick, daddy. May I lay down somewhere and take a little break? Food is really the last thing I want to see now."
Ramses looked more than surprised. It was true, he did not know anything about models these days. He never did, actually.
Ramses trusted his oldest daughter as she was probably very experienced in such things. Her career was really important to his daughter, and he would discuss the details with her later. Ramses needed a bit to think about his answer though. "Yes, my daughter. If you really ate so much, you better stop eating for a while."
Ahhhhh~ Nefera was so intelligent, she was flawless and god-like and her father believed her everything! She put on a sick-looking face and got up from her chair. "Thank you daddy," she said in a weak voice. "I'll try to catch some food later, I am sorry for bothering." With these words, she left. Even the servants were surprised.
Cleo knew for a fact that her sister was lying. She may not have been a model herself, but she had seen enough fashion shows and episodes of 'Americas Next Top Monster' to know that plus size models may be getting more representation, but the main trend was for fashion models to be skinnier than ever, not bigger.
Either Nefera was grossly misinformed (she could be easily swayed by other's opinions at times), or she had not been eating since Cleo saw her this morning. Had she crossed the border into anorexia?
Cleo didn't know which it was, and it wasn't exactly safe to make an assumption and be wrong at this moment in time, so she decided that she would find out for herself later on and for now opted for a subtly ambiguous, "I hope Nefera doesn't take her new diet too far Daddy, I think she'd be just perfect for the auditions as she is already, don't you?"
"Diet?" Ramses, who had never read a fashion magazine in his unlife and still preferred ancient egyptian women, asked as he started eating his food. "Your sister is on no sort of diet!" His voice became louder.
Meanwhile, Nefera sat on her couch in her room again. She wondered if she had done the right thing? She wouldn't make herself throw up again, that was what she promised herself. It had just been an... emergency. Her father wouldn't notice if she didn't eat the rest of the day and the start of next day, anyway. He was way too busy with his work and with telling Nefera how flawless he wanted her to be. It wasn't a big deal, was it? Nefera already thought about how to skip breakfast without anyone noticing anything…
After the audition, everything would be okay and normal again, wouldn't it? It surely would.
After finishing lunch, Cleo set down her utensils "That was delicious, Daddy," she complimented him, even though really he had had no hand in making it whatsoever. "Thank you for having me back in the dining hall with you. I've missed this."
Ramses had finished his dish as well. As a de Nile, he liked being complimented. But of course Ramses already knew how great he was. He gave his daughter a smile. A tiny one.
"You can continue on eating with us as long as you behave, my daughter. All the obstacles are out of the way now, you will be home schooled again and have success. I believe in you, Cleo. You can do this. You will see how good it works without the wrong people in your way. Nobody will hold you back anymore. You will make me proud, daughter. Will you?"
"Of course I will, daddy." Cleo answered proudly "Do you need any help with your work today or should I return to my rooms?"
Nefera would be angry at Cleo if she had heard this question. How dare she suck up to him?!
"No, thank you, my daughter. I would like you to go to your room and study a little bit for school now. I won't have you embarrass us in front or your new teacher!"
Ramses' plan now was to go up to Nefera and talk about the details of her appointment with her. It was highly important that she was the best and won the audition. Later, the three of them could all eat dinner together.
Cleo did not have studying in mind for her schedule today, but it wouldn't do to upset her father when things were going so well. "Yes, Daddy," Cleo said, rising from the table as a servant joined her at each side to escort her back to her room.
She decided to pick up from where she had left off before the masterful escape attempt: phys-icks. This would call for some major revision. It was time to break out the studying glasses.
Not that Cleo needed glasses, of course. They were just plain glass lenses in designer frames, but it was always best to look the part in order to be the part. After all, weren't Ghoulia and Jackson the two smartest people at Monster High? And didn't they both wear glasses? It made perfect sense.
Nefera sat in front of her mirror again. She played the compliment game with her servants, right when Ramses came in. After knocking, of course. Nefera got panic when she saw her father coming in. Not only because he obviously wanted to talk to her, but also because what she did there was anything but learning.
After telling her again that she had to be the best and had to win to make him proud, he wanted her to actually show him what she had learned.
Nefera felt stressed. What if her father didn't like her walk? What if it wasn't good enough?
The magic of wearing the studying glasses was doing nothing to help Cleo with her revision. Usually, she was rather good with equations - if she did say so herself - but Cleo just couldn't get her head around the way they related to different forces and such. It was all very well being able to do the math, but not if one couldn't apply it to the right formula first.
What she needed was some kind of break. Yes, already this early into her study session.
Nefera walked and posed as good as she could. She looked at her father, hoping that he liked it.
"Hmm," Ramses said. How did a good walk actually had to look like? "How about we ask your sister about the walk? I am sure she knows how to rate it."
Walking in front of her sister was nothing Nefera wanted right now. Nothing she wanted AT ALL, to be honest. Wasn't walking in front of her father already worse enough? It would be a perfect occasion for Cleo to tell their father that Nefera wasn't a good model!
But she, of course, followed her father into Cleo's room. "My daughter, we need you to rate Nefera's walk for the audition tomorrow. I do not want her to fail. Are you able to take a break from studying?"
"Oh, definitely!" Cleo enthused, hoping that her father would take it as excitement for helping her sister and not for ending her research for a while. She got comfortable with her seat facing away from the desk to view her sister, and propped up her studying glasses on top of her head.
Nefera took a deep breath and started her walk. She made lots of poses and smiled at her father and sister when she was done. Maybe that would make them like it more.
Cleo was always impressed with her sister's natural modelling ability. Perhaps it was just part of being a de Nile, but Nefera commanded absolute attention on the catwalk; in fact, it had been her sister that Cleo based her own model walk on during her brief stint on the Scaris runway. "You haven't lost your touch," she told Nefera when she was finished "I'm sure they'll adore you tomorrow, I'd love to go and see it!"
Nefera smiled at her sister's comment. It made her feel a lot better actually. "Yes, I know. What do you think, daddy?"
"My daughter, I am impressed."
And THAT comment made Nefera A LOT happier than she was before.
Ahhhhh~ She was flawless and compliments from her family, especially her father, felt much better than the compliments her servants always used to give her.
Cleo turned to her father. "I know you said before that I wouldn't be allowed to go with Nefera to her appointment, but could you, maybe, reconsider?" It would be much more interesting than trying to study for a whole other day. Plus, high fashion. Who could say 'no' to that? "… that is, if Nefera doesn't mind me accompanying her?"
Oh, Nefera definitely DID mind that! She answered before her father could say anything. "I would prefer to go there alone, thank you, little sister."
Nefera felt faint when she started imagining that she's at the audition, fails and everyone laughs at her. Even Cleo! She could tell everyone of her little high school friends that Nefera was a loser!
Ramses voiced his opinion angrily. "When did I allow you to go out?! You made many mistakes this summer and will certainly not bother your sister at her important audition!"
"Of course… you're right." Cleo turned her chair back to face the desk "My studies are far more important than cheering on my sister. I'll have to settle for congratulating you when you get back, Nefera."
Nefera hid her insecurities behind a smile before turning to Ramses. "I will keep preparing for my appointment, father. It is the most important thing right now, I hope you understand that. I will try to help you with your work as much as I can AND USUALLY DO when I am going to be back from the audition."
"Yes. Both of my princesses should keep on being ambitious and work hard for their goals. Make me proud, daughters, make me proud."
"I'm sure we both will, Daddy." Cleo said, stepping in before Nefera could say anything against her in reply.
