Raw Deal (Beauty for Ashes: Book One)

by Dayo Benson

  “Yes. I made enough for two.”

  “Okay.”

  I waited in the living room.

  “Do you have a girlfriend?” I asked when he brought the food and joined me on the couch.

  “No.”

  “Why not? All this is wasted on me. You need someone who’ll appreciate it.”

  “I’m too much of a player to have just one girl.”

  The fact that he’d just admitted that was scary. I picked up my plate of noodles. They smelled divine.

  “I’ll be back in a minute,” Dan said. He left the room and returned holding a DVD. “I bought you a movie.”

  “I thought you only cooked and watched movies on Friday nights.”

  “I know, but no one’s in tonight, so why not?” He put the DVD on and returned to the couch.

  “These noodles are amazing.” I grinned, “You’re sweet in your own way. You definitely need a girl.”

  “Well, you know I told you I don’t go out because I had alcohol poisoning?”

  “Yeah?”

  “That’s only one reason. The other reason is that I’ve played too many girls, and I don’t want to run into one girl that I’m seeing while I’m with another.”

  I looked at him in disgust. “We’ve been here under two weeks, and you already have a string of girls?”

  “Yeah,” Dan said, as if it were perfectly normal. He touched my hair.

  “At least you’re honest.” I swiped my hair out of his fingers.

  “If I was with you, I’d stick to just you.”

  I focused on the TV screen. The boy was twisted.

  “I’m for real, Lexi. You’re really hot. I wouldn’t need anyone else—”

  “Shh, the movie is starting.”

  Chapter 40

  It was Friday morning, seven-thirty to be precise, and someone was calling me. Couldn’t a girl get a lie-in on a day she had no classes! I snatched the phone from under my pillow. It was an unknown number. Sometimes Sheena at my agency called me from an unknown number if she was abroad. I crossed my fingers and answered. “Hello?”

  “Is that you, Lexi?”

  “Yeah, Sheena, what’s up?”

  “New York is what’s up!”

  My heart leapt. “Don’t play with me, girl.”

  “No, seriously. Roz Petroz wants you for their lookbook.”

  Roz Petroz! I almost collapsed.

  “They saw your swimsuit shots from that shoot you did in January and requested your portfolio. Now they want you to do a range for their lookbook.”

  I jumped out of bed and started pacing. “Wow.”

  “I know. Can you fly out on Sunday evening? Your appointment is nine on Monday.”

  “Yes!”

  “Okay, let me finish sorting out your flight and hotel, and I’ll call you back with more details.”

  I felt dizzy when I hung up—physically dizzy. I just couldn’t believe it. I had a booking with Roz Petroz. I felt like screaming.

  That swimsuit shoot had been worth it. I sank back onto my bed, my head spinning. I usually turned down bikini and lingerie jobs because of my mom. It was a good thing I’d taken the risk and accepted one.

  Sheena called me back within half an hour. I took down all the details that I needed, and then I grabbed my keys and left the room.

  “This is unreal,” I muttered, as I walked down the corridor. I didn’t know where I was going, but I needed to get out somewhere and think about this, take it all in. It was a shame that I had no one to talk to. Monica would have been ideal at a time like this. We could squeal about it together and maybe she’d even fly out with me. But wasn’t she in New York anyway? We could meet up.

  I realized I was wearing one of my dad’s old shirts and ran back to my room. I had a quick shower and threw on jeans and a T-shirt and went to the 24-hour campus library.

  The library was deserted except for a few students scattered here and there. I went to the second floor and entered a computer room. I searched online for magazines and designers based in New York. I was going to make the most of the trip and visit some of them while I was there. If I could secure a couple more bookings, that would be awesome. My agency was good, but I needed to take my career into my own hands.

  I texted Carl, and he joined me in the library a few minutes later looking like he’d just fell out of bed. “Whoa, girl,” he said in a loud gravelly voice, dropping into the seat next to me. “Sounds like we’re in business.”

  I smirked. “We?”

  Carl lifted an eyebrow. “So it’s like that?”

  I chuckled.

  “When do you fly out?”

  “Sunday night.”

  “Cool.” Carl gave me a leery look through his sleepy eyes. “Didn’t know you did lingerie. Thought you were a good girl.”

  This is why I didn’t like people knowing I was a model. “What’s naughty about lingerie?” Naughty was posing in the nude.

  “Roz Petroz is naughty lingerie.” Carl’s smirk was highly devious. “Bring some back.”

  “In your dreams.”

  “Are you going to see Monica and everyone while you’re out there?”

  I shrugged. “Dunno, I haven’t spoken to her for ages.” I knew Carl was probably just trying to find out if I’d see Jace. I considered myself pretty over Jace, so he had nothing to fear. Jace was pretty over me too, as if that wasn’t obvious.

  Carl signed in on the computer in front of him and checked his email. “You okay?” I asked.

  “Yeah.”

  Before long, he was snoring. “Carl,” I hissed, “go back to your room.”

  He opened his eyes a crack. “My class is at ten.”

  “You’re snoring.”

  “I’m not.”

  “You are!”

  He leaned on the table and rested his head on his arms. “Wake me up at nine thirty.”

  After a few minutes, the snoring started again. It was a good thing that there was nobody nearby.

  The library started filling up around nine, and I ordered Carl to his room. At one o’ clock, I called a taxi and went to the Kinara Spa. They were booked till four, so I waited. The receptionist beckoned to me at two-thirty. Someone hadn’t shown up for their appointment, so I could have their slot. I had a full body wax and exfoliation, a deep cleansing facial, a manicure, and a pedicure.

  I left at six and went to the mall. I had to tie my hair up; it was an unsightly frizz bomb from all the steam in the spa. Carl called to let me know he was going out with his roomies.

  I bought a couple pairs of flesh-colored underwear sets and a new traveling bag, and then I called a taxi to take me back to college. I whistled merrily as I rode the elevator and headed to my room.

  Dan Black emerged from the kitchen with a chocolate cupcake in his hand. I recognized it as one of my chocolate cupcakes.

  “Why are you smiling like that? I’m getting blinded here.”

  “I’m going to New York.”

  “Now?”

  “No, on Sunday. I’m going to wear lingerie and pose.”

  Dan’s face lit up. “Can I come and watch you do that?”

  “Roz Petroz underwear.” I grabbed Dan by the arms and shook him. “Roz Petroz want me for their lookbook, can you believe that?”

  “Roz Petroz, the designer?”

  “Yeah!”

  “Oh, that’s nice.”

  I could tell he didn’t get it. “I’m a model,” I said. “This is a really big deal for me.” Tears sprung in my eyes, and I was horrified. I tried to compose myself.

  Dan knocked back the rest of the cake and drew me into a hug. “For what it’s worth, I’m proud of you. Roz Petroz is big cheese, so go ahead and cry if you want.”

  I pulled away with a small smile. “I’m fine. Maybe I should just go to my room.”

  “I’ve got champagne if you want,” Dan offered in a lowered voice.

  My eyes widened in horror. “You can get kicked out of college for that!”

  �
��No one’ll find out.”

  “No thanks,” I said firmly.

  “But this calls for some kind of celebration.”

  “I know.” I swung my room keys around my finger a couple times. I was too excited to stay in my room and stare at Shola Cardoso. The excitement had made me restless.

  “We can go for dinner,” Dan suggested. “I’m thinking somewhere like Room 101?”

  Whatever that was. His expression was so hopeful it was hilarious. “Okay.” It was totally innocent. Just dinner.

  “Well, go and make yourself beautiful then. Meet me at the elevator in twenty minutes.”

  I skipped to my room and dumped my shopping bags. I felt like glamming up, so I slipped into a black corset dress. Roz Petroz was flying me out, so I may as well look like someone Roz Petroz would fly out. I slapped the makeup on thick and fast and twisted my hair up. Then, I went to meet Dan at the elevator.

  “Yes, I know I look good,” I told Dan jokily when he opened his mouth. “Don’t tell me.”

  “I have to, Lexi. You look really nice.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Well, you always do anyway.”

  The elevator pinged open, and we rode down to the parking lot level. I hadn’t known there was parking, so I hadn’t brought my car. I wished I’d come for the open day and campus tour. I would have made more informed decisions, and maybe I’d be living in Marigold next door to Carl instead of in this trash hole.

  “I need to warn you about my car,” Dan said as he led the way to his parking spot.

  “So long as I don’t have to push-start it I don’t mind.”

  Dan gave me a serious look. “Promise you won’t get all weird with me because of my car.”

  “Do you really think I’m that superficial?”

  “Well, being a model and all, you might be.”

  I rolled my eyes, but I thought it was really sweet of him to be worried about whether I would like his car. With all his hotness, he still had insecurities.

  I noticed a silver bombshell of a sports car. “Wow, whoever is driving that to college has issues.” How could a student afford to ride something like that? Jace Washington had left town, hadn’t he? “What car is it?” I asked Dan.

  Dan took a bunch of keys out of his pocket and pushed a button. “It’s an Aston Martin.” He walked over to the passenger side and opened the door for me. I clamped my mouth shut and slid in. It was two-seater, manual drive, with luxurious soft leather seats. Dan settled into the driver’s seat and turned on the engine. “Are you okay, Lexi?”

  “Yes.”

  “Does my car bother you? I’m not a drug dealer, I promise.”

  “You can be a drug dealer if you want. What do I care?”

  Dan shook his head. “It’s true that pretty girls are nasty.”

  “Thanks. Why do you drive this to college?”

  “Because it’s my car. See, I knew you’d get all weird with me.” He navigated through to the parking lot exit. “Usually girls see my car and start trying to get with me. I just knew you’d be the opposite.”

  I grinned. “You poor thing, it must be so hard for you, having to beat all the girls away.”

  Dan glanced at me and switched on the radio. “I have feelings, too, you know? Once they find out I’m rich, they forget that I’m a person. I become this object, and I don’t like that. I need someone like you who isn’t impressed by stuff.”

  Here we go again! Dan was tuned to a heavy metal station, and this garish noise was blaring from the speakers. I couldn’t stand it. I changed the station.

  He was headed for West Hollywood. Wherever Carl and his buddies were, I hoped it wasn’t that side of town.

  I wriggled in my seat trying to yank my dress down a little. It was riding up, and I didn’t like how my thighs were on show.

  Dan stopped at a red light and looked at me. “I usually don’t let girls see my car until we’re already dating, because then I know they want me, not what I got.”

  He was still on about his wealth! “Well, I want neither,” I retorted.

  Dan looked amused. “You’re such a fireball. By the way, calm down. I’m not looking at your legs anyway.”

  I glared at him. “The light is green.”

  ***

  Room 101 was one of those ‘see and be seen’ places. As we were shown to our table, I began to think that coming here was a big mistake. What were Dan and I going to talk about for two hours while the waiters took their time bringing the food? And if Carl found out he’d never believe that it was innocent. And maybe it wasn’t innocent. Who knew what I wanted deep down? Maybe I subconsciously wanted to be with Dan, and I just wasn’t admitting it.

  We ordered drinks, and Dan leaned back in his seat and observed me through narrowed eyes.

  “What?”

  He continued to stare. “Either you really hate me, or you’re just one seriously angry girl.”

  “I just hate you,” I countered with a smile.

  “So you’re a model.”

  “Yes.”

  “Have you got any pictures?”

  “Lots. I’ll show you when we get back if you want.”

  “So you do lingerie?”

  “Not really, I’ve never done it before. This will be my first time.”

  Dan nodded, a slow smile breaking over his face. “Very cool.”

  I looked at my watch. Yep, coming out with Dan had been a bad idea. Not only was he super hot, he was a flirt, too, and that just wasn’t a good combination. “Will you tell the waiter not to be too long bringing our food?”

  “Why?”

  “Because this looks like one of those places where they take forever to bring each dish.”

  “That’s right, and that’s why I brought you here.”

  “I don’t really want to stay out long, Dan.”

  “Why? All you’re going to do when we get back is sit in a small empty room staring at the walls.”

  “Maybe I prefer that to this,” I snapped. Dan didn’t reply, so I looked at him. His expression made me feel bad. “Sorry.” He was right. Maybe I was a little angry. But who could blame me? Life had dealt me a rotten hand.

  “Are you like this with everyone, or is it just me? No one has ever given me such constant insults like you do, and I’ve only ever tried to be nice and draw you out of your shell.”

  “I said I was sorry.”

  “I think it’s one of two things, Lexi. Either you really can’t stand me, or I make you nervous.”

  “What are you? Some psychology major? First, it was ‘you’re angry,’ now it’s ‘you want me’.”

  Dan leaned forward. “I know I can be a little forward or forceful—”

  “Or flirtatious,” I interjected.

  He smiled. “Or whatever you want to call it, but I really don’t mean anything by it. I just like to tease you because if I don’t, you’ll keep to yourself and be walking around with your nose in the air. I’m just trying to be your friend.”

  My cell phone rang, and Dan leaned back. It was Carl. Instinctively, I looked around to make sure he wasn’t in the restaurant. I stared at the screen guiltily and didn’t pick up because if he asked where I was I’d have to lie. And I was a pathetic liar.

  “Was that Carl?” Dan asked when the ringing stopped.

  I nodded. The ringing started again. Still Carl.

  “Why don’t you pick up?”

  I tossed the phone into my purse. “This is all your fault. Now I feel guilty.”

  Dan gave me an annoying smile. “Well, maybe you are guilty.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Dan shrugged. “Innocent people don’t feel guilty.”

  “What are you trying to say?”

  “Nothing.”

  “It had better be nothing.”

  A waiter arrived with our drinks. He placed a tall glass of lemonade before me and a big glass of something foamy brown and alcoholic looking next to Dan. I gave him a disapproving look as the waiter left. �
��Underage alcoholic!”

  “Do you want to see ID, Agent Lexi?” He cursed and pulled a card out of his wallet. His date of birth was three years before mine. I turned up my nose and looked away. “Fake ID.”

  “It’s not fake.”

  I pursed my lips in a noble pout. “If you get arrested for DUI on our way back, I ain’t sending bail.”

  He took a long swig of his drink.

  “You might be twenty-one, but you can’t drive if you’ve been drinking, no matter how old you are.”

  “Fine, you can drive.”

  “I think I’ll call a cab.”

  Dan gave me an exasperated look and swapped our drinks.

  I frowned. “You’re kidding. I’m not drinking your poison. Give me back my lemonade.”

  “Do you mind keeping your voice down?”

  I looked at the dirty looking brown stuff and pushed it away. “I don’t do toxic and alcoholic.” I grinned, “Notice how it rhymes?”

  Dan lifted his hand to a waiter and asked for his beer to be changed to lemonade. He kicked me under the table. “Crazy girl.”

  His drink was changed, and I watched him take a sip and groan. “It’s so sweet.”

  “But you’ll get home in one piece, and most importantly, so will I. Don’t kill me before I get to wear Roz Petroz.”

  Dan picked up the menus. He handed one to me. “So what are we having?”

  “Are you really twenty-one?”

  “Yeah, why.”

  “I thought you were my age.”

  “Thanks. People always tell me that I exude an air of timeless youth that belies my many years.”

  Dan’s tone was so sarcastic that I had to smile. “I’m not saying you’re old, okay?”

  He shrugged. “I’m guessing you’re only eighteen, right?”

  “Right.”

  “I guess that isn’t so bad.”

  “Are you in your third year?” I’d thought he was a freshman like myself.

  He picked up his glass and swirled it around, making the ice cubes clang about. “I went to Australia for a year after high school, and then last year, I helped in the family business. This year, I thought it’s about time I started college.”

  “Don’t worry. There are lots of mature students on campus, and I’m sure there must be a sorority for the aged.”

  “Thanks.”