Kathy was drinking away her heavy heart, sipping her drink in a quiet corner.
The guest models and F&F models were having fun; no one cared to tag her along.
Not like she wanted them to want her. Besides, she looked too good for them—they were probably jealous, so they didn't want her around.
Just then, May, Ferdinand's assistant, found her.
"Kathy!"
She shouted over the music.
"Hey, we need you to get Jessie out of here. She's in no shape to be partying."
Kathy raised an eyebrow, not bothering to mask her irritation.
"First of all, May... you call my name in that manner again, and I swear you'll regret it. Who made you the manager? Because he drills your hole?"
May scoffed.
"Are you jealous your holes aren't getting any visitors anymore? I know you loved Ferdinand... it's over. Move on."
Kathy slowly put down her glass, then burst into a loud, fake laugh.
"Love him? I experimented with him. His dick isn't even my type... balls heavier than a human head, he snores like a pig after sex, and he likes assholes. Potential gay man. Now, you look nothing like a woman, so I think you two are meant for each other."
May tried not to look offended but couldn't help it.
"You know why no one likes you? You're just a pretty face with nothing... nothing to offer. Good thing Bruno made the best choice. Beauty is far, far more beautiful than you... just a bitch who made her way to the top being a whore."
"Oops, triggered? Go on. Tell your big-balled, tiny-dicked boyfriend he should come and tell me whatever he wants. I'm not going to listen to a talking duck."
She smiled with her eyes and took a sip of her drink.
May stood there, clenching her fists, then stormed away angrily. As soon as she disappeared into the crowd, Kathy's face turned pale.
"Lonely?"
She scoffed and sipped her drink, rolling her tongue in her mouth angrily.
Just then, she saw Ferdinand marching toward her angrily.
She rolled her eyes, ready for him, and purposefully crossed her legs to show off her long, sexy legs.
"What did you say to May?" he demanded as soon as he stood in front of her.
"Big balls?"
She smirked.
"You're a fucking bitch that no man wants!"
Ferdinand snapped, almost turning heads.
"Hush now... you don't want the whole world to know your pathetic size."
"You still miss it, huh?"
He snapped back.
"Miss what? Please."
She laughed.
Ferdinand wiped his mouth, looked away, then looked back at her, trying to suppress the urge to hit her.
"Go get Jessie out of here. She's drunk."
"And why, exactly, am I the one who has to deal with her?" she replied, folding her arms defensively.
Ferdinand rolled his eyes, visibly exhausted by the chaos.
"You're her roommate, and Beauty isn't here. You're the only one who's... somewhat close to her," he replied impatiently.
Kathy let out a dry, sharp laugh.
"Close, indeed. I'm probably the last person she'd want helping her right now, and I can't stand her either. So look for someone else, Mr. Manager."
Knowing a command wouldn't sway her, Ferdinand lowered his voice.
"Look, just... just do it, okay? Mrs. Cruz doesn't want any drama with the press. If word gets out that Jessie was a mess at a public event, we're all in trouble."
Kathy rolled her eyes.
"She'll be in trouble for getting drunk and not drinking responsibly, not me."
"The F&F brand will be in trouble, so you will be, too," Ferdinand replied impatiently.
Kathy wasn't in the mood to be bothered. She continued sipping her drink while Ferdinand kept pushing her to take Jessie home.
She gave him a long, skeptical look, as if considering the request. She could have just walked away and let Jessie handle her own mess. But there was a part of her that couldn't deny a tiny spark of something strange she'd felt for Jessie earlier.
"Fine," she said with a dramatic sigh, rolling her eyes. "I'll help her. But only to keep the brand clear. It's not because I like her."
"Finally, she considered it. You did yourself a favor."
With that, he disappeared back into the crowd, leaving Kathy standing alone as she downed the last of her drink.
"That fool can't even say thank you. I wonder why I agreed to help him. I don't care if the brand is boycotted or whatever; I can easily get another company to model for."
She took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself before searching the room for Jessie.
"Let's get that bitch," she muttered.
She stood up and glanced toward the models' section, spotting them whispering to each other. Right in the center, she found Jessie, sprawled out on a couch with a flushed face, giggling to herself, clearly high on alcohol.
Kathy rolled her eyes and approached her, trying to mask her irritation.
When the other guest models saw her, the look of hate—and something else Kathy would comfortably call intimidation—was written all over their faces.
They don't like me because they look like my grandma, even with those Botox and BBLs, she thought.
She reached Jessie, leaned down, and tapped her lightly on the shoulder.
"Hey, bitch. Looks like you had a little too much fun tonight. Time to go."
Jessie's head lolled to the side, her eyes struggling to focus on Kathy. A slow smile spread across her face as she recognized her.
"Kathy! My... my favorite person..." she slurred, laughing at her own words as though they were the funniest joke in the world.
Kathy raised an eyebrow, feeling a mix of amusement and disbelief.
Her "favorite person"?
She almost laughed at the absurdity of it.
"Yeah, sure, I'm your favorite," she replied with a sarcastic grin. "Come on, let's get you out of here."
Jessie's hand reached out, clumsily grabbing onto Kathy's arm. She stared at her with a strange, earnest look, her eyes glazed but somehow soft.
"You're... you're actually really nice," she mumbled, words tumbling out in a jumbled mess. "I don't... I don't think I say that enough. You're pretty too, like... really, really pretty."
"Just shut up..."
"I mean it. You are very pretty. Very, very pretty. Prettiest eyes and smile."
Kathy stared at her, taken aback by the compliment. Jessie had never spoken to her this way before, and she didn't quite know how to react. But she quickly covered her surprise with a sly grin, an idea forming in her mind.
If Jessie was going to be this nice and open, why not capture the moment? After all, they were rivals, weren't they? A little insurance against Jessie could come in handy later.
"Well, thank you, Jessie," Kathy replied smoothly, pulling out her phone as she adjusted her grip on Jessie's arm.
She hit record, holding the camera at an angle that captured Jessie's flushed, unsteady face.
"You're full of compliments tonight, aren't you? Tell me more things you like about me."
"That's all... you're just pretty... nothing else. You have a gross attitude."
Jessie's gaze drifted to Kathy's phone, but she didn't seem to register what was happening. She just laughed, leaning her head against Kathy's shoulder, her voice a soft murmur.
"But you know... I don't want you to be sad about what I say... I feel like you're lonely..."
Kathy blinked, caught off guard. She hadn't expected to hear that she was that readable.
Lonely? Why do they all say that?
"I hear you cry these past nights we are roommates. I act like I don't care... but I do feel sad for you, you know?"
"Enough talking..."
Kathy pressed the stop button on the camera, fighting back tears.