After the first two songs play, I glance around the room, and I notice a few girls talking to each other, but they keep glancing at me. I think someone may have said something to me that I didn’t hear, so I pause my music.
“You’re so mean.” One of them laughs softly, and they look away from me, so I assume they aren’t talking to me, but before I can hit play, the other girl responds.
“Is it mean if she doesn’t know?”
I keep my eyes on my phone, but I feel my brows furrow at whatever they’re talking about.
“I’m just saying,” she laughs again. “I didn’t know this was a casting for plus-size.”
I go still, but I don’t look over again.
“At least she’s pretty.”
The other girl lets out a scoff. “That’s all makeup.”
I almost glance around the room now because I’m not wearing any makeup, but I know I’m the topic of their conversation since I’m the only plus-size girl in the room.
“I guess it’s good she wore makeup, but we’re modeling with our body, not face, andherbody is–”
“Sage Loana?”
I look over at a much younger girl, maybe sixteen, with a smile plastered on my face.
“I’m Ebony, the designer's daughter.” She points behind her shoulder with her thumb at the room behind her where her mom, Elaine Wilson, is. “She told me you were out here, and I almost passed out.”
I get up to hug her, and she laughs nervously.
“Did she saySageLoana? As in SageHale.”
I hear the girls start whispering again, but I only hug Ebony in return.
“Aw, it’s so nice to meet you.” When I pull away, she stares up at me in awe, and I can’t get over how cute she is. I glance in the mirror behind her, and I can see the shock on the two girls' faces as they realize who they were just bullying, but I look back over at Ebony and keep my smile in place.
“Don’t tell my mom I told you but you already got the job.”
I laugh at how fast she rushes her words out.
“She’s wanted you to model in her shows for months. I think she didn’t reach out first to play hard to get and because her ego is bigger than her fake butt.”
“Okay,” I can’t stop laughing now, and she pulls me in for another hug. “Maybe we should not spill all of your mom's secrets, yeah?” I tap the top of her head softly, and she nods before asking for a picture. We take a few, and she rushes back into the room.
I stand a bit taller as I turn to the girls who were just talking about me but are suddenly watching me like they might drop to their knees.
“Wow,” one of them starts. “You are so much prettier in person, I-”
“Am I?” I turn my head to the side as I give her a sweet smile. “Or is it all the makeup I’m wearing?”
Her face drops, but I don’t say anything else and return to my seat. They’re both stuck in a place for a few seconds but then the one who was doing most of the talking walks over to me.
“I am so sorry I said that. I didn’t know–”
“That I could hear you? No, that’s okay because it’s not mean if I can’t hear you, right?”
She opens her mouth, quickly closes it, and tries again, but nothing comes out.
The door behind her opens, and they call her name, but before she walks in, I call out to her. “Modeling isn’t just about your body, by the way. It’s all in the face and walk.”
She blinks twice.
