I am not appreciated.”
“You’re totally appreciated, Kevin.” I laughed. “So let me see, how many models do we have today?”
“I don’t know. Everyone’s running late. Everything’s behind. We’re probably going to be here until midnight again,” he sighed. “And I have a date.”
“Oh. With who?”
“Just some guy that I met online.” He shrugged. “He looked like a total ten, but I have a feeling there was a lot of Photoshop in his pictures. So most probably a five if I’m lucky.”
“And you’re still going to date him?”
“Hello. Beggars can’t be choosers.” He laughed. “But looks like I might not even get that date anyway.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry, girl. Your love life is even more pitiful than mine. Have you gone on any dates since you’ve been in the city?”
“No. You know I haven’t had time to meet any guys. And if I did meet a nice guy, where would I take him? My roommate is a complete and utter bitch. And I told you the living situation, right?”
“Yeah. She told you it was a two-bedroom, but it was actually a studio with a divider.” He laughed again. “Welcome to Manhattan.”
“I mean, how is that even legal?”
“I’m sure if you were to report her to, I don’t know who, the apartment police,” he grinned, “maybe something would happen. But you still live there, right?”
“Yeah, because I can’t afford to pay for anything better,” I sighed. “Oh my gosh, my life sucks. But at least she’s not always home.”
“Yeah, girl. You’re lucky she’s not like one of those losers that sits home watching TV all night, every night, and never leaves. That would be absolutely awful.”
“Um, you know you just described me?”
“I know.” He winked. “Now, come on. Tell me how your audition went the other day.”
Kevin knew that even though I was working at a fashion designer’s studio and doing photography, my real love was acting. I’d never, ever thought that I would ever really have a chance to be an actress. But now that I was in New York City and Broadway was right here, I knew I had to try, even though I had the most hectic work schedule and I didn’t know how anything would work out if I got a role in an actual show.
And there was the little matter of my visa. I didn’t know if I were to quit my job if the show would actually sponsor me. I mean, I was a pretty good photographer and I loved it, but this wasn’t my passion, at least not anymore. I’d always thought it would be. But since being here in New York working this job with all these bratty models, I realized that I didn’t love it as much as I thought I would.
“So, Molly?”
“Yes, Kevin?”
“You need to spill the tea on that dishy guy you were talking to the other night.”
“Huh? What are you talking about? What dishy guy? And what other night?”
“I know you didn’t see me because I didn’t come over.” He put his hand up. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to blank you, but I was kind of on a date, and I didn’t want to be rude.”
“Um, what are you talking about?”
“At the club the other night. I saw you with your roommate, Victoria, and some other redhead that looked like she was some sort of prostitute.”
“Oh, that was her best friend, Hannah. And she’s a model too.”
“No, girlfriend. Victoria is a model, yes. Hannah, mm-mm, no, she’s not, not with that figure.”
“Oh, my gosh, Kevin. We are trying to preach body positivity here!”
“What? I can’t be real? We’re friends.”
“I know.” I shook my head and sighed. “But yeah, she’s a model. I don’t know what she models, but she’s really good friends with Victoria.”
“Well, okay. Anyway, I saw you with two hot guys.”
“Huh? Oh, you mean that one guy that Victoria was speaking to? I don’t even know him. It was just some random guy that she met at the bar. I left right after that.”
“Oh, man. I would have blown him in five seconds.”
“Kevin!”
“What? It’s true. He was gorgeous, girl. You didn’t see that?”
“I wasn’t paying attention.”
“And this is why you’re single. If you see a gorgeous guy, you have to flirt with him.”
“Um, didn’t you see that Victoria was with him first?”
“Girlfriend, bitches don’t be playing. You want a man? You take the man.”
“Um, okay. That’s not quite how we do it in England.”
“Well, how do you do it in England?”
“If your friend is with a