Sunday, 2 July 2023

The Youngest Barksdale - Part 8

 

Ten months earlier

When I told Mom about the classes she asked me to investigate the Principal as well as participate in them. I couldn’t ignore her request. I knew by then that there’s something up with Ms. Li. I did hear about what happened with Val. Back on topic.

 

 

Upon arriving at school, Quinn met her friends. She hadn’t yet told them about her mother’s suspicions about Ms. Li. She wasn’t sure that she would trust them to help. But with the previous night’s talk, she considered telling at least Stacy. She was sure that Sandi wouldn’t be helpful in that manner, given that it seemed that Sandi didn’t like the fact that she was trying to assert herself within the Fashion Club.

 

“Quinn!” Stacy called.

 

“Coming, Stacy,” Quinn said as she came over.

 

“So, Quinn, you think you going to get in?” Sandi asked.

 

“Yes!” Quinn said. She knew Sandi was just out for herself. She turned to Stacy. “Before the class I want to talk to you about something.”

 

“What?” Stacy asked.

 

“Not in front of Sandi,” Quinn whispered.

 

“Sure.”

 

“What was that?” Sandi asked.

 

“You don’t need to know.”

 

 

As the Modelling class was later in the day, Stacy was able to take Quinn aside during lunch. “What was that earlier? Sandi has been glaring at me in some of the classes.”

 

“It’s about Ms. Li.”

 

“What about her?”

 

“Don’t you think it’s unusual for a High School to have Modelling agents visit?” Quinn asked.

 

“You’re right,” Stacy realised.

 

“And my Mom says that she has anecdotal evidence of other sketchy dealings.”

 

Quinn had already said that her mother was a lawyer. Many times. “That she can’t prove?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“So, she wants you to use the classes to dig up dirt, as it were?”

 

Quinn nodded.

 

“Like, why does she want bulletproof skylights anyway?”

 

“No idea.”

 

 

“All right, ladies, your worst enemy is at the end of the catwalk. The one who stole your boyfriend. She has fallen and broken her leg. Your job is to tell her, without words, that you've come to watch them cut it off.”

 

‘Perfect motivation, there,’ Quinn thought as Sandi and Stacy walked out. She then followed them, after a plump girl.

 

“Ah, Quinn, that is excellent. You appear truly to be savoring another's misfortune,” Romonica praised.

 

“Thanks,” she responded with a glare.

 

“Now, girls, you're little kittens in an animal shelter. You have to look sad and helpless so someone will adopt you, or else it's kitty heaven.”

 

“That’s so sad,” Quinn commented.

 

“I get the idea that he's been there,” Stacy added.

 

“It’s certainly an interesting example,” Quinn considered.

 

 

The sessions started off well. Then…

 

Quinn saw Brittany crying in the audience as she came out on the stage. ‘Sorry Brittany,’ she thought, with a glance in Romonica’s direction.

 

“Girls, your runway work is truly superb. Now, let's try a little ensemble posing. Might we have some male volunteers from the audience?” Romonica asked.

 

She saw Joey, Jeffy and the other one come running onto the stage.

 

“Very good,” Romonica said. “Any more?”

 

Claude then called Kevin up on stage, and things went down hill from there.

 

 

She then had the boys strip off their shirts and for the girls to rub their chests. I made an excuse to run to the bathroom. It was then that Ms. Li called it off. I don’t know how Kevin was briefly employed by them.

 

 

Present

Daria was shocked at what her niece had revealed. She said so. “Again, nothing directly against the Principal, just the Modelling Agency.”

 

“You’re right,” Quinn said. “They viewed us as something Vending, rather than who we are.”

 

“Vendible,” Daria corrected. “But you’re right.”

 

“I realised that later,” Quinn added.

 

“That’s Good, Quinn, but I’ll have to find something else to use.”

 

“True. In any case, I have some things to work on.”

 

“Trying to get through a game?” Daria asked as she turned to the bedroom door.

 

“Not just that,” Quinn said with a slight giggle

 

“Of course not,” Daria said in a lighter tone.

 

No comments:

Post a Comment