FicWad

“Isn’t there any you’re going to like?” Corey asked as Mick was scratching off yet another name on the list in front of him.
“I just don’t think she had the right… credentials.”

Just then, Chris leaned towards Shawn and mumbled, “Meaning her tits weren’t nice enough.” And the both burst out in a fit of snickering, trying to hide their amusement from Corey and Mick.

“You’re going to have to choose one of them.” Corey said, but Mick simply shook his head. “Nope! Because I still have one more name on this list.” He looked seriously at Corey. “Tell you what, if this next person sucks, you can choose whoever you want. Okay?” He gave a gentle smile and Corey sighed.

“Send in the next victim!” Sid yelled toward the door of the almost empty room. He was far too amused with himself. Shawn slapped him in the back of the head as the door slowly creaked open.

They looked up to see a small girl, about 4’ 11”… maybe 5’ 1”. She had long light brown hair that grew to the small of her back and bangs that hung gently over her shoulders. Her skin was beautiful and flawless, smooth and pale, like wintry cream. She had big bright eyes that were a sky blue in color. In her slender fingers she held a blue cloth.

Corey looked at his messy, scratched up list. “Erin Fuego?”

Erin nodded. She held the cloth a little bit tighter to her chest. The thing gold chain hanging form each end of her hood jingled lightly. She was wearing the new jacket that Diego and Josh bought her for her birthday a couple days ago. She wore it everywhere, and thought it’d make her look more decent for these guys.
She had no idea that it was THESE guys!

A small whimper escaped the back of her throat but was ignored by all nine of them. They seemed to simply talk amongst themselves, but Erin’s mind was racing and she started feeling really hot underneath her skin.

“Alright!” Erin was snapped out of her rapid thoughts after Corey had semi shouted that word. He continued, “I believe you were given a blue piece of cloth that was stained with pretty much everything under the sun.” He pulled out an identical piece of cloth. At least, it was identical, before they went to town on the one side.

Corey continued, looking into Erin’s awe filled eyes, “You were required to remove all stains without ruining the color or the cloth all together.” A pause, and Erin stopped breathing. “Well, c’mon now, bring it here.” Chris leaned over to Shawn again and mumbled, “Let’s see the damage this time.” And they both snickered again.

True. Out of one the eighty-four girls that had already shown up, all of them had ruined their assignment. Horribly! One of them actually was going to mix ammonia and bleach. Luckily, they got her out before any damage was done.

Erin wanted to walk towards them. She truly did. But she was stunned. Corey cocked his head. “Well, are you going to show us?” Again, she didn’t move. She didn’t breathe. She just stood there holding the material. “Hello. Are you okay?”

Erin thought of what Diego would do if she saw her like this. She would probably come up behind her and shake her harshly and yell in her ear. “Hey Pygmy! What’re you doing Pygmy? Huh? I figured you wouldn’t be able to do this. You’re so predictable Pygmy.”

Erin took a deep, sharp breath, and slowly started walking toward them. She was careful with everything she did as she placed the cloth on the table, and then stepped back.

As Corey looked at the sample of fabric, Erin took the time to look at the room around her. It was actually quite dark. Only one light hung above her head to the right of room. She looked at the nine men sitting behind a long table. Only a few of them she recognized.

On the very far right was Sid. She had seen an interview at the shop and he had his mask off. She looked over two men she didn’t recognize, the saw a big man with long black hair. She hadn’t seen this man’s face before, but she could tell it was Mick, because there were only two men in the band with long black hair, and Joey was too small.

She looked at the next man and it was Corey looking over both cloths to see how badly she’s done. She had recognized his voice, but she also seen him without his mask on too. On the other side of him though was Joey. She couldn’t help it when a small smile came across her lips. But she moved on.

Then there was James, The only other man that big. Beside him was another she didn’t completely recognize. Paul she thought, seeing his earrings. Then there was a still man. He didn’t move, didn’t speak, it look as though he didn’t even breathe. Erin couldn’t see who it was though. He was so far to the left of the room, away from the light, that he was concealed in a shadow.
Erin shivered.

“Well,” Corey said and Erin was snapped out of her thoughts. She looked up and her stomach knotted madly. She was paler then before and she felt extremely hot under her skin now. She felt like she would combust at any second.

She swallowed a lump in her throat as Corey spoke again. The only word he could say though was, “Flawless.”

The other eight and Erin looked at him then. Mick was overcome suddenly with a small amount of fear in his heart. “It can’t be!” He whispered harshly.

But it was.

All nine men stared at the two fabrics side by side and they all agreed she got out every imperfection. EVERY SINGLE ONE!

Mick grumbled under his breath, but it was determined. Erin was in. She couldn’t contain herself; she was jumping all over the room with joy.

“You have two hours to pack you bags and meet us here.” Corey said and he slid a piece of paper with an address across the table. Right away, Erin stopped jumping. She turned and looked at Corey. “What?”

She grabbed the paper as he explained. “You work for us now. Can you cook?” Erin nodded. “Then you will be fallowing us around on tour. You are required to cook, clean, and care for all nine of us.” Erin just stared at him. Was he serious? Or was this an initiation prank thing?

“R- Really?” Erin asked. Corey cocked his head with amusement. “Is that a problem?” He sounded serious. No humor there. Erin swallowed again and stood straight. She bowed her head and said, “No sir.”

“Good!” Corey chirped. We’ll see you in a couple hours then. And all nine stood and in a perfect line, they left through a back door to the room she hadn’t noticed before. Erin stood there for a moment longer. She shook her head and left. She had a lot to plan on the way home.
--

Erin knocked on the rotting wood door of a shack down the street from her. The door slowly opened and a small boy, about the same size as Erin came to the door. “Hermana!” Inigo yelped and hugged her tightly. Erin hugged him back chirping “Hermano!” They clung tightly to each other for a long moment before Inigo finally let her go. “What may I do for you my sister?”

Erin hung her head again as she just had in the room. She put a fake smile on her face and looked back up to Inigo. “Brother,” She started then tugged gently on the rope she was holding and the large bovine stepped into view. Inigo looked curiously at her as she spoke. “Brother… I need you to look after Louci for me.”

“But… Hermana, why?” He asked. Erin spoke more softly now, almost on the verge of tears. “I’m leaving Inigo. I have a more prosperous jog now. I can finally leave and make a solid life for myself.” Inigo looked as though he was about to cry as well, but it quickly turned to anger. “Doesn’t that seem selfish?” he barked at her.

Without missing a beat, Erin simply retorted, “I will come back someday Inigo. And I will be able to help us all. We’ll move to better land, and we can grow!” She truly smiled this time. “And it will be wonderful.”

“But…” Inigo tried to continue, but his mother was calling him in to help her with the chores. “In a moment Mama.” He called and turned back to Erin. “But, you’re my friend. I will miss you.” Erin petted the smaller, but older boys hair. “I will miss you to. But I will be back someday. I promise. And we will move, and you will be able to marry a rich and beautiful bride, and have many children. And I will find my refuge and will finally be able to live carefree until my death.” She realized she was rambling and stopped.

Smiling softly, she put the rope in Inigo’s hand and closed his fingers around it. Besides, Louci and Taur don’t see nearly enough of each other anymore.” And with that, she kissed his forehead and whispered gently, “One day…” She then kissed the nose of Louci, and turned, picked up her bag and didn’t even look back, because she knew if she did, she would die of a broken heart, right there on the spot.