Chapter 12

The glitz and glamor of it all, as beautiful and mesmerizing as it was, gave me a headache. Too many photographers, music too loud and it was too cold. It smelled like paint and smoke. Artificial. The jewelry glinted into my eyes, and the whispers tickled my ears and made it unbearable to even be there.

I’d made a mistake. Fashion shows were absolutely not for me.

I felt Jenna’s hand on mine, gentle and concerned. I looked at her and she nodded in understanding, turning to whisper to Aubrey and taking me away to the bathroom. I followed her without hesitation and looked in the mirror, a little shocked. My neck and cheeks were flushed, making my freckles pop.

“Are you feeling okay?”

“I don’t know.” I laughed and shook my head. “Guess I’m not a fan of crowded spaces.”

“It was noisy, too,” she agreed with a solemn nod. I splashed some cold water on my face, hoping my mascara wouldn’t run down even though it was waterproof. I’d kept makeup on me anyway but didn’t want to take the time to