little note at the end! and happy reading :)

“Jessica, that was amazing,” Annabelle said to me when I walked backstage.

Just moments before, I had disentangled myself from Jake and he hoisted me back on the run way. Without stopping to answer any of the reporters’ questions, I made my way back down the run way. I amazed even myself when I managed to keep my composure.

“Really?” I said in a daze.

Annabelle nodded enthusiastically. “Absolutely. I had no idea you were planning that!”

Planned? That was anything but planned.

“So,” she continued. “Who thought of it? You or Mr. Marshall?”

“Uh…” It was hard to find an answer simply because there wasn’t an answer.

Thankfully, my named was called and I said goodbye to Annabelle.

“Oh, Jessica you were wonderful!” my mother said, rushing up to me, followed by my dad who was strolling proudly behind her.

“Mom? Dad?” I said in surprise. “I didn’t know you guys were here.”

My mother kissed me on both cheeks. “Sorry. We didn’t have enough time to tell you!”

“Oh,” I said.

My dad laughed and ruffled my hair. “How come you never told us you were going to be a model?”

My mother swatted his hand away. “Arthur, you’re ruining her hair! Oh, sweetie you were so beautiful.”

“Thanks mom,” I said, scanning the crowd. Over the sea of people, I saw Jake weaving in and out, looking for someone – me apparently; when we made eye contact, he smiled and waved and began heading in my direction.

“When you’re done getting all wrapped up and stuff, come meet us outside in parking lot 4A. Your father and I are going to take you out for a bite to eat at The Picklebarrel – your favourite,” my mother told me.

“Oh, mom I really don’t know…” I began.

Annabelle walked over and cut me off. “Jessica, not to be rude, you were amazing tonight, but you really gotta get going. We need to clean up everything and you’re kind of in the way.”

“Oh, let me just change and put my outfit back on the –”

“Oh honey there’s no need for that,” she said, cutting me off again. “You can keep that.”

“Well then it’s settled,” my dad laughed. “Let’s head out. Wouldn’t want to get into anyone’s way, now would we?”

Before I could say anything, my mother added, “You can change in the car, Jessica.”

There was really no other way I could wiggle myself out of that so I just nodded feebly and followed them.

When I reached the door, I turned back and saw Jake staring after me. I gave him a shrug, hoping that he’d recognize my parents and realize that I had to go with them, and stepped out into the night air.

A painfully long car ride, equipped with my dad telling me how proud he was of me and my mother gushing about the outfits (thankfully we all dodged subject of the kiss), we walked into The Picklebarrel. I had already changed into a nice black dress and red pumps.

“Reservation for Arthur Bryans,” my dad said to the waitress, who looked over the reservation book and led us to a small table.

I don’t know how they recognize me, but a few people did a double take as I walked by. One guy even whipped out his camera.

“Oh, honey look they know you!” my mother said, nudging me in the guy with the camera’s direction.

“Great,” I replied, sounding as enthusiastic as a dead racoon.

It surprised me that the topic of the kiss hadn’t been brought up yet and I was silently hoping that it wouldn’t come up in conversation during dinner. How awkward would it be discussing a steamy kiss you just had in front of thousands of people? Very.

To my dismay, as soon as we sat down, my mother turned to me with a sparkle in her eyes.

“So, tell me,” she said giddily. “Who was that guy?”

My dad on the other hand, pretended to be very interested in the menu, and acted like he didn’t hear anything.

Feigning naïve-ness, I glanced over to the guy who was taking a picture of me. “Him? I don’t really know mom…probably some fashion lover who saw me in Us Weekly or maybe…”

She rolled her eyes. “Not him! That guy you kissed at the show!”

“Oh, him. He’s my…uh…boss?” I said with uncertainty. Wait for it…wait for it…

“Your boss?!” my mother said in disbelief. “Jessica…”

“Mom, I know okay,” I said. “It was all planned out.”

She gave me an appraising look. “Really now…”

I nodded solemnly. “Really.”

“Okay…if you say so,” she began.

“Now Olive,” my dad said. “Even if it wasn’t planned, Jessica has the liberty to kiss whoever she wants.”

My mother nodded but still looked uncertain. A few seconds later, dad started talking about a funny thing that happened at work. I sank a few inches into my seat, wishing that they would drop the subject. Thankfully, they did. Neither the fashion show, nor the kiss was brought up in the conversation again.

*

I showed up for work at 8:30 exactly the next morning. From the parking lot to the elevator, I tried my best to ignore the stares at the whispers of everyone. Bill gave me a knowing smile when I passed by that ended in a small smirk after I promptly told him: “Oh, shut up Bill.”

I was glad when I stepped into the elevator and found that it was empty – totally not in the mood to handle anymore staring or worse…someone trying to talk to me.

I think everyone else who was on the elevator after me got the message because nobody said a word, or cast the smallest glance. Good thing too, or else I would’ve clawed someone’s eye out.

I have calmed a bit down when the elevator stopped on my floor. Just a bit, because as soon as I stepped out, someone shouted my name.

“Really! I am not in the mood for discussing any of the events that happened last night, so just bug off, will you?” I snapped, to whoever called my name, and to everyone else in the office just so they know.

Stacy stood in front of me, looking mildly amused. “Calm yourself, Jessica.”

I rolled my eyes and pushed past her.

“Sooo…” she said casually when I set my stuff down on my desk.

“So what?”

Her casualness lasted about 3 seconds before she burst out in excitement. “Tell me everything! I can’t believe you left me in the dark about this…really Jessica…and to think that I was your best friend.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked her.

Stacy ignored my question and bombarded me with a million of her own. “How long have you been planning it? Why didn’t you tell me? Who else knows?”

“What are you talking about?” I asked again.

“The kiss!” she said impatiently. “Come on Jessica…don’t leave me hanging!”

I stared at her in bewilderment. “It wasn’t planned. What on earth gave you that idea?”

Stacy thrust a copy of In Fashion. “Read!”

Obeying her, I flipped the magazine open and scanned through the page Stacy had folded. There was a picture of me at the show yesterday and the article was spread across the page, and continuing onto the second one, I assumed.

Dancer in Distress? Not anymore.

Late last night during one of the shows in New York Fashion Week, the up and coming fashion business La Ballerine had its second show after its successful debut last year. Just a few years old, the fashion line proved to be extremely popular throughout the world, and some are calling in the next Chanel.

It was announced earlier this month that the new face for the summer line would be a fresh face in the modelling industry, Jessica Bryans. The La Ballerine show was her chance to prove herself and boy, did she do it.

Commentators were saying all through the night what a fantastic job she was doing, but that was nothing compared to what they said at the end of the night. That’s right, fashion geeks, you know what I’m talking about: the hot steamy kiss Jessica had with the new junior executive.

Sources have confirmed that it was a staged act between the two. The last outfit of the night was called ‘S.O.S’, inspired by the outfits of many damsels in movies when they were in need of their prince. The producers of the show found it appropriate to call the act ‘Dancer in Distress’, and have our little ballerina saved by her prince charming at the last second. Magnificent!

Although, like most of New York, I was also wondering last night – that kiss seemed to be a little too up close and personal. All you tweeters out there were just bugging about the juicy deets of what might really be going on between the dancer and her prince…

I slammed the magazine shut, having read enough.

Stacy looked at me expectantly. “So?”

“What?” I said.

“Now will you admit that it was a set up!” she sighed, leaning against the half-wall of my cubicle.

I rolled my eyes for the second time. “Honestly Stacy! It wasn’t set up.”

Realization dawned on her face. “What so mean…”

“Yes,” I admitted. “I really did fall.”

“And Mr. Marshall…”

“Really did catch me,” I told her.

“And then…”

“We really did kiss.”

Her jaw dropped open.

“You’re catching flies, Stace,” I teased.

“Oh. My. God. Jessica!” Stacy screamed. “Oh. My. God. Oh. My. God. Ohhhhhh. My. God.”

She kept chanting it over and over again. There was a small movement from inside Jake’s office that distracted me. I didn’t expect him to be in so early but now that he was, I might as well go and talk to him.

I looked at Stacy, who was still in a daze. “I’ll be right back,” I told her, and headed for Jake’s door.

Just as I was about to knock, it slammed open and shut and a flustered looking Scarlet bumped into me.

“Hi Scarlet,” I said as pleasantly as I could. Judging from her appearance, Jake probably kicked her to the curb. Some might call me a home wrecker and others might call me a sl-ut, but I don’t really care. Scarlet’s horrible. I mean, what kind of person leaves her husband days at a time?

I tried to justify myself as I stared at her.

“Hello, Jessica,” she spat with contempt in her tone.

“How was your morning?” I asked awkwardly, hoping that she would just move away from the door.

Scarlet glared at me for a second, then her eyes widened. She looked like she was thinking of some hurtful remark to hurl my way. I could almost see the gears turning in her head.

After a few seconds, she looked at me again, but this time her eyes were filled with tears. “Jessica, can I talk to you for a minute?”

I stared at her in surprise. “Well, I was kinda about to speak with Ja—I mean Mr. Marshall. Can you give me a few minutes?”

Or maybe a few hours? Years? Decades? How about we talk never?

Scarlet sniffed and shook her head. “This is really important…please?”

“Uh…fine,” I agreed, after seeing more tears well up in her face. I can’t handle criers.

“Okay, good,” she said a bit harshly. “Can we talk in the Starbucks downstairs? I feel like a frap.”

For a second, I thought there was a hint of a smile in her face and a glint of superior-ness in her eyes, but I shook the thought away.

She just found out her husband was cheating on her…there’s nothing to be happy about, I told myself while following her into the lobby.

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what do you think scarlet's up to? i know it's not something good, that's for sure!

kso, last part didn't get as many votes as i had hoped :(. oh well. so i'm going to lower the goal a bit. i think 150 would be good. i mean, if it doesn't reach that, i'll still upload! but if it does, i'll be really happy knowing that you guys love this story :).

anyways, thanks for all your input about the story ideas! the votes were so close i didn't know which one to pick. literally! the match maker story had 22 votes. the one about the girl and the guy falling for each other had 21 and the spy story had 24. and then the inbetweens were either 4 or 5 and 5 of you said either, or all.

how am i supposed to decide for that? WELL, i'm not. since summer is almos here, and i'm not as busy as i thought i'd be anymore (no life LOL)...i've decided that i'm going to work on all 3 stories together! won't that be fun :).

so now that that has been said, i need another little favour from you guys! i'm horrible at titles for stories. oh look i just broke my pen. for real. anyways LOL. i have a few ideas for titles.

the match maker story - meeting her match, cupid's helper or no one like the match maker

the one about the girl and the guy - oh, it's on. (thats all i have)

the one about the girl spy - my secret identity or can you keep it? (like, i've got a secret, can you keep it kinda thing)

can you guys tell me which ones you prefer? or if you have an idea for a different title, please leave a comment! please please, i'm hopeless without you guys :(

shout out to GabbyJaz for helping me with titles!

that;s basically it. the next little part is me rambling about my job interview that i had today, but you can stop reading if you want now. so yeah, love you guysss and gals :D

KSO, today i had a job interview at harvey's. which is like a burger joint. ironically, i have never tried one of their burgers. anyways, so i went into the interview place, which was kinda part of a restaurant that they were using. there were all these people dressed up formally and i couldn't tell who were the interviewers and who were the interviewees. i felt a bit undressed because all i had were a cut pair of flats, black dress pants and a red plaid shirt. formal but casual, right? i think my interview went pretty good! i had 2, actually, and i had some laughs with both of the guys interviewing me. at the end, they had me fill out this little folder of forms and stuff (i assume i got the job) and then they told me to make sure to put my shirt size in the front of the folder. WHICH I TOTALLY FORGOT. so i freaked out all the way home. then my mom told me i was being ridiculous and that they're not going to not hire me just because i forgot. but still. all i had to do was write an M and i completely forgot. gaaaaaah, but otherwise, it was all good. i really hope i get the job tho :D