Protecting Her - Alexis Noelle Page 0,9

she thinks my body looks best in. It would feel amazing to make her happy, just once. I am so not in the mood for this anymore.

I look for the photographer and he is standing right in front of Hunter. He starts to snap shots and I pretend I’m looking at him when the entire time my gaze never leaves Hunter’s. He is standing with his arms crossed in front of him as if he is unfazed, but I can tell different. His gaze drags over me, creating a heat that flows through my body, making the temperature of the water unnoticeable. I begin to move as he is watching. To everyone else I’m posing, but for him I’m putting on a show. I want him to want me. I want him to give into the urges that he is fighting.

I turn my back to him, looking over my shoulder and running my hand through my hair. I’m using every move I have and I hope he is as affected as I am. I have no idea why I want him to want me. All he has done since I met him is leave me hanging and make me crazy. There is something about him though, something that he hides. I see it in the way he looks at me when he thinks I’m not paying attention. I felt it today when he helped me past my mother’s harsh words.

Hunter Stone is a mystery that I desperately want to solve.

“Alright, I think we have it!” The photographer calls out and I walk back toward everyone. I’m met with towels and start shivering immediately. I practically run to the trailer needing to warm up and get changed. My mother follows me and I really wish she would just leave me alone. I already know what’s coming.

“Okay, so let’s talk about the shoot.” After every photoshoot, appearance, performance she comes to me to talk about what areas I need to improve on. Last night, she couldn’t be bothered to actually stay to speak to me. I got a text with a list of improvements that need to be completed. I think if she ever gave me a compliment I would go into shock. “Your posture and posing need a lot of work. You need to figure out how to work with your body and hide your flaws until you can improve them. Have you been seeing that trainer?”

“Yes, Mother. Four days a week.” I pull on my shirt and try to push back the tears welling in my eyes.

“Let’s push it up to six days. You obviously need a more rigorous routine. Also, do not think I didn’t see the exchange between you and that boy. I will fire him in an instant if I even think there is something going on between the two of you. I will not have some middle class nobody drag you down. I’m sure he sees your money and fame as a way to get an easy ride. You need to use your head.” Her voice is so monotone, it’s like she is talking to me about the weather. What would she say if she knew he has already been inside me?

I pull up my shorts and slip into my heels. “Understood. I need to get to the meet and greet, then ready for the show tonight.”

I walk out of the trailer with no goodbye, no I love you, purely business as always. I see Hunter over at the lunch station. He is talking to one of the production assistants, and even from this far away, it’s clear that she is interested in him. Who could blame her? Guys like Hunter have this insane magnetism. I shake my head for thinking I could ever have him. He would never be with me and only me when he can have any girl he wants.

Everyone sees me as this confident person. The girl on the magazine cover, the girl who can walk around in barely anything on stage, the girl who doesn’t need anyone. It’s all lies. None of that is me. I’m the girl who hates to look in the mirror sometimes. The one who wants to hug the wall at parties for fear of everyone judging her. The girl who wishes she had someone in her life who cared. Someone who saw her, and not the person she pretends to be.

I walk away, not wanting to bother Hunter. I’ll just wait for him in the car.