Fashion Week had just begun and all of Thneedville was abuzz with activity. Pretty much every fashion designer, fashion model, and fashion icon known in the Land of Seuss was there and everyone was having a great time... well, almost everyone. Martha May wasn't having much fun at all; she wore a silvery white cocktail dress, only this time it wasn't so tight, along with a pair of gray stilettos and her hair put up into a tight bun just like at the benefit.
She sat next to Johanna as she watched the fashion show, which lasted for a total of two hours, and then came the after party. To everyone else, it was a smash; but to Martha, it was more boring than a complete guide to the Dewey Decimal System followed by a six-hour documentary on the History of Yarn. She stood with Heather and Johanna, trying not to look bored.
"Isn't this great, Martha?" Heather asked, unaware of Martha's apparent discomfort.
"Not really, no." Martha muttered, faking a smile.
Johanna turned to her and said, "Why don't you go get us some punch? Just so you won't have to stand here all night."
"Okay, Johanna." Martha said as she went over to the refreshments table.
"Where's she going?" Heather asked.
"She's getting some punch." Johanna said before tensing up; as she watched Martha walking towards the punch bowl, she saw a certain someone heading towards her. "...Oh no."
Martha stood at the punch bowl and filled three glasses, but before she could walk away, she stopped and gawked at the food on the table in front of her. Everything was fake, nothing was real; it almost looked like gelatin.
'Seriously? How could anybody ever call any of this edible?' She thought. 'No Who Pudding? No rare Who Roast Beast? No moose juice or goose juice? No stash of Who Hash? No slew of Beezlenut Stew?! How can anyone possibly indulge in these artificial, practically radioactive sludge balls these people call food?!'
She then felt someone tap her left thigh. She jumped and looked to see a very short man with a stupid looking haircut and wearing a pale gray suit. He was giving her a devilish smile.
"Um, can I help you?" She asked.
"Somebody get me a glass, because I just found myself a very tall drink of water." The man said, trying to sound suave.
Martha grimaced; she had no idea who this man was and he was really giving her the creeps. "Uh... no." She slinked past him and quickly headed over to Johanna with the glasses of punch in hand.
He sneered.
"Here you go, Johanna. You too, Heather." Martha handed Johanna and Heather a cup before taking a nervous sip from her own.
"Thanks." Heather said as she took a sip.
"You don't know who that was, do you?" Johanna whispered into Martha's ear.
"You saw that?" Martha nervously asked.
"Sure did. That was Aloysius O'Hare."
"It was?"
"Yeah. And he doesn't look too happy. Oh, here he comes." The three girls stood straight as Mr. O'Hare came up to them with two large, beefy bodyguards.
"Ah, Johanna Starling. I'm so glad you could make it. It's so nice to see you again." He said, offering his hand to her.
"It's... nice to see you too, Aloysius." Johanna said as she shook his hand, struggling to sound calm.
Mr. O'Hare glanced up at Martha. "So, aren't you going to introduce us?" He raised his eyebrows at the nervous redhead.
"Oh, this is Martha May." Johanna answered. "She's... my new Fashion Consultant, as well as the company decorator."
YOU ARE READING
Working in Fashion
General Fiction[The Grinch 2018] Martha May went to school to become a teacher and she thought that would become just that. But instead, she ended up getting a job at Who Runway Fashion Magazine... and she hated it.
