Kiss Me

I groaned as I walked into the studio. Great, all I needed was to spend even more time with these people.

When I arrived, I was rather surprised by the fact that instead of moaning and moping like anyone would on a Monday afternoon, they were jumping up and down and Toppin was squealing. Necalli was hugging him while jumping, and Griffin was just smiling with a proud look on his face.

“What did I miss?” I asked, looking between the three smiling morons.

“Little Toppin saw himself on a billboard, his first one” Griffin explained and I understood the boy’s excitement.

I remember my first billboard.

“Congrats.” I told him, deciding to not be an ass to him at the moment. I was much the same way when I saw myself for the first time in an add Nothing could have made me happier.

Back then though, I actually had people to celebrate with me. Now, all of those people had been pushed away, including my very close friend. He had moved away afterward, promising that he would come back for me one day. He never did.

After he left was when things started to change, but now I realized that it wasn’t things that had started to change, but me that had changed.

Letting out a soft sigh, I sat down on a couch, Toppin joining me shortly, trying to catch his breath.

“We should celebrate.” Necalli suggested, and I just sat there, not thinking that I would be included in this. That is, until Toppin looked over at me and spoke.

“Is tonight good for you?” he asked and my eyes widened.

“What?” I asked, having not listened to their conversation.

“We’re going to that new club that just opened.” Toppin said, and excited expression adorning his cute features.

I hadn’t heard of a new club opening, but who cares; a club is a club.

“Sure, what time tomorrow?” I asked, a bored tone in my voice.

Just play nice Kaylent and they’ll let you out of this sooner I told myself.

“Uh…like at six o’clock or so.” He said, but Griffin had another idea.

“We should just go after the shoot, I’ll drive us.” He said, and we all agreed.

The next night…

I signed as I threw glitter on the two models. I was supposed to be Toppin’s mentor, but all I was doing was helping out like I was some form of hired help.

When I had first arrived at the shoot, Griffin had pulled me aside and talked to me about what being a mentor really was. He said I should take an interest in the boy’s life and encourage him as well as giving him little hints or tips that he could use in the business. Like hell I’d give away my secrets.

I had just smiled and nodded, going with whatever the man had to say so that I could get this done quicker.

Oh, that was another thing he told me, that the longer it took me to genuinely care about Toppin, the longer I would be in this position.

Sure, I could ‘care’ for him as long as I could get back to my job quickly.

A smile appeared on my lips as I thought of what we would be doing later tonight. I loved going clubbing.

Soon the shoot was over, and we were all piling into Griffin’s car. I tapped my knee a little, and Necalli chuckled. “Eager much, Kaylent?” He asked, and I scoffed.

“There’s booze and hot chicks, what’s not to love about a club?” I said, and noticed that no one laughed; they merely looked at one another. “What?” I asked.

“Well, you may not find that many ‘hot chicks’ who want to make out with you…most don’t play for that team at this bar.” Necalli explained a small smirk on his face.

“No fucking way.” I hissed, and the boy started cracking up. I started tugging on the door. “Let me out.” I growled.

“No, I think this is good for you.” Griffin said, “So I asked Jeremy about it and he thought it would be great to require that you spend time with him when not in a shoot. This is a great example for you to prove how great of a role model you are to him. He’s meeting us there.” He said, and I grumbled under my breath.

I put my head in my hands. “Why, why do you feel the need to punish me? What have I done to deserve this?” I asked him, anger evident in my voice. Toppin, who was sitting beside me pressed his small frame against the door of the car.

“You have been a complete ass to everyone and anyone near you for the past few years. I don’t know what you used to be like, but I know from Jeremy that you sure as hell were not like this. You were pretty and kind to those around you. No one knows what happened, but if you keep on the track you’re going, as an arrogant model, all of those endorsements will disappear faster than you can count to ten.” He said, and I closed my eyes.

We all remained silent for the rest of the car ride.

Jeremy greeted Griffin with a chaste kiss before they took one another’s hands, walking into the club, leaving Necalli, Toppin and I to follow.