The Unexpected You

by Emily N. Kay

  “Don’t be sorry. We’re happy you’re here.” The fact that Raul is the one who said that surprises me.

  I offer him a thankful smile.

  “I love your top by the way,” says Jisoo.

  “Oh, um, thanks,” I say sheepishly. “I feel kind of underdressed though…” I look down at myself in a plain black tank top and a pair of ripped jean, and I can’t help but feel embarrassed.

  Blake is the first to laugh. “Underdressed or not, you’re still the sexiest woman in this whole goddamn place.”

  The table goes quiet. Jisoo appears offended by the statement as she glowers at Blake. Nick shoots Blake a look.

  “You can’t say shit like that, man,” objects Tyler. His gaze then slides to me, but he quickly looks away.

  Nick shifts uncomfortably beside me, and I try to maintain my smile.

  What is going on?

  “Why not? I’m just saying. It’s not like I’m hitting on her or anything. I have a girlfriend! Geez.”

  Silence.

  “She’s still in high school, Blake,” Nick finally says. “She’s eighteen.”

  Tyler drops his head into his hands, grimacing.

  No one speaks. For the longest moment. Blake’s jaw hangs. Jisoo draws in a breath like she very much needs oxygen. Raul simply watches with his brow slightly raised up.

  Only Tyler knows, I realize. The rest of his friends don’t know that I’m eighteen. Nick didn’t tell them about me beforehand. I glance up at Nick, feeling a little betrayed. I didn’t expect Nick to tell them that I’m his student, but I thought he’d at least tell them that I’m young.

  “You didn’t tell them?” I ask him, my voice hushed.

  He ignores me and goes on saying, “And she is also my student. So, there’s that.”

  I let out a tiny gasp, my face flaming hot. I didn’t expect him to announce it right here and right now. But the fact that he did––it means a lot to me than I care to admit.

  Everyone’s glares are burning holes in me and Nick as they’re watching us, stunned. No one dares to say a word.

  Tyler clears his throat, breaking the silence. “Next round on me,” he announces while raising his empty glass of beer.

  And things seem to go back to normal as Blake shouts, “Hell yeah!” Then he starts to rant about the fight he had with his girlfriend this morning.

  Thank God for Tyler.

  After two long hours, Nick tells everyone he has to get me home.

  My cheeks flush. It’s so embarrassing that I’m the teenager who has to go home early. But I don’t complain. Because now my phone is dead, and things can go badly if I go home too late and my mom is still up waiting for me. Even though I don’t have a curfew, I should at least go home, you know, out of respect.

  So far, everyone has been great to me. If they’re disgusted that their friend is dating a student, they did a good job of not showing it. They even tried to engage me in conversations––ones that involved the stories of Nick being a nerd in high school. Turns out that Tyler, Blake, and Jisoo are all Nick’s friends from school. It’s amazing how they are still friends after all these years. I wish the same would be for me and Zoe and Leo.

  Though Raul looks about Nick’s age, he is a lot older. Raul discovered Tyler right after Tyler graduated high school, and they’ve been working together ever since. I’ve also learned that Blake works in finance, and Jisoo is a marketing manager.

  I smiled and laughed at some of Blake’s corny jokes. I also said nice things back to Jisoo, who’s been trying really hard to flatter me. “I like the pink highlights,” I told her, pointing at the tip of her hair, which is dyed in pastel pink. And I wasn’t lying. I want to dye my entire head with that color.

  Jisoo’s nice. Too nice. Though I’m grateful for her effort, it’s draining to have to be modest about everything. All she said was how she wishes to be as pretty as me when she was my age. She also asked me about my skin care routine. I thought she was kidding, so I just laughed politely. But she’s dead serious.

  When they asked me about my future plans, I simply told them what I’d told everybody else. “Most likely NYU,” and, “I’m still figuring out the rest.”

  “She could do English major. I’ve read her papers. They’re pretty good,” Nick stated with an easy smile like the fact that he’s my teacher is nothing out of the ordinary. Tyler gives us a nauseating look.

  And Raul, who’d been listening very attentively to what I said, casually slid his card over to me. “If you’re interested.”

  Nick laughs, thinking that Raul’s joking. “She’s eighteen, Raul. Give her a break.”

  But when Nick and others were not paying attention, Raul leaned closer to me and said, “Eighteen is the best age to get started.” I give him a questioning look. He carries on saying, “I’ve sat in a lot of auditions, and honestly it’s getting repetitive. Everyone looks the same. They dress the same, do the same makeup. And I think we need something different. You have the kind of face that people in the industry would fight for. I mean that, Alice.”

  My heart was racing at what Raul said. Was he being serious or was he drunk? I couldn’t really tell. I caught Tyler watching us, and he seemed to know what it’s about. He grinned and raised his glass. My attention snapped back to Raul, and I told him that I’ll think about it.

  “Take your time. But you should know that opportunities don’t come by often,” he said in an easy manner. “We’ll be waiting.”

  As Nick pulls over in front of my apartment, I blurt out, “There’s something you need to know…”

  The Carter thing has been on my mind for the entire ride. I had forgotten all about it at the bar, my attention spent on not saying stupid things in front of Nick’s friends. And only when I’d gotten in the car that it hit me––Carter is now aware of our secret, and he could ruin us before we even get a chance to be a real couple.

  “What is it?” His face becomes guarded. “Are you mad that I didn’t tell my friends about you beforehand?” he asks nervously.

  I frantically shake my head. “No! It’s not that.”

  His shoulder relaxes, just a little. “Then what is it?”

  I inhale deeply before I say, “Carter knows.”

  Nick looks like he’s stopped breathing. “How…”

  “He saw us in the hallway today…”

  He heaves out a sigh and leans his head back on the headrest. “Fuck.”

  I dare touch his arm, gently. “Carter said he won’t say anything. He even deleted the picture of us.”

  “He took a picture?” Nick cries out, almost springing out of his seat.

  I wince. “Well yes, but it’s gone now. I literally begged him not to tell, but I don’t know…” I close my eyes, reliving the terror I’ve gone through.

  His gaze softens. “I’m sorry you had to do that.”

  “For us, Nick… I’d do anything.” I look directly into his eyes.

  And the way he looks at me makes me feel like I’m seeing fireworks for the first time.

  Nick clears his throat, unbuckles his seatbelt, and leans closer to me.

  I stare at him with anticipation, my heart racing.

  “You know,” he begins, “my friends––they warned me about Hannah. Like they could see right through her, but I didn’t listen.”

  I furrow my brows. Is he going to say that his friends think that I’m not good enough for him? Is he breaking up with me? My thoughts are racing, filling me with dread for what he’s about to say.

  But Nick simply smiles. “To be honest, at first I was afraid to let them meet you because I didn’t want to hear what they have to say about you. If they knew that you’re my student, they’re going to say that I’m making yet another mistake.” His dimple flickers. “But I just want you to know that you’re never a mistake, regardless of what people may say.”

  That brings a smile to my face. I run my thumb over the back of his hand. An overwhelming amount of emotions flood inside me.

>   I stare into his gorgeous, blue eyes. “I love you, Nick.”

  There. I’ve said it. From this moment onward, I’ve become entirely vulnerable to him. He can rip my heart out, throw it, and step on it, breaking it to pieces if he chooses to.

  His eyes waver for a brief moment. Then he kisses me, his hands burying under my hair. “I want to see you every day, Alice. Not just once a week. Fuck that. Let’s see each other every day.”

  I search his face, and he’s looking back at me like a mad man in love. And I choose to focus on that, instead of how he didn’t say he loves me back. Considering how his last relationship went down, I understand it’s hard for him to label his feelings. The last thing I want is to pressure him into saying something he’s not ready for. All I can do now is hope that one day––he will be certain of his feelings enough to say it.

  “Well maybe not every day,” I tell him amusedly. Does he think that I don’t have any homework to do, tests to study for? “But definitely more than once a week.”

  I mean, we were careful, at least to an extent. And Carter still caught us. So why should we waste the time we could have spent together worrying, and hiding.

  He smiles, and my stomach is filled with butterflies. “I’ll take that,” he says.

  Chapter 33

  It’s a few minutes after two in the morning when I get back to my apartment.

  And the first thing I see is my mom in her robe, sitting by a kitchen counter with a glass of rosé. She jumps when I come in.

  “Where in the world have you been!” she yells, wide-eyed. “And what’s wrong with your phone!”

  This isn’t good… Mom’s never angry with me for coming home late. But that’s just because I gave her a heads-up every time.

  “I was at Carter’s. I told you I was going to be at his party, didn’t I?”

  She swigs her wine. “I wouldn’t be this worried if Zoe didn’t call me asking for you.”

  What the actual––

  “What?” I gape. “When? What did she say to you?”

  “An hour ago, I think. She said she got separated from you at Carter’s and that your phone was off, so she thought you came home without telling her.” She then snorts. “How big is this boy’s house anyway?” Mom pauses and cocks her head, hands on her hip. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

  I have to think of something. Fast.

  “Like Zoe said,” I begin, “we got separated. Carter’s place is huge, Mom. I couldn’t find her or Leo. And my phone’s dead, so I just waited for them there, hanging around, you know…” The lies just keep rolling out of my tongue. “A little bit of drinking,” I add for a realistic impact. “And I kind of forgot to look at the time. I’m really sorry.”

  She stares at me, lips pressed together. “I almost called the police, Alice,” she says sharply. “I almost called your dad!”

  I’m quiet at that. That had to take a lot out of her––having to call my dad.

  Mom walks toward the sink and put her empty wine glass in it. Then she turns to me with a determined expression. “I think I’ve been too easy on you. You need to be responsible for your actions.”

  What? Is she going to ground me?

  No… This can’t be happening. Not when Nick and I decided to start spending more time together!

  I shake my head with panic. “No, Mom! Please. I’m sorry. I swear it won’t happen again!”

  “No more Gilmore Girls,” she says sternly, lifting up her chin.

  Hmm…?

  “That’s… my punishment?” I ask her carefully.

  “Yes. No more hanging out with mommy on weekends. And no more late-night snacks, no more ice cream, no more… I don’t know,” she stumbles, “things that make you happy. Oh, and no wine and champagne. None of that. You understand?”

  I almost retort to her that not getting to hang out with me is more like her punishment than mine. But I keep my mouth shut. This is as good as it gets.

  “For how long?” I feign the disappointment on my face.

  Mom blinks. “A month,” she decidedly says.

  I fake groan, throwing my head back, channeling my inner brat. “This is so unfair!” Then I fake storm to my bedroom.

  Well, that was easy.

  Back in my room, I’m plugging in the charger, and my screen lights up. Five missed calls from Zoe. Two from Leo. Zoe also left me a couple of voice mails consisting of:

  “Where the hell are you!”

  “Seriously, where are you! You’re making us worried! Please call.”

  “I just called your mom. WHERE ARE YOU!”

  And, “Alice… you have a lot of explaining to do.”

  Shit. She sounds super pissed in that last one. And cold as hell.

  Feeling super guilty, I try calling Zoe, knowing that she will probably kill me for waking her up at four in the morning. She hates it when people wake her up for no reasons. But I mean this is reasonable enough.

  The call goes straight to voicemail.

  So I try Leo. He’s not picking up either.

  I send a group text to them: Guys I’m home and I’m alright! Sorry for worrying… Let’s meet tomorrow. I mean… today cause it’s basically morning now. I’ll explain everything.

  I stare at the screen, ridiculously waiting for a response that I know won’t come until a couple of hours. I finally convince myself to put the phone away.

  Then something catches my eyes. A card is lying flat on the floor––Raul’s business card. I must’ve dropped it when I threw the purse on my bed. I didn’t mention anything to Nick because I didn’t want to seem too enthusiastic about it.

  I get up and pick the card up. It reads:

  Raul Ruiz Mendez

  Top One Modeling Agency

  The contact details including his work email and phone numbers are all on there as well.

  And since I can’t seem to bring myself to sleep now, I get to my laptop and search his name and the agency’s name on Google. There are some professional photos of him wearing a nice black jacket popping up on the page.

  I mindlessly scroll down, and there––the agency’s main website. I click on it out of curiosity. There are photos of skinny girls wearing lingerie doing model shots, looking effortlessly gorgeous. When I go a little further down, photos of male models are plastered across the page. Most of them shirtless. And all of them are hot.

  One man in particular stands out, and so I zoom in. Tyler Hanson. It’s some kind of a commercial shot for men swim shorts. The lighting is perfect, his black hair is wet but not too wet, his abs are glistening, and his jawline…

  Still, it’s a little weird seeing him on there, looking all dreamy and gorgeous. So I deliberately move the screen back up to the top. Wanting to learn more, I click on the heading About Us. I skim through the long descriptions of the agency, generally explaining how it’s been growing since 2009, and that their models are of a wide range of ethnicity and style.

  Come to think of it, their website is just like that of Vixens. Only this one is showcasing their models instead of escorts.

  What impresses me the most is the list of names of some top models currently under their contract. And I can’t hold back my excitement as I see under that list the name of my favorite model I’ve seen on Instagram. Would Tyler know her personally? I’ll have to ask him later.

  Apparently the headquarter is in New York, but other office locations also include those in Los Angeles, Sydney, Paris, and Tokyo.

  Damn, Tyler is in good hands.

  My eyes are getting tired from staring too long at the bright screen. I close my laptop and drag myself to bed, hoping for the millionth time that I can finally fall asleep.

  I close my eyes, and the first thing I see is Tyler’s abs and his alluring smile…

  No, go away, six-pack Tyler!

  I force the image of Tyler out of my head, and then I replace it with Nick’s smile and his adorable dimple. And with that image as the last thing on my mind, I fall sound a
sleep.

  Chapter 34

  I wake up to my alarm clock at 8 a.m.

  Swiftly, I grab my phone, and two texts are waiting for me.

  Leo: Starbucks, 10AM? That is, if you’re back from the dead by then.

  Zoe: Can’t. Sorry. Promise my mom to help her clean.

  I stare at the message. Is Zoe really mad at me?

  I type: Alright… See you guys Monday then.

  As soon as I sent that, Zoe calls me.

  “Zoe! Are you mad at me?”

  “Is your mom home?”

  We speak at the same time.

  Then I chuckle drily. “Um, no, she’s out cycling.”

  “Okay, good. I’m coming over.” And she hangs up.

  As much as I want to know what the hell is going on with Zoe, I’m freaking starving. I haven’t eaten since I left Zoe’s for Carter’s party. And that’s the longest I’ve gone without food. I feel like dying.

  I decide to make myself some avocado toasts. And by that, I mean four pieces of bread and two whole avocados. If my mom is here with me, she’d stop me from having “things that make me happy”. But she’s not here, so I’ll take what I can get.

  The doorbell rings just when I’m finishing washing the dishes. I wipe my hands dry with a towel and run to open the door.

  Zoe brushes inside without speaking a word to me. She seats herself by the kitchen counter. Then she takes my freshly brewed coffee, holding the cup up like she’s drinking a jug of beer.

  “Careful––”

  “Fuck!” She spits some of it on her pale blue sweater.

  “It’s hot…” I finish, wincing. Too late, friend.

  Zoe grunts as she walks to the sink and tries to get the stain off her sweater.

  “Give that to me.”

  She takes the sweater off without resistance and hands it to me. “Thanks,” she mumbles.

  “Nice bra,” I say with a grin, looking at her pink flamingo-patterned bra.

  Zoe clicks her tongue. “Shut up! I love flamingos okay?”