“What do you think?”my mom asked him.I stood there, feeling out of place while they hardly acknowledged my presence, yet he continued to scrutinize me.
“Sure, we can give it a try,” he replied, and my mom’s face lit up with excitement.
“Fantastic!I'll set everything up, but you'll need to bring the entire collection here for the photo shoot,” she continued, engrossed in conversation with Stefan.I felt uncertain about whether I should stay or leave.
“Why can't we do this in Rome?”he queried.
“Oh, you know how I prefer my lighting setup, and I want Andrea here; I think he'll be taking the photos,” she explained, and he nodded in reluctant agreement, knowing it was futile to argue with her.
“Are we heading home soon?”I asked my mom.
“Yes, shortly.But first, let's try on a dress to ensure it fits,” she said, tugging on my arm.
“What dress?”I asked, struggling to keep up with her.
“Oh, Luna!We've decided to have you as the new face for Georgia’s collection.So far, she was, but they're looking for something fresh and younger.”She sounded thrilled, as if this was a monumental opportunity.
“You decided?No one asked for my opinion,” I retorted.She pulled me aside and said, “This is a massive opportunity—not just for you to be featured on the website and in the magazine, but for me as well.Business has been slow, and I need to make a change.Plus, Andrea mentioned you were up for a photo shoot, so why not do it in style?”Her argument was convincing, but I saw a chance to negotiate.
“I'll do it, but…” I paused, noticing her expression turn serious.“You have to let me see Jessica.I want to go to her house and spend at least one sleepover there before school ends.”I was resolute in my bargaining.
“I can't do that,” she said.
“Fine, no problem.Then I'm not interested.Thank you for the offer,” I replied, turning as if to leave.
“Wait,” she called out.“Okay, just this once, and I'll call Jessica’s parents.But you need to try on that dress now.”She relented.
“Deal,” I said, suppressing a smile.We headed toward the rack of dresses.
“Try this one,” she suggested, pointing to a particular piece.
“Where can I change?”I inquired.
“You can change right here,” she replied, then realized she was speaking to her daughter and not a model who would undress anywhere.“Actually, go to my office.Let me help you,” she added, grabbing the dress.
All the doors and walls were glass, making everything visible.Initially, I regretted agreeing to this, but I reminded myself of the stakes and began to undress.My mom stood in front of me, holding the dress and partially shielding me.
“You'll need to buy nude panties and a strapless nude bra for the shoot,” she noted, clearly not considering the mismatched pink panties and white and green bra I was wearing.I nodded in agreement.
The dress fit perfectly; I thought it might be too small, but it wasn't.It had a unique shape—sleeveless with a puffy skirt adorned with bronze and gold flowers.It was definitely not an everyday dress.
I stepped out, Stefan clapped, and Georgia nodded in approval.Andrea stroked his chin with a smirk, asking me to turn around.Although the look would require wearing heels rather than my sneakers, those were mere details.
I walked around, and I caught sight of the watch, finding myself drawn to it repeatedly, my stomach tightening with each glance.
I found that some things I once loved had faded away as I grew up, while others I didn't enjoy at all became my passions.I had never been particularly fond of photography, yet I hadn't realized that as I grew older, my disinterest would only deepen.
It was a Friday morning, and I had just finished a history test that I felt went surprisingly well.Now, I found myself in art lab, skillfully sneaking out.With students constantly moving around the classroom and the door left ajar, it was easier than I expected.
I dashed downstairs to the usual secluded bathroom and knocked three times.The door swung open, and a hand pulled me inside, quickly locking it behind us.
“I missed you so much,” Zane whispered, planting soft kisses on my neck, cheek, and lips.
“I missed you too.This is tougher than I anticipated,” I confessed.
“Well, we don't have many choices.If your parents found out…” he replied, his eyes reflecting the weight of the situation.We both understood that this had to be our reality until the end of school.
Back in Florence, we surrendered to our feelings, kissing as if the world would end tomorrow.The connection between us was undeniable, and we couldn't bring ourselves to resist it.We agreed to keep our relationship a secret until graduation, after which everything would change.
