@LolaSnowOfficial do u really think it’s okay to encourage people to buy clothes made by Bengali kids getting paid five pence a day? You make fifty million a year, do u really need such a gross brand deal?xo
My jaw tenses. I’m starting to get a sense of where her reputation comes from. “Is this what you do?” I ask. “Ruin other celebrities’ careers?”
She shrugs. “Everyone needs a hobby.”
“That’s shitty,” I say flatly.
She wheels on me. “Is itshitty, Matt? Is it more shitty than hundreds of eight-year-olds being shoved into dirty, damp rooms, sewing two-dollar t-shirts until their fingers bleed and they inevitably die from inhaling fabric fibres? Is mytweetthe shitty part of this equation? Is—ow!”
Her whole body flinches as Michel pricks her with another pin. I look down and see blood spotting her pale skin.
“Watch what you’re doing!” I snap. “Stop fucking hurting her!”
“It was an accident!”
“Once is an accident. Twice means you’re being careless. If youcando your job without turning my client into a human pin-cushion, I suggest you start now.”
There’s an awkward silence. Michel gives a small nod, turning back to his work.
“Mattie. I didn’t know you cared,” Briar murmurs.
“It’s my job to stop you getting hurt,” I mutter.
She doesn’t respond, looking down. Her dark lashes stroke her cheek. A few more minutes pass, and then Michel finally pulls back with a flourish.
“There. Done!” He beams at Briar. “You just wriggle out of that, sweetheart, and we’ll start on your friend’s suit.” He runs his eyes over me assessingly. “I’m thinking blue. You’ll give me a hand with the pinning, won’t you, Briar? I think we’ll need to tailor something from scratch to get around that ass.”
“I’ll help,” she says, refusing to look at me. I swallow thickly. I need this girl’s hands all over my body like I need a hole in the damn head.
“Great,” I grit out. “Thanks so much.”
Nine
X
I don’t like Briar’s new dress.
It’s too glitzy for my taste. Some girls need sparkle and glitter to look good. They hide behind makeup and fancy clothes. But Briar is so naturally beautiful, she doesn’t need any distractions. I prefer her in plain colours. White is my favourite; it makes her blonde hair glow and her skin look all smooth and creamy.
I kneel in the bushes, watching through the window as she twists and turns in front of the mirror. A fly buzzes around my ear, but I don’t dare reach up to bat it away. Any sudden movement might draw attention to me.
I’ve gotten very brave since my first visit to Briar’s house. The night I climbed over her fence and into her bedroom, I didn’t even feel real. It was like I was dreaming, or playing a computer game. I couldn’t believe that I got away with it, but I did, and now, it doesn’t feel like a game anymore. Now I know that I can get close to her.
It was easy enough to follow the paparazzi to the designer’s house. Someone had left the gate to the courtyard open, so I sneaked in and hid in the bushes. I have an excellent view from down here, although I wish I had thought to buy some binoculars to watch closer.
As I watch the window, a big man suddenly steps forward, looking outside. His eyes scan the courtyard, and I curl back into the bush, scowling.
He’s the kind of man I hate. Naturally handsome. He has a perfect jaw and tanned skin and floppy black hair. A man that looks like that can have any girl he wants.
A horrible thought occurs to me. Is he Briar’s new boyfriend? The idea makes me feel sick. And angry. Very, very angry. For a moment, I’m so angry I think about doing something drastic.
Then I realisehowhe’s looking out the window. He’s scanning the courtyard, left-right-left-right. I notice the earpiece in his ear and the insignia on his collar. He’s not a boyfriend; he’s a security guard. That makes me relax a bit, although I’m still nervous that my Briar is spending so much time with such an attractive man.
Briar says something to him, and he steps away from the window. She starts to undress, and he quickly turns around to face the wall.
Definitely not a boyfriend.
I watch, entranced, as Briar strips down. When I see her pale pink bra reflected in the mirror, I start to ache.
