Mask of A Legend (12 page)

“Why yes, I am,” she whispered. He crouched over while a thought came up, embarrassed but still mesmerized by her looks.

“I was thinking, um, what’s your name? I mean, you’re gorgeous, and I usually know the names of all beautiful women,” Stephen flirted.

“My name is Dina, Dina Monroe.” He walked with Dina toward the ballroom, grabbing onto her small, gentle hand, and guided her into the room, showing a permanent smile toward her. It was a smile that meant he was in love with the spoiled, silver spoon.

L
egend’s teeth jittered. “I’m really nervous.” The elevator door opened to the sight of the foyer. This was it, her moment to shine for what she thought was going to last just for the day.

“Don’t worry, you’ll do fine,” Jenny said. She looked at Legend’s beauty and still was dumbfounded by the transformation. This was indeed a metamorphosis that only miracles could perform.

Jenny and Legend were used to the negative side of life. They were. Nothing good can happen to me? I wish, I want, I deserve, thoughts like that which never had “I am” attached to it.

“What happens if I trip on the stage?”

“You won’t!”

“I will!”

“You won’t, Legend!”

“How do you know, Jenny?” They meandered toward the ballroom entrance.

“Because I just do. You’re beautiful, Legend, and as soon as we enter that room, I bet everyone will turn around just to look at you.” They approached the ballroom entrance and watched the girls walk on the stage, like lifeless products that were being sold at auction; not too far away from the truth.

“My God, it’s already begun,” Legend said. She pulled out her name tag from her white purse. Not even the air-conditioning from the hotel could cool off her sweat.

“What number are you?” Jenny asked. Legend handed her the name tag. “Alright, you’re number 304. All we have to do is find out what number they’re on now.”

Jenny did her best at calming down Legend’s beautiful face. Jenny spotted Legend’s mother in the distance, so she grabbed onto her clammy hand and guided Legend to her.

“Hello, Legend,” her mother said. She attempted to give Legend a hug, but she backed away. Too soon.

“Hello,” Legend said. She held a straight face, stern and in control toward her mother when suddenly her mother dropped down to her seat, realizing Legend’s beauty. “My God, Legend, what happened to you?”

Legend put her name tag on the chest part of her white, flowered evening gown. She didn’t answer her, the anger was still inside, and building by the second. So, Jenny helped with, “Oh, it was some cream that she used for her acne, it says it works wonders!”

“You bet it does,” her mother said. Legend turned to her with fury in her blue eyes. “What the heck was it, a new type of acid peel?”

Legend said, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Her mother swallowed saliva in loudness. “It just means that it works wonders, that’s all I meant by that.”

Legend turned away from her. This was her moment and she didn’t want or need to deal with her mother’s mind games.

“No, you meant that I was ugly before, and this cream did a miracle of some kind,” Legend argued. The last girl walked up onstage and wore a name tag that read ‘300’. Four more to go.

“Listen, Legend, please don’t give me the third degree, I’m trying here. I want you to forgive me for what I’ve done before. I was drunk, and I know that’s no excuse, but I’m really, truly telling you that it was the drunkenness which was talking that day.”

Legend turned to her mother in a fast motion, the wind almost snapped by her speed. “It wasn’t just that one day, Mother, it was a lot of other days also. Every time you got drunk, which was almost every day, you would do those exact same things to me that you heard on the tape. Did you hear what you called me on the tape, Mom? You called me ‘ugly’, you called your own daughter ‘ugly’.” Legend saw her mother smiling. “This is no time to be happy. Why are you smiling?”

“Because you’re just so beautiful. It’s amazing, I can’t believe how beautiful you are,” she replied, noticing a piece of hair by Legend’s eye. She reached out to grab the hair, but Legend backed away from her.

“Don’t touch me!”

“I was just trying to grab a piece of hair from your eye, it seems like a brow.” She pulled out a mirror from her purse. “Here, you pull it out then!”

Legend grabbed the mirror and put it up to her face when suddenly the ugly image came into view. After she saw her normal, ugly reflection, she dropped the mirror and broke it. “What’s wrong, Legend?” Jenny asked. She picked up the broken mirror for Legend and noticed Paula coming on the stage.

“Now, would the girls with numbers 301 through 600 please come and form a line by the stage,” Paula announced over the speaker.

Legend gave Jenny a hug. “That’s me, wish me luck,” Legend said. She let go of Jenny, turned to her mother and added, “Listen, Mom, let’s talk about everything later on.”

“Okay, sweetie . . . good luck.” Her mother gave Legend a tight hug.

“I don’t think she’s going to need luck, Miss Conaway,” Jenny stated. Legend’s mother began laughing.

Legend slowly walked down the aisle and every head turned to face her as she passed them. It was as if she put a spell on every single person who was present in the ballroom, especially when she gave out a small smile. She walked up to the front of the line where she noticed Dina in the distance. She saw Dina kissing Stephen Drakson very heavily and started rolling her eyes a little bit. Stephen released Dina as he sat back down with his father, while they sat right next to the stage with the other agents.

Dina slowly began walking toward Legend with a face of pride and Legend turned the other way, trying to avoid eye contact with her. Dina stood directly behind Legend; she looked at her back in suspicion. “Well, well, if it isn’t miss ugly Legend I see before me,” Dina said… for the last time. Legend turned around to face her. “Oh, my God, I’m sorry, I thought you were someone else.”

Legend gave out a huge smile. “No, you were right about me being Legend, but you were wrong about the other words. So, I guess I forgive you.” After Legend’s words, a moment that only Heaven could create, Dina gave out an appalled look to her eyes, widening them and scrunching her lips as if she was about to cry from massive envy poisoning.

“My God, you bitch, what happened to your face?” Dina asked.

“Well, I guess it became beautiful. Why, what happened to yours?”

Paula read the girls’ names. She called out the first girl’s name while the line of dreams started moving leisurely. Dina couldn’t believe the beauty Legend possessed now. You can say, for the first time, she was beginning to feel a little jealousy toward Legend. The first girl walked on and off the stage as the agents looked at her and then began writing things down in their notebooks. The second girl walked up as the agents didn’t even bother to write anything down, they just smiled and nodded toward her.

“I’m serious, Legend, what happened to your face?” Dina asked.

Legend smiled and turned around to face Dina. “You called me by my name for the first time. I feel so special,” Legend said. Dina then noticed her dress. “We even have the same taste in clothes; man, I’m really, truly feeling the special moment right now.”

Dina looked at Stephen, it was the only thing she could do besides looking at Legend’s new face; the pressure was intense. Legend turned around to face the opposite way of Dina, and Stephen caught Dina’s eye contact. He gave out a small smile to her and then looked at Legend’s back. He looked back at Dina and she gave him a kiss in the air.

“Wait a second, what number are you, Legend?” Dina asked.

“I’m 304!”

“Well, I’m 305, now move it.” Dina pushed Legend out of the way and stepped in front of her.

“Now, the next model is Dina Monroe,” Paula announced. Dina stepped on the stage and smiled to the agents. She walked slowly, her body catching the eyes of the agents, including Stephen’s. She walked down the catwalk and suddenly Legend’s mind was overwhelmed with fear. Her heart started beating faster, the stage music got louder to her ears, the tension was building, and all she could do was look around the room in search of Jenny. She turned around and there Jenny stood, with a smile on her face.

“Oh my God, I’m so happy you’re here right now,” Legend said, hugging Jenny.

“I just came to give you your pictures, only if you want to use them.”

Dina began showing her photos to the agents in the background and Legend looked at the photos Jenny had. Not impressed.

“No, I’m not going to use those. All I need right now is some help from you. . . . I don’t know how to walk up there,” Legend admitted. Tears shielded her eyes, the panic was intense.

“Girl, you just walk the way you want to walk. Strut your stuff, Legend, because you’ve got it going on.” Even though Legend did not understand what she meant, Jenny still made her laugh.

“The next model is Legend Conaway,” Paula announced.

Legend gave Jenny one last hug. “This is where it begins, right?” Legend asked. The tension felt like it was going to explode from Legend’s mind.

“Yeah, this is where it all begins. You know you’re definitely going to make it now, let your beauty guide you. . . . Your adventure begins the moment you step on that stage.” Jenny had tears in her eyes and smiled vividly at Legend. “I love you, Legend!”

“I love you, too!” Legend turned around and walked up the stairs of the stage. The silver spoon was done showing her photos and now was the moment for Legend to just be.

As she walked out slowly, the voices stopped in the distance, and the entire room was silent, except for the music that was playing. She walked out and the agents became overwhelmed with her beauty, they became infatuated with her eyes, smile, everything about her. Stephen looked up at Legend when his smile ceased and a serious face came on him. He looked at her as if she was a goddess that was destined for fame.

Dina saw the way Stephen was looking at Legend, and she became even more jealous toward her. Legend’s tight evening gown showed her figure of perfection, of perfect quality, and the agents watched her perfectly covered breasts move about. She didn’t reveal anything. They couldn’t even write down anything on their papers, because her beauty allowed them to go in a sort of trance, like she stopped time all together, including the heartbeats of everyone in the room. She gave out a smile that gleamed toward the agents and they sweated from her beauty, even the woman agents. Before she walked off the stage, she turned around to face the agents again, teasing them, sweat dripping off of their foreheads.

Stephen got up from his seat and walked over to Paula and said, “Tell that Legend model to come up onstage and walk again. We didn’t get to see her very well!” Stephen walked back to his seat, saying, “Father, definitely take her as a client!”

Paula walked up to Legend, as she waited on the other end of the stage, and said, “Legend, the agents want to see you again. So, walk on the stage another time.”

“What does that mean?” Legend said. She thought that was a bad thing.

“It means they like you,” replied Paula. Legend stepped up on the stage again. She walked even slower than before as the agents started writing in their notebooks. She passed by Stephen and finally she noticed his face, it was a face of lust perhaps, but all he could do was smile toward her. She didn’t smile toward him because of the memory of how he allowed her to leave her own hotel room and not leave instead. Jerk.

She walked off the stage, and proceeded to go in the opposite direction of the agents. One agent asked, “Do you have any photos of yourself?”

“No,” Legend replied. She proceeded to walk further away from them.

“Don’t worry, we’ll get you photos,” another agent announced.

Stephen’s father stood up. “No, we will get you photos,” William stated. Stephen laughed hard, finding it funny how old agents were fighting over a new piece of candy.

“Well, boys, I’ll talk to you all after the rest of the girls have walked onstage,” Legend said. She returned to her seat. As she walked, she whispered, “I can’t believe I called them boys!” Jenny and her mother sat in their seats, when suddenly Legend approached them with a big smile. “Oh my God, that was so much fun.”

Legend hugged Jenny. “I bet it was. Man, I am so unbelievably happy for you, Legend. You deserved this moment,” Jenny said.

“I think there’s gonna be even more moments for me: the agents, actually, sort of began arguing over me. This is great.” Her mother went to give her a hug, Legend hesitated, but reached for her mother’s arms. “Thank you, Mom, for being here to see me!”

“You’re welcome, my beautiful Legend. . . .”

A
fter all the models walked on and off the stage, Paula stepped up to the podium. Legend held onto Jenny’s hand tightly with her left hand while holding onto her mother’s hand with her right, and watched Paula grab the microphone. “Okay, girls, if your number is called, that means that an agency wants to interview you. But, before I begin the calling of the numbers, I would just like to tell you that you all did a very good job. You all followed through with your dream, and that’s the first step in making it real. Even if your number is not called, I want you to keep in mind that this event could still go on your resumes, and this event is a good learning experience,” Paula announced. An older woman went on the stage and handed her a piece of paper. Gulp. “Okay, here we go. For the Gregory Modeling Agency, they want to see numbers 1-9, 10, 34, 95, 103, 200, 201, 202, 300, 303, 304,” Paula announced as Legend gave out a big smile.

“You’re number 304, right?” Jenny asked.

“Yep,” Legend said, gripping her hand tighter to Jenny’s. Her lungs were on fire, and the adrenalin rushed far beyond what her excitement could handle.

“699, 703, 770, 800, 856, 867, and 899,” Paula announced. She then paused for a moment. “Now, for the Mitchell Talent Agency, they want to see numbers 1, 79, 303, and 304.”

Legend squeezed her mother’s hand tighter. While Paula read out more talent agents, Legend became overwhelmed with happiness, living a dream that many girls wanted, but never get a chance to see. A dream that Legend wanted, a moment of being beautiful and having many people say that to her. But the thing was, it was a lie, and Legend didn’t realize that. She didn’t realized that the beauty she had now was only a mask. The excitement caused her to forget about the wish she made, the wish that was answered. After ten minutes went by, she was overwhelmed with more happiness, discovering that every single agency, so far, wanted to interview her. “Now, last, but certainly not least, for the Drakson Modeling Agency, Mr. Drakson would like to see numbers 303 and 304,” Paula announced. Legend stared at Jenny with a straight glare in her beautiful blue eyes.

“What’s wrong, Legend?” Jenny asked. Legend looked down at her name tag.

“Drakson Model Agency is one of the top agencies in the world, and they want to see me and–”

“I know, isn’t that great? They chose you,” Jenny said, but Legend still showed fear.

“Yeah it’s great, but Paula called out my number and 303. Number 303 is Dina’s number, Jenny.”

Jenny’s smile turned to a straight grin. Beyond the sounds of tears with sorrow and excitement from many girls, Legend felt a sick motion in her stomach. The thought of Dina was almost unbearable.

“It’s still gonna be okay. I mean, it’s not like you’re, sorry to say, butt ugly anymore, you’re beautiful now. It’s going to be alright, you have nothing to hide,” Jenny said. Legend looked at the ground where a broken part of the mirror, which she dropped before, lay. She looked at the broken part, a piece of her ugly image was eminent and that’s when she remembered her wish. What was real anymore? And what was fake?

“I hope you have all enjoyed this model search. Now, if I called out your number, please stay in your seats. For the rest whose names weren’t called, please be sure to pick up a pamphlet from the foyer before you leave. The pamphlets will tell you about the next model search,” Paula announced. Girls, with tears in their eyes, began getting up from their seats which they didn’t want to leave. Some mothers had to drag them, others had to rub their backs to calm down their hysteria.

Legend stepped up to the front, where the agents were getting ready to interview the models, when suddenly all the agents turned to her. They watched her beauty as she walked up to the first seat.

“Hello, um, as you might have already guessed, my agency is very, very interested in your look. Um, um, that’s it, we are definitely interested in having you as our client,” the older man said to Legend. She slowly sat down across from him.

“First off, what agency are you?” Legend said. He gave a smile to her, though he was in a daze caused by her magnificence. But she snapped him out of the trance. “Um, what agency are you?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I was daydreaming. Um, we are the Gregory Modeling Agency. We specialize mainly in magazine covers, designer apparel, and basically everything that models dream of.” He went on explaining to her even more about the agency. Ten minutes went by and Legend yawned toward the older man. “So, all you have to do is sign here on the dotted line and your modeling career with Gregory Modeling Agency will begin.” The man handed her a golden pen and a contract that was one inch thick.

“Um, well, I have to think about it,” Legend said. Her mother and Jenny approached her. “I’ll get back to you.” Legend then shook the man’s hand and got up from her seat. She went to every single agent who called for her. She didn’t even have to wait in any long lines. As soon as the agents saw her, they grabbed her gently and put her in the front of the line. It was like she was royalty, she bewitched them. An hour went by and her eyes were getting heavy.

“Now, Legend, if you sign with Fredrick’s Agency, we will give you a five-thousand dollar contract right now, that will last for three weeks,” the young woman stated. Legend opened her eyes wide.

“Well, um, after I talk to the last agency here, I’ll be sure to come back to you. I’m very interested in your agency, but, like I said before, I still have one more interview to go to right now,” Legend explained.

She shook the woman’s hand.

“Before you go, Legend, I would just like to add that my agency will help you out a lot with making it to the top in this business of modeling professionally,” the woman pleaded.

“Well, like I said before, ma’am, I have to go and see every single agency that wants to interview me. It’s only fair.”

Legend immediately walked away from the woman.

“Boy, you handled her very well, I think you get that attitude from me,” said her mother. She walked with Jenny behind Legend.

“No, Mom, I get that attitude from myself.”

Legend turned gracefully, relieved she had one more agent to go when suddenly she saw Stephen, William and Dina sitting and staring at her. As she strolled toward them, Dina kissed Stephen on the lips, but Stephen still stared at Legend. Creepy or romantic, Legend didn’t have the answer just yet. There was something about Stephen that she just couldn’t shake. Damn.

“Well, well, finally I get to meet the most attractive girl here,” William said. He kissed Legend on the hand. Dina looked at William and grinned her teeth. William looked at Dina’s face’s reaction and added, “Oh, I mean the two most attractive women here!”

Dina and Legend sat beside one another and faced William and Stephen. William continued. “Now, the way I like to interview is to be all out honest. That’s why I want to interview you and Dina together.” Dina eyed Legend. “I’m going to cut out all the bullshit and get straight to the point. Now, I already explained it to Dina, and she agreed immediately.”

“Well, that doesn’t mean that I’ll agree to your agency,” Legend said. Stephen smirked.

“Oh well, here it goes. I’m going to offer you a one hundred thousand-dollar contract for three weeks, Legend. During those three weeks, you will go to London for ‘The Justif winter line’. As you may already know, Justif is a very well-known designer, and he only allows the most attractive women to model off his clothing. Also, he only allows my girls to model off his clothing,” William said. Legend tried to keep her excitement hidden, but Stephen could see her happiness through her eyes. “After those three weeks, a new contract will be given to you. I will handle all of your contracts with different jobs that you receive. But, my son, Stephen, will handle a lot of your contracts also. With my agency, we will treat you with the utmost royalty. After all, Legend, you are beautiful!”

“Um, excuse me, sir, but why is my contract for only fifty thousand and Legend gets one hundred thousand dollars?” Dina asked. A smile formed on Legend’s face.
Yes!

“Well, Dina, not to offend you, but Legend is very, very beautiful, and we pay for beauty,” William replied. Suddenly, Legend came into eye contact with Stephen. “Now, if you sign this contract, we will leave immediately to go to London. I am in a rush, so we’ll leave tonight.”

Legend’s mother nudged Legend on the back. “Sign it, baby,” her mother urged. Legend gazed at the contract that was only one sheet.

“Now, during these three weeks in London, could I sign any other contracts for let’s say, ‘magazine covers’, if I get the chance to?” Legend asked.

“Listen, you are definitely going to get on magazine covers,” Stephen stated. Dina looked at him with sinister eyes. “I mean, you will both get on the cover of modeling magazines. But, what my father didn’t explain to you is, we are not going to be in London for the entire three weeks.” Legend stared at his black eyes.

“But that’s what he said,” said Legend.

“I apologize for his mistake. You see, ‘The Justif winter line’ is only going to be in London for four days. After that, Justif, as well as the models who are modeling his clothes, will come to New York and show his ‘winter line’ there for the rest of the three weeks. While we’re in New York, his line will be shown in a number of buildings, to sort of spread out his clothing to many viewers. To make a long story short, the full three weeks is mainly going to be his line of clothing being shown to a number of designers, photographers, store owners, and even regular buyers, mainly the rich. During that time, you will be able to sign other contracts, but we, I mean, my father will handle them for you. I will only handle a few contracts. Just think of him, and even me, as your own private guardian angel, who guides your career to great heights,” Stephen explained. Legend gave a big smile toward him, the first smile to him. It was an accident.

“Boy, you know a lot about this business,” Legend said.

“Well thank you, and you know a lot about having a great smile,” Stephen stated. The jealousy in Dina could be felt by the entire, half-empty, frigid room.

“How old are you anyway? I mean, you know so much about this business,” Legend asked.

“I’m eighteen years old, how old are you?” Stephen asked. Jenny and Legend’s mother smiled even more than Legend.

“Excuse me, but this is not ‘happy hour’, this isn’t social time,” Dina interrupted. Legend picked up the golden pen and started signing her first name on the dotted line. Was she doing this for herself, to spite Dina, or to perhaps continue the conversation with Stephen at a later time? She didn’t know.

“Alright, Mr. Drakson, when do we leave?” asked Legend. She handed William the contract and still stared at Stephen.

“Please, call me William, and we leave in about an hour.” Legend turned to face him with shocked eyes.

“An hour? But I have no time to go home and pack my belongings. Also, that means I have to drop out of school. My God, I never thought of that,” said Legend. Her nerves, though frozen from the cold room, came to life again, and she looked at her mother for comfort.

“What belongings do you have, you poor, white bitch?” Dina mumbled.

“What did you say to me?”

“Oh, nothing, all I asked was ‘why would you give up one hundred thousand dollars for school? I mean, I admit, you really shouldn’t drop out.” Dina then looked at Stephen’s eyes and they pointed toward Legend. The jealousy set in again. “Well, you know what, I wouldn’t drop out if I were you. I mean, education is highly important, especially in the 90s. With me, I get bad grades as it is, so I really have nothing to lose. But, with you, Legend, you’re a straight ‘A’ student, and you do have something to lose.”

Legend grabbed the contract away from William, asking, “Mom, what should I do?”

“Follow your dreams, Legend, you could always go to school again. You’re a very intelligent girl, you’ll make the right choice.”

Legend looked at Jenny.

“Jenny, how about it, what should I do?”

“Well, it’s your choice.”

“I know, how about I just try it out for these three weeks? After that, I’ll come back home and continue school. I mean, all I wanted was to prove that I could be equal with the beautiful girls,” Legend uttered to Jenny. “Should I do it?”

Jenny didn’t know how to answer, so she pondered over it a bit. “Well, Legend, I would do it.”

Dina gave out a very small laugh. “Yeah, I bet you would if you got the chance, fat ass,” Dina said under her breath.

Legend turned to her. “You know what, Dina has helped me make up my mind. I guess I’m going to London tonight.” Legend handed the contract back to William. “I think I made the right choice. How about you, Dina, do you think I made the right choice?”

Dina’s anger grew inside of her after Legend’s words.

“Um, yeah, Legend, yeah I do,” replied Dina. She stared at Stephen, but his eyes viewed only Legend’s beauty once again. “This is going to be quite an experience. . . .”

Yes, quite.