Page 70 of Last First Date

WAVERLY

This was a Cinderella moment. Things like this did not happen to girls like me. I never aspired to be a model. Sure, I used to think about the women that walked the red carpet at various awards shows. They were always so beautiful and glamourous. I knew they all had glam squads to make them that pretty. I never imagined I would find myself in one of the chairs getting beautified.

When I first showed up for the runway show, I was terrified. Knox had warned me about some of the antics models pulled on each other. I assumed being the new girl, they would give me a hard time, especially since I didn’t look like them. To my surprise, it was nothing like that.

They were all nice and I found myself accepted into their sisterhood.

They walked me through the routine, gave me pointers on how to strut down the runway, and even helped me into my outfits. Their welcoming attitude took a load off my shoulders, making everything feel a bit less daunting.

I became part of their world. Now, as I sat in the chair with a makeup artist applying mascara, I felt like I was a part of the glamorous lifestyle that Knox belonged to.

“I’m not sure I can wear those heels,” I said to one of the women, Laura. “Not in front of people.”

The director had been in and out of the dressing room checking on things.

“Don’t worry about it,” Laura said. “We’ll bring in someone to show you how to do the walk.”

“And what if I trip?” I asked.

Laura just laughed. “Honey, it’s not a question of if, it’s when. We’ve all tripped. Even the best of us,” she said, gesturing to herself. “The trick is in how you recover from it.”

Recovering from a fall didn’t seem as glamorous as the rest of this journey but it was a reality I had to accept.

“Everyone goes through the catwalk training,” another girl said.

While they all continued getting their hair and makeup done, I was led out to the runway where people were busy arranging chairs and setting up the lighting.

“Watch me,” the coach said. “The idea is to exude confidence. You walk like you mean it. You walk like you are the queen of this world and no one else matters. Remember, you’re not here to blend in with the crowd. You’re here to stand out.”

With a flourish of her hand, she started down the runway, her back straight and eyes fixed on an unseen horizon. She moved with an elegance that I could only dream of emulating, her heels clicking against the floor rhythmically. She made it look so easy, so natural. When she reached the end of the runway, she turned around and walked back. “Now you try.”

I took a deep breath and stepped to the subtle X on the runway. It was the starting point. I was glad I was getting the practice now before tonight when all those chairs would be filled with people looking at me. I could feel my nerves mounting as I pushed my fear aside and took my first step forward, mimicking the coach’s movements.

Each click of my heels echoed around me, amplifying my anxiety. I tried to keep my focus straight ahead, to exude the confidence she’d spoken about. But it wasn’t easy. I felt like an imposter.

When I reached the end of the runway, I paused, unsure of how to turn back as gracefully as my coach. But then I remembered Laura’s words. The trick was not in avoiding the fall but how you recovered from it. So, I took the turn and hoped for the best.

“Shoulders back, Waverly. Look straight ahead. The runway is wide and there is nothing in front of you. Just walk. Own it.”

I almost laughed but stopped myself because I was afraid I would lose my balance. Ignoring the tremors of fear in my legs, I took a deep breath and began my return walk.

A few of the other models had come out to do their practice walks. I could feel their scrutiny. It was all I could do not to wince under their gaze.

When I reached the starting point, I let out a shaky breath that I hadn’t realized I had been holding in. “How was that?” I asked my coach.

Her faint smile was all the answer I needed. “Again,” she said. “Laura, you’ll start behind her when I say.”

Panic gripped me. Now, I wasn’t alone on the runway. I looked at Laura and grimaced. “If you see me teetering, get out of the way. I don’t want to take you down with me.”

She giggled softly. “You’ll be fine.”

I started the walk again, and this time I felt a little better about things. After thirty minutes, we all went back to the room to finish getting ready for the runway show.

I got a look at myself while I waited to put on my outfit for the show. I didn’t even look like me. I did but not the plain me. The person I saw in the mirror looked confident and beautiful. I slipped into the lingerie I had been assigned. When I stepped out, I was set upon by another team of people. They pulled and tucked and dusted my skin with a shimmering gold powder. More hairspray and velvet red lingerie clung to my curves. I was happy to see I wasn’t the only larger girl. There were all sizes of women. That made me feel a little better.

I glanced around and took in the chaos happening backstage. There had to be a hundred people running around to try and make everyone look just perfect. I had not seen Knox since that morning. I knew he was going to be in the crowd. That gave me some comfort, but I was also a little worried about him seeing me. I hoped I didn’t fall on my ass in front of him.

The thumping bass of the runway music vibrated through the backstage area. My nerves were ridiculous. Knox told me to make sure I ate and drank throughout the day to avoid being lightheaded. I tried to remember to do it, but I was so nervous.