Model For Me |l.s.|

chpt. 7

My appearance at Harry's show was all over Twitter the following morning, and since then, mum's been very pleased to see me and Harry texting regularly. The media is going crazy, already making all sorts of theories and ship names. It's amazing, really. His fans are very quick to react.

Simon is also pleased—especially with the number of job offers being made. More luxury brand deals, more magazines, more commercials. I'm pretty much booked back to back for the next couple of months. I hardly get time to sleep anymore, with all the working out, photoshoots, meetings and flights.

It's been getting a little harder to workout, I've noticed. Maybe with so little sleep and so few meals. I don't have much time to eat, and mum prefers it if I don't eat the entire day of any shoots I have. I doubt I'm even following my already-strict diet plan at this point.

The results are pretty good, I have to admit. A small price to pay for my chance at really making it in the industry. I'm actually currently modeling Bottega Veneta, but just the pants. All the running seems to pay off, I'm given countless compliments from the camera crew. The makeup artist gushed over my figure as she lathered me up in some type of a subtle body oil, supposed to make me look all muscular.

I'm exhausted by the time the shoot is finished and it's so late in the night, me and mum don't speak out of pure sleepiness. I nearly cry when she tells me to squeeze in an arms and legs workout before I sleep.

I wake up with little rest out of my few hours of sleep. We're on our way for another flight scheduled at six thirty, and my legs feel like jelly. Once we're on our flight, mums reading a magazine when I build up the courage to ask her.

"Hey mum," I say casually.

"Yes, Louis?"

"Well, you know how grateful I am for all these opportunities. I'm glad I've found so much movement in my career."

"I know, isn't it great. All that hard work is paying off," she nods.

"Yeah, definitely," I agree. "But, um, how long 'till my next break?"

"Oh, you have next Monday off. We'll get settled in Paris, the day after is the commercial shoot."

"No," I sigh. "I mean, like an actually break. Like, I'll be home for a little while."

"Louis," she shakes her head, her expression nothing short of disappointed. "You can't get cold feet. It's unfair after everything me and your management have sacrificed. You know your career can't afford any time off."

"Mum please, I'm exhausted," I plead, looking into her eyes to try and find any sort of sympathy in them. "I won't be at my best without proper rest, and at this rate I'll crash. You and I both know how bad that would be for my image."

"It sounds to me like you're feeling a little lazy, hun," she says.

"I'm just trying to play my cards right," I try. "Mum, I've been slacking off on my workouts. I'm not doing it on purpose, if anything, I'm trying harder. My body still needs sleep and rest and peace every once in a while. You know how much Kendall Jenner takes care of herself? And look where she is. The top model out there."

"I don't know if it's a good idea, Louis. Kendall, she's got a different body type, different metabolism. And she can spare a couple of deals. She's earned it."

"Look, she was just an example, enough about Kendall," I groan. "Just think about it, please?"

"Okay," she says reluctantly. "But it's Simon who has the final word."

"Thanks mum, I promise, it'll help more than anything."

We manage to schedule an entire month off for me to just focus on myself in London. After two months of non-stop working, I'm back at home and making up for all the lost sleep. Mum decided to take a week off to stay at Mason's place, and I'm not complaining one bit.