Model Behavior

CH 5: I Had No Clue

To say Ally was flustered this morning would be an understatement. She had one hour until her meeting with Zac at ITZ magazine with Raye to finalize their shoot, and then in the morning they would be leaving for Tulsa. She'd also been running around most of yesterday buying a gift for Zac's parents as well as new makeup brushes and some new blushes. This morning she had been planning the makeup looks for Isaac and Taylor's wives. She only had pictures to go off of, but she did know that she wanted them to have natural looks. Ally was in her own world of checklists and makeup when she turned a corner slamming into a man carrying a coffee that he was now wearing.

"Shit, I'm sorry. I..Allyson!? What are you doing here at ITZ? Wait! Do you work here?" The voice belonged to Paul; an old flame from college. "Oh my God, Paul! I didn't know you worked here. Yeah, I work with Zac Hanson on shoots. No! Your shirt!" Ally was embarrassed and taken back by seeing Paul. They hadn't parted on the best of terms. Paul stopped answering texts, phone calls, or any communication and disappeared on Ally and though she wouldn't admit it to anyone but herself she spent months mourning the loss of their relationship. Paul smiled taking her in. She was no longer that young girl who had dreams of doing makeup and wore mismatched clothes from the vintage stores around town. She'd lost weight, her skin was glowing and she looked like a star. "No worries, I have an extra in my office. Hey, I'd love to catch up. Why don't we meet for lunch today in the lounge downstairs. Say, 1:00p.m.? " Ally thought for a moment. "Sure. I'll buy you a replacement coffee." Paul walked backwards smiling so he could see Ally a little while longer until she disappeared into Raye's office with her laptop case and over sized purse.

The meeting was very interesting. It wasn't often that Zac had to be formal or professional and it was an added kink in things to have his girlfriend there to show Raye notes and the looks that she had planned. If anything Raye seemed annoyed that her models wouldn't be used. She'd cleared Ally and Zac's idea that she be a candid focus, but his brothers and their friends too? "Zac I get the vibe that you're going for, but have any of them been in front of the camera?" Zac turned red as he let out a sigh; he was worried that Raye would ruin the surprise. He cleared his throat and then answered, "Raye, they're musicians. Of course they have. If you want it to be personal then you need to trust me. Please. " He then gave that signature smile and continued "Have I ever steered you wrong?" Raye lightened up when Zac smiled. Of course he'd never let her down. She was lucky to have him and she knew it. Reluctantly Raye rolled her eyes and gave him her blessing for the final shoot concepts and location.

After the meeting Zac was grateful to be alone with Ally walking down the hall. He kissed her hands and looked down into her eyes smiling. "Would you like to go to lunch? I thought it would be nice to get some time in before our insane day tomorrow." Ally cringed a little as she squeezed his hand. "I have plans actually, but I'd love for you to come along. I ran into my old friend Paul in the hallway and knocked coffee all over him. Long story short, I owe him coffee now." The name rang a bell for Zac and his brow furrowed. "Do you mean Paul Westam? Oh Ally he's such a prick."

"What did he do to you?" Ally was surprised by Zac's reaction to just having lunch. Usually he was up for anything and enjoyed meeting people. She held his hand tightly as they walked down to the massive employee cafeteria where Paul was easily spotted wearing his NYU hoodie and skinny jeans. His emerald eyes spotted Ally and Zac holding hands across the room an he was shocked. When they finally approached the table he'd saved for them he smiled and ran a hand through his red hair and pulled out a chair for Ally just as Zac was about to. "What in the hell is this asshole doing? Ally is mine" Zac thought to himself as he huffed then sat next to Ally and held her hand. The look on his face made Paul smile. He and Zac had never gotten along, and he knew that this lunch would be very uncomfortable.

When Zac first started at ITZ (well before Ally came into the picture) he was assigned to provide pictures for an article that Paul was writing. This was a great opportunity that he took very seriously. His only obstacle was that Paul had been hard to please and rejected seven sets of pictures that Zac spent days shooting and editing for him. Paul complained to Raye that his work was uninspired and not professional and got another photographer to help him instead. Raye helped Zac through the blow to his ego by assuring him that Paul was a pain in the ass and helped him to get better assignments. Since this incident the two did not get along.

As lunch went on the three made awkward conversation about life in New York and ITZ, and suddenly Paul got a smirk on his face and decided to reminisce with Ally. "Remember our first date, Allyson? I took you to that hole in the wall bar and we got drunk and then sang karaoke?" Ally smiled at the memory but her heart sank when she felt Zac's hand drop hers. "Yep. It was a good time, and a very, very long time ago Paul." Zac's stomach dropped as he began to feel the urge to punch Paul. How could she not tell him that they had been together? Instead of acting on his urge to punch Paul in his beady eyed face, he looked at Ally and smiled. " I had no clue you two had a past." She shifted in her chair and fiercely blushed feeling the tension between Zac and Paul. As her mouth opened to form words, Zac received a text and stood up. "I gotta go. My new lighting and camera just arrived downstairs. Ally I'll see you later." He kissed the top of her head and quickly walked away as she sat gobsmacked with Paul drinking coffee and eating cookies.

A/N: I had the hardest time writing this. Isn't Paul the worst? Let me know how you feel about the book. I am so thankful for all of you who are reading this, and for Alelubets for translating.