“Do it!” Kara urged. “Do it once, at least, and see if you like it. Why not?”

“What if I make a fool of myself? What if every picture is like this?” I pulled a silly face, with my eyes half closed and my mouth hanging open.

Kara laughed. “I doubt that will happen. Seriously, give it a try. If you hate it, you never have to do it again. But the Devin I know isn’t scared of anything. You can try this!”

“Thanks,” I said. “I’ve got to go eat dinner now.”

Kara waved. “Bye-eeee!”

I closed my laptop and headed downstairs. Then I grabbed some plates from the closet and started setting the table.

“Mom, I think you should call that agent,” I said. “I want to do the modeling job.”

“Don’t forget to ask about me!” Maisie said.

“Sorry, Maisie, but this is Devin’s thing,” Mom said. She looked at me. “I’ll call her after dinner.”

“Thanks,” I said.

A little voice in my head began to scold me. What are you doing? Do you really think you can model?

Then another voice chimed in. Do the job. Take the money. What can it hurt?

Maybe I would hate it. Maybe I would love it. And maybe, just maybe, I’d make enough money for a trip to Connecticut, and my parents would let me go.

Chapter Six

“Devin, hold still, please!” Mom said.

We were in my bedroom, and I was squirming as she tried to take my measurements with a long measuring tape. Everything had happened so fast. I had only decided yesterday to do this, and now I was having my measurements taken for a photo shoot that was happening tomorrow!

“I can’t help it!” I said. “It tickles!”

“Well, we’ve got to get your numbers to the agency tonight so they have the right clothes for you tomorrow,” Mom said. She sat down on my bed with a sigh. “Honestly, I didn’t think this through when I said it would be okay for you to model. You’re too young to be in an industry that puts so much emphasis on size and beauty.”

“But this shoot is about sportswear, right?” I asked. “Isn’t that a positive thing? I’m helping to promote physical activity.”

“I guess,” Mom said. “But I’m also not crazy about you missing school. And practice.”

“I know,” I said. “I really don’t like missing practice. But I never do. And this is, like, a once-in-a-lifetime thing, right? I’ll try something new, I’ll make some money, and that’s it.”