Fendi, Ferragamo and Fangs

 

Chapter 1

I plopped down in first class and sighed sweetly. I could stretch my legs all the way out. I’d been six one since the sixth grade and no seats ever worked for me. I pulled out my Hipster Chick magazine and started to thumb through.

“Sydney Turner?” One of the flight attendants interrupted.

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry to bother you, but I have to ask. That’s you right? The model search contest winner?” She pointed to the magazine with my picture and several other winners emblazed on the cover.

“Yeah. One of them anyway,” I smiled, a bit embarrassed to be recognized on the plane.

“So, were you really discovered waiting in line with your friend? You had no intention of entering the contest yourself?”

“Yeah, Katy should be here, not me.” I shook my head in wonder.

“Was she mad when they picked you instead of her?”

That was a tougher question to answer. At first Katy?d been shocked, but when she realized I had no intention of going with the photographer and getting my picture taken she rallied. Katy went from disappointed entrant to manager of my modeling career in the span of three minutes.

“She was surprising cool about it. Very insistent that I go to New York for the summer.”

She’d actually browbeaten and threatened me within an inch of my life to accept the prize. Three months in New York City modeling for Vamp Models, Inc. It took appealing to my practical side to finally give in. She thought I might earn enough money to cover at least a year of college.

The attendant patted my shoulder in a congratulatory sort of way. “Good for you. Friends like that are hard to find. Be sure to find her something nice while you’re in the city. Maybe you can convince a designer to give you a free purse or something for your friend?” She suggested with a wink.

“Yeah, Katy gave me a list. She wants anything from Fendi and Ferragamo and I am not to return to Seattle without Lindsey Lohan?s autograph.”

We shared a laugh over Katy’s wish list and she brought me a soda as well as a movie player. It was pretty slick and time passed quickly.

It was only a six hour flight from Seattle to NYC and I was the first to disembark with my heavy carry-on. The flight crew wished me luck and asked me to sign the issue of HC magazine. I felt weird, but they made such a fuss I couldn?t say no.

Dad had promised to meet me in the terminal. It seemed weird that my dad was here for the summer, too, but it was probably the only way my mom would let me come. He was working at the headquarters of a new corporate law firm and then going sent back to Seattle to open a satellite office. This new firm was very respectable and only the top lawyers were considered.

I wondered how this ‘respectable firm’ felt about a man chucking out his first wife and marrying a woman half his age.

I found him easily enough, as he was tall like me. I got Mom’s delicate features and big eyes but Dad’s lanky build. Not sure where the lack of curves fit into the picture. Hardly seemed fair to give me size twelve feet and skimp on boobs.

My smile of greeting froze on my face when I saw Brittani waiting with Dad, looking delighted-to-be-preggers in her designer maternity-ware. Brittani was so physically fit, she looked like she had a soccer ball taped to her stomach. Not an ounce of excess fat anywhere. It was creepy.

“Well, don’t you look…?” Brittani trailed off as she sought the right phrase, her lips pursed in disapproval. Dad’s mouth tightened as well. Jackpot! Double whammy and I’d only just stepped off the plane. So glad I took the time to henna tattoo my stomach to draw attention to my new belly button ring.

“I miss your long hair,” my father finally said, pointedly ignoring its blue color, my tattooed tummy and military cargo pants tucked into biker boots.

“It’s good to see you too, Dad,” I replied sarcastically.

He ignored the razor edge to my voice and started to walk toward baggage claim. Brittani fell in step with him and I followed behind.

Dad addressed me from over his shoulder. “I promised your mother I would ensure you conduct yourself like a proper young lady while doing this contest thing.” His lips compressed into a tight line again.

Hey bonus, Dad hated the idea of me modeling for the summer. Right on.

“Really?” I asked skeptically, “Mom was concerned I would embarrass the family first time away from home?”

“I think what your father is trying to say is New York can be very seductive especially for a young girl so easily led astray.”

“So easily led astray?” I parroted back. Witch!

She nodded enthusiastically, as though I was agreeing with her. It took all my will power not to say, “You mean like sleeping with a married guy and breaking up his family?” Although Dad still insisted he didn’t start dating Brittani until after he and mom split up. I suppose I’d be required to act surprised when the baby, or the Usurper as I referred to it, arrived ‘early’ as well.

But that kind of comment would guaranteed a scene in the middle of the airport and I hardly wanted my first meeting with Vamp Model Inc’s. liaison, Marlena Stuart, to consist of a screaming match in public with my dad. Although I couldn’t resist by commenting, “I’m just here to earn money for school.”

“Well, just don’t let me find you inside the pages of Playboy the minute you turn eighteen,” my father said stiffly.

“Why Daddy!” I declared in mock horror, “You shouldn’t be looking at Playboy.”

We walked the rest of the way to baggage claim in silence. I couldn’t believe he thought I?d bare it all the minute I turned eighteen. I’d never done anything the least bit unsuitable until he dumped his family and started a new one.

“Sydney darling!” A woman in her late twenties waved from across the baggage terminal. Behind her stood a small group of camera-wearing men and women. We made our way toward them and the area blazed with flashes, causing everyone in the immediate vicinity to look our way and speculate who we were.

The chic blonde who called me stepped forward and embraced me. Not with a fake hug like I gave Brittani, but a hug that seemed to say she was genuinely thrilled I had arrived.

“I am Marlena, dear. So wonderful to meet you at last.”

She immediately shook my father’s hand and said, “And there is no doubting who this handsome man is. Sydney had to get her fabulous looks from somewhere. Charmed to meet you.”

I watched in awe as my father practically stuttered his greeting and actually blushed. Marlena Stuart was the coolest. Dad introduced Brittani.

“I’m sure you feel blessed with having such a talented step-daughter. Your child will grow up to idolize Sydney, of course. As will half the teens in America.”

Scratch that, Marlena was now my biggest hero. The look on Brittani’s face when she said her kid would idolize me was priceless.

“Everyone, everyone.” Marlena clapped her hands together to get the presses attention. “This is the new face of fashion. Behold Miss Sydney Turner. Get used to this face, people. You’re going to be seeing a lot of it.”