Mike

After tweeting a little snippet of my day to the fans, I eventually put my phone aside and did an odd skin cleansing technique involving concord grapes. I have never heard of it before until Ashlyn brought it up, and I didn't see too much harm in trying it out.

At first I thought she was joking around with me, but when I used the death confessional glare that my father uses on me sometimes she didn't budge or sweat it out. That could only mean she was telling the truth.

Either that or I did it wrong. Ashlyn could have been a good liar, but from looking at her I could tell that she wasn't. 

It was all about the eyes and by looking through them, one could tell if they were a good liar or not.

Ashlyn's eyes were too weak and transparent. It would be easy to see if she was lying because she would freak out and drop all of it to confess. So far she didn't say a thing, so it could only mean that she was telling the truth.

The grape juice clung to my skin like slime from a snail and started to dry out on my skin, turning into a rubbery elastic layer from the heat. It was so tempting to wash all of it off with the bucket of water Dane brought me, but it hasn't been an hour yet.

I scrunched my face together as I curiously tugged at the layer of grapes and felt it slowly peel off like a second layer of skin. This was so fucking gross. I can't believe I went ahead and did this.

"Okay!" Dane shouted from across the patio "It's been an hour!"

"Thank God." I muttered as I desperately crawled for the bucket and blindly threw my hands into it, "It's been hours."

The smashed up grapes felt like bubbling melting tar in this kind of heat, so it felt amazing and refreshing when I splashed the cool water onto my face. It momentarily cooled me off and the hour of torture almost seemed worth it.

There better be stunning results or Ashlyn will be in huge trouble.

If I could I would call off the pact, but I can't do that. My dad expects me to carry her around everywhere since she was my 'girlfriend'. 

I just had to play the part until the end of this break and dump her publicly in school and embarrass her. That is all I want. Is that too much too much to ask for?

Once I was able to wash off the disgusting goo off my face, my eyes nearly jumped out of their sockets when I saw that my skin was stained and covered with a light indigo hue in random splotches. What the hell was this?

It had to come off. Skin treatments don't dye your skin so after a little scrubbing I should be fine.

At first, I cupped some water from the bucket and gently scrubbed it for a good five minutes, but when I noticed that it wasn't coming off I began to grow more anxious.

Splashing more water on it, I dug my nails into my skin and frantically scratched at it until it turned red and raw. For a few seconds, it was a deep cherry red and the indigo appeared to have disappeared, but a few seconds later my skin would die down to it's normal color and reveal the nasty indigo undertone.

This can't be happening to me right now. I had a photo shoot with Teen Luxur tomorrow in New York. 

If I looked like this when I walked into their office, I would be a laughing stock and this embarrassing moment will be all over the news and media. I would never be able to live this off.

I continued scratching at my leg, but then I stopped when I looked at my left arm and saw that it was even worse then my legs. It was a deeper purple pigment and there were less splotches, making me look like a purple avatar.

The horror came to me when I realized that I put the muck on my face as well. I was so tempted to pull out my phone and see what I had looked like, but it would be better if I didn't.

"Why the fuck is this not washing off?" I yelled and frustratingly poured more water onto my leg and kept scratching at it like I was trying to tear all my skin off. 

Ashlyn raced to my side, poured more water on my leg, and scratched at it as well, except her nails were sharper and hurt like hell. "I don't know!" She shrieked "Maybe your not scratching hard enough. Come on Mike, scratch harder."

Her nails dug deeper into my skin, and I could swear that she had peeled back all the layers of my skin and started making her way to my bone.

"Ow! Holy shit!" I snapped as I tried swatting her hands away from my leg "That hurts! Stop!"

She reminded me of one of one of those fan girls that never lets go of you when you accidentally bump into them, but Ashlyn was a weird evil one that wouldn't stop at anything to kill me. I wanted her to get the hell away from me, but I couldn't because if my dad found out I was lying he would kill me.

Either way, I'm dead meat.

She pulled back for a few seconds, but immediately resumed her torture and continued clawing at my legs. "See!" She smiled as she stood back a little ways to admire her work "You just had to scratch hard enough. A few spots are gone- oh no. They're back."

I glared at her and pushed her off. What stupid magazine did she read? Whoever they were I am going to have to sue them for turning me into this monstrosity. Because of them, I was turned into a blueberry.

No amount of makeup that the make up artists can apply at the modeling studio would be able to cover all of this up.

Look at me, I was a disaster. I had purple blue splotches running up my legs that were randomly cut off by a straight line below my knees because of my pants. I couldn't bear to imagine what my face would have looked like.

What the hell was I supposed to do about tomorrow and how could I get this stuff off me?

This photo shoot and interview was supposed to be the best press I would ever get in about a month. I needed it really bad, and I couldn't afford to screw it up but I probably did because model agencies don't like grapes as their models.

My life could be over because of this, and I will be a source of mockery for the internet. My whole life was based on my career and once it's gone I will be to.

I might as well end it all. 

Ironically kicking the bucket in the literal sense not the metaphorical, I watched it fly off the patio and see the water spew out in every direction and land in the vineyard. I couldn't believe that this was really happening to me right now.

"Mike," Dane started when he came up to me "I don't know how to tell you this, but you got pranked."

What? 

My head nearly popped off my neck because of all the anger was steaming up into my head. How could my own brother do this to me? Right now, I felt like Caesar being back stabbed by his one and only friend.

Dane knew how much this photo shoot meant to me. It was the epitome and glowing summit of my whole entire career. Now it was all ruined.

I could almost fall down on my knees to cry, but I didn't. "Are you serious? Why the fuck did you guys do this for?"

Ashlyn nervously stepped back and crinkled her eyebrows in concern, for my well-being or her own safety I don't know, but she looked troubled. "Mike, it's fine. It's going to last a day or two."

"A day or two?" I yelled at them, not holding anything back and releasing all the rage and frustration that I have contained from day one of meeting Ashlyn "I have a photo shoot in New York tomorrow! Dane, I thought you knew about this."

His face fell and utter surprise crossed his wide open eyes while his eyebrows hopped up to his hair line. 

"Holy crap, I forgot. I am so sorry Mike. What are you going to do!"

Ashlyn looked more guilty then ever, her small face slowly transitioning into a paler complexion then she already was- making her green eyes look like small unripe green grapes. 

Oh god this was pathetic. My whole career will end on grapes. Grapes!

Snatching my phone off the ground, I angrily marched towards the car and passed them. I had enough of these two. "I have no fucking idea. Let's get back home, so I can scrub this all off. Your clothes will have to wait, Ashlyn."

Before I slid into the passenger's seat of Dane's car, I took a glimpse of watching my brother pull a sympothy pat on Mike's shoulder.

Although they thought I could hear them because I was too far away, I could hear them crystal clear. If I was in a better in a better mood, I would laugh at their madness and utter stupidity but I couldn't even crack a smile.

All I could do was frown and imagine my fingers wrap behind the fragile and skinny necks.

Dane moved in closer to her and put up a pity smile. "Don't worry, you can go with me later today to get some clothes for romorrow and tonight. You must be dying to get out of those sweats."

She laughed and grinned up at him. "You have no idea."

Those two were hitting it off so well they could be a freaking couple if they wanted to. For the first time in my life, I would die to be in Dane's position right now. He had it so easy and dad didn't have high expectations for him.

Dane could do whatever he wants and he didn't have to worry about his image. I envy him in so many ways, but he was such a happy dinky person he gets everyone on his side and against me.

Those two were probably thinking of themselves as victims from the 'oh so terrible Mike', but they have it all wrong. I have to suffer and work behind the scenes and juggle thirty balls at once to save my butt from my father.

I had to time everything right and build one small lie after another. Hopefully, it will stop after this week and I can get out of this mess without a scratch.

Never will I ever lie again if it leads to this much trouble, I swear to it.

Laughter echoed across the parking lot and my face shriveled up in disgust in reply to it. Happy people annoy the fuck out of me. They have bright smiles like everything around them is some sort of fairy tell and they treat the wherever they go like a red carpet where they can brag about their easy lives.

I hate it all- the smiles, laughter, and giggles. I'm the Grinch that works twenty four seven all year, and if someone has a problem with it they have to deal with it.

"Will you two shut up and come over here! I have to get all this stuff off!"

Usually if Dane was by himself he would immediately run to the car with out question and follow my orders. Now that he was with Ashlyn, I could see both preform a sarcastic eye roll and up their nonchalant stroll to a snail's pace.

Damn it, I hate people. Why did they have to be so annoying for?

After what had seemed like two hours, the two lovebirds climbed into the car and continued blabbering non-stop about a bunch of other random little things that they both liked. 

I thought Dane had a thing for Jacquelyn but it sure doesn't look that way now with now. It appears that Dane booted Jacquelyn off and replaced her with Ashlyn. I never seen him smile, laugh, or talk this much to another girl before.

It's just my luck that the girl that I am supposed to be so in love with is flirting with my brother. How could this day get any worse?

As soon as we got home, Dane dropped me off so I could do whatever I could do to take the purple stains off while he went shopping for clothes with Ashlyn. 

By the time they got home it was midnight, which was the same time I got out of the shower. I spent at least three hours in there with little success. All I was able to manage was toning my face down from a raging indigo to a light barely noticeable blue and extending the large uneven un-dyed splotches on my leg and arms.

I ran across them in the living room watching a movie on Netflix and only dared to greet them with a curt hello and some sarcastic responses to how they treated me today.

There was no regret in me for breaking my part of the pact for not letting Ashlyn come with me to New York until my dad came down and proposed the idea, which I had no choice to accept.

Because of that, I barely managed to catch a wink of sleep. This girl was following me everywhere like a bad reputation, and it seemed like fate wouldn't allow us to be away from each other for more than a minute.

Apparently Ashlyn didn't get enough sleep either because she had a Psych television marathon with Dane.

So when early morning came, we both nodded of in the car on the way to the airport and found the right airplane terminal on time thanks to my bodyguard Gardner, who had to keep an eye on us like we were five year old kids.

Both of us were so sleepy and delirious, we wandered off in the wrong direction a few times to find a chair to sit in or some quiet place to take a nap in. 

One time we lost Ashlyn for a good fifteen minutes until we found her at one of the fountains near the food court curled up in a ball. 

Thank god there weren't so many people or paparazzi in the airport at four in the morning because someone might have accused our sleep deprivation as us being high or drunk. It wasn't like any one could have recognized me anyway.

I had a baseball cap on- backwards of course because who the hell wears it the correct way any more- and aviators, which was the classic dress code for a celebrity going undercover with a twist of my own.

Ashlyn didn't need any of that because who the fuck would know her?

There wasn't much going on during the plane ride to New York. I was strangely in a happier mood compared to the mood I was in last night, possibly because I finally decided to take all my prescribed medications and pills- with the exception of one- before I sleep.

Since both of us had an average of twenty minutes of sleep last night, we fell asleep during the six hour flight.

As usual my bodyguard Gardner sat next to me and kept an eye out for everything. It took me a while to get used to having a personal bodyguard around everywhere, but I eventually accepted it. This was all part of the normal procedure.

The only thing different was that the seat next to me wasn't open. Ashlyn was sitting in it, noisily grinding her teeth every now and then.

What she could use was a good set of mouth guards and what I could use was a five star brand of ear plugs.

Once we arrived to the Gotham- the nickname I call New York City because that's where many scenes of Gotham have primarily been filmed at- we wove our way through the waves of people, jammed streets, and the frenzy of blinking lights in the sea of yellow taxis. 

It seemed to take us forever, but the moment we arrived I hopped out of the car and made sure Ashlyn was behind me by grabbing her hand and leading her to the main building.

I wouldn't mind 'accidentally' loosing Ashlyn in these huge crowds and coming back looking devastated saying that there was nothing that I could do, but knowing a little bit about Ashlyn I knew that wasn't the right idea. 

She wouldn't care how long it took her. She would walk all the way over to California by foot from New York if she had to and kill me.

Once we got inside the building Teen Luxur was in, I followed the simple routine- walk into the office to check in, say my greetings with a wide grin, and stroll right into the makeup room.

Thankfully, Ashlyn wasn't being dumb like she was before and let common sense drive her to do things without having me babying her the whole time.

All she did was shyly follow behind me and gawk at the huge cameras, interesting sets, and the constant flow of the scurrying of people rushing on and off the sets. It was entertaining to see her so amused.

This whole thing wasn't a big deal. It was just a casual photo shoot with an interview on the side.

This was nothing compared to a movie or t.v set, although it did look a little more glamorous here with all the fancy clothes on racks swiftly being shuffled away into different places. I guess this wasn't as exciting for me because I have seen this way too many times to the point I got used to it.

I turned around and saw Ashlyn's eyes wander and curiously flit to everything in the room, gaze at it, and make a giddy smile like a little kid in Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. Every time something close by skimmed past her like a clothes rack, her eyes would glimmer as she watched it go by and glow with something that you don't see often around here- happiness.

Everyone is so busy getting things done and doing the best they could to create the perfect shot, they don't take time to admire the hectic beauty out of it.

A little smile managed to creep up my face as I watched Ashlyn get ridiculously happy over the smallest things. For a second, she had me look back on my life and appreciated all the moments that not a lot of people get to experience.

For a moment, I was genuinely happy until I was able to take a step back and see that there wasn't really nothing that I could try to earn and look forward to. It was all here for me, even if I liked it or not.

All the glamorous and bright things that everyone wants was already with me, and I got used to it. There was no more excitement in things and no more happiness to enjoy it because I did all of it way too many times.

There had to be something more to life but there wasn't. I did it all.

"Mike Nor, would you please come here?" A makeup artist called out from a room and motioned her hand towards me.

Flashing her a quick smile to let her know that I heard her, I walked towards the room and made sure that Ashlyn was still behind me, which she still was.

I haven't noticed how quiet and shy Ashlyn was until now. She hasn't said a word since we arrived at New York and when she was at my father's house I forgot that she was there.

As soon as I took a seat in the makeup room and stared at my reflection being embodied by the typical electric bulbs outlining the mirror frame, two woman rushed up to both sides of me and quickly dabbed a light layer of powder on my face.

This procedure usually takes me a while- now a little more than usual since my skin was sill colored from yesterday's prank- so I let my mind wander off to go over future plans until I heard a snicker emanate from behind me.

I moved my head slightly over to the left, so I wouldn't distract the make up artists and saw that the person who was laughing at me was Ashlyn, who was making her self at home on the black worn out couches in the back.

She must have been feeling comfortable to talk now, but I can't understand what she was laughing at.

"What are you laughing about?" I snapped. 

My eye twitched as the prickly end of the brush swept beneath my eye, flicking a plume of powder into my eye. A sharp sting flared across the surface of my eye, and I squeezed my eye shut and helplessly let my eyeball burn in flames.

I had to resist the urge to rub my eye and get the powder out of my eye, but I couldn't. The number one rule to follow when make up artists are putting touch up make up on you is to touch your face unless they tell you to.

Otherwise, they will find some way to stab your eye with one of the make up utensils and prick you with their sharpest brushes. 

I learned the hard way three months ago. It hurt like hell, and I won't take the risk to try it again 

One of the makeup artists muffled a quick apology, but it didn't sound like they meaned it. I bet they did it on purpose.

Ashlyn laughed again and she made a contented sigh. I don't know what she found amusing, but I'm glad that someone was happy in here.

"So immature," I commented as I got off the stool and walked out the room, "all celebrities get a little bit of makeup done before a photo shoot."

She smirked at me, and I could tell that she was trying to see if she could see the blue through the powder by scanning my face and inching a little bit closer to me. "Sure, whatever you want to believe mister."

What was she trying to say by that? 

"Hey!" I defended as I pushed her away. "It's true." 

Ashlyn laughed again and rolled her eyes, taking a few steps away from me to look at a few outfits that were by the make up room. I couldn't see what she was gawking at. It was just a bunch of white thin linen shirts, maroon sweaters, sleek black business suits, and an assort of other things.

It was like she hasn't seen clothes before, these type of clothes that is. Judging my what she was wearing today, she hasn't. All she had on was a normal pink tee that she probably got from Walmart saying 'Bite Me' and long white wash jeans.

I chuckled and a sneer edged up my face as I walked over to her and gently put my hand on her chin to close her mouth "Open your mouth any bigger and you might catch all the moths in this place and do them a big favor, darling."

Ashlyn's mouth tightened into a angry frown, and I saw her hand slightly twitch and come up to hit me.

"Damn! Alright, I was just kidding." My eyes widened in shock, and I threw my arms up to protect myself.

She crossed her arms and gave me the stink eye. "You better be."

I can't understand why she had to be so fucking tense. Can she not take a joke?

Once I was able to put a safe distance between her and me, I looked around me and realized that I was utterly confused. A director of some sort was supposed to greet me ten minutes ago, but I didn't see any one around.

In the middle of this huge floor, I was alone standing and waiting awkwardly for some one to tell me what to do next. 

One would think that a big organization like this would have all these tiny variables sorted out, but there is a leak in their system- a huge one.

"I am so sorry Mr. Nor!" A woman shrieked as she came running towards me on the highest heels I have ever laid eyes upon "There was a miscommunication. A representative was supposed to greet you at the door, and we didn't expect to see you this early!"

I was always early to these occasions and it was part of my reputation. Everyone should know that.

Putting up another completely fake smile, I shook my head and waved it off. "It's alright. I always come early."

No, it wasn't alright but voicing out my opinions wasn't going to get me famous, but giving people what they want to hear would.

She extended her hand towards me so I could shake it. "I am the manager here, Mrs. Haak. It's a pleasure meeting you. You are one of the most brilliant young people we have in our generation. It is a true honor to have you here. Again, I would like to apologize for the inconveniences."

Wow. She totally went overboard with the flattery, but I'm not complaining. It was nice to hear.

Mrs. Haak glanced over at Ashlyn with a weary eye and clucked her tongue.

"Mr. Nor," she asked in a softer and quieter voice "who is this girl that you have brought with you? Guests are not allowed unless they are close family. Even if they are close family, you got fill out a form and explain your reason. If for a good reason, they can stay; however, if she is just a close friend I'm afraid she might have to wait downstairs in the lobby."

I followed the woman's bright red talons and found her covertly pointing to Ashlyn. 

Holy crap, I completely forgot about this. What was I supposed to say? If I let Ashlyn go down and wait for me in the lobby, she could get lost somehow in the crowds.

The lobby might as well have been outside because there were so many people in there it was just like walking around in the streets. It would take me forever to find her and we would probably never get out of New York together.

Ashlyn had the random spontaneity to crash my car who knows what she would do when she was on her own.

There had to be a way to keep Ashlyn up here with me.

I swallowed hard before I continued. "She's very special me and almost family. She tends to wander around a lot, and I am afraid I might lose her."

Mrs. Haak sighed apologetically. "I am very sorry. She would have to be your wife if she was to stay up here. Rules are rules, Mike. As much as I like you, I can not bend them for you."

Don't tell me that I had to tell the manager of Teen Luxur that Ashlyn was my planned to be fiancé or wife. No one would believe me that a sixteen year old had his heart set on the 'girl of his dreams' at this point of time.

It was worth a shot.

Looking around making sure that no one else would hear and spread the gossip, I flicked my finger towards me to signal her to come closer to me so I could whisper in her ear.

"Oh, alright." I started "I didn't want anyone to know about this till later on but she is my fiancé- erm my future one to be exact. It's very important that she stays up here with me. Please, I don't want anyone to know about this."

I was going out on a limb here to trust this woman. Although she was the manager of a company that feeds off of gossip, she's the manager and supposed to have some liability that I could depend upon.

The instant my words came out of my mouth, her face lip up with excitement and she put her hands on my shoulders and pushed me back. 

"Congratulations, Mr. Nor! This is very exciting news." She smiled wildly and revealed her blinding white teeth, which made an uneven and distracting contrast with her blood red lips "Of course she can stay up here! I will have everything arranged for you two!"

The circus that I was running here had one problem come after the but thankfully I dodged all the bullets.

The only bullet that I really had to dodge was not letting Ashlyn know that my father intended to marry us in the near future. 

"That's good news to hear." I smiled.

Her big flamboyant hair bobbed as she made a quick dippy nod and waved me over to her. "The man in the green vest, Tod, will lead you to your photo shoot. I think that it may be a good idea to have your fiancé in a few of your shoots. How does that sound?"

I could swear that I choked on my saliva and had my eyes bulge so far out of my head it was sticking out like those party toys that looked like frogs. When you squeezed their eyes, they would pop out jingle around.

There were so many ways that I could say no, but all the years of me saying yes to everyone although I wanted to say no caught up to me.

Instinctively, I nodded. "Yeah. Sure, no problem."

"Great! If you could make your way over to Tod that will be great." She chirped as she made her way towards Ashlyn's direction "You have one nice girl. She will look great in the pictures."

I wanted to bend over and tear the skin off my forehead or bang my ahead against the wall a multiple of times. What the hell did I just do? This whole photo shoot was supposed to be about me and no one else.

She probably didn't know how to pose. That crazy girl would ruin everything for me- not that she has already.

Ashlyn was far from a 'nice' girl. 

She was probably the scariest- she better not find out that I said that- craziest, and angriest girl that I have ever met. Her outward appearance was far from looking nice. 

The girl always dressed in sweats and had her hair up in crazy directions like she got struck by lightening. She never cares about her appearance and it doesn't seem that she needs to because it wouldn't improve anything.

Whatever. Ashlyn was only going to ruin a few pictures. It probably won't look horrific if I was the center angle and she was some random backdrop like a gargoyle.

This was highly unprofessional as well. I couldn't believe that they would let me take pictures with my supposed and future fiancé. They never do this stuff. 

What did they have up their sleeves?

Once I dressed into the suit that they handed me, I walked onto the white backdrop and did my thing. I faked the best smile that I could and threw my hands behind my shoulders looking relaxed.

The flashing lights flared in my face, the heat lights above me hovered above my skin, and the sounds of the camera clicking and loading made a continuous rhythmic beat that I moved along to. 

I could almost clear my mind and let go of all my problems and forget about everything. Right now, it was just me and the camera, the white back drop, and the black camera lens.

So far, the photographer didn't say a word about my shoot so I assumed everything was okay.

Raising my hand signaling for us to stop, the man around his late twenties poked his head up from his camera and squinted at me, probably cause he was peering into his camera for a little too long. 

"Do you think we could do something else besides the suit? I know it's supposed to represent the heavy, sucessful business lineage in my family, but I want to do something of my own. I'm not feeling it with this suit." I asked. 

The man scratched his head, and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I'll ask."

The photographer turned around and muttered a few words to the director, but the director hopped off his chair and walked in my direction.

"We would have to reorganize everything, Mr. Nor. We could get you another suit, but we can't go too far out of context."

A good portion of the director's face was covered by his sunglasses, but I could tell he was bored and I couldn't blame him. I was bored as well. We had to make the pictures entertaining, but professional. That was the theme my manger, unfortunantly my father, wanted to do.

"I understand. The thing is I need to get it out the the public that I'm fun and not strictly professional in suits like my father is known to be, though I can be professional at times." I explained to the best of my ability, hoping that he could see the point. "It's like I have an inner kid. The public raves about that stuff."

"Huh." The director mused, rubbing his stubbly goatee in deep though. "I could see what your getting at. We could try that. Did you have anything in mind?"

I shrugged. "I don't know." Damn, I was hoping he had some ideas.

At any moment now, Ashlyn would be coming around that corner to invade my shots. I had to get one good picture of myself before she screwed it all up.

"The only thing that comes to mind that will be easist for the most of us is to create a backdrop that looks closest to the set of Blood Run, have you look a little like your character Obidiah, and still being your suit acting natural. It's like giving everyone a glimpse of who you really are- a diverse and talented person, and a young professional businessman."

I thought about it for a second and smiled. "It's perfect."

With the clap of his hand, the director called his assistents to him, told them the plan, and let me take a break while they set everything up with their already existing props.

While everything seemed to be going well, I spotted Mrs. Haak a few feet away and immediatley groaned. Everthing was finally looking perfect for me. Why did she have to come now?

"Come out from the corner, darling! Don't be shy you look beautiful." Mrs. Haak giggled. "Oh, Tod, we have a slight arrangement to this whole schedule."

Like it was top secret or something, Mrs. Haak whispered things into Tod's ear, and he nooded his head in agreement. "Can I at least see her?" He asked after a while, clearly pondering the whole thing about Ashlyn joining me. 

Hopefully once he sees the wreck Ashlyn is, he would say no. And from the looks of it, Ashlyn doesn't seem compliant with Mrs. Haak's idea either, was who tugging on Ashlyn to stop hiding from the corner of the wall with all her might.

Silently, I chuckled to myself. Mrs. Haak would have to try a lot harder than that to get Ashlyn to move because Ashlyn was one hell of a strong girl.

"It's alright dear! Come out! You look fine!"

There was a grumble. "I haven't had this much make up on my face since last Halloween! I haven't posed in photos before."

"Oh please, dear." Mrs. Haak chuckled "You didn't need that much makeup to begin with. You have a lot of natural beauty. I took one look at you, and I could see an unopened talent burning in your eyes. Besides, if it doesn't work out we won't put it in the magazine."

I squinted my eyes to see behind the shadows and the scarecrow Mrs. Haak. All I could see was perfectly brown coiled ringlets and the edges of a light blue peplum dress. It was a shame that I knew what dress the girl was wearing but that was what I get for being heavily involved in the modeling world.

When I got a better look, I was at a loss for words.

She looked so beautiful, and I couldn't even recognize the sweat-wearing, messy bun girl that was hiding beneath it. I hated to admit it, but if she tried she would look pretty hot. 

Mrs. Haak smiled and backed quietly away, leaving some room for the two of us. 

"Ashlyn?" I questioned as I took a closer look at her. "Is that you?"

When she widened her eyes I could see how olive green they were and how soft and unique her features were. She was stunning, until I remembered that she crashed my car and tricked me into being purple.

Ashlyn bashfully bowed her head and sighed. "Yeah. I feel like a clown. I don't look good in professional attire."

I scoffed and looked her up and down. "Are you kidding? You look hot."

She smiled lightly but then frowned with a tint of mischevious badger lingering on her lips- showing me that she was half serious and half joking. "Oh, so now that I look hot I'm okay to talk to."

Where the hell did she get that idea? She just looked more pleasant to talk to- okay I can see where she is going but it is different than that. I like talking to a pretty girl, and I don't see the harm in doing that.

When we got on the set after they finished our set, which was fairly quick, I tried being nice to her but instead she slapped me, which the directors went crazy over because they thought we staged it but of course it wasn't staged.

It's Ashlyn what else would you expect?

Then we did a lot of other things like holding each other or what not. They said pretend that she was my co-star on the show- Jenny.

It ended up that she did have a knack for modeling and seemed pretty comfortable in front of the camera. The directors were wild over her and they loved her, which I will admitt had me being a little jealous.

After the gruesome hour was done, I stepped off the spotlight and didn't realize how hot it was. I was burning up in my suit and was dying to unbotton my shirt all the way.

People were not paying attention to me anymore since they were fully absorbed with Ashlyn, so I couldn't see why I shouldn't. As long as I had abs, everything would be okay.

Collapsing in the chair that they have provided me, I sighed and unbottoned my shirt and layed back, soaking in the cool breeze of air washing over me from the air vent. The gusts of air felt so good I could almost take a nap.

Once Ashlyn was finally done talking to the producers, who were constantly praising her like a tribe in the Amazon seeing an expolorer for the first time, she had a huge stupid smile spread across her lips.

I couldn't stand how stupid and ditzy she looked at the moment. Just because she was praised for doing semi-good modeling on her first try doesn't mean she could look so stupidly happy.

"What's your problem?" I snapped.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, smiling- knowing fully well that I was jealous. "I should ask you that question. Why do you ask grape man?"

I scowled and slouched further in my seat. I couldn't believe that she tricked me into falling for her pitiful prank that she conspired with Dane. Although she was able to trick me once, she will not be able to do it again.

After all, the phrase goes 'Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me'.

"You didn't need to remind me." I scowled "I'm not grape man I am more like Batman, for your information."

She bent over laughing and couldn't contain herself. "And why are you like Batman?" Ashlyn taunted.

"Well," I began as I threw myself back into my seat- doing my best to ignore her and look as cool and collected as possible. "I have a lot of money like him and in my own and different way New York a.k.a Gotham needs me."

It's amazing how the more she keeps talking and arguing the less attractive she gets. She is one of those girls that looks a whole lot better with her mouth closed.

Ashlyn scoffed. "I think they would do a lot better off with out you. You just provide pictures and useless information."

"I create gossip that people bond over." I snapped as I glared at her. "I help the community like Batman, but in my own unique way."

It was ridiculous how I kept comparing myself to Batman, but once I let the stupid little analogy slip out of my mouth I had to go with it. If I gave up, it would give her the impression that she had won. Although the fight may be small, I will not have her think she won it.

Women are like little kids. Once they win a small fight they think they can win all of them.

I looked over at Ashlyn and I could see her pout her lips and scowl at everything that went by. The last time I had seen her she was so happy. Now she was a brewing a storm with her witch cauldron.

"Damn Ashlyn," I hissed "how many times have I told you how to smile? We have to sell the idea that we're a couple."

Ashlyn immediately plastered a fake smile onto her lips, but she snapped her head in my direction. "Give me fries and a hamburger and I'll be the happiest person in the world." She angrily muttered.

I scoffed and smirked when I looked over at her. "Fatty."

She gasped as her pink lips fell open into the perfect 'o'.

Ashlyn shrieked when she was able to gather her senses. "Excuse you! Look who's talking!" Sitting close enough to me, she pressed her hands onto my chest and made an effort to push me over. 

The only thing she managed to do was push my chair a few inches backwards, but that was about it. I laughed at her futile attempts to push me over, and smirked when she tried again to throw herself at me from her chair and knock me over.

Although this chick was nuttier than peanut butter and I disliked her as much as she disliked me, we had to make peace some way or another.

We wouldn't be able to survive a week with each other if it was going to be like this. 

"Let's just start over." I sighed as I stared straight ahead, clearing my throat before I turned towards her and extended my hand so she could shake it. "My name is Mike Nor and I'm famous. Who are you?'

Ashlyn nearly jumped out of her chair in shock, like she had seen a jumpscare. So I was a little to quick with my introductions and smiled like I was going to kill her but it shouldn't have been that scary.

"What the heck are you doing?" She shreiked, putting as much distance between me as she could be squeezing herself to the other side of her chair.

I rolled my eyes, keeping my hand extended out towards her waiting like a looser for her to shake it. "Starting over like we just met each other or something. What does it look like? It's your turn!"

She bit her lip for a second and looked at me, trying to decide if she should go with it and trust me. "What the heck." She sighed as she flipped a long brown curl from her face and shook my head. "My name is Ashlyn Demoir and-"

There was somethin awkward about the whole thing. She was faking a smile, I was faking a smile, and I had to shake her hand like it was a dead fish. 

When I grabbed onto her hand firmly so we could to a handshake the correct way, I let go and soon found out why she didn't want to shake hands. Her palms were slipper and the second I tried to wrap my fingers around her hand it started slipping.

Holy crap, I didn't know a person could sweat that much. That was so disgusting. Her hands were sweatier than my Aunt's armpits. 

Why the hell didn't she wipe them off before she tried shaking my hands? I feel that I have to boil them in hot water and sanitize it to get all the germs off.

"Damn!" I exclaimed as I pulled my hands back and wiped them on my shirt, "Why the hell do you have to be so sweaty for? That's disgusting!"

She angrily crossed her arms and slammed her back against the black fold out chair.

"It was you butterfingers. Get your facts straight and clear up your mind. You also need a new set of vocabulary not vulgarity."

Wow. She can blow a fuse, but I am pretty sure it was her that was being the butterfingers.

Ashlyn threw her hands in the air and tossed her head from side to side mimicking and mocking me. "Damn this, damn that, damn everything. Can you stop cussing? It's like the only thing you could say. This is the very reason why we can't get along."

I looked at her from the corner of my eye, seeing her looking straight ahead like I was. "I couldn't agree with you more."

Awkward silence was the only thing resting between us, and all the noises in the room couldn't block it out. I felt like I had to say something to fix all of this up, but she was the one that blew up on me when I tried to make things right.

This was going to be a long day.

Sure, I commented on how sweaty her hands were, but she should have wiped them off before she shook hands with me. I couldn't control how sweaty she was.

What was I supposed to do, shake her hands and let all her germs and grease slather all over me?

A sigh echoed from my left and through the corner of my eye I could see Ashlyn reluctantly turn around and faced me, wiping off her hands before she held her hand out for a handshake. "Hi, my name is Ashlyn Demoir. I'm a hot tempered, crazy, unfashionable lunatic."

This time I was the one that nearly hopped out of my seat. 

I understood the whole introduction 'hi my name is' part, but she lost me when she got to the last part.

Was this some weird way of her apologizing? 

Nevertheless, I couldn't help but feel a smile inch up the corner of my face as I shook her hand. Maybe things weren't so hopeless after all.

"My name is Mike Nor and I am-" I was about to go with the original line that I had went with before and say some synonym to 'famous', but I stopped before I continued "I am a stuck up vulgar jerk."

She grinned and let out a small chuckle, making me grin as well.

"It's nice to meet you." Her green eyes flickered micheviously in the lights above us and when she looked at me again she gave me a lopsided smile, which I instinctively returned.

I couldn't describe what happened, but it was almost as if everything clicked into place in that small milisecond of a moment. It was confusing too because I didn't know what clicked and what was supposed to make sense, but I felt good for once.

As much as this crazy nut job annoyed the hell out of me, I felt comfortable around her.

What the hell was I talking about? If I felt anymore comfortable around her, she would crash my other new car that was on it's way and burn down my house.

Whatever. I didn't know what was happening here, but I liked it.

"Mike," a woman in a tight suit smiled as she walked up to me, "I'm Marissa Eady, your interviewer today. I understand that I am twenty minutes early, but I am running on a tight schedule. So if you have time right now and could follow me to a quieter place, it would be much appreciated."

I cleared my throat and shook my my attention from Ashlyn. "Yeah," I smiled as I looked up at the woman to give her a good first impression "it's fine."

Letting the interviewer walk a little ways in front of me, I groaned as I got up from my chair, straightened my jacket, and buttoned up my shirt.

"Well if you will excuse me Ashlyn, I got some business to do." I smirked as held my chin up high and straightened my tie. "Gotham needs me."

Ashlyn snorted and shook her head. "Whatever helps you sleep at night grape man." 

I stopped and tilted my head, nodding to myself as I stretched out my lips- niether in a smile or a frown. Dying to come up with a comeback, I opened my mouth to say something but soon closed it.

It would be better to say nothing at all than to say something stupid. With that, I smiled at her and rolled my eyes- feeling good about myself and whatever Ashlyn and I had here. Unlike a lot of my friends, she wasn't afraid to talk back.

For some reason, I was looking forward to this week. 

It will be different.

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A/N: These chapters just keep getting longer and longer 0.0

You know guys... you need to stop me if it gets too long xD

Keeping it short, THANK YOU SO MUCH! I can't believe that this story has got almost 3,000 reads and 200 votes :0!!! Keep it up guys! And comment! Let me know what you guys think!

So whatchya' guys think of that little Mike and Ashlyn thing eh ;) JK. The question is what you think of Dane and Ashlyn! xD

Alright, kisses to you all and thank you for reading!!! LOVE YOU! xoxo mwah! Flame on!

((The picture was what was on Ashlyn's shirt xD ))