Fancy

Chapter 12

Katniss

I sit with my headphones in as I am being made ready for the annual Victoria Secret show. The theme for this particular collection is red. The black glitter on my nails shines against the bright makeup lights and I shove in my headphones as I wait for the stage assistants to come around with my wings. I flip on a song by the featured artist of tonight's show and smirk at the irony of it all. Listening to a song by one of my idols who just so happens to be sitting in the next room being prepared for her preformance.

I start to mouth the words and move my arms as I remember my days a dancer fondly for once, moving to the music as I had back when I enjoyed my job. One of my first dances was to this song, in a deep blue floor length gown that had come off in pieces to reveal a studded costume similar to the one she wore in the video.

I'm broken from my trance as my music is shut off and I turn to Johanna, another model and hit her when I see my phone in her hand. She laughs and hands it back.

"Calm down," she says. "I was just seeing if that text from your boy toy was a dick pic."

"He doesn't do that," I say. "And I'm fine with only witnessing his not so little friend in person so I'm grateful for that."  She laughs and I look through my phone to find the text he sent, wishing me luck after I had sent him a picture of my freshly finished makeup for the show tonight.

"Well you certainly send him enough pictures in your work attire to keep him happy until you get home," she says and I smile.

"I just want to remind him what's coming home in a few days," I say and we both laugh. I bend over and slip my shoes on before walking over to the refreshment table and grabbing a water. The giant pile of feathers is rolled in and I grab the ones with my name attached and walk back over to my station. Someone comes over and helps me into the traditional angel wings in a deep, jet black color. I shrug at the new weight on my back and spin around once in the mirror before we are called to line up for the show.

I'm near the back and I stumble a little as someone brushes past me. I turn to see her, the one I'd been so nervous to see hold out her hand to help me balance.

"Are you all right?"Lady Gaga asks and I nod quickly. "Use your voice. I won't bite dispite the way I portrayed myself on the small screen."

"I'm fine," I say. "Just a little clumsy with this costume." She smiles and nods.

"They suit you," Gaga says, "Now go on and make them wish they were you." She winks and walks the rest of the way out of the back stage and out into the crowd, I feel like falling to my knees and crying just at having her speak to me but I just stand there, ready to do what I have to do.

I hear the start of Bad Romance playing and the crowd cheering  as the first models walk out on stage. They do their strut and I feel butterflies in my stomach as I wait my turn to do the same, softly mouthing words as I am pushed closer and closer to the front of the line. The end of the second verse is nearing and I walk out as the chourus begins. I walk with purpose and make to keep my stride match the beat of the song. Moving to the beat of the music as I do. I need to keep the expresionless model face, but allow for my walk to show of my enjoyment of my career.  I glance at Lady Gaga from the side of the stage and she reaches over and touches my shoulder as I walk by and pose at the end of the cat walk before turning, walking back with confidence. I have shown the world who I am, who really lives beneath the weight of my painful life.

Hours later, as I am slowly wiping off the makeup from my face, being as I had been stopped for numerous pictures because thats what happens at every single one of these shows. I'm the last one left here tonight, or so I thought.