Insecurities

Layla had just gotten out of the shower when her phone started ringing. Typically her phone only went off when her agent had a shoot for her, but she already had a shoot today. And there was no way she’d be able to do two shoots today either. She had checked her emails before hopping into the shower, and nothing had been canceled or rescheduled, so what was Karla calling about?

With a frown, she picked up the phone from her nightstand and answered it. “Karla? Is everything okay?” She asked, sitting down on the bed. 

“Layla! Thank god you picked up! I have exciting news for you dear! Are you sitting down? You’ll want to be sitting down for this!” 

“Yes, Karla, I’m sitting down. Now tell me what’s so exciting,” Layla laughed slightly, twirling a brown curl between her fingers. 

“Okay! Okay! Okay! You, my dear, have just been nominated for Model of the Year!” 

Layla blinked slowly, the finger in her hair stopped twirling, “Model of the Year?” 

“Yes! Model of the Year! Oh, I’m so proud of you!” Karla continued. 

Layla took a deep breath, Karla’s excited ramblings turning to static. There was no way she was nominated. There were so many other talented models out there who had been working for years just to get nominated, and Layla had gotten nominated after only working for three years. 

There was no way. There had to be some sort of mistake. Perhaps the agency meant to nominate a different Layla instead. Or perhaps Karla was playing a cruel trick on her. No, she would never do something like that. 

Or perhaps it wasn’t a mistake at all. Perhaps her father had a role in this. It wouldn’t surprise her if her father had somehow convinced the agency to nominate her. Or worse, slipped some money under the table to get her in. After all, he won the British Designer of the Year award last year, and it would be just swell if Layla won Model of the Year. That had to be it. There was no other explanation. She hadn’t won the nomination, no, her father had done what he does best. Pay enough people to ensure that his kids make it to the top. Well, not this time. If her father had paid for it, then she didn’t want it. All she had to was confirm it and then convince Karla to take her out of the running. 

“Karla? You’d always be honest with me, right?” 

“Of course, darling! Why?”

“Was my- No, did my father have anything to do with this?” 

The phone went silent for a moment. Layla shook her head, the silence confirming what she already knew. Of course, he had something to do with it. He always had something to do with it. 

“Darling, what would give you that idea?” 

Layla sighed, “I haven’t been modeling all that long, Karla. And you know how my father is,” The phone was silent for a moment before Karla’s laugh began to fill the air. 

“Oh honey, please. You act as though he’s responsible for all your success! And last I checked, he wasn’t the one attending photoshoots every week!” 

Layla shook her head, a small laugh escaping her lips. “Your father is a lot of things, honey. Don’t even get me started. But he is extraordinarily talented and if you ask me, that talent runs in the family!” 

Layla smiled, “Thanks, Karla.” 

“You’re welcome, darling! Now you’re going to work your magic at today’s shoot, and when you get home, you and I will celebrate the nomination. Got it?” 

Layla smiled, “Got it, Karla.” 

“Good, now you better get going or you’re going to be late!” 

Layla rolled her eyes, “Will do. Bye, Karla,” With a click, the call ended, and the bedroom fell into an uncomfortable silence. 

While Karla had said her dad wasn’t responsible for the nomination, it was still hard to believe. Hard to believe, that for once, her father hadn’t paid anyone off. Hadn’t ensured that she made it to the top. Hadn’t tried to take control into his own hands to get what he wanted.  That knowledge was oddly reassuring. But it still didn’t make her feel all that better. 

It was hard to think that in only three short years, she had managed to impress the agency enough for a nomination. That they didn’t do it because of who she was related to. 

Which meant that Karla was right. That, just like her father, she was incredibly talented. And maybe even a little lucky. That she was easily able to outshine the rest of the talent. But that thought didn’t sit well with her either. Nothing about her modeling had been easy, and she didn’t feel like she outshined anyone.   

Layla took a deep breath, shaking her head. Karla was wrong, it wasn’t talent that put her where she was. It was determination and perseverance.  Every day she fought to prove that she belonged in the modeling world. Every second was spent earning her place, working alongside famous models who thought her father’s money had put her where she was. Whether it be in interviews or photoshoots, she did everything she could to prove that she could be just as good as anyone else. And this nomination was just the start. 

With this newfound confidence, she walked over to her closet, slipping her shoes on. She was going to make sure this next shoot would be perfect. Not a single hair would be out of place. She would make sure that this shoot would outshine every other shoot she’s done before. And the next shoot after that would be even better. She was going to prove that she didn’t deserve to be Model of the Year. No, she was going to earn the title of Model of the Year. And next year, she’d earn the title again. 

With that last thought, Layla grabbed her car keys off that counter and headed off to the photoshoot.