Hugo was just about to switch from a mobile game to checking comments on YouTube when the next models arrived. One was a buxom brunette, channeling a cute and innocent vibe. The other was... Hanna, one of Hugo’s schoolmates that was a grade or two below him and Alicia’s sister.
Hanna and him became friends back when she caught him sneaking peeks at Alicia in school. Ones like the glances the brunette was sending him now. He smiled in a way he knew would show dimples and gave a little wave. She blushed and gestured towards him to Hanna. They both looked over and Hanna smiled.
“Hugo!” Hanna called out with a wave. She pointed at herself and the studio to show that she had to work now, but also pointed to Hugo to show that she’d like to talk with him if he’d wait. Hugo was already planning to watch the shoot and had no problem catching up with an old friend, although he was shocked he knew one of the models.
They still had to get makeup and clothes, so he approached one of the assistants. “Who are the models today, Miss....?”
The woman looked surprised that someone spoke to her in a tone that wasn’t an order. “You can call me Miss Anderson. Today’s shoot is casual and formal wear for a department store. We’ve finished other arrangements for the advertisements. The company wanted some more diversity after a quick review. We had to quickly bring on new talent last minute, including yourself Mr. Hugo.”
Hugo chuckled. “And here I thought I had made the first pass Miss Anderson. It’s a shame I am only the second call.”
She blushed. “You were on the shortlist Mr. Hugo, but an agency we partner with brought a new model to the set. We were unable to refuse due to our contract...”
“It seems to have worked out in the end.”
Hugo’s smile seemed to distract the assistant. She was at a loss of words until she suddenly remembered his earlier questions. “The new models, I think their names were Amy and Anna?”
“Ahhh, thank you. I was certain I recognized one as an old friend and it seems I was right. Her name should be Hanna though.”
The assistant smiled. “I’m glad I could help. We were lucky to find them honestly. They applied for the position well after the normal timeframe, but we just so happened to be desperate. The other models we called seemed to be sick or on another job. These two don’t have experience and we wouldn’t normally hire them, but I have a good feeling.”
“I’m sure it will turn out just fine. They have really good vibes.”
The assistant thanked him and she rushed off when her pager vibrated, leaving Hugo alone again. He decided to wander around the set and see if he could lend a hand. It didn’t feel like too long of a wait before the models were ready and the rest of the staff assembled. It looks like the name Anna was not just a slip on the assistants part, but instead a filing error.
Amy and “Anna” both stunned the crowd in an identical pair of jeans. Amy wore an over-sized comfortable looking grey tee-shirt which let the jeans look casual and understated. Hanna highlighted the jeans in a different bolder way with her white crop top. They took some pictures together and quickly changed to the next outfit.
This time Hanna was alone and wearing really classy business clothing with a pencil skirt and pale pastel blouse. She posed with props this time, perhaps highlighting the sale of the desk and chair as much as her clothing. She went off to change while Amy walked up.
Amy had stopped glancing at Hugo by now and was fully immersed in her work. She walked to a white screen and posed with full accessories in a flowy teal skirt and a printed silk blouse. This left the assistants free to remove the furniture from the other screen. Amy didn’t even flinch at the noise and focused on the photographer.
Hugo had wanted to gain experience watching models with more skill than him, but the girls’ natural confidence impressed him as much as any model. They were comfortable in their bodies and it showed. He had never met Amy before, and kept finding his eyes drawn over to Hanna.
She was Hugo’s biggest ‘bully’ despite her younger age. Hanna would always tease and needle him over his obvious crush on her older sister and laugh at his resulting blush. She seemed to find his shyness amusing to no end. It took a while, but they eventually opened up to each other more as friends.
Hanna and Alicia had grown up without a mother and he had grown up without a father. Hanna complained about how protective Alicia was. Hugo had joked that Alicia just knew Hanna was a little troublemaker. She made a face at him and didn’t forgive him for a week.
He chuckled to himself. She was carrying herself with professionalism and not messing around, showing a calmness Hugo had never seen from her before. The only trouble she would be stirring was in men’s hearts, or so Hugo thought as he watched her narrow her eyes at the camera. The little troublemaker had grown up. He was getting more curious what she wanted to talk about after the shoot.
Hanna, Alicia’s sister and Hugo’s underclassman
Amy(?)
