Invisible

Three weeks after the photo shoot, I sat at home trying to get started on an essay on ‘the Major Causes of World War II’ for history. I was getting towards the end of my junior year in High School, so the teachers were bombarding us with essays. Slowly getting into the flow, I wrote more and more.

In the midst of my rushed scribbling, I heard the doorbell ring. I was the only one in the house, so I answered the door.

‘Are you Jessica Rousseau?’ the delivery guy asked in a deep, gruff voice. In his arms he held a medium sized manila envelope.

‘Yep, that’s me.’ I told him.

‘Can you sign here,’ he said bluntly, shoving his clipboard and a pen at me.

‘Okay…here you go.’ I handed it back to him, a little softer than he did me.

I softly closed the door and stared at the envelope in my hands. In the top right hand corner, I recognised the logo as the Wink Models one.

Reluctantly, I peeled the envelope open. I held it by the bottom corners and tipped the contents onto the coffee table. As I gazed over the five large photos on the table, I gasped. I looked amazing.

I picked up my favourite one; it was of me standing in the studio, balloon in hand gazing into the distance. I didn’t even remember posing for it; it looked too natural to be staged. I gathered the pictures ready to put them back into the envelope, when a white, smaller envelope caught my eye.

It didn’t have a company name on the outside, giving no indication as to what was on the inside.

Dear Miss Rousseau,

After seeing your photographs from your Wink Modelling Experience and we at DKNY were very impressed with the outcome. We would like to arrange a meeting with you to see if you could possibly come on board with as a model. You have a very striking and unique beauty; it would be a mistake to pass up an opportunity as good as this. I’ve already arranged a time for you to come in. 4:50 on May 17th. Details of our address have been enclosed, if you are unable to attend at the aforementioned time, please call the number at the top of this letter.

Thanks.

Mallory Black,

Senior model scout.

I read and then re-read the letter, staring at in disbelief. DKNY wanted me? It didn’t make sense, I was nothing special.

Deciding to keep this odd turn of events to myself, I shoved the letter in my pocket and ran upstairs into my room. I pulled out an old David Bowie CD, before lying on my bed, the confusion never leaving my thoughts

‘Jessie?’ I heard my mom’s voice float up the stairs.

‘Yeah mom?’ I called back.

‘Come here please.’

I bounded down the curved staircase and into the front room where I guessed my mom’s voice came from.

As I walked into the room, I saw her and Eva sitting on the sofa staring at me. I immediately noticed Eva had had her hair cut, the long hair she used to acquire was now cut into a short jaw length bob with a fringe that framed her face perfectly.

‘Eva, your hair looks beautiful!’ I said as I walked over to stand in front of her and get a proper look.

‘Thank you,’ she mumbled shyly.

‘Jess, these photos are amazing…’ my mom said quietly.

I cursed myself - I had forgotten to hide them!

‘Um…thanks mom.’ I smiled just as shyly as my sister had at me.

‘I’m going to get this framed.’ She smiled, speaking absentmindedly.

‘Uh, no you’re not!’ I screeched.

‘Oh honey, I have to this is most beautiful picture ever.’

‘No mom, please…’ I begged, I really didn’t want that picture put up on the wall. As good as
I thought I looked, not everyone might think so…

‘Jess, it’s either this or your school picture.’ She said sternly and I gasped. My school photo was ridiculously awful. I had really bad acne at the beginning of the year; I made my face look like dot to dot.

‘Okay,’ I sighed feeling defeated, ‘you can put it up.’ her smug smile stretched across her face, even her posture changed from relaxed to triumphant. She knew that as soon as she pulled out the school photo card that she’d won. She how much I despised that picture and she used it to her advantage. Smart lady.