Lyssa slammed her locker shut and snapped the padlock into place.

‘You leaving now?’ Emily asked, as she leant against the wall, watching her friend.

‘Yeah, I have to shoot again this afternoon.’ Lyssa swung her schoolbag onto her shoulder.

‘It’s bullshit that they keep us here for the last few weeks,’ Emily said. ‘We should be at home studying.’ She finished her apple and chucked the core at the bin. It missed but she ignored it lying on the ground.

Lyssa bent down to put the core in the bin. ‘I’m so tired,’ she said. ‘I can’t wait for it to all be over.’

She didn’t admit to Emily that she talked to Dan until all hours of the night, every night. That sometimes she finished her shoots early and he picked her up so that they could go back to his house and make out.

More and more, she knew she was ready to be with Dan as his girlfriend. No more sneaking around. As soon as the exams were over she could celebrate the end of her modelling career, fix everything with her money and spend the summer with him.

Things were weirder than normal at home, with Lyssa and her father ignoring each other. Her mother was constantly trying to bridge the gap between them, but didn’t ask outright what had happened to cause the obvious rift. Lyssa was thankful for her modelling commitments after school; they helped her avoid home and its responsibilities and tensions. All she said was that she had to study, which was an acceptable enough excuse for her mother.

‘You going to the year twelve speech night?’ Emily asked as she walked Lyssa to the back gate of the school.

‘No, the tickets are too expensive,’ said Lyssa, checking her phone. There was a text from Dan.

Pick you up after the shoot?

‘Want to do something later?’ asked Emily. ‘I could meet you at the studio after you finish.’

Lyssa made a face. ‘I have to study.’ She touched Emily’s arm. ‘Sorry.’

‘That’s okay,’ said Emily, shrugging. ‘I just never get to see you now that you’re away from school so much.’

Lyssa nodded. ‘I know, I miss you.’ She gave Emily a quick hug, then ran across the road and walked towards the tram stop.

She texted Dan back.

Sorry, I have to study tonight. Exams are coming up!

Please? came Dan’s reply.

Lyssa laughed as she boarded the tram and slumped in a seat.

Okay, I’ll see you for a minute, but I have to get home.

Who am I kidding? she thought. She had already packed her jeans in case this happened. She was always going to see him if he asked.

She continued to text Dan the whole way to the studio.

‘Hey,’ said a voice as Lyssa arrived at the studio door. She looked up to see Stella, the stylist from the agency.

‘Oh, hi,’ said Lyssa, smiling. ‘How are you?’

‘Fine,’ said Stella. ‘You’ve done well, haven’t you? Although I’m not surprised. I knew you were special at that first shoot.’

‘I didn’t know you were coming today.’

‘I’m just working on the final shots for the hero image. Domotille asked me to make it more youthful, so here I am, Peter Pan.’ Stella did a twirl and Lyssa thought she did look a little like Peter Pan in her green jeans and pixie boots.

‘I’m glad you’re here. I’ve been so nervous about doing this shoot,’ Lyssa said, thinking over the last weeks of shooting, and realising how much easier it had become with each new session.

‘Don’t worry, you’re a natural,’ said Stella kindly as they walked into the studio. ‘How’s your brother, anyway?’ she asked casually.

Lyssa dumped her bag on the ground. ‘He’s fine. Thank god for Dan that day.’

‘Yeah, who knew Dan had that in him,’ said Stella, her voice laced with sarcasm.

‘Sorry?’ asked Lyssa.

‘Just Dan being pleasant. He’s usually such a prick.’

‘Oh?’ asked Lyssa. ‘Why?’

‘Just sleeps with models. You know, another notch on his futon or whatever.’ Stella handed Lyssa a robe.

Lyssa put on the robe and sat on a stool at the make-up table. She felt sick. Part of her wanted Stella to shut up, and the other half wanted to know everything.

‘How many models has he slept with?’ she asked casually as the make-up artist started to apply her foundation.

‘Two that I know of,’ said Stella, flicking the brush over her skin. ‘Although there’s probably more. He’s a dick. His mum’s smart, but Dan will ruin the business.’

Lyssa was quiet as the make-up artist did her work, and then the hairdresser took over.

Stella and Domotille decided on the outfits, and then soon they were shooting. Lyssa tried to keep her mind off what Stella had said.

‘Are you okay?’ asked Domotille from the side.

Lyssa looked up. ‘Yes – why?’ she asked.

‘You just don’t seem as happy as usual.’ Domotille turned and whispered something to Stella, who shrugged.

Lyssa tried to focus. I can’t afford to think about Dan now, she told herself. Instead she thought of giving her parents the money from the shoot. She imagined their reaction; the excitement on their faces.

Soon she was giving the photographer what he wanted and Domotille was nodding from the side again.

When the shoot was finished, Lyssa avoided Stella. She didn’t want to hear any more from her. Dan would never use her – Lyssa was sure of it.

Not bothering to take off the heavy make-up, she slipped on her jeans and the top her mother had made.

Domotille was waiting when she emerged from behind the rack of clothes.

‘I love your top,’ she said.

Lyssa looked down. ‘Thanks.’

‘Who’s it by?’ asked Domotille, moving closer to inspect it.

Lyssa paused, and then decided to tell the truth. ‘My mum made it,’ she said proudly.

‘Really? This is very good,’ said Domotille, impressed by the handiwork. ‘Where does she work?’

‘She doesn’t work. She looks after my brother at home.’

‘You tell your mother that if she ever wants a job, with stitching like this, she can come and work for me.’

Lyssa smiled. ‘Thanks, I’ll let her know,’ she said. She wished her mum would take up such an offer, but Lyssa knew she never would while she had Andre to look after.

‘You going, Lyssa?’ asked Stella.

‘Yes,’ said Lyssa abruptly.

‘You want to go and get a coffee or something?’ asked Stella as she hung up a coat on a hanger.

‘No thanks,’ said Lyssa, walking out of the studio.

Dan was waiting for her outside in his mother’s car. ‘Hello,’ he said as she got in the passenger side. He leant over to kiss her on the cheek and Lyssa felt herself pull away slightly.

‘Hi,’ she said, a tone in her voice.

‘What’s up?’ he asked, looking confused. ‘Did the shoot go okay?’

‘Yes, fine thanks.’ She put her bag on her lap and clutched the handles.

‘Are you upset about something?’ Dan asked, turning off the car and twisting to face her.

Lyssa paused and looked ahead. ‘Stella was at the shoot.’

‘And?’

Lyssa could feel Dan’s mood shift and she turned to him. ‘She said you sleep with models all the time.’

‘All the time?’ he mocked. ‘I’m not sleeping with one at the moment.’

Lyssa’s skin prickled with hurt. ‘She’s right, isn’t she? Oh my god.’

Dan put his hand on her arm. ‘No. It’s not all the time. I was with two girls from the agency – one last year, one earlier this year.

No big deal. You’ve had relationships, you know how it works.’

Lyssa said nothing and Dan tilted his head to the side. ‘You have had other boyfriends, haven’t you?’

Again she said nothing.

Dan’s hand lifted from her arm. ‘Am I your first boyfriend, Lyssa?’

She felt a tear escape and fall down her cheek. She hated herself for bringing it up. She hated Stella for gossiping and, most of all, she hated that Dan had been with other people.

‘Lys,’ he said gently. He touched her face with his fingertips. ‘Stella was right, I did have a reputation. But that’s changed since I met you. I want to be with you, Lys. You’re amazing.’

Lyssa looked at him and searched his face to see if he was telling the truth. ‘Don’t hurt me,’ she whispered. ‘I don’t seem to be so smart when I’m around you.’

Dan kissed her forehead. ‘I promise I won’t hurt you.’

Lyssa nodded and hoped in her heart that he was right.

‘I believe in you, Lyssa,’ Dan said. ‘The question is, do you believe in me?’