Burning Bridges, Building Love

“So wait what do we have to do?” Rayne asked confused. “What are you staring at?” She gasped at one of the guys. He quickly shook his head looking away. “Freak.” She breathed annoyed.

Jake was watching her off handedly. The room was still separated like a middle school dance. The only one who was comfortable enough to pass between the two of them was Rayne. She held no trouble with her body image or the fact that she had a rather stunning one slipped her mind quite often.

“You are going to have to wear outfits similar to these all the time to get comfortable. I’m only saying this because, I’m sorry ladies, I can’t have you walking around all shy off camera. I don’t know what you’re going to do on camera.” Eli shrugged.

“Oh…whatever.” Rayne snorted, waving her hand at the idea while adjusting her top. The item she was hiding from Gloria still tucked, uncomfortably in the side of it.

“How are you…never mind.” One of the girls huffed looking over at Rayne.

“How am I okay with this?” Rayne countered as she sat on the floor crossing her legs. “A life time of wearing nothing but sports bras and bike shorts. A life time of fitness no one but deaf man,” Big Cat flashed her the middle finger as a response. “Can understand. I’m in shape beyond anyone here but him, But I also work out eight to nine hours a day almost.” Giving a weak smile she shrugged. “And then I hit the gym. What I do is purely physical. But you don’t understand. If I could do what I do and have a body like some of you I would.” All of them stared at her confused. “I don’t have hips, I don’t have thighs, I don’t have an ass, I don’t have breast really. Mine are technically all muscle.” With a lazy shrug she sighed. “I hang out with nothing but guys. All they want in a woman are those things. You all have those. So what if you don’t have a six pack. You have everything else guys want. You shouldn’t hide it, granted you shouldn’t run around naked,” Rayne giggled while playing with her bare toes. “Just embrace what you have or you’ll go by day to day afraid to be your self and that’s not living, that’s hiding and surviving.”

The group stared at her confused. Moments ago she couldn’t put together a profound, let alone even slightly sophisticated sentence, now she was the Dahlia Lama.

“Yeah. She does that. The whole giggly stupid thing is a trap and ploy then she steals your children and eats them while solving a mathematic equation that makes the average person cringe.” Big Cat sighed.

Jake smiled over at Rayne as she still messed with her toes, pushing her hair from her face and focusing on them as if they were the most interesting things.

“I’m bored.” She whispered dully. “Fucking hair!” She growled pushing the feathers, beads, and strands of hair they were attached to back. “Do I have to wear the hair? This is annoying.” She puffed.

“No.” Eli laughed. “But today everyone is going to be in costume till we’re done. Ladies if you can’t walk around with out trying to hide in your costumes then you’ll have to wear them all the time, no matter what, or something like them.” He added lightly. “For now!” he clapped happily. “We’re taking pictures and talking schedules. Starting with the bottom and working our way up.” He walked out of the room with a few others.

“Wait what?” Rayne’s head snapped up at his words. “Damnit.” She groaned still messing with her hair. “That means I’m almost last! Eff my life dude. Eff my life.” She groaned.

Laughing Jake reached down pulling her hair back with his hands, and keeping her hair back.

“Atleast you’re not last.” He reasoned.

“No but I’m one short.” She snorted at him. Jake shrugged at her.

“Still not last.” He tried.

“Ghetto either way.” She breathed leaning back against his legs. Jake laughed at her with a small pat to her head, as if she was a small child. “You suck.” She laughed gently.

Crouching Jake held her shoulder to keep her steady and leaned in.

“I thought we had this conversation the day we met?” He whispered making Rayne giggle at the thought of when they’d meet. Chuckling himself Jake gave her shoulders a few squeezes.

“If you don’t want to have an awkward conversation again,” Rayne whispered as her head fell backwards on his shoulder. “Then I suggest you stop making old references.” Jake’s cheeks flushed slightly.

“You suck.” He huffed.

“I know. I’m pretty good at it too!” With that Rayne stood up skipping off leaving him crouched on the floor stunned and flushed pink.