Kenny donned the black t-shirt he’d brought in with him and headed back to his room. He heard music playing softly as he passed Josie’s room. His nostrils flared at the pungent scent of pot. Damn, she did smoke a lot.
Her Saturday shift was eleven to six, so she’d be gone an hour before Jenna got here. He entered his room and after spraying some Wings cologne on, he set up the three tall standing lights that would be focused on the bed.
He’d just gotten the last one in position when his cell rang at his hip. He grabbed it, answering without looking.
“Yeah, hello?”
“Is this Kenny?” a woman’s voice.
“Yes! Jenna?”
“I tried to call you a half hour ago, but you didn’t answer.”
“Sorry, was in the shower. We still on for noon?”
“Um, that’s the thing.”
“Thing?” His stomach tightened. “What do you mean thing? What kind of thing?”
“The kind of thing that has me at the hospital.”
“Hospital,” he repeated numbly.
“I went for a run this morning, and my ankle turned. It’s not broken, but it’s a bad sprain.”
“You’re cancelling.” He closed his eyes. How could this be happening?
“Can’t do a shoot on one leg, plus I fell and have a big scrape on my forehead. Kind of a mess right now. I’m really sorry to do this with short notice.”
“Yeah, what am I going to do now?” he was talking more to himself than her. “Wait, do you know any other models? Maybe you could call them?”
“Not really, not that could do anything on short notice. Maybe you could go to the site?”
“I’ll try, guess it’s the only thing I can do.”
“I am sorry, I know you said this was for school, and I could have really used the money. Maybe you can tell your teacher what happened? Get an extension? I’m sure I’ll be okay by next weekend.”
“It’s due Monday and I don’t know,” he rubbed at his eyes with his free hand. “Hope you feel better.”
He ended the call without waiting her to reply. What the fuck was he going to do? He could e-mail Mr. Bradley and tell him the truth, but then he’d hear how he had three weeks to do this and why did he wait until the Saturday before to work on it?
Kenny had needed the time to find the right model and come up with the money, but Bradley was a notorious hard ass that several other students at RISD had warned him about. He wasn’t going to cut him any slack.
“Fuck!” he swore aloud.
He looked over at his laptop where it sat open on his desk. He doubted any models would see his request right away on a Saturday, and who knew if any would bite? Most of them only took professional gigs, Jenna had been willing to work with him because of where he’d gone to school and to help give him a start.
His eyes narrowed at Danny’s insistence he was going to get laid. There were escort services. For the $250 he was offering Jenna he was sure he could get someone for an hour, maybe more seeing he wasn’t look for sex. It would be easy money for them. It wasn’t like he was looking for sex, it would be easy money.
If they were escorts they’d have to be attractive. But he doubted they would be willing to have their face on camera, let alone know it was going to be shown to others. Plus, as he’d told Danny, just because someone was hot didn’t mean they could model.
Kenny looked at his phone; 9:30. He could do later than noon, his parents weren’t coming home until tomorrow afternoon, but it would have to be today. It would take him hours to choose which pictures he wanted, then edit them, print than, and lay them out in order which is what he’d planned to do tomorrow.
He had to figure something out today or he was…
“Fucked!” He yelled, tossing his phone onto the bed so he wouldn’t smash it. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!”
“Hey, you okay in there?” Josie yelled from the hallway.
“Fine!” he snapped. “Just fucking peachy!”
He heard the door open behind him.
“What’s the matter?”
“What’s the matter is the girl for the shoot just called and cancelled.” He turned to see Josie had come into the room. “I’m fucked.”
“Hold on,” she put her hand up. “I’m sure you have time to find someone else.”
“It’s due Monday,” Kenny groused.
“Wow, why did you wait until the last minute?”
“Because I’m a fucking idiot, that’s why!” he shouted. “That a good enough reason?”
“You don’t have to get mad at me.” Josie said softly. “It’s not my fault.”
“You’re right,” he rubbed his temples with his fingers. “I’m sorry, it’s just that this is a big part of my grade.”
“You might be able to find someone by tomorrow, no?”
“I need time to get it ready. I should have done it sooner, but I had to get the money for her, the lights, I bought the white screens, plus the only day this week she was around was today. I didn’t think I needed a backup plan.
“Just tell your teacher, they might give you a few days.”
“He’s a royal pain in the ass. He lives to flunk people from what I hear.” He sat on the edge of the bed. “And he told me there was no way a guy my age could pull off an erotic shoot, so he’s looking for me to screw up. I ask for time he’ll think I just got cold feet.”
“That sucks.” Josie shuffled over and sat next to him. “But you have all day, I’m sure you can find another girl. You’re paying right?”
“Yeah, but I need someone who has experience, and is willing to do this kind of shoot.”
“Plenty of models online,” Josie told him. “Want me to help you look? We’ll split the sites and I can tell you if I see anyone that could work.”
“You have to go to work.”
“I have some time, and if I need to, I’ll call Lynn. She’s always looking for extra hours, she’ll take my shift.”
‘You don’t have to blow off work for me, sis.”
“Hey, this is important to you, and I want to help.”
“You’re awesome, Josie, but don’t worry about it.”
“I worry about you. This class is important, and you said it’ll hurt your grade. Let me help.”
“I don’t know. I looked for a while before I found Jenna, and now we’re talking same day notice.”
“Most people will drop what they’re doing to make some money.”
“They have to drop more than what they’re doing.”
“Huh?” Josie blinked. “What do you mean?”
“I need a model whose okay with some racy pics.”
“Like lingerie?”
“Yeah, but then…topless.” He averted his eyes. “This is awkward.”
“You’re taking dirty pictures?”
“It’s art, the female body is beautiful.”
“More beautiful in Victoria secret and with their boobs out though, right?”
“It’s erotic, and erotic can be art too.”
“Porn hub isn’t art.” Josie grinned.
“First, why are you on Pornhub, second…why are you on Pornhub?”
“I’m 18, and I was never on there before I turned 18, nope,”
“Great.”
“Hey. I know you see me as little sis, but I am a woman.”
“You’re 18, you’re still a girl.”
“But at 20 you think you’re a man?” she scoffed.
“Josie, I don’t want to get into this. But no, it’s not like Pornhub. I’m not having sex with her, it’s just sexy poses and maybe some suggestive shots.”
“Suggesting what?”
“Sex, okay? You know like something softcore. Positions, but you know, clothes on.”
“You said topless, and who are they being suggestive with? You have a guy coming too?”
“No, and just let it go.”
“Oh my god!” she clapped her hands. “You’re going to pose with her? That’s funny!”
“Why is it funny?”
“Okay, maybe not funny, more like creepy. Paying a girl to get on your bed with you and like what? Dry hump your leg?”
“Hey, watch your mouth!” Kenny scowled at her.
“I said hump, not fuck, and for the last time I am an adult.”
“Fine, you’re all growed up now.” He rolled his eyes. “My problem is a lot of models won’t do that kind of work unless it’s through a legit agency or studio.”
“Money is money.”
“Think about it, how do they know I’m not a psycho and it’s a set up?”
“How did you set it up with the girl you had?”
“I gave her my name and address a week ago, she had time to ride by or look me up, and I told her where I went to school and the name of my teacher if she wanted to see if it was a real project. No time for that now.”
“I’ll stay here so they’re not alone with you,” she suggested.
“Hey, my little sister is here to protect you. Course she might be a killer too.”
“No need to be a jerk.”
“Aside from that they don’t want their face just anywhere and they have legal recourse with an agency or business. I could be doing this just for cheap thrills and to plaster all over the net. Jenna was willing to cut me a break because her older brother took a few of the classes I am. She knows this is an assignment and it’s hard for a kid like me to land real talent.”
“Then you just have to find someone like her. Let’s start looking.”
“Know what, sis? I appreciate it, but I’m going to call it a loss. I’m not finding anyone on this short notice, not that’s willing to do what I ask out of my damn house.”
“What about someone you know? There’s a lot of cute girls where you go to school and I bet they could use some extra money.”
“Hey, come to my house and get naked while I take pictures? I’d get hosed with pepper spray or someone’s boyfriend would show up to beat my ass.”
He put his elbows on his knees, his chin in his hands.
“I’m just flat out screwed here.”
“I hate to see you so bummed out.” Josie put her arm around him. “Don’t like seeing you quit either.”
“It’s my own fault for waiting and for coming up with this idea in the first place.”
“But your grade!”
“It’s okay, sis. Nothing I can do but show up empty handed and with an excuse.”
“Don’t give up yet,” she squeezed his shoulder. “Let’s keep thinking.”
“I admire the effort, but nothing you can do. Me either at this point.”
“Wait a minute,” Josie slid her arm from around his shoulders and turned on the bed to face him. “What about me?”
“What about you?”
“I could do it!” She exclaimed excitedly. “I can pose for the pictures.”
“Um, hard no, sis.”
“Why not?”
“Because, well,” he paused as he stared at her.
Dressed in Spongebob pajama pants and an old grey Patriots hoodie with the hood pulled up over her head, her hair sticking out around her face, was a typical Josie look, and nothing remotely resembling what he needed.
“Well, what?”
“You’re not exactly qualified.”
“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” Josie demanded indignantly. “You saying I’m ugly?”
“Not at all, but you’re not a model.”
“I can be pretty if I want to be.”
“Sis, you’re adorable, but I need hot, and,” he raised his finger to cut her off. “Let’s remember one important detail. You’re my damn sister.”
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