The fashion industry churns out hot young models and uses them up like toilet paper, disposing of them once it’s done covering them in shit. But Cat wasn’t like those other hussies. She was the hottest model the industry had seen in decades. Her career would be long and glamorous; from New York to London to Milan. Cat was world famous.
The crowd cheered as she strode down the runway in an elegant floor-length gown by a Japanese designer hot on the fashion seen just this year. They said her wearing the dress would make the entire show profitable for the designer.
As she walked down the aisle, she could hear them chanting her name, “Cat, Cat, Cat.”
“Cathrine! Are you awake?” Mrs. Binter said, slapping her hand on her desk.
Cat was jarred back to reality. Her teacher was staring at her. The rest of the class burst out laughing as they realized she was daydreaming again.
“Yes.” Cat answered.
“Yes, what?” Mrs. Binter asked.
“Yes, Mrs. Binter.” Cat responded.
With a sigh, “Yes you are awake or yes to the question?”
“Question?” Cat fumbled for information, but nothing came to her.
Suddenly, a snide priss of a prep student, Alisha Gunter, standing a couple of feet to Mrs. Binter’s right chimed in, “The senior class is putting on a fall fashion even for the entire school. We are looking for models.” Somehow her tone sounded more stuck up with each word.
In half a heartbeat, the question sunk in. “YES!” Cat shouted. “I’ll model.”
Alisa sniffed.
“Fine, fine, there is a permission slip on my desk. Bring it in tomorrow with your parent’s signature and you’ll be excused from your classes Thursday and Friday afternoon for rehearsal and the show.
Alisha left, gifting a rueful glare at Cat before she was out of sight. Cat didn’t care what that snob thought of her though. She had dreamed of becoming a model since she was 6. There were several tryouts available growing up, but her parents never had the time or money to take her. This time, they couldn’t refuse, since it cost nothing and it was happening at school.
Cat was correct, she got her mom to sign the slip without really doing much more than glance. Cat really sold her on the fact that it was a school activity and didn’t cost anything to participate.
The week drug on, but when Thursday came around she almost couldn’t contain herself waiting until after lunch. Finally, Cat followed a group of other juniors and seniors who had signed up to participate.
She knew the other girls, the school wasn’t that big. But when Cat entered, the one girl who took her attention was Alisha. “You’re serious? You are not model material. Maybe we’ll let you clean up the auditorium when the show is finished.”
“Fuck you, bitch. You don’t own this activity.” Cat said.
“No, but my uncle Renalt is the designer. Renalt Caisse! He’s the one lending us the dresses for the show.” Alisha said.
Cat was flabbergasted.
“Yes, Alisha. That is true. But he is lending them to the school, not to you specifically.” Mrs. Alexander said smoothly, stepping between them.”
“I just don’t think Uncle Danny will have anything that will fit this gawky tree.” Alisha said.
Cat was tall. Not, ‘tall for a girl’, she was 6’1” and bone thin. Models are supposed to be tall and thin, and she got both in ample measure.
“I’m quite certain we can make this work. Let’s begin.” Mrs. Alexander said and then to the room yelled, “Have a seat ladies.”
All of the girls took seats near the stage. “Okay Ladies, tomorrow evening we will be holding a reenactment of the Caisse Fashion Show that was performed a month ago in London. I am looking to select eleven models who can replicate the precise style of the models who did the original.”
Cat began mentally counting, there were easily over 30 girls sitting in the auditorium. This realization swept through the room which resulted in a soft sound of girls whispering to each other about the discrepancy.
“Don’t worry girls. You have all volunteered and will all take part in the fashion show. Those of you who can master one of the various walking styles will be our models. The rest of you will help with make-up, costumes, lighting, and music.” Mrs. Alexander said smoothly.
The whispering was silenced when she had finished speaking.
“Lights!” Mrs. Alexander said to someone in the rear of the room. She then walked over to the side of the stage as the lights went out and a large screen television that was on a mobile TV stand in the center of the stage.
The girls watched a promo video from the original fashion show. It was a video collage featuring each of the 11 models, plus a special appearance by famed Japanese performance artist Teisha. Teisha began as a runway model but eventually went on her own to perform in film and television. For the fact that she was able to convincingly emulate all of the top supermodels’ walks, turns, and poses, Cat had been enamored with the performer and had spent years practicing everything Teisha had ever done.
By the end of the video, all 30+ girls were cheering excitedly. “Glad you are all excited, ladies. Please come up on stage for some demonstrations.”
Cat raced to be first onto the stage. She was barely beaten by Alisha.
“You two seem eager.” Mrs. Alexander commented. “Alisha, I know you have modeling experience. Cat, have you ever modeled?”
“No, Mrs. Alexander.” Cat said sadly. “But I’ve been practicing!”
“Practicing? What for? The only runway you belong on belongs to the airport!” Alisha injected.
Laughter erupted.
“Alisha, stop it.” Mrs. Alexander chided. “Let’s see what you two can do.”
She then played the next video. It was a 30-second shot of model Heidi Jennings from 2023 NY Fashion Week. Cat immediately recognized the show and had even practiced this in her room at the time it originally aired.
After playing the video through twice, Mrs. Alexander asked. “Who thinks she can walk like that?”
Cat and half a dozen of the girls raised their hands. “Okay, Alisha. You can demonstrate it for us.”
Alisha calmly strode to the end of the stage, made a 90-degree turn, and then took three more steps, made a 270-degree turn in the other direction, and returned. Cat was disappointed, as Alisha did the stride and turns just perfectly.
“Whose next?” Mrs. Alisha asked.
Next was Connie Apollo. She simply walked to the end of the stage, turned left, walked three steps, turned around, and walked back. It was quite pathetic.
Two more girls, Shana Blake and Stephanie Shoe went without much better results. Finally, “Okay, let’s see your stuff, Cat.”
Cat had studied every move from every current model. She practiced them because she wanted to be able to perform them one day on stage. This was just a rehearsal, but for some reason, she was especially nervous. She suddenly realized that she had never modeled in front of anyone except for her parents, and that was when she was 6.
Taking a deep breath, Cat strode as naturally as ever. She made the first turn as gracefully as she ever had in practice. When she did the 270 turn, she even emulated Heidi’s trademark flourish before striding back. When she reached Mrs. Alexander back at the starting point, the other girls were actually cheering for her. All except for Alisha, who was openly glaring at her.
“I think we have some contenders!” Mrs. Alexander announced delighted.
For the next two hours, they went through sample videos from all eleven models from the London fashion show. Each time, Cat was able to demonstrate how well she had mastered the various walks, turns, poses, and strides. Everything from the high-stepping showgirl walk of Megan Thorn to the graceful glides of models like Aggie Burns and Charlot Grant, who would model floor-length gowns and walk in a way that made it look like they were floating across the floor. Cat mastered all of them. Even Alisha was only really proficient at 4 of the 11 examples.
By the end, Alisha had stopped glaring at Cat. She even cheered at some of the more difficult poses Cat was able to demonstrate. “You are amazing, Cat.” Mrs. Alexander said at one point. “Don’t you agree, Alisha?”
Taken aback, Alisha nodded. “She reminds me of Teisha!”
Mrs. Alexander looked appalled when Alisha said that, but after a moment she gave Cat a considering glance. “I don’t know if…”
“I’m just saying.” Alisha cut her off. “I’m not saying you should do that.”
Mrs. Alexander shook her head. “Okay ladies, I want each of you to think of the three models you think you know best. Line up, and I will call each one out.”
Mrs. Alexander walked to the far end of the stage and produced a video camera that had been just off stage. She turned it on and focused it toward where the girls were all standing. “Alisha, which three models will you model?”
Alisha named her best three.
“Begin.”
With that, Alisha did her best performance of the day, walking the length of the stage, making specific turns, and returning. Three times, emulating the different models.
“Stephanie, your turn.”
Stephanie called out three names before giving her demonstration. All the way through the line, Mrs. Alexander called out the girl’s names and they all gave their best performance. Cat decided to select the same names as Alisha, just to make it a head-to-head competition.
When they were done, Mrs. Alexander announced. “Okay ladies, I will study the video I took and make my decision by tomorrow. You are dismissed.”
Yes