Chapter 7 Birth Of Felisha

"Hey, honey. Why are you home so early?" My mom immediately asked me once I got home.

"Nothing. Just tired and not in the mood for school."

"Are you alright?" She asked me worriedly.

I nodded. "Nothing like a good bed rest can't fix." I gave her a small smile and let her place the back of her palm on my forehead.

She tsked. "I'll take that excuse for today, but you better not be doing that regularly, okay? You have to keep your grades up for college."

I smiled. "Of course. Can't wait for college after all." And be done with this drama. "I'm going to my room, okay?" I said as I kissed her on the cheek before heading up.

"Oh wait."

I stopped walking and turned to her. "Yes, mom?"

"Um...It's not really that important, but we have a photoshoot for today. I was just thinking if you would mind modeling a few clothes for us? Don't worry. The same rules apply. Minimal face appearance." The look on my mom’s face whenever she would ask me to model her clothes was like a spell. You can never say no to her. And I know that whenever I model her clothes, it always makes her happy. I gave her a full smile and nodded.

"Sure. I'll be there. Just be sure to wake me up so I won't oversleep."

My mom then clapped her hands in excitement. "Oh yes, I will! Thank you! I'm sure you will love this!!"

I chuckled at her squeals and headed to my room. Once I got there, I didn't even bother to change out of my uniform as I laid down on my bed.

It was already 4:30 PM and we are in the studio for the photoshoot. I was in the makeup room and things were pretty hectic around here. Staffs would go running around with clothes in their hands and shouting at one another. Apparently, I was going to shoot with a bunch of famous people again. 

I don't know who they are but they seem pretty big judging by how the staffs are working hard to clean things up and transferring them to another room where the 'guests' are probably getting ready.

"Okay, Hailey. Sit here and I will do your make-up." I looked up and grinned at the lady who spoke. It was Kaila, my makeup artist. She's about 24 years old. Whenever I come here for my photoshoot, she was always the one who took care of me.  We have become very close through the years of her working for my mom that she knows my secret. 

My cool girl reputation of Waynard High. 

I followed her and sat at the chair that she pulled out for me. "So.....what is the fuzz all about?" I asked her and gestured towards the staffs.

She followed my hand and let out a laugh. "Just some well-known people coming here today to join you in your photoshoot. I have to say that your mom overdid herself this time by calling them here." She said and called an assistant due to my hair.

"Who are they?"

She got a brush and started to put a foundation on my face. "Hmmm......I could tell you, but I was given strict orders from your mom not to say anything. She wanted you to see them for yourself."

I rolled my eyes and was scolded by Kaila. "Don't roll your eyes. Can't you see I'm trying to make you look pretty?"

I laughed at her. "Well okay then. But can you at least give me some clue?"

"Hmmmmm......" She started to put powder on my face. "They're pretty cute." Then she started to put blush on my face. "And they're just about your age."

"Most of the celebrities that I shoot with are about my age and cute."

She tilted my head to the side and started to contour my cheekbones. "True."

"Any other clue?"

"Honey I'm afraid that if I’ll give you more then I might tell them who they are." She then started to draw on my eyebrow and gave instructions to the girl that she wanted my hair to be loosely curled.

"But-"

"Oh shush. You don't want me to ruin your makeup now, do we?"

"Fine." In the end, I gave up on asking who the mysterious celebrities are and just let Kaila do her magic on my face. 

My makeup really didn't take a while though because Kaila works really fast. And you can rest assure that her works are still professional looking: perfect brows, defines cheek, pinky lips, and natural smokey eyes look with winged liner and full lashes. So after half an hour, I was already ready.

I was wearing black leggings, a pink sheer off-shoulder shirt polo shirt with a black tie, dark brown leader boots, a comic design backpack, and a hat. And judging by the style I'm going with, I can conclude that we are pretty much going with the back-to-school theme here.

The door suddenly opened and my mom's head poked in. "You ready, sweetie?"

Taking one final look at myself in the mirror, I grabbed my backpack(empty) and headed out. "Mom, you did a great job in your new collection." I beamed at her. Liking how comfortable yet fashionable the clothes are.

"Mmmhmm." She nodded and reached out to loosen my tie. "Better."

I couldn't help but laugh at her. She's always the perfectionist. "So, mom. Who am I gonna work with?"

As soon as I asked the question, her eyes sparkled with excitement. "You're going to love them. See for yourself!!" She beamed at me as she motioned for me to turn around. Curious about who these people are, I turned.

Oh.Freaking.No

WHY ARE THEY HERE!?!

Standing a few meters from me are The Pandorgriffs and, obviously, wearing my mom’s collections. They were laughing with the staffs and taking pictures with them. Sometimes giving them autographs. But now knowing who they really are, I was seeing the student councils instead of The Pandorgriffs.

I have to get out of here. They can't know that I'm modeling now that Xander kind of guessed my cool girl mask. Seeing me here modeling will only prove what he already knows and I don't want them to have something that they can use against me.

I quickly turned 180 degrees and back to face my mom. Maybe if I could feign having diarrhea or playing dead, she might actually let me go home.

"I - uh - pshh!" And now I was just making cow noises from my nervousness.

My mom must have thought of this as my excitement because she squealed. "Isn't it amazing!?! The Pandorgriffs are here!!! It took me a while to get them to accept my offer because I know how much you love them!!" 

Suddenly, guilt washed over me. My mom did this for me?

I pursed my lips and balled my hands into fists. Oh great! Just great! Now I can't back down. If I do then that would make me an ungrateful daughter! 

Great. Can things get worst than this!?

"Hey there, Mrs. Collins. We are so grateful to be here." I heard a sweet feminine voice behind me. And I'm pretty sure that I don’t have to look back to know that it was Sandy/Sophie who spoke and that the rest of the crew are with her. On instinct, I unzipped my empty backpack and place it on top of my head.

"Actually, I should be the one who should be thankful for you guys coming here." Said, my mom. "Oh! And I would like you to meet-"

"Felisha Hughes!!" I cut my mom off before she could introduce me as her daughter. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I'm not proud to call her my mom but if she says that I am her daughter.....then they would realize that I am Hailey. With my backpack still on top of my head, I waved at them and made eye contact with my mom telling her that to play along. 

"Uhhhh......hey, Miss Hughes." I could hear Sophie’s weirded-out voice behind me. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you wearing a backpack on your head?"

"Erm...good question!" I said in a lively tone. "It's because I really look horrible right now and I don't want you guys to see me."

"Now we don't think that's true." Said Sophie. "You’re a model after all."

Damn it girl!! Just shut up!!

"True, but...right now I look really REALLY horrible because.....because......I need to go to the toilet!"

I didn't even finish my sentence as I hurriedly went into my dressing room and closed the door behind me.

What do I do? WHAT DO I DO!?!?! 

Play dead....no. They would still see my face at the funeral. 

I have to do something!! 

There was a knock on the door and I tensed and looked at it in horror. Could it be? Did they follow me? I was biting my nails in nervousness until I heard the voice behind the door.

"Hailey, it's me." Kaila spoke in a hushed tone as if she knows that something was wrong. I went to the door and opened it, letting Kaila walk in before locking the door once again. I leaned onto it as I sighed, knowing that Kaila would probably ask me why I was hiding.

"Okay, I don't know what the heck happened, but would you like to explain to me why you did what you did? And why are you so scared of The Pandorgriffs, Miss Felisha Hughes?"

I blushed at the stupidity of that name. It was a last-minute impromptu name and I have no idea where I got it. I smiled sheepishly at Kaila. "Well....you see.....it's a long story. But the summary is that they know the cool-girl version of me and I'm afraid that if they found out about my modeling then rumors would spread to school." 

“High school.” She sighed. "Alright, but how did they know you? And what about them spreading rumors to your school? Do they go there?"

Oh crap. Forgot about that. If I tell her then she’ll know about their secret as well.

"Just...I don't want to talk about it but-" I looked at Kaila and begged her with my eyes. "Please don't let them see me like this. They just can't." 

"But what about your photoshoot? I don't want to make you feel guilty but your mom was really excited about this."

I bit my lips as guilt started to crawl in and I looked down. "I know but..." I trailed off and knotted my hand into my hair. "Damn it I'm so confused, Kaila. I don't know what to do. I don't want to disappoint my mom and I don't want them to see me either! Gah!!"

Might as well throw The Pandorgriff/The student council on a cliff to get this over with.

Kaila was studying my face as she rubbed her chin. I know for a fact that she was thinking. Then she started to grin. "Well then, Miss Felisha Hughes, I say you get your butt out of there and continue with your photoshoot."

I gave her an 'are you crazy?' look and started to open my mouth just to deliver the message to her. 

She stopped me by showing me her palm. "Excuse me, but I'm talking to Felisha Hughes and not Hailey May Collins."

"I don't follow you."

She rolled her eyes at me."Gosh. Do I have to spell everything out for you??"

As embarrassing and as stupid as I look, I nodded at her. 

I heard her mutter 'idiot' before she turned around and headed for the wig closet and brought out a pink wig with her. "I say that a new supermodel named Felisha Hughes is about to be born."