Winter Swan

Clack, clack.

The sounds of her shoes echoed throughout the bar. As the customers drank their cocktails, they watched with interest as Silje did her very first walk.

When she finished her walking, Greg laughed out loud.

"Hahaha!"

He grabbed his stomach in pain as he laughed so hard. Silje just looked at him quietly.

She felt shy, but not embarrassed. She was determined, and something so small and trivial like this wasn't going to get her. To get better, she just had to work harder.

"Have you never walked before? Why would you walk like that with your back so stiff and your arms swinging side to side? Are you pretending to be an orangutan?"

Greg mimicked an orangutan while swinging his arms, which made everyone in the room laugh.

"You're right. I have never done model walking before."

When Silje quietly agreed, Greg patted his beard and asked seriously, "Then have you ever been scouted on the street by a modeling agency? New York is full of models."

Silje thought for a second as she remembered that night at the club.

"Hey, elegant lady!"

There was that black man who gave her his business card, but she thought he might be a scammer. Silje shook her head and replied, "No, never."

"Fine! Then let's try this. I will introduce you to a modeling agency. It's the one I belong to. You can meet the casting manager and have a chat. Take your portfolio book with you and see what happens. What do you think?"

"Portfolio book?"

When Silje asked in confusion, Greg shrugged in exasperation.

"You want to become a model, yet you don't even have a portfolio? You know, photos done professionally or profile photos. Gosh… you really know nothing, do you?"

New customers were starting to come into the bar. Greg pointed at the door.

"There is a photo studio in the basement of this building, so go ask for a profile photo. And here is the business card for the modeling agency."

He wished her good luck.

The next day, Silje went to the agency Greg told her about. She went with a book she got made in a hurry yesterday at the dingy basement studio.

The agency was much smaller and shabbier than she expected. Silje had to wait for a very long time before the casting manager came out looking annoyed.

Silje introduced herself.

"My name is Silje Kim Pettersen. I mean, it's Silje Kim."

This was the beginning of her new life as the model named Silje Kim.

***

"Silje Kim?"

She was at a fashion show that looked like a dark storage room.

The fashion show manager called out her name along with the other models who were going to be walking today.

"Karen! Emma, Jamie, Roberta."

It was raining outside. With the gloomy gray atmosphere, the place looked surprisingly stylish. Silje took a deep breath and got ready for the show.

She was called in as a temp to cover for a no-show. Approximately twenty percent of the models in Silje's agency were Asian. Silje often covered the sudden no-shows for various shows.

While getting prepared, Silje felt two sets of eyes glaring at her.

It was not a surprise. After all, this was the heart of New York.

Manhattan.

The city of wild passion.

It was a jungle where one needed to sacrifice everything just to get a chance for success.

To survive here, Silje had to battle fiercely every day.

"Hey, you! Don't be so cocky!"

The Japanese model chewed her gum loudly and glared at Silje. She obviously saw Silje as a rival.

This place felt much different than the high fashion runways.

"You are annoying me! You think you're so great? Just get lost!"

Silje replied calmly, "I'm not sure what I did to you to make you so angry. I think it's you who is very much mistaken."

Silje ignored the other models. They were all like vultures waiting to take her out when they saw a chance.

"I knew that girl was a total b*tch! Look at her! Look at how she walks and talks. She thinks she's better than everyone!"

Silje replied coldly, "You are being silly. I never acted like I was better. All I did was wait for my turn. It was you guys who attacked me for no reason."

Silje crossed her arms slowly. It was the two vicious models against her, but Silje refused to back down. She remained cool as the two girls whispered to each other.

One of them was Fei Ta from China and the other one was Yuki Todanaga from Japan. Silje saw them often whenever she went for various auditions, so they were familiar to her. Fei Ta was part Singaporean, and wherever she went, she gossiped about other models.

Right now, her target was Silje.

"You. You are ignoring us, aren't you? We already know about you, especially how you go around acting all high and mighty."

"I've never acted like that. You must have a lot of free time on your hands. Otherwise, why would you go around spreading such stupid rumors? Do you have nothing better to do?"

When Silje replied coolly, Yuki walked towards her.

Slap!

Yuki slapped Silje's cheek with a furious glare.

"You b*tch! You think you're better than us? Someone like you needs to be taught a lesson!"

Yuki screamed at her.

Her cheek burned, but Silje smiled calmly. She found it funny how the two vultures got worked up over nothing. She actually felt sorry for them and decided that it was a bad idea to be associated with them.

"You guys are acting ridiculous. Good luck to you both. I've gotta go."

The most important thing right now was the show.

She was unhappy about it, but Silje massaged her cheek and started to walk to the backstage.

Suddenly, a sharp angry voice yelled, "You! You better stop right there!"

Silje turned around and glared at them coldly.

"I said stop."

The two models gaped as Silje gave off a menacing vibe.

Silje said to them, "You better thank your luck today. I'm busy and the show is about to start and that is the only reason I'm letting you off easy. But remember, if you do this to me again, you will not like what I will do to you. You better believe it."

With that threat, Silje walked away.

The two models whispered to each other.

"What the hell?!"

"That b*tch…"

Silje ignored them and continued to walk briskly.

The show was about to start.