go.'
While they waited, Carrie told Angel to brush out
her hair. When Angel said anxiously that she didn't
have any make-up with her, Carrie whipped out
mascara and started layering Angel's lashes, then
dabbed a bit of Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream
on her lips.
'I've never done any modelling before,' Angel
said. 'How will I know what to do?'
'Just do whatever Ryan asks and don't worry,
you'll either have it or you won't.'
Finally Ryan arrived, laden down with photographic
equipment. He was a browner, male
version of Carrie and his teeth were so white they
nearly blinded her. What is it with these people? Angel thought. While Ryan set up his tripod,
Carrie told Angel to take off her sweatshirt and
shorts and stand by the shoreline in her red bikini.
It was a cloudy day and Angel couldn't help
shivering slightly. Finally Ryan was ready and he
started calling out instructions: he wanted her
hand on her hip; he wanted her pouting at the
camera; he wanted her smiling, running her
fingers through her hair; he wanted her to stick
her boobs out more; he wanted her kneeling.
Instead of feeling nervous, Angel found herself
enjoying the experience. But then Carrie came
over to her.
'It's looking great, Angel. What we'd like you to
do now is take your top off and we can shoot some
topless ones.'
This was not what Angel was expecting. Her
apprehension must have shown on her face because
Carrie rushed to reassure her. 'Just a few tasteful
ones, Angel.'
'I'm not sure I feel comfortable doing that,'
Angel replied. It might seem like a small thing to
Carrie but to Angel, who had only just got used to
feeling good about her body, it seemed like a big
leap to take. And she wasn't at all sure she wanted
to take it with Julie watching her every move, a look
on her face like a slapped arse, and with people
strolling past on the promenade.
'Well, of course it's up to you,' Carrie replied.
'But with your looks you'd be crazy not to – you'd
make a perfect glamour model. And didn't you say
that you wanted to save up money for your college
course?'
'I think I need time to think about it,' Angel
answered. 'Could I let you know on Monday?'
Sensing that it really would be pointless to argue
with Angel, Carrie pointed to her business card,
which Angel had left on her towel.
'Make sure you call me. From what I've seen so
far, I think you've definitely got what it takes. You
could do so much better than this, Angel.' Carrie
gestured at Brighton beach as if it was a shantytown.
'Seize the moment.'
'So have you got any message to give to Juan?' Julie
crept over and asked once Carrie and Ryan had
gone.
Angel smiled sweetly at her. 'How about "fuck
you"?'
Julie flushed with anger and marched off. But
Angel couldn't help noticing that it was hard to
flounce off in a huff on a pebbly beach, and she
longed to shout out that Julie's cellulite was
wobbling.
The rest of the day passed in something of a haze.
Instead of brooding over Juan, Angel now had a
whole other world to think about, a world that
seemed to have opened up to her completely out of
the blue. Looking at Carrie's card again, Angel felt a
bubble of excitement about her prospects. She just
needed to get her head round the topless bit. She
wished she could talk it through with her mum and
dad but knew they would freak out at the thought of
her doing any topless modelling, as would Tony.
Gemma was the only one she could talk to and she
wasted no time phoning her and asking her to meet
up after work.
At six she was unlocking her bike and preparing
to cycle to Gemma's when Juan jogged up beside
her.
'Hello, Angel.'
She gave him the briefest of glances and then
looked away coldly. He looked sad and defeated,
not at all his usual joyous self.
'I've got nothing to say to you,' she muttered and
she carried on unlocking her bike, intending to ride
off and ignore him.
'Please, let me talk to you, just for a minute.'
Angel gave a deep sigh. 'Okay, but I haven't got
long.' She pushed
While they waited, Carrie told Angel to brush out
her hair. When Angel said anxiously that she didn't
have any make-up with her, Carrie whipped out
mascara and started layering Angel's lashes, then
dabbed a bit of Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream
on her lips.
'I've never done any modelling before,' Angel
said. 'How will I know what to do?'
'Just do whatever Ryan asks and don't worry,
you'll either have it or you won't.'
Finally Ryan arrived, laden down with photographic
equipment. He was a browner, male
version of Carrie and his teeth were so white they
nearly blinded her. What is it with these people? Angel thought. While Ryan set up his tripod,
Carrie told Angel to take off her sweatshirt and
shorts and stand by the shoreline in her red bikini.
It was a cloudy day and Angel couldn't help
shivering slightly. Finally Ryan was ready and he
started calling out instructions: he wanted her
hand on her hip; he wanted her pouting at the
camera; he wanted her smiling, running her
fingers through her hair; he wanted her to stick
her boobs out more; he wanted her kneeling.
Instead of feeling nervous, Angel found herself
enjoying the experience. But then Carrie came
over to her.
'It's looking great, Angel. What we'd like you to
do now is take your top off and we can shoot some
topless ones.'
This was not what Angel was expecting. Her
apprehension must have shown on her face because
Carrie rushed to reassure her. 'Just a few tasteful
ones, Angel.'
'I'm not sure I feel comfortable doing that,'
Angel replied. It might seem like a small thing to
Carrie but to Angel, who had only just got used to
feeling good about her body, it seemed like a big
leap to take. And she wasn't at all sure she wanted
to take it with Julie watching her every move, a look
on her face like a slapped arse, and with people
strolling past on the promenade.
'Well, of course it's up to you,' Carrie replied.
'But with your looks you'd be crazy not to – you'd
make a perfect glamour model. And didn't you say
that you wanted to save up money for your college
course?'
'I think I need time to think about it,' Angel
answered. 'Could I let you know on Monday?'
Sensing that it really would be pointless to argue
with Angel, Carrie pointed to her business card,
which Angel had left on her towel.
'Make sure you call me. From what I've seen so
far, I think you've definitely got what it takes. You
could do so much better than this, Angel.' Carrie
gestured at Brighton beach as if it was a shantytown.
'Seize the moment.'
'So have you got any message to give to Juan?' Julie
crept over and asked once Carrie and Ryan had
gone.
Angel smiled sweetly at her. 'How about "fuck
you"?'
Julie flushed with anger and marched off. But
Angel couldn't help noticing that it was hard to
flounce off in a huff on a pebbly beach, and she
longed to shout out that Julie's cellulite was
wobbling.
The rest of the day passed in something of a haze.
Instead of brooding over Juan, Angel now had a
whole other world to think about, a world that
seemed to have opened up to her completely out of
the blue. Looking at Carrie's card again, Angel felt a
bubble of excitement about her prospects. She just
needed to get her head round the topless bit. She
wished she could talk it through with her mum and
dad but knew they would freak out at the thought of
her doing any topless modelling, as would Tony.
Gemma was the only one she could talk to and she
wasted no time phoning her and asking her to meet
up after work.
At six she was unlocking her bike and preparing
to cycle to Gemma's when Juan jogged up beside
her.
'Hello, Angel.'
She gave him the briefest of glances and then
looked away coldly. He looked sad and defeated,
not at all his usual joyous self.
'I've got nothing to say to you,' she muttered and
she carried on unlocking her bike, intending to ride
off and ignore him.
'Please, let me talk to you, just for a minute.'
Angel gave a deep sigh. 'Okay, but I haven't got
long.' She pushed
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