Ugh, where did the time go? One minute, it was one in the afternoon, and I started writing this. Now, it's three in the morning and I'm finally posting this. Forgive moi. I got caught up. You know, cooking, cleaning, playing with my cat, the works.
Anyways, on the topic of requests/suggestions, please be aware that I received quite a few and I'm working on them. Please be aware that I won't pick all of them, though I do appreciate you all trying and reviewing. This particular request came from my sister. And, I wouldn't miss the chance to write a fic such as this, so I hope you like it.
Enjoy!
"Adam?" Clare called tentatively to her friend. Said boy looked up from his comic book.
"Yeah?"
"Being subtle, can you see if someone is staring at me?" He nodded and let his eyes sweep over the small café otherwise known as The Dot. The two had come together, after school that Friday to hang out. Eli couldn't, since his grandfather was visiting.
Clare didn't dare turn around, for fear of awkwardly meeting eyes with the person who was staring at her. She had felt this feeling since she sat down with Adam. Sipping her coffee, she tried to shake the feeling of eyes watching her.
"It's a girl." This surprised Clare slightly. No one, especially girl, usually paid any mind to her.
"Long dark brown hair, light eyes, pretty." He listed off. Clare sighed and stood up. Adam stared up at her, puzzled.
"What are you doing?" He asked. Instead of answering, she turned around and locked eyes with the girl Adam had described.
She smiled sweetly at Clare before taking a sip of her drink. Clare weaved her way around the tables and approached her.
"Uhh, hi." Clare said, losing her confidence. The girl gestured for Clare to sit in the free chair opposite of her. Clare sat down, feeling awkward.
"I'm guessing you're wondering who I am and why I've been staring at you?" Clare nodded. The girl smiled and extended her hand to Clare. "My name's Fiona Coyne."
Clare's eyes widened as she shook Fiona's hand. Her last name had stuck. Coyne.
"M-My name is Clare. Clare Edwards." She corrected. Fiona smiled and nodded. Her expression turned thoughtful.
"Edwards…hmm…that name rings a bell. Maybe you knew my brother, Declan Coyne?" Clare nodded, her cheeks heating up. Whether Declan had told Fiona about her…actions, Clare couldn't be sure. But Fiona just smiled.
"Have you ever modeled, Clare?" Clare's eyes grew wide and she shook her head.
"No way!" Is this girl blind? I'm not tall or skinny. Who would want me for a model? Clare thought. Fiona's eyes twinkled.
"Would you like to?" Clare tilted her head in confusion. "Model. For me." She elaborated. Clare could only stare at her in awe.
"You want me…to model?" Clare couldn't believe her.
"I'm paying of course." Clare shook her head vigorously.
"That's not what I meant. I mean, why?" Fiona rolled her eyes.
"Isn't it obvious? You're like…a doll. You're really cute and your look fits my clothing line. You see, I like to design clothes, and have been doing so in my free time. And when my mom saw some of my designs, she suggested I make a portfolio. So, if you'd like, I want to use you as my model." Clare just nodded.
"Uhh, sure, if that's what you want, sure. I'll do it." Fiona squealed and, reaching over, hugged Clare.
"Thanks so much. Here's my address. Can you come tomorrow, around noon?" Fiona asked, scribbling on a napkin.
"Sure…" Clare mumbled, still feeling out of it. She couldn't believe this. It was happening so fast.
"Great! See you tomorrow." Fiona stood up and grabbed her bag, leaving the napkin on the table. She air kissed each of Clare's cheeks and left.
Clare stood, grabbed the napkin, and retreated back to her original seat.
"Well? What did she want?" Adam pressed, barely containing his curiosity.
"She wants me to be her model."
X
"Please?" Clare asked again, tugging at Adam's sleeve. After they left The Dot, Clare had asked Adam to come. To which he responded 'no' every time.
"Come on, be a pal! I don't want to go alone!" Clare pleaded as they neared her house. Adam sighed deeply.
"Fine! You win. I'll go, but only go if Eli goes. There's no way I'm going to watch you two play dress up by myself." Clare smiled and nodded. They bid each other a goodbye and Clare walked up the stairs. She went straight to her room and plopped down on her bed. Whipping out her cell phone, she called Eli.
"Hey." His voice is bright and peppy and totally out of character. Either, he just won a million dollars or his grandfather was really boring.
"Hey. I was wonder doing if you were busy tomorrow." She questioned, her teeth grasping her lower lip.
"No, why?" He asked, confused.
"Then, could you please come with Adam and me to Fiona Coyne's house?"
"Who's Fiona Coyne?" He asked. Settling back against her pillows, she explained everything that happened at The Dot.
"Well, I wouldn't miss the opportunity to see you all dolled up, and I can't leave Adam to fend for himself. I'll pick you both up tomorrow at eleven thirty."
"Thanks, Eli." Clare breathed, smiling.
"Any time, Blue eyes." With that, he hung up. Clare sighed and decided to do her homework.
While finishing up her essay, Clare heard the front door slam. She pushed herself off her bed and made her way to the door; pushing her ear against it. She rolled her eyes when she heard her mother's hissing. They were fighting, but trying to keep it quiet.
Clare decided to skip dinner. Changing into her pajamas and tidying up her room, she crawled into bed and fell asleep.
X
Clare rode in the passenger seat of Morty while Adam rambled on from the back at how boring this was going to be.
"You owe me one, Clare." He grumbled. Clare looked over her shoulder at Adam and laughed when she saw his scrunched up expression.
"Fine. How about I take you both to get a comic book tomorrow? My treat." Adam's eyes lit up and he shook his head vigorously.
"Sounds good." Eli said, casting a sideways glance at Clare. She smiled, satisfied. When they reached Fiona's condo, Clare was a bit nervous. What had she gotten herself into?
Fiona greeted Clare with an air kiss. She glanced over Clare's shoulder at the two males.
"I hope you don't mind, I-" Clare began to apologize.
"Nonsense! The more the merrier. Come inside! Let's get this show on the road." She grabbed Clare's arm and tugged her inside. The boys followed.
"You two make yourselves at home. You can sit over there and the kitchen is well stocked. Feel free to grab anything you want." Fiona called this over her shoulder as she started to drag Clare into the back, towards a bedroom.
"F-Fiona? What are we-?"
"Don't worry about it! Things will be done in a jiff!" Fiona dragged Clare into a room. Adam made a beeline for the kitchen while Eli looked around.
His eyes landed on a cleared out area, made specifically for Clare to model. He chuckled. This was going to be fun.
Adam came back out with a soda can in one hand and a bag of chips in the other. They both sat and waited to see what Clare would look like.
Several minutes later, they heard Clare's weak protest, as well as the clicking of heels.
"F-Fiona, I'm not…I can't…"
"Are you kidding? You look great! Now, come on, let's get started." Both boys' eyes widened when Fiona dragged Clare out, grinning broadly.
Clare looked absolutely adorable. She was dressed in a short, pink dress. The sleeves were capped, and slightly ruffled. A white satin bow wrapped just under her bust. The dress flowed freely downwards. The end of the dress had lace. A small pink ribbon in her hair was the finishing touch.
"You look…" Eli struggled to complete a sentence, while Adam just continued to stare. A pink dust settled across Clare's cheeks and she bit the inside of her cheek, trying not to gnaw her glossed lower lip.
"Like a doll, I know! She totally blew my mind away." Fiona dragged Clare over to the shooting area. "My friend, Michael, loaned me some of his equipment. With you as my model, my outfits will look killer." Fiona stepped back and examined her outfit.
Clare kept her arms behind her back, fiddling with her fingers. While Fiona tried to think of a cute pose, she spoke.
"This outfit was inspired by the fashion in Japan. Sweet Lolita is so cute, and you definitely fit the part." Fiona tilted her head.
"Pose like this." Fiona instructed, tilting her head, lacing her fingers and leaning forward slightly. Clare obliged. Fiona squealed.
"Perfect." She grabbed her camera and instantly took at least three pictures.
This continued for the next four or five hours. Fiona would dress Clare up in any random clothing she had designed and have her pose.
"You are perfect, Clare! Just like that!" Fiona would proclaim. Eli and Adam would be amazed at how Clare looked. Clare was certain that this blush was permanent.
Fiona stopped momentarily when someone started knocking on the door. Clare sighed and sat down beside Eli and Adam.
"You're doing great, and you look really pretty." Adam complimented. Clare felt her cheeks burn slightly.
"Thanks." She murmured. Eli laughed and shook his head.
"So, if you're little red ridding hood," Eli's eyes drifted over Fiona's newest outfit—or, rather costume—as he grinned. "Then, what does that make me?"
"The big, bad wolf." Clare and Adam said in unison. They high fived and laughed while Eli rolled his eyes.
"Then, who am I?" Adam asked, tilting his head. Eli and Clare glanced at each other and grinned.
"Granny!" They announced in unison, making Adam pout.
"I want to be the lumberjack!" He announced. Clare laughed again, trying to blink away the tears that were threatening to fall, for fear of smudging her make-up.
"And, what do we have here?" A new voice rang. Eli, Clare and Adam all looked up to see Holly J. removing her jacket.
"Hi, Holly J." Clare greeted shyly. Holly J. waved and let her eyes wander over to Clare's outfit.
"Didn't know you were having a costume party, Fi. I would've brought mine." She joked. She sat down while Fiona extended her hand to Clare.
Clare sighed and took her hand, standing up.
"We have enough pics, but I want to do one more shot like the last. I've always wanted to do an 'Alice in Wonderland' theme. What do you say?" She asked. Clare smiled and nodded.
"Sounds good."
"I want to be the white rabbit!" Adam joked, grinning. But, he had pushed Fiona over the brink. Her eyes visibly lit up as she nodded.
"That's a perfect idea! You could be the white rabbit," She stopped to turn to Eli. "You could be the Mad Hatter," She turned to Holly J. and grinned. "And you can be the Red Queen!" Eli, Holly J., and Adam's smiles fell.
"No way. Not even for a million bucks." Adam shook his head.
"I'm not dressing up." Holly J. shook her head. All eyes turn to Eli, whose expression remained motionless.
"I'll pay you." Fiona offered, wiggling her eyebrows. Eli smiled though tight lips and shook his head.
"Not my style." Fiona sighed and shrugged.
"Oh well. Come on, Alice. Time to get you ready for wonderland!" Fiona once again dragged Clare to the back.
Several minutes later, Clare emerged, wearing a frilly, blue dress similar to the story-book character's. She wore a small black band in her hair, with stripped stockings, and shiny black Mary-Jane's.
"Aww, you look so cute." Holly J. complimented. Clare's cheeks heated up once again.
"Thanks." She smiled softly. This time, Clare sat down. Her legs spread slightly, her dress stretch out. Her hands were place between both legs. The image as though she had just fallen.
Fiona took a couple of photos, before announcing that she was finished. Clare sighed with relief and retreated to go change back into her regular clothing.
When she emerged, she saw Adam, Eli, and Holly J. crowded around Fiona and her laptop. Her camera was plugged in. Clare peeked over Holly J.'s shoulder to get a better look.
Holly J. moved aside to let her see. Clare flushed once more as she realized they were looking at the photos of her.
"The 'Alice in wonderland' shot will be the cover!" Fiona announced, enlarging the picture to cover the screen.
Clare was amazed at her photo. She looked…pretty. Her eyes were wide and her glossy lips parted slightly in shock.
"Awesome job, Clare. You look great in these and my designs will definitely be noticed." Clare smiled and nodded. Fiona stood and set aside her computer.
"Let me go get your pay." She walked out of the room. Adam wandered to the kitchen, in search of more food. Holly J. called out to Fiona that she had to go. She took her jacket, bid Eli and Clare goodbye and left.
Eli stared at Clare, who was staring intently at the screen. She turned to him and smiled.
"You look really pretty in those pictures, Clare. I mean, you look pretty every day, but in these photos, you look…"
"Surreal." Clare finished, nodding. "I didn't think I looked so…"
"Good?" This time, Eli finished for her. She smiled shyly and nodded.
Leaning over, he kissed her cheek. She turned her cheek to kiss his lips. Before things could get too heated, they yanked apart at the sound of Fiona's heels clicking.
Fiona walked in slowly. She handed Clare an envelope, but didn't speak. Instead, she smirked. Clare's cheeks were the brightest shade of red, and Eli's cheeks were tinted pink.
"Nice lip gloss." Fiona joked. Realization dawned on him and he reached his hand up to wipe it away. Fiona rolled her eyes.
"Thanks so much, Clare. I really appreciate it and I hope we can maybe do this again in the future." Clare nodded, agreeing. Fiona turned to Eli.
"And, don't worry. I'll be sure to make you some copies."
Aww, Clare would look so cute in a Lolita dress. If you couldn't agree more, liked the story, or thought the characters weren't too OOC, leave a review!
~S.S.