Bonus Art - Photo Shoot (Plus Short Story)

With a sweaty, nervous hand, you rap on the apartment door before you. It'd taken a considerable amount of time upon arriving here to muster up enough courage to do so--with a good amount of pacing back and forth, debating if you'd really go through with it--and the moment you make the first knock, you already find yourself beginning to regret it.

Of all the things to be doing today... Of all the places in the world... Of all the PEOPLE in the world... You never imagined you'd be invited over by HER.

It all started with a rather...blunt, and incredibly direct message you'd received over a certain social media site.

[hey nerd. ur good with tech stuff, right??? wanna earn some money? i have a job for u.]

Questionable writing aside, you'd initially brushed it off as one of the many spambot messages that seem to slip through the filters these days. Job offers didn't just come out of thin air, after all! Especially when said sender wasn't even on your friend's list.

It was only when you paid closer attention to the profile picture that your heart skipped a beat and you were instantly transported back to your school years.

'Vanessa'--the name was written there clear as day. A name that you never expected to see ever again once graduating. A gorgeous face that you didn't even feel worthy of looking at.

You'd known one another once upon a time, in a different life almost entirely. But 'known' was putting it incredibly generously, for the extent of the relationship you two actually had. You were one of the more awkward kids in class who saw fit to shy away from the larger crowds and mingle with a very small, select group of friends who shared the same interests as you... While Vanessa... Well--to call her the Queen of the school wouldn't have been much of an exaggeration at all.

She had everything--looks, popularity, an incredible talent for sports, and anyone that was anyone at that school was lining up to be her friend--or failing that, even just being in her presence to worship her was enough. Some even tried their luck to be more than friends, and having their hearts crushed rather ruthlessly.

Beyond being in the same class, Vanessa was in a world beyond yours. One you could scarcely even comprehend. And that suited you just fine. In most cases, you were simply content to admire her beauty from afar with a casual glance before going on with your awkward school years.

The only time you could even recall talking to her--if you could call flustered mumbling 'talking'--was when the pair of you were paired up by the teacher for an assignment. You'd never forget the death stares you got from your fellow classmates--boys and girls alike--when both your name and hers were announced.

As expected, though, despite the time you both spent together on the assignment--she barely even registered your presence. She spent more time than not absorbed on her phone while you did most of the work, occasionally responding with a bored grunt if you tried to ask for her opinion on anything. There was...no real chemistry to be found. Just a sense of mutual indifference, as you knew you were far beyond her level, and she was so high up there on her throne she probably didn't even register you as a person.

Even when you both somehow ended up together in your room--something many had dreamed of with Vanessa--to finish the final bit of the assignment before the deadline, she barely spared a word your way and largely just sat on your bed, absorbed on her phone like always. The...tantalising scent of her perfume lingered for a good long while after.

And after the assignment was done--about 95% of your work entirely, with a few half-hearted paragraphs written up by Vanessa as a token amount of engagement--that was that. You both went your own ways. She had no reason to be in your presence ever again, and vice versa. The years went by, you graduated, and such a moment in time was forever just a footnote in your school life, where occasionally friends would pester you for more details about what went on between the two of you.

So why was it...years later...she'd contacted you out of the blue? How had she even remembered your name?! You could scarcely recall most of the names of your old classmates these days. Vanessa was the only except because...well...she was Vanessa--the Class Queen! Everyone else's faces and names had faded to time--but vague, blurry recollections now that you'd done your best to bury them and try to make room for happier times in your head.

Maybe it was all just a scam after all and someone had used a familiar name and face to mess with you? Maybe it WAS Vanessa, but she was playing a cruel joke on you...for...whatever strange reason. Maybe this whole trip out had been one big mistake?!

These were the thoughts that continued to race through your head as you knocked her door... Anxiety sets in deep. You contemplate just bolting. It wasn't too late yet!

...And then the lock on the door clicks from the other side and your heart just about stops.

"…"

A soft, yet weary sigh drifts from beyond the door as it opens just a crack and a dazzling eye peeks out--glittering like an amethyst jewel. Said captivating eye scans you up and down before the door opens just a little more and you catch sight of a smooth, tan face. Your heart, already on the ropes as it is, skips another few beats.

Sure enough, from the sun-kissed skin, the amethyst hues, and the plump, glossy lips that almost always seemed to be fashioned into some sort of permanent pout or another, the girl behind the door was indeed Vanessa.

For whatever reason, she was being incredibly hesitant about opening the door too much to the point you can only make out these few, key features. Even then, it's abundantly clear that time has been generous to the Class Queen. She'd aged quite gracefully. And everything that had made her so captivating in the past had only been enhanced. If only everyone was so lucky...

"You made it, huh?" she finally says after a good long, awkward silence between the pair of you. And the door. You struggle to make sense of either her tone, or her expression--unsure if it's disdain, disgust...or just general exasperation. If you were bolder, you might have reminded her that this was in fact her idea, and that you hadn't just decided to turn up at her doorstep on a whim...but you keep silent instead, waiting for her to explain what this is all about you.

"...You bring your camera...?" she asks, voice purposely low. Her eyes occasionally flit beyond you and to the hall that stretches beyond. You nod and point to the rather expensive digital camera hanging around your neck. "Okay. Cool. Just...ugh--come in already, before someone sees you!"

Before you have any time to react, a slender hand reaches out from beyond the door and yanks you by the collar. You stumble forward with a yelp, through the narrowest of gaps that Vanessa has deigned to open for you, and one painful squeeze later, you're in her apartment. The door snaps shut behind you before barely a second has passed.

"...Okay. I think we're good. The neighbours are pretty nosy around here sometimes--and the last thing I want is to give them more fuel for their gossip!" Vanessa says with a good amount of relief as she slumps back against the door, sliding halfway down it for good measure.

With a door no longer between you, it's with wide eyes and parted lips that you're finally able to take in the full majesty of her appearance. Just like with her face, time has been kind to every other aspect of her--especially her physique. If her looks had already been something to die for back when she was the Class Queen...her body has transcended mere mortal standards and she boasts a figure more fitting of a goddess now. Curves in ALL the right places serve the foundation for the perfect hourglass figure, further accentuated by the tight denim shorts that sit snugly on her hips and the loose, flowing white crop top she wears. She dresses in a manner that covers just enough to be considered 'decent' by all but the most puritan of standards, yet flaunts plenty of that smooth, luscious tan skin that makes your head spin the more you take in of it all. From the well-toned midriff on full display, to the shapely legs, and of course, the healthy amount of cleavage pushing against the almost sheer fabric of her crop top--with the black straps of her bra adding just that little extra spice to it all--it's a feast for the eyes no matter where you look. Even if you just try to focus on her face--you find yourself getting flustered from the dazzling eyes looking right back at you. In all your years as class mates...Vanessa had NEVER made eye contact with you. Faster and faster, you found your heart beating.

"So, I guess you're probably wondering what this is all about, huh?" Vanessa says she pushes herself off of the door and strides down the hall of her apartment with purposeful steps. She motions for you to follow with a wave of her hand. Following along like a faithful puppy, you try not to ogle too much from behind at the near-hypnotic way she sways her hips with every movement, the denim hugging her rather shapely rear in a very...aesthetic way.

"I don't know what I was thinking, reaching out to you...but I guess I'm just that desperate--and already exhausted all my other options."

Just like with how she'd made eye contact with you earlier, this is the first time you can recall Vanessa actually speaking to you. Even during your class assignment, she'd done nothing but grunt and wave her hand at you whenever you asked for her input on something. It was almost like...she was inviting you into her own world, for once. Even IF her tone was still dripping with disdain.

"Anyway, here's the deal..." Stopping at a door on the far end of the hall, Vanessa spins on her heel to face you. Your heart begins to throb all over again as those sparkling amethyst hues settle on you. She crosses her arms in over her tan, ample bust and heaves another sigh. "To cut a long story short--I'm a freelance model. I get pictures taken, I send them out, I get money. You with me so far?"

You nod, trying your best not to take note of how wonderfully her chest is shaping against her arms. And clearly failing. A modelling career seems like the natural thing for Vanessa, given how blessed she is in that department, so it doesn't come as too much surprise to you.

"Okay good. So, I usually get my photos taken by the same guy for every shoot, but he's come down with some crazy violent bug that's put him out of commission for at least a few more weeks. Aaaand all my backup options are booked up for days." She makes an exasperated noise as a vein threatens to bulge against her forehead. Clearly this has been a great source of stress for her. "Normally this wouldn't be a problem, and I'd just wait until someone could take the pictures--'cuz I'm hopeless with this stuff--but I recently got a really sweet deal with a magazine and they have some strict deadlines due to needing everything in advance before printing, and blah, blah blah." A hand is pulled out from under her arm to make a chatty mouth as she rolls her eyes.

"I tried to ask for an extension anyway, or just to wait until the next issue, but they said it was either this, or nothing. Can you believe that?!" Indignation rises in her voice. This is the most animated you've ever seen her. "In most cases like these I'd tell them to take a hike and go and find another client...but the money they're offering is too good to pass up. So...I guess I sort of...panicked, and...well..."

Her eyes narrow. On you. You swallow hard, mouth suddenly so dry.

"Look--I get that this is weird. If you think you're feeling awkward, how do you think I feel? I'm not exactly thrilled I had to look this deep." A slender finger tangles its way around a lock of golden hair as she twirls it around, her expression suddenly softening as she looks off to the side. "Hopefully this doesn't come off as creepy...but well...I don't remember MUCH about when we had to hang out to do that homework, or whatever it was...but for whatever reason, I recall being in your geeky little room. Y'know, with all those strange toys you had--..." Anime figures. But you feel it's wisest not to correct her. "--...and a bunch of other crap. But most importantly, I remembered you had a camera. And photos. And some of them weren't half-bad!"

...You blink. She remembered something that small from years ago...? While it was certainly true you took up photography as something of a hobby, you hadn't thought much of it, and never really pursued it all that seriously. For the most part, you just snapped a few pictures while roaming the countryside. A few nature shots. Never any people. Sure, there were some shots you were particularly proud of, and decided to print and frame, but...

"And do you know just how long it took me to find you online? Seriously, what kind of weirdo doesn't even have a picture of themselves up?!" Hands shifting to her wide hips, fire burns in her dazzling amethyst hues as she leans in over you. You hadn't noticed just how tall she was until now--though the heels she wore did help. Realising she might be pressing you just a little too much, and not wanting to dash her chances with what might very well be the only photographer she can find on such notice, Vanessa relents with another sigh. "I guess that doesn't matter. The point is--I need someone to take some photos. And you can do just that...right?"

You nod--albeit, with some hesitance. Your camera hasn't seen action in years...and Vanessa is clearly looking for professional-grade shots here. It was entirely possible that she was expecting WAY too much of you. And...maybe picking up on your thoughts from your rather anxious demeanour, Vanessa tries her best to reassure you with a hand intended for your shoulder, but she stops herself and waves it in the air instead.

"It'll be fine. I'm sure. We can take a few test shots--see how they look, and go from there. Sound good? Alright, then!" With that, she spins back of her heel and struts on into the room you'd been standing before up until now. Following her in, your eyes struggle adjust to the blinding brightness all around.

A canvas of pure white stretches out on one side of the rather spacious room, with an assortment of lighting fixtures adorning both the walls and fixed on metal poles in strategic positions. A plush, backless bench of sorts sat against the canvas with an assortment of cushions spread out against it. Essentially, it was a studio. Quite a professional looking one at that. At least from your limited perspective on the matter.

"What do you think? Pretty sweet, huh?" Arms spread wide, Vanessa presents the studio with a grand twirl in the middle of it all. Her golden locks flutter around her in a mesmerising wave before settling back down against her. She beams brightly, her radiant figure further emphasised by the blindingly bright canvas that backed her. You note that this is the first time she's actually smiled since you arrived. "I do most of my shoots here and it's pretty easy to swap things in and out as I need them. Oh, and everything's all set up for us today, so you don't have to worry there. Simple, right? Just like I said!"

With her sudden shift in mood, it seemed like this was where Vanessa was in her element. And her enthusiasm was infectious too, prompting a small smile from out of you, too. You waddle your way fully into the middle of the studio to join her.

"Okay--so let's see how we do with these first few shots, huh?" Vanessa practically skips over to the white backing and beckons you forward. Pushing down your nerves as best as you can, you march ever on and hoist up the camera that has been hanging from your neck up until now. "Don't think too hard on it. Just...do what comes natural."

You nod and peer through the viewfinder of the camera. Your hands are sweaty...but surprisingly stable, all things considered. Even if her words of encouragement weren't ALL that much...it was still just enough to push you along. Because if someone like Vanessa, the Class Queen, believed in you... Then that must have meant you really could do it, right? After a moment of fiddling with some settings, Vanessa's perfect figure comes into focus through the screen of the camera. The studio lighting illuminates her in an almost celestial way, adding a healthy looking glow to her tan skin.

As you hover a finger over the button and prep to take a first, experimental shot, Vanessa suddenly strikes a pose in anticipation of it all. Nothing too fancy--just a hand draped over her hip as she cocks it one side and flashes you a bewitching grin--but still enough to make you gulp. The pose was natural, yet glamorous at the same time--showcasing that she was more than just a pretty face and a curvy body. She clearly knew her stuff when it came to appearing in front of the camera.

Snap. You take the first picture. Upon hearing the telltale noise of the shutter, Vanessa shifts into a new pose on reflex. This time, her hands are behind her head, her full chest thrust out and a pouty look emphasising her plush lips. You're grateful for a camera masking your face, as no doubt a great deal of colour was working its way across your features as you hesitate to take the second shot. You push down the flustered feelings long enough to forge on, though, and take the second picture. It was difficult to imagine that Vanessa was struggling to find a willing participant to take pictures of her when she looked THIS stunning behind the lens...

"Did you get them? Sweet. Let's take a look!" Settling back into a more neutral stance, Vanessa hops on over to you excitedly. Closer, and closer still. Until she's right up behind you and looking over your shoulder at the camera in your grasp. Her perfect figure brushes against you, and your breath catches in your throat as a rather...soft...sensation rubs against your shoulder. Coupled with the tantalising aroma of her perfume pervading your senses--and bringing you back to that fateful day the pair of you shared in your room--you almost drop the camera in the daze she inflicts upon you. But with sweaty determination, you just about hold on. Just about.

"Hmmmm~" Vanessa hums as you swap between the two photos you took of her. At this point, she's leaning in so close her face is practically level with yours, yet she doesn't seem to care, or notice at all. All she's focusing on are the pictures. Which...in your own opinion, came out pretty well considering how long it's been since you last took up the camera. She was in focus. The lighting was balanced with nothing feeling too dark or too bright. And most importantly, Vanessa's assets had never looked better. All you had to do was await judgment from the owner of said amazing body herself.

And after a painfully long moment of deliberation...

"Not bad! See, I knew you'd do me justice, nerd!" She slaps an encouraging hand down on your shoulder before straightening back up, grinning more brightly than you'd ever seen before. "I don't know what you were so worried about. If I was trying to do this myself, I'd probably spend way too much time trying to figure out all the complicated settings on these things and, ugh. So I really owe you one here. I think we're ready to do it for real now!"

You reel from one-two combo of the oddly powerful slap on the shoulder and being called a nerd...but from the way she said it, it was almost like a term of endearment. You awkwardly grin back at her. Suddenly, what seemed like an impossible task didn't seem quite so difficult. Maybe this was going to work out after all?

What followed was a series of rapid-fire shoots, as Vanessa was up against a deadline and had several days worth of photos she wanted to knock out all in one go. You were more than up for it, of course, providing you could keep up with the breakneck pace.

The general rhythm of the shoots was as thus: Vanessa would grab some kind of branded coat, accessories such as shades, a scarf or the like, and pair them with her current attire of the crop-top and shorts. You would snap a few shots as she struck some rather glamorous poses--some more provocative than others--and then the cycle would repeat, Vanessa delving into her toybox of accessories seemingly at random. Admittedly it was a struggle to remain fully focused when she wanted strike the 'sexier' poses, especially when she insisted you get in close for some shots, but through steady breathing and a calm, clear mind, you were able to push through.

And so the hours ticked by. Hundreds of photos were taken. And just when it seemed like things were finally wrapping up...

"Mmmnnn... Okay... Good job for keeping up, nerd!" Vanessa says as she brings her arms up high into a stretch. Back arched and her entire buxom frame quivering, she lets out a content noise before settling back on her feet. You almost ended up taking a photo of that, too, on reflex, but resisted the urge. Even when she's stretching, she still exudes all the glamour and charm you'd expect from a model.

Hands slick with sweat, it looked like things were finally coming to a close, and you were looking forward to the chance to finally sit down after being on your feet for what felt like an eternity, but...

"Just one last set and we'll be good to go. This one's kinda the most important, so I saved it for last, so you were, you know, all warmed up and stuff." She flashes a devious smile and a wink your way. "One sec'."

Her skimpy top comes up and off in one smooth motion. Before it can even hit the ground, she's already sliding her shorts off down her shapely legs, too. Eyes wide and a soundless croak emanating from your throat at the bare-bodied sight revealing itself before you, you see far too much of her tan skin on full display before common sense kicks in and you swivel around to face the other way. If she was getting changed into a new outfit, she could have at least given you a heads up!

"Hmmm? What are you doing, nerd? You're not gonna be able to take pictures if you're looking over there! Come on! We were on a roll, weren't we?"

Heart practically thumping in your throat, you take her words in with a series of shaky breaths. Had...had she gotten changed now...? That was fast. Maybe it was safe to turn around--...

Nope. She's still just as underdressed as she was before. Granted, not AS naked as you initially panicked that she was, with black, lacy lingerie concealing the most important spots. Even still, the material her underwear is made from is dangerously sheer--to the point you were sure you'd be able to make out things you shouldn't be able to if you stared hard enough. Which you were trying VERY hard not to do...but you were only human, after all.

A hand to her hip and a tilt of her head, Vanessa takes in the strain on your face with bemusement. Seemingly not understanding the problem. "Hmm? Oh, right. I guess I should have mentioned that it's one of 'those' magazines. And that most of my modelling work is like this. I guess you know now, though, right~?"

You meet her cheeky grin with a flushed half-smile of your own. It feels as though this should have been the first thing you were told upon entering the studio...

Your mind raced a mile a minute at this revelation. So not only was Vanessa a model--but she was...one of THOSE sorts of models...? A 'glamour model', was it? At least, that was the most tasteful way to describe it. You just hoped that lingerie was the extent of this... Or...did a certain part of you hope that it went well beyond that...?

...Realising you were on the verge of dangerous, DANGEROUS thoughts--that would outright impede your work here--you shake your head clear as best you can and then hoist up the camera, ready to go. Mostly so you had something to hide behind, so Vanessa couldn't see just how bright red your face had become.

"Don't worry. You'll get used to it pretty quickly, I promise!" Vanessa assures you as she hops on over to the plush bench that had gone unused until now. Suddenly, everything was coming together... She takes up a seat on it and leans back, prompting you to begin.

...And if it was difficult enough to keep a clear head when she was fully dressed...there was an outright war raging now between the calm center you battled so hard to keep, and the indecent desires creeping in from every angle. The lingerie she wore for the shoot was so skimpy and tight-fitting that you may as well have been snapping shots of her fully naked. And the large, heaving bust that had somewhat been constrained by her top before was completely unleashed now--those tan assets, far larger than they initially seemed. Which was truly saying something.

Having worked up a good deal of a sweat from the day long shoot under such hot, intense lighting, Vanessa was practically glistening now, too; rivulets of sweat racing down the contours of her perfectly sculpted frame as she shifts from pose to pose atop the bench. You gulp aloud at just how slick and shiny it's made the expanse of her tan cleavage. Every now and then, you find yourself zooming in just a little TOO much on that area and have to quickly adjust before she suspects anything's up.

The poses only get more provocative from here. With her pouty lips pressed together as if poised to kiss the viewer, she uses her arms to push in the heft of her bosom and REALLY emphasise just how large and soft it is. All while leaning in from her seat on the bench, letting gravity work its magic with those heavily assets. You just about manage to snap the shots without letting the allure of her poses consume you completely--but from the pressure welling up downstairs...you know that it's only a matter of time before you embarrass yourself. Just how many photos did she want like this...?

Shifting on the bench, she brings her legs up and brings special attention to them with another pose. One leg brought up in an arch and the other stretched out, she lounges sensually to let you take in the full scope of her scantily-clad figure. Every time she moves again, more sweat drips from off of her, scattering around her in a sparkling arc that you're just barely able to capture on camera with a fast enough shot, sure that the glimmering drops around her will look like some kind of starlight in the photos.

"Okay--last set of shots~" Vanessa practically purrs, fully in her element as she kicks back and rests the full weight of her body on the bench. You let out a steamy sigh, grateful that the job will be over soon. Against all odds...you'd survive. "You'll wanna get in nice and close for these ones. We call these the 'intimate' angles~"

...Up until now, you'd maintained a respectable distance from her, which had been the saving grace in all of this...but now she wanted you to get in close? Closer to...her...? Dressed as she is...?

The words echo in your head a good few times before you take a step closer. Just a single step. But from the click of her tongue, it's clear that isn't enough. And you knew it deep down, too.

"...Come on, nerd. Stop messing around. I'm not gonna bite." Irritation was rising in her voice again. After you'd gotten along so well over the course of the shoot, too... Not wanting to disappoint her after all you'd accomplished, you steel yourself and anxiously hover over the buxom model as she lounges on the bench.

Lying on her back with gravity pulling at her tan assets in a way that made them spill out over her comparatively slender sides, she pulls her hands in behind her head and nestles in deep against the spread of cushions below her. Those gorgeous, purple hues of hers half-lidded in a sultry look, she beckons you forward with a single finger as if inviting you to bed.

...You quickly realise that this is of course, just a pose for the camera...but for one maddening thought, part of you really did wonder if that was for you. You snap the shot as quickly as you can while still ensuring it's up to the standards that had been established across the day. Several more shots are taken while she's on her back in this same vein...and the pressure continues to build in your pants. Which...was less than ideal, given how close the pair of you are. You fear that one single, stray thought would be all it might take to push your body over that brink and make things INCREDIBLY awkward. Thankfully, what she says next brings immense relief.

"Mnn... Okay--last shot."

She shuffles around on the bench and pushes some cushions aside while gathering in others. Then she twists around so that she's lying on her front, rather than her back.

...Of all the poses she'd made today, of which there had been MANY...this one in particular proved to be what would finally push you over that edge you'd been teetering on since the beginning of the shoot.

Maybe you'd just been worn down through the day--and it could have been any pose at all that would have had the same effect. Or maybe...there was just something special about this one particular way in which she lounged against the bench...?

Lying forward on her stomach with her legs kicking up lazily in the air, she purses her lips together in a glossy pout, one eye shut in a cheeky manner as she gazes deep into the camera. Her large, pillowy breasts press in against the oddly-designed cushion that she hugs so tightly to herself, shaping them in such...amazing ways. And from the angle you have on her, crouching down at the end of the bench, every part of her just...pops in the most sensual way. Be it the way the heft of her bosom conforms to the cushion that will no doubt be the envy of every man who views the photo...that cheeky look that beckons you in, or even the tantalising glimpse of her backside if you're able to wrench your eyes away from her chest for just long enough.

It's just...too much. Too good. The camera shakes in your grasp as the blood pumps right to your nether regions. And slowly, but surely...something awakens down there.

"...You going to take the shot, or what?" Vanessa asks with a tilt of her head, her legs still kicking idly behind her. Try as you might to focus on the task at hand...gazing down the lens at Vanessa posing as she is only makes things tighter downstairs.

It gets to the point the camera outright slips from your grasp and dangles from the strap hanging around your neck. You use this opportunity to less than subtly conceal your arousal from the buxom model. Hands clasped to your crotch, you shuffle awkwardly.

Given your extreme reaction, it takes Vanessa all of two seconds to piece things together before she grins up at you. The corners of her plump lips begin to twitch as she props her head up with a hand.

"...Ahh... Don't tell me--the little guy down there woke up, did he~?"

You nod sheepishly, desperately willing things to calm down. Of all the times...! The shame you feel for letting your impulses get the better of you is made all the more shameful as Vanessa suddenly erupts into a cackle--an almost witch-like laugh with a cruel edge to it.

"Kyahahaha! Ahahah...Kya--g-gah..." She cups a hand to her mouth and swallows down the laughter with flushed cheeks. "Crap... I'm trying not to do that stupid laugh anymore! A-ahem..." Composing herself, and settling back into her sultry pose that caused such a...large...problem to begin with, she flashes you another mischievous smile. It doesn't help with matters down there.

"Anyway--I'll take that tent you're pitching down there as a compliment." She nods towards the less than discrete area you're covering. "Means I'm doing something right if I'm getting nerds like you all hard. This is my job, you know? So you don't have to worry. I'm actually amazed it took this long. Was beginning to think I was losing my touch!"

You chuckle awkwardly...but her words do help more than you might have thought. She speaks a lot of sense. If she's posing like this in her underwear, of course it would only be natural for a man to get...excited. For someone you'd initially pinned as being fairly self-absorbed and haughty...she sure did know how to encourage others. Had you misjudged her this entire time...?

"So c'mon, deep breaths. Ogle me all you want to get out of your system--and let's get this last shot done!"

...It felt...wrong to do exactly that, but surprisingly, it did help. Once you'd sufficiently...ogled...her every curve on display as she so happily posed for you, it did help to acclimate you for the final shot. Of which you took rather expertly in spite of your sweat-laden hands, and the photo shoot finally came to a close.

"Alright! We did it! Good job, nerd!" Vanessa beams with another slap of your shoulder as the pair of you now sit on the bench she'd been posing on up until now. The cushion that her ample bust had been pressed against before was still so warm...

Together, shoulder to shoulder, you both look through the photos on the camera to make sure it all came out okay. Thankfully, Vanessa had thrown a fluffy gown on once the last shot was snapped. Most likely out of consideration for your own frazzled nerves. Because if she had chosen to sat beside you while in nothing but her lingerie...well...they most likely would have been carrying you out of her apartment in a stretcher.

"These aren't half-bad~ I was ready to settle for whatever I could, as long as I could get SOME money out of it from that sleazy magazine company... But it looks like I made the right decision reaching out to you!"

You return Vanessa's infectious smile with a flushed one of your own. It was such a relief to hear that. And you truly wished all the best for her. Even if this was simply a one time deal and the pair of you might never cross worlds again.

Hugging one knee and rocking on the edge of her seat, Vanessa looked off into the distance, her smile shrinking some.

"I had no idea what to expect reaching out to a classmate...especially one that, well, I'm not stupid--I know I was a bit of a stuck-up princess back then. And...still am today, kyaha--a-ack..." She claps a hand to her face in embarrassment as that laugh leaks out again in a way that you're beginning to find increasingly adorable the more it contrasts with her otherwise confident demeanour. "...But yeah--like I was saying... I know I was a jerk to you. And a lot of other people. I probably hurt more people than I'll ever remember from that time in my life."

Her smile crumples completely.

"There's a lot I wish I could have done differently back then. But my head was in the clouds. That title--the 'Class Queen' was it...?" A look of disgust crosses her features. "Ugh--I must have really believed I was one, didn't I? A queen. And people treated me like one in turn, which only made it worse. That kind of thinking messed me up for a long time. It was only after I left school that I was humbled and brought crashing back down to reality. This might come as a big surprise to you--but all that popularity in school? It doesn't really matter much once real life comes knocking, heh."

She pauses for a moment before looking at the hand she'd used to cover her mouth earlier. "Ugh--and that silly laugh... I used to laugh like that all the time back in the day. It's why I try so hard not to now--but sometimes it just...bubbles up!"

...Now that she mentions it, you certainly did recall that cackling laughter of hers dominating the classroom from time to time. Usually at the expense of some poor boy or another whose heart she'd thoroughly crushed.

A finger begins to entwine along her golden locks, lightly glistening with sweat as they were. She curls and tugs at her hair, maybe in something of a nervous tic, before her gaze finally meets yours again. Gone is the confident sneer. Gone is the mischief. Gone is any semblance of the haughty Vanessa that had been dominating the studio until now. And in its place was a look of pure vulnerability.

"Guess I'm rambling, aren't I? Well--the point I was trying to make was that when I reached out to you, I didn't expect you to ever get back to me, given how much of a jerk I was to you alongside everybody else back then. I wouldn't have blamed you if you didn't, either. But the fact that you did, well..."

Without another word, she reaches out and pulls you into a hug. Just a small one, with a single fluffy robe clad arm, but the meaning gets across all the same. And the radiant warmth she so readily exudes after hours of posing under the lights. After a couple of seconds she pulls back. You half-expect to see disgust creep back into her expression like when she'd first greeted you, but instead...she just seems...very bashful.

"Okay. Mushy stuff over. I'm sorry, blah blah blah. Thanks for helping me out in my time of need, blah blah blah. You get the idea."

You smile wryly. A Vanessa-y apology if there ever was one.

Clearing her throat, and facing away from you lest you see how red her face is right now, she tries her best to change the subject. "A-anyway--like I promised before, I'll send you your cut once I get paid. Thanks again, nerd."

You exchange a nod with her before rising up on weary feet. It's been a long day, and with the job completed, you wouldn't want to overstay your welcome. Before you manage to set off, though, you're stopped short.

"Hey, and, uh..." Vanessa begins, still sitting on the bench. Her voice is unusually quiet and her expression is masked beyond a veil of golden hair as she keeps her head bowed. "I know I made it out like this whole thing was an emergency, and that I had no other choice...but, like..." Her hands grip at the edge of her seat. "I wouldn't mind...having you as you main photographer. I feel like we...uh...worked together really well, and you're nowhere near as sleazy as the other guy is. Sure, you got hard still--kyahaha... But it was like...a respectful erection, you know...? Or, no... Ahhh!"

...You weren't entirely sure if you DID know--at least on that part--but the rest of it came across crystal clear and it made your heart flutter at the thought. To be Vanessa's own personal photographer...?

Realising she was straying from the point--again--she pulls at the strange cushion from before and hugs it back to her chest as she continues on. "What I mean is, there's a difference between your body just...reacting like it did, and how apologetic you got over it--and the way my other photographer always makes the sleaziest comments. And I have to always grin and play along or I know I'd be out of a job. But I actually feel relaxed around you. And...safe."

...It appeared her other photographer getting sick was perhaps a blessing in disguise, if this was the kind of thing she had to deal with on a regular basis. And if you could help her escape that, then...

"Anyway--think about it. I'll catch up with you on DMs. And get a profile picture already, nerd! It makes me feel like I'm chatting to a robot when we talk!" Pushing away from the sappy stuff once more--and her bashfulness reaching a boiling point--she hurls the strange cushion at you with a flustered cry. The cushion rebounds off of your head harmlessly enough and you finally part ways with one last wave.

You make sure to leave her apartment discretely out of consideration for Vanessa and the minute you step out on the streets and feel the cool air hit your face...the events of today finally sink in. And what a ride it'd been. You'd reconnected with an old classmate. Discovered an entirely new side of her. Or...several sides, if those outrageous curves were anything to go by... And now, a new partnership was looking like it could blossom between the pair of you.

You try not to let your head go into the clouds as to what this could mean...but your heart just won't stop thumping.

Just what lay in store for both Vanessa and you as you joined her in her modelling adventures...? Only time would tell.