“What friend?” Andrea asked.
“Just a friend,” I said and got up.
Dimitri had not invited me to come over. During his visit, he had told me his address, and I decided to surprise him. It was not like I could text him and ask if I could come visit.
“Have fun,” Ned said.
He and Andrea exchanged a pleased smile. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at them. Ned had already forgotten that he had grounded me yesterday. I went back up to my room and opened my closet. I wanted to wear a dress but it was too cold outside. I spent more time choosing an outfit than usual, and then I braided my hair. I checked myself in the mirror before I got my GPS ready and drove to Dimitri’s house.
He lived in Canal Winchester – a thirty-five minute, comfortable drive from Blacklick on the freeway. Although it was not warm, the sun was shining, and it was a beautiful day.
I reached Dimitri’s big, luxurious house. It was painted a cream colour and had neatly trimmed bushes that formed a small hedge. I parked next to the post box, on the side of the road, and went to the front door. It was open, but I knocked anyway.
“Dimitri!” I called.
It was a Sunday morning, and I wondered if he was in church, but someone had to be home because the door was open. I knocked again, and when no one answered, I took a step inside. It felt a bit weird to enter a strange house. I reminded myself that Dimitri and I were friends. He should be pleased to see me. Maybe he was just sleeping late.
“Hello?” I called.
“What are you doing in my house?” a woman with a screechy, French-accented voice yelled from the kitchen.
She resembled Dimitri and was tall, too skinny, with dark brown hair. She was undoubtedly his mother. In her one hand was a bottle of whiskey.
“Hi...” I managed. “The door was open—”
“Get out!” the woman said.
She stumbled around, and I knew she was drunk.
“I am a friend of Dimitri.”
“Dimitri isn’t here anymore!” she cried and advanced like an angry lioness.
There were tears in her eyes, and I felt unwelcome.
“I’ll just go.”
I was out of that house as quickly as possible. The drunken woman slammed the front door closed. I hesitated before I got into my car and returned home. As I drove, I pictured the angry, out-of-control woman. Poor Dimitri… he had to live with her.
When I arrived at my house, I was alone. I did not know where my parents had gone and assumed my sister was out with friends again. I went to my room, where Amore waited for me. The dog jumped up and down from excitement and kissed my feet. Something on my desk caught my eye. Next to the notebook Dimitri had given me was a brochure which read: MODELS WANTED.
I smiled to myself. My mother must think I was prettier than I was if she wanted me to be a model. Who else would have left the modelling brochure there? It must have been her after the conversation we had this morning. I decided to look into it later, although the idea of being the centre of attention did not thrill me. I’d be so uncomfortable if I were surrounded by strangers and their cameras.
I spent the day home alone. I lay on my bed and read peacefully. Nothing strange or out of the ordinary happened.
When my parents returned, they had bought groceries for dinner. Ned cooked chicken, rice, and veggies. Juan was also home earlier than usual. We all sat in the kitchen and talked while Ned was busy.
“Did you have fun with your friend?” Andrea asked.
“He was not home,” I said.
“What friend is this?” Juan asked with a naughty smile.
“You’ve not met him.”
“Him?” Ned asked. “I have not met him either.”
“You don’t like boys, Dad.” I reminded him.
“I don’t like their intentions,” Ned corrected her. “He is welcome to visit as long as the hours are reasonable.”
“All right,” I said, “but don’t scare him away.”
Ned smiled. “I would never.”
“That counts for you, too,” I told my sister.
Juan shrugged unconvincingly. “I won’t.”
I was not planning to introduce Dimitri to my family any time soon. They would swarm him with questions. I did not want to make him uncomfortable, and I did want him to come back.
“Mom, I saw the brochures you left me. I don’t think modelling is my thing.”
“What brochures?”
I frowned. “Did you not leave modelling brochures on my desk?”
“I did not.”
“Don’t look at me,” Juan said. “I did not do it, but I don’t think it is a bad idea either. It will keep you busy.”
“As long as the photo shoots are appropriate, and as long as you wear proper clothes,” Ned added.
I left it there. I was tired from not sleeping well the previous night. I hoped the ghost would leave me in peace so that I would be well rested for school the next day.
“Dinner is ready,” Ned told us.
We ate together, and the food was delicious. I ate more than I had planned, and after dinner I was ready to go sleep. When I checked my watch, I realised it was just past ten. How had it gotten so late so fast?
“You look tired,” Ned pointed out.
“I am,” I said.
“Maybe we need a weekend away,” Andrea suggested.
“That sounds fun,” Juan said.
“I’ll see if I can find a nice weekend destination,” Ned said.
“Please don’t choose one in the middle of nothing again,” I begged.
“We are not going to New York for a weekend,” Ned told me. “The big cities are too expensive.”
I groaned then excused myself and went to my room. I was surprised to find a dark-haired boy sitting on my bed. Amore refused to sit next to him. She stood next to the bed and glared at him, as if he was a threat.
“Dimitri!” I said. “Hi!”
“Hey.” He smiled lazily. “I did not mean to intrude...”
“Nonsense, you are welcome anytime.”
I looked to the window through which he had climbed. He was stealthy and had done an excellent job at not being seen by my parents.
“You are welcome at my house, too,” he said.
“Am I?” I asked. “I went to visit you this morning. I wanted to surprise you, but I ran into your mom instead.”
“Oh no.” Dimitri’s face fell. “What did she say?”
“She said that you weren’t there and that I had to leave.”
Dimitri looked embarrassed. “I’m sorry. My mother has a drinking problem, and she can be very rude. We fight a lot. This morning I felt like it was best if I stayed away from the house for a while.”
“You don’t have to explain,” I said and closed my room door.
I switched on my night light and switched off the main light before I sat down on the bed. I felt like there was too much space between me and Dimitri. Neither of us moved closer to each other.
Dimitri glanced at the brochure on my desk. “You will be a great model.”
I blushed. “I have no intentions of becoming one. I’m not even sure how that brochure got there.”
Dimitri studied it and frowned. There was a photo of several girls, standing next to each other, on the brochure.
“What is it?” I wondered.
He was not looking at the girls in an admiring way. “This girl,” he said, and I leaned over the bed so that I could see better. “She looks familiar.”
I tensed as I saw the tall, thin woman with her blow-dried blond hair. It was the Red-eyed Lady. I clenched my jaw. The woman I watched die had been a model for this agency.
“Are you all right?” Dimitri asked.
“Yeah,” I said. “It’s nothing.”
“You can tell me,” he said.
But I could not tell him. I could not tell anyone without sounding like a crazy person. What if the Red-eyed Lady was the one who left me the brochure? Did she want me
to go to her work?
“Charlotte?” Dimitri said, and I looked at him. “I did not mean to upset you.”
“It’s not your fault,” I said. “I’m just tired.”
“Should I go?”
“No, stay.” I lifted Amore onto the bed and the dog immediately lay down on the far side.
“She hates me,” Dimitri said.
“She will get used to you.” I yawned and kept to my side of the bed. It was chilly so I got under the blanket. To my surprise Dimitri did the same thing. There was a lot of space between us, and Dimitri did not try to touch me. I smiled at him, and he returned it like a favour.
“The flower you drew me is beautiful.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
A knock sounded on the door, and Dimitri immediately pulled the sheets over his head. A person was obviously lying there, and my father would be furious if he found a boy in my bed.
Before I gave permission for the person to enter my room, the door opened.
Luckily, it was Juan. She stuck her head in. “Have you seen my red shirt with the silver beads on?”
“No,” I said.
Juan groaned. She then looked to my side then smiled at me and left the room without saying anything else.
“You can come out,” I said. “She is gone.”
Dimitri peeked as if he was a mouse. I laughed and pulled the sheets away from his face. “Was that your sister?”
“Yeah,” I said. “She won’t tell on us.”
I lay awake for a long time and talked to Dimitri. I was quickly growing fond of him. I hoped he liked me as much as I liked him. I fell asleep, and when I woke for school the next morning he was gone. Although I was tired, I was also happy and ready for the day.
I stuck the brochure in my schoolbag and decided that I would go to the modelling agency. Maybe that would make the Red-eyed Lady leave me alone.
I went downstairs, and Juan greeted me as if I had not had a stranger in my bed. I was happy that my sister did not confront me about it. I did not feel like answering questions anyway. Both of us acted as if it had never happened.
Chapter 11
Charlotte
After school I did not go home like I did every other afternoon. I found the modelling agency on my GPS and drove straight to it, where I paid too much to parallel park right by the street. I got out of my car, unsure what to expect, and went to the building’s door where there was a stern-faced security guard.
I greeted him politely then opened the door and looked around, careful not to miss anything. Judging by the photos displayed on the walls, the women here modelled just about everything. There were fancy dress, runway, and bikini shoots. Fashion modelling was not the only thing they did. They also posed next to cars and houses to make these things seem more attractive. I spotted the Red-eyed Lady on several photos. My eyes were drawn to her every time, and seeing her made me feel sick. My stomach turned with guilt, and I couldn’t help but think back to how I had watched her get murdered and had done nothing.
“Hello, miss, how may I help you?” the receptionist asked. I pushed the memories aside and looked at the receptionist. She sounded friendly, but her smile was tight, and she had plenty of wrinkles on her forehead no doubt from constantly frowning. Her name tag read Rosetta.
“Hi,” I said and fumbled in my school bag until I found the brochure.
Rosetta recognised the brochure immediately. “If you want to be a model, you can’t just walk in here. You should have a portfolio.”
“Actually, I don’t want to be a model,” I said. “I was hoping you could tell me about this woman.” I pointed to the Red-eyed Lady. On this photo her eyes were not bloodshot, like I imaged them to be after being strangled. They were big, beautiful, bright, and full of life.
“I cannot give you any personal details about our models,” Rosetta said.
“Can I speak to them?” Women were chatting in a room somewhere in the back. It sounded like there were plenty of people.
“I’m afraid that will not be possible,” Rosetta said. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“No thanks,” I said.
I turned and went outside, but instead of going back to my car, I headed around to the back of the brick building. I had not come all this way for nothing. My heart was beating a little bit faster because I was doing something I was not allowed to do. Breaking the rules was much more fun with Dimitri by my side.
But this wasn’t about fun. This was about finding information about the Red-eyed Lady. I just wanted to forget her – but she wouldn’t let me. Maybe if I learnt what she wanted me to, she would go away.
There was a metal door at the back. It was cold to the touch and unlocked, so I let myself in. I did not have to go far before I found the changing rooms. Tall, skinny, and beautiful woman were everywhere. I felt incredibly self-conscious and realised I was way too short to become one of them.
“Hi,” I said awkwardly, and several faces turned to me.
All these women had such sharp cheekbones. Some wore makeup, while others were getting their faces painted. All of them had different hairstyles, and one had a towel wrapped around her head. They were dressed casually, and I assumed they would get into their modelling clothes once they were done with their hair and makeup.
There were makeup artists between them who also looked my way, and the difference between the artists and the models was clear. The artists were smaller and did not look like porcelain dolls.
“Are you here to walk on the catwalk for the upcoming fashion show?” one of the artists asked me.
“No. I am looking for this woman.” I showed the nearest model the photo of the Red-eyed Lady.
“Mia Brooks,” she said her name placidly. “Why are you looking for her?”
“She is my cousin,” I lied. “I have not seen her in a while.”
“No one has,” a red-haired model told me.
“She has not shown up for any of her photo shoots lately,” the artist added.
A sceptical blond looked at me. She had a thin, pointy nose, and I had a feeling she was good at sticking it into other people’s business. Her cheeks were as pink as a rose, and her lips were pressed into a thin line. “Do you know who I am?”
“Should I?” I did not recognise this woman. For a moment I wondered if the woman was a celebrity. If she was, should I be embarrassed for not knowing who she was?
“I’m one of Mia’s closest friends. My name is Lizzy. She never mentioned you to me.”
I shrugged. “We aren’t close.”
Lizzy looked down at me as if I was an insect, as if I was a low-life. I held my ground and refused to be intimidated. Just because Lizzy was gorgeous did not mean that she was more important than me.
This room was full of mean girls. I felt like I was in a school cafeteria filled with bullies who did not like to eat.
I asked, “Do you have any idea where Mia could have gone?”
“Maybe she’s out on a shopping spree,” the artist said.
“It’s not like she’s never left unannounced before,” a model with black hair said. “I wouldn’t worry. She will come back as soon as she runs out of money.”
“Or men,” another added, and they laughed, softly like little birds that had taken a bath in a fountain and got caught.
“Men?” I asked.
“We all know she could not keep her legs shut,” the red-haired model said.
“Neither can you, Amy,” Lizzy sneered.
“Don’t act like I’m on her level,” Amy said. “I like classy men that don’t yell at me. I like to be treated like a queen, and I don’t spend my time running after jerks.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if she got knocked up,” the woman with the black hair added. “And she is staying away from work because she wants to keep the pregnancy a secret.”
“She could just get an abortion,” Amy said.
“Mia would never kill a child!” Lizzy said. “She has a good
heart and wants nothing more than a family. It’s not her fault she is a loser magnet.”
“It is!” Amy argued. “She chooses the worst men. I heard she once dated a drug addict.”
“She even told me that,” the woman with black hair said. “And all of us know she’s sleeping with our boss. That’s the only reason she got a raise.”
“She’s not,” Lizzy said. “She has been in a serious relationship for six months now – and not with our boss. All that woman wants is her own family and a lot of love.”
“Oh, she gets a lot of love.” The black-haired woman offered a dirty smile.
“Shut up,” Lizzy said.
“Have you ever met this man?” Amy asked.
“No.” Lizzy’s face had turned red.
I thought that she was nasty, but I still admired her loyalty. Juan was my best friend, and if anyone were to badmouth her, I’d stand up for her. I’d stand up for her in front and behind her back. I wondered how the woman would react if she knew her friend was dead. Obviously, I would not be the one to tell them.
“Then how do you know he is real? Who’s to say she did not make him up?” Amy asked.
“She is not making him up,” Lizzy said sternly. “They are just taking this slow.”
“Maybe he was paying her for it,” the black-haired model suggested.
“You don’t know what you are talking about,” Lizzy said. “She has a good heart and can’t help but fall in love easily.”
“From what she’s told me, she always falls in love with scumbags,” Amy said. “They promise her the world and end up using her and tossing her in the trash.”
“I’ve told her she should grow a thick skin,” Lizzy said, “but she never will. She always looks for the best in people.”
“How long has she been missing?” the woman with the black hair wondered.
“She’s not missing,” a model with long hair said. Her hair was almost as long as mine, but it was silkier and smoother. “She went on vacation with her lover. She told me so herself.”
“Who is he?” Amy asked.
“She wouldn’t say, but she told me it’s getting serious,” the long-haired model said.
“I told you she has a man,” Lizzy sneered at Amy.
I was glad I did not have to say much to keep the conversation going. These women would not stop talking. It felt as if everyone had forgotten about me, but I was accustomed to being invisible.
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