Was I The Only One?

For the next few days I spent my time trying to book more photo shoots, signing contracts and deals with Donna Karen while my agent, Carl, looked for other campaigns that I could possibly do. Amidst all this sudden work I had to do I spent some time with people I hadn’t spoke to or seen in a while such as David Henrie and one of mine and Joe’s mutual friends called Nathan. It was nice to talk to Nathan again, he didn’t seem to care what was going on with Joe and I, he kept the conversation about the both of us and our lives instead of what Joe and I had been up to lately like everyone else always asked. I had a few more lunch dates with him because of that fact.

Joe hadn’t tried to contact me, I was curious as to what he was planning to do or even if he was planning to do anything. I kind of missed his texts and phone calls, I was so used to getting them that to suddenly be cut short from them was annoying and sort of sad.

I remained on speaking terms with my mom, but I was no where near inviting her to come places with me or even come to my meetings about my job, I was also no where near allowing her on a shoot with me. She hadn’t even apologised for saying what she said and also doing what she did, it was frustrating that she couldn’t see why she was wrong. It just made me want to slap her around the face a couple of times to wake her up.

I was beginning to feel bad for ignoring Emma too. A couple of days ago she sent a bouquet of a mixture of different flowers to my house, addressed to me and on the small card she had wrote.

I’m sorry. Again. And again… and lots more. Plus a little bit more than that etc

Okay, I admit it did bring a smile to my face. Her humour was there and it was something that I was craving. I missed having her around me, but I couldn’t see myself being friends with her or even being able to have a civil conversation with her at this point. In my mind I still hadn’t gotten over what happened.

While lying on my bed with Muffins, watching The Proposal with a bowl of carrot sticks my blackberry began to ring on my bedside table.

I reached beside me and quickly answered it after seeing it was Carl.

“Yes, Carl-icious.”

“Hey! Good news times two darling!” His camp accent was in full power as he was excited, “Donna K want to do a billboard, did you get the shots I emailed you?”

“I did indeed, that is amazing!” I squeaked.

“And, can you do catwalk?”

I winced, “Barely.”

“Well, get learning. You have a possible booking for Elie Saab.”

“Oh my god, Carl! Elie Saab? I don’t know how to do a proper walk!” I whined.

He laughed, “Get watching some America’s Next Top Model. I busted my ass to get you on that list of models bitch, so be there in 3 hours.”

“3 hours?” I shouted down the phone.

“I’ll email you the address. Bye, love ya!”

He cut off the phone call. As soon as he did I got onto YouTube and began to study walks, I looked for advice clips from ANTM. There was no way I was going to mess this up, I was going to fake it with confidence and push my way to the top of the modelling industry. I wasn’t going to accept no for an answer and I was going to prove that I deserved my strut on that cat walk.

……………………………….

Note to self; if you’re going to fake it with confidence, do it better.

I didn’t book it, but I did however get the still campaign instead of another girl they had previously chosen. I was very pleased with the result as I was no where near ready for catwalk, I needed more training to be able to completely blow people away. There was no point handing them bronze when I could give them platinum. I just needed to have some patience with myself, I was doing well already.

The house was empty when I arrived back, I tossed my keys on the side table and dropped my bag beside it too. Oddly, my phone began to vibrate in my pocket a few seconds after I had entered the house. The screen was flashing ‘Joe Jonas’ rapidly, I debated for a moment whether or not to answer but did anyway.

“Hello.”

“If you want to see your cat again, you will listen to the following instructions.” The voice didn’t sound like Joe’s but I could tell it was him. Joe sometimes had a slight lisp, and apparently, so did this ‘dangerous voice.’

“Joe, I’m not stupid, you are. Try blocking your number.” I teased then frowned, “And you have my cat?”

“Come on!” He complained, “Can’t you just play along?”

I paused, “No, give me my cat.”

“No, follow my instructions!” He retorted sounding like a stubborn child.

“No, give me my damn cat!” I snapped back with a smile on my face.

Joe let out a frustrated sigh, “Just do me a solid!” He shouted down the phone.

I giggled at how agitated I had made him, “Fine, give me your instructions, you complete weirdo.”

I bent over and picked my bag up then got my keys, “Right.” Joe said, gathering his thoughts. I stepped out of the house and locked the door behind me.

“Well?”

Joe let out a groan, “You’re taking the fun from this.”

“Stealing my cat is fun?” I asked, shaking my head.

“Don’t shake your head at me.” I froze with wide eyes and looked around, “Yes, I can see you.”

“Oh my god, you have officially become the biggest loser and or creep in Los Angeles.” I told him monotonously.

“Okay, instruction one.” Joe started, “Meet me at the aquarium—”

“The one you took me to like, four years ago?” I interrupted.

“If you’d let me finish… yes, that one then—”

I cut him off again, “Why are you taking my cat to an aquarium, cats hate water. Especially Muffins.”

“Oh my god.” He shouted.

I heard his voice come from near me and then I spotted him. With a small smirk I began to wander up and down the sidewalk near my house, gradually getting closer and closer to the car he was crouched behind. The person driving the car must have caught on to my antics and drove away.

“Hey!” Joe shouted loudly at the car.

I cut off the call and walked over to where he was crouched with his back to me, with a sigh he stood up and turned around. “Hi.”

“Ah!” He jumped, placing his hand over his heart. I smiled at him.

“Where’s my cat!”

“In that car, Garbo totally just drove off.” Joe explained.

I rolled my eyes, “No shit Sherlock. Where is he taking my cat?”

Joe stared at me for a few moments then finally admitted his plan, “Okay, Garbo was going to drive me to the aquarium then take Muffins back here and I was going to walk you around then take you to Venice beach but you just ruined it all.” I couldn’t stop the smile that invaded my face, Joe’s angry exterior soon turned to mush with just one of my genuine smiles. “You know, your smile is one of the most amazing emotions I’ve ever seen on a human’s face.”

I blushed at his compliment and cleared my throat, “Human’s? Does that mean some sort of animal has a better smile?” I joked.

Joe smiled back at me, “Hmm, Elvis is giving you a run for your money.”

I fake gasped and punched his arm. “You’re so mean.”

“Will you come to the beach with me anyway?”

I looked at his pleading eyes, then he pouted his lips and fluttered his eye lashes at me. I held in my laugh and folded my arms over my chest. There was no way I could resist that face, and anyways, I had nothing to do and would only sit around watching boring TV shows.

“Okay.”