French Vanilla

"I change my mind."

"Yeh can't change yeh mind."

"Yes I can. I just did."

"Too bad."

"Tom."

"Skylah."

This simple bickering back and forth has been going on for the entire fifteen minutes in the car ride there. Oh, and when he woke me up at five in the morning. Oh, and when he forced me to shower. And also when he dragged me out of the house - also known as throwing me over his shoulder and forcing me into the car.

We pulled up and he got out of the car. I huffed and stubbornly sat there. He came around to my side and opened the door, unlocked the seatbelt, and threw me over his shoulder again. We walked into the doors to the store haphazardly and were greeted by curious eyes and on looking customers.

"'Ello Tommeh," a man's voice husked at the desk.

"Mornin' Sam."

"Uh... watcha got there?" He asked, referring to me half-sleepily lazing over his shoulder.

"A model."

I groaned and opened my eyes. The back of Tom's t-shirt came into view, as it did that last hundred times he carried me. Sleep. Need. Now.

"A model, aye? She seems... enthusiastic... or... dead."

"She's juss nervous."

Sam chuckled, "modelin' against 'er will? That's kinky shi'. Didn't know Drop Dead would take it tha' far."

Tom laughed and walked past the desk.

"Tom Sykes!" One of the customers gushed. "I nevah thought I would evah get to see yeh!"

I felt his body tense up as he paused his strides. "'Ello there."

"Can I get a signature?"

"Sorreh, ma'am. Got a model who needs teh get to a photo shoot, pronto."

"Model? I don't see a model..."

Tom shrugged me off his shoulders. I stumbled a little bit when my feet hit the floor, but I quickly regained composure. "Hi," I mumbled, pushing my large sunglasses higher on my nose. I wanted to disappear behind them.

"Model aye? She juss looks like a scene kid, no oldah then twelve."

I snickered. "Don't piss me off first thing in the morning sweetie. You might not live to see the afternoon."

Her eyes widened and she took a few steps back, leaving Tom and I alone. "Wow. I didn't fink yeh 'ad it in yeh to be ferocious like tha'. I thought yeh were like a baby kitteh, all innocent like."

I shook my head and followed him to the back room, stepping through the door to the stock room, then to a back room where there was a giant warehouse. "I'm tired," I said simply as my explanation.

I leaned sleepily on his shoulder and closed my eyes. Mornings were evil. They were hell-bent on killing me, and no one could convince me otherwise. I heard footsteps approach us and Tom's voice perk up. "Mornin' Janette."

"Morning Mr. Sykes. 'Ere yeh go." I opened my eyes to see two cups in front of me.

"'Ere yeh go, sleepy 'ead." I took the cup and sniffed it. French Vanilla filled my lungs and I took a large sip of the drink.

"Thank you so much."

Janette smiled, "no problem, deary." She spoke, walking away.

Tom grinned, taking a sip of his own. "Yeh 'cause I 'ad noffin teh do wiff it." I wrapped one arm around his waist and leaned into him.

"Thank you, Tom-Tom."

He wrapped one arm around me and brought me to a director's chair to sit down. "See? Modelin' ain't 'alf bad. Yeh get free coffee juss 'ow yeh like it and yeh get teh 'ave meh follow yeh arse around like a lost pup."

"I like the coffee better."

"Hey!" He pouted.

"Kidding Tom-Tom." I smiled, taking another sip of my coffee.

"I see she settled right in," Oli's voice chimed as he walked over to us. I scowled at him. He was definitely a morning person.

"Alrigh', what's the plan wiff 'er today?" Tom asked as I just drank the vanilla liquid watching the two brothers converse.

"Juss some simple stuff realleh. We want teh peg her strengths and angles. The second shoot will be a bettah and more important one."

Tom nodded, "sounds simple enough, don't yeh fink so Skylah?"

I shrugged, which caused Oli to chuckle. "Definitely not a morning person," he said referring to me. "She's juss like yeh Tom. No coffee means no talkin'."

"Luckily I 'ad a cup before we left the 'ouse. I woulda made 'er some, but she refused teh get outta bed! I 'ad to carry 'er arse out of the 'ouse!"

Oliver laughed again. "It's goin' teh be interestin' if I 'ave teh wake yeh both up at once. Neither of yeh will budge."

"Yeh got tha' righ'. But I knew she would of nevah came by 'erself, so I forced myself awake."

"Yeh a good brothah fo' tha'. Drop Dead would certainly be missin' an opportuniteh of a lifetime if we didn't get her."

"Fanks Olleh."

A phone went off and Oli looked down. "Oi! We betta get 'er readeh. The photographer says teh 'urry up. Janette!" Oli called back to the lady. "Can yeh dress 'er? We need 'er pronto!"

Janette hurried over to us. "Alrigh' deary," she spoke, gently grabbing my forearm. "Off teh get dressed."

I looked up at Tom unsure and he smirked. "Yeh know, I could come wiff yeh if yeh need the comfort."

"Shut up," I laughed and was ushered by Janette to a dressing room.

"'Ere yeh go, hun." She handed me a pile of clothing. It was a swimsuit, denim shorts, and a tank top. I quickly put them on with a pair of flip flops before she dragged me out of the room. "Olleh, she's readeh!"

Oli grinned widely. "Oi! She looks propa brill, don't ya fink Tommeh?"

Tom turned and smiled. "Propa brill alrigh'." I looked down smiling with my face a light shade of red. Attention was something I was not used to, at least, not this kind of attention.

"Oh jeez, she's blushin' alreadeh? Yeh goin' teh 'ave to get used to tha' Skylah. Boys will be ogling all ovah yeh. Let's go." He turned and we followed him to where the set was set up. It was just an average set up with a white canvas background and floor.

"'Ello there, gorgeous. I'm Charlie. I'll be photographing yeh today. We're juss doin' some basic stuff, learnin' yeh angles and whatnot. Is that alrigh'?" He asked, heading back to his camera set up.

I nodded and looked at Tom again. I felt like an embarrassingly lost puppy."Go on, love. Yeh'll do fine. We're all watchin' yeh."

"That's the problem."

He chuckled, "want us teh leave yeh?"

"No! Don't go. I just- ahh. I'm nervous."

"Yeh'll do fine, Skylah. I promise. And hey, if yeh 'ate it tha' much, I'll let yeh smack meh aftah for torturing yeh in this."

"Deal."

He hugged me quickly and gently shoved me in the direction of the photographer. I sighed and stepped onto the canvas. "Uh... now what?"

He chuckled and put his face to the lens. "Juss do slow movements and angle yeh body a different way so we can find yeh angle."

I nodded and did as he asked. In between every few shots, I'd look over at Tom and he's give me a reassuring smile or thumbs up. "Alrigh' sweeteh. Take off yeh shirt so I can see the bathing suit top."

I bit my lower lip and gently tugged the shirt over my head. Janette came up and grabbed it from me. "Alrigh'," Charlie said. "Juss like befo'. Small movements."

I nodded and did exactly as I was told. Soon enough, the photographer was done, and walked off to go find Oli and talk to him. I walked over to Tom and smiled. "Did I do ok?"

"Bloody brill, actualleh!" He grinned, "and I didn't know yeh 'ad yeh tummeh pierced."

I looked down at my hip piercings. "Yea, just hip and belly piercings is all. Nothing too big."

"Oh yea? Don't fink I didn't notice yeh neck tattoo that says 'seize the day.'"

"Oh yeah..."

"Anyfin else yeh wanna surprise meh wiff?"

I shoved him lightly. "Nope. I'm turning mysterious again."

Tom smiled and rolled his eyes. "Well at least this time I know yeh name."

"Yeh quite fit!" Oli grinned, sauntering over to the two of us.

"Thanks... I think?" I looked up at Tom and he smiled.

"Fit means he finks yeh good lookin'."

"Oh, well, yeah thanks Oli."

"No problem, lass. Yeh got a nice body for bathing suit modeling. Or such the sort. When yeh shirtless, the paleness of yeh body makes yeh look taller. Yeh can't even notice how small yeh are."

"That's good, right?"

"Yea, yeh silly twit. Aye, Tommeh are yeh comin' teh the show tonight?"

Tom nodded at his brother. "Yeah, I'm comin' teh take some photos of Matty. He's been buggin' me to do so."

"That certainleh sounds like Nicholls. Alrigh'. See yeh latah."

"Bye Oli." Tom and I said in unison.

"So... now what?" I asked.

"Now yeh get teh spend all day wiff meh."

I grinned, "alright Tom-Tom. Lead the way."