Broken Inside

45 - The Catwalk Queen

Alex was almost late to work on Monday morning. It was the first time she had to go to work by herself. Seeing the time, she decided to take a taxi instead of the tube. Zack was sound asleep in her bed when she left. 

She arrived outside the B&G office at 8.55am. She heaved a sigh of relieve. She didn't want to be late on her second week.

"Alex?"

Alex turned her head and saw Cara, walking fast towards her. Cara was frowning. "Hi, Cara. Good morning," Alex greeted her with a quick smile.

"What are you doing here?" Cara asked her pointedly.

"What do you mean?"

Cara groaned and shook her head. "Alex, you're supposed to be at catwalk training on East Street. I told you on Friday," Cara reminded her, raising her eyebrows. She checked her watch and said, "You should go now. You will be late, but you should go now."

"Okay, I'm going," Alex said in a panic. She turned around and ran into Paul. 

Paul grabbed her by the shoulders and said, "Whoa! Watch your steps."

She could hear Cara inhaling sharply through her teeth. "Good morning, Lord Baker," Cara greeted meekly from behind Alex.

"Good morning," Alex greeted him too and she straightened up. "Sorry for running into you."

"Good morning, ladies," Paul greeted them back. He looked at Alex and asked, "What's your hurry?"

Alex chuckled awkwardly and said, "I'm late for catwalk training."

Paul's eyes widened. "Well, we can't have that. Take my car, you'll get there faster," he offered, gesturing to his car by the curb, with his chauffeur standing ready.

"Oh no, that's alright," Alex tried to decline.

"Please, I insist," Paul said firmly. He turned to his chauffeur and said, "John, please take Ms Smith to East Street, as fast as possible."

"Yes, my lord," John said, tipping his hat. He opened the passenger door and waited for Alex to get in.

Alex muttered a quick thank you to Paul before she climbed into the car.

*****

She arrived at the training centre at 9.09am. She rushed from the reception desk to the training room. She burst in through the door and came face to face with a slender, bearded man in full black leotard with heels. He was poised in the middle of the room, with his arm raised, and his eyes on his watch. 

Alex was panting, struggling to catch her breath. "Hi, I'm-"

The man raised his index finger from his free hand, silencing her immediately. She shut her mouth and continued breathing hard, trying to inhale as much oxygen into her lungs as possible. 

Then suddenly the man slapped his watch and opened his arms wide theatrically. "If you had not stepped through that door 20 seconds ago, I would have dumped your ass and refuse to train you. Good luck finding anyone as good Rochelle," he said to Alex pointedly. 

Alex assumed he was talking about himself in the third person. "I am so-"

Before she could finish apologising, Rochelle snapped his fingers and pointed down. "Drop your things and start walking. You're wasting both our time."

Alex wasn't sure what he meant so she just stood there.

"Drop and walk! Chop, chop!" Rochelle yelled, clapping his hands loudly. 

Alex jumped in surprise. She dropped her bag on the floor and started walking across the room. 

"Take your coat off and keep walking!" Rochelle yelled at her.

Alex did as he said, tossing her coat aside. Rochelle pretty much spent the next 3 hours yelling at her, trying to teach her how to walk the runway properly. 

At the end of the 3 hours, Alex's could barely stand and her ears were ringing from all the yelling.

"Ms Smith, you are terrible," Rochelle told her pointedly. "If you're late again tomorrow, I will have your head." He raised his eyebrows at her to make sure she heard him and then he left the room without another word.

Alex collapsed on the polished floor and laid there, staring at the ceiling. She was sweating bullets, panting hard and she couldn't feel her feet anymore. She suspected she might be dying.

*****

Alex returned to the office after lunch. After her gruelling training, she completely lost her appetite but she managed to eat a small bowl of soup just to gain enough energy to drag herself back to the office. 

She collapsed on her chair and rested her head on the desk. 

Cara saw her and chuckled. Then she asked, "How was catwalk training?"

"Rochelle is trying to kill me," Alex groaned.

"Well, if you're late again, he will kill you."

"Yeah, he said that," Alex said, glancing at Cara.

Cara smiled sympathetically. "Come on, Caroline called for a meeting."

Alex grumbled as she pushed herself off the desk and followed Cara.

*****

Alex was at the end of her sanity when she arrived home that evening. 

She opened the door and Zack greeted her from the kitchen. 

"Welcome home."

Alex dropped her bag and her coat on the floor and she collapsed on the sofa, groaning loudly. 

Zack stood next to the sofa, wiping his hands on a rag. He was chuckling. "What happened to you?"

Alex looked at him and exhaled loudly. "I was late this morning, forgot that I had training across town, got yelled at while I catwalk across the room, got yelled at in the office and someone ate the last donut!" she said angrily and punched the sofa. "Worst day ever!" she yelled at the ceiling.

Zack grinned at her. He tossed the rag on the coffee table and perched himself on the arm of the sofa. "Well, the day isn't over yet," he said optimistically. 

Alex rolled her eyes and said, "There is no way for this day to improve."

Zack smiled at her, flashing his dimples. He licked his lips and gently took hold of her feet, setting them down on his leg. He took her shoes off, one by one, and set them on the floor. Then he started to massage her feet. 

Alex shut her eyes and moaned, as Zack pressed his thumbs into her insole. He worked his fingers from her heels to her toes, milking the tension out of them. Alex felt the delicious clutching in her belly and she arched her body, moaning softly.

"I'm going to draw you a hot bath, so you can relax," Zack said while his hands worked their magic. "I've made dinner, in case you get hungry afterwards. And tonight, if you're still sore, I'll give you a back rub." He grinned at her and asked, "How does that sound?"

Alex looked at him and sighed, "That sounds perfect."

After they did everything that Zack had said, they had hot sex and then went to sleep.