At least the shoot that weekend was indoors. We weren’t doing winter stuff, so it had to be. We were doing spring stuff, for a catalog that would come out in March.

Well, that was how they put it. It was all for a website, but they still used those terms. Ordinary, everyday clothing. Ready to wear. I felt even more normal posing and then relaxing afterwards.

“I heard about what happened to you,” Olivia said. She was a brunette with reasonably fair skin, but had a slight slant to her eyes. I couldn’t tell if it was Asian, Native American, or what.

“I’m fine.”

“Nah. Nobody would be completely fine after losing their entire wardrobe,” she quipped.
“Eh. I didn’t lose anything that couldn’t be replaced.” I stretched a bit. “Nobody was hurt.”

“That’s the important thing, but still…I know it’s just stuff, but…”

“But sometimes things can’t be that easily replaced, I know. I’m managing, though, and I’m in a foster home now, not the group home crap.”

“You should just emancipate yourself.”

“I’m going to graduate high school first.” With the income I was getting, though, I realized I could do it.
“Oh. That’s smart. College?”

“My grades aren’t that great.”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “Should at least do community college. Get some business skills. Try your hand at design. Maybe even try to transfer to FIT. You’re good. You could go all the way, but if you don’t get your business skills…”

“Somebody will probably exploit me.” But could I get away with being famous? Business skills sounded like a good idea for somebody who didn’t have other things to worry about.

“Right. Avoid the for-profit schools. Unfortunately, there isn’t a school here that offers an associates in design. But you…do you have any ties here?”

I…hesitated. I wasn’t sure I wanted to admit it. Finally, “Girlfriend.”
She didn’t miss a beat. “You need to be in New York. Would that be a good option for her?”

“Only if she gets a scholarship.”

“Pfeh that. You get to New York and in with an agency there and you’ll be paying her tuition. What’s her field?”

“History. She wants to teach high school.”

“Then it doesn’t really matter where she goes as long as it’s a good school. She’ll need a full college, but…”

New York. I wondered if it would be safer there, or… There was Mike, too. He couldn’t just up and go to New York, but I knew he’d support me if I did.

It was an odd feeling to have people that close to being family.