The Model Project

Chapter 9

L.J sat on the couch with the guys next to her, as they all stifled their laughter, but L.J wanted to scream at her lungs out at the embarrassment she felt. Just an hour before, the boys took her to the mall, all dressed up to go and teach her how to talk to boys, but it didn't end very well. L.J did talk to some boys yes, but she didn't really start the conversations with the best lines. One guy even asked her where the cameras were, since he assumed it was a prank.

"You guys I am not going to do this anymore" L.J said to the guys, and they all started to protest against that. Aaron grabbed her arm and he made her look into his eyes, his gaze very serious. L.J felt as if he was looking right into her deepest thoughts and fears.

"You look great, and I know you can do this, Lara-Jean. You are a magnificent beast, and a confident queen" He pepped her up and L.J nodded, knowing that he wasn't joking since he used her full name. They boys only used her full name when they were really serious or angry with her, and she got used to it, since it helped her read them a bit better.

"Thank Aaron, but I don't feel comfortable talking to guys" L.J responded looking away from Aaron's intense gaze, and rubbed her hands trying to get rid of the nerves.

"Come on L.J you can do this!" Cam encouraged her, and she looks up at him and sees the proud look on his face and she stands up, smiling at the boys. She felt like a white knight rising out of the ashes after battle not giving up. She looked around and found her target, walking over to him. When she got to him, she leaned on the table and smiled at him.

"Did you just come out of the oven?" Before L.J could get to the punch line he started interrupting her.

"What do you mean?" He asked, and she tried it again.

"Did you just come out of the oven?" One again this guy interrupted her, and she groaned trying it one more time.

"Did you just come out of the oven?"

"I don't get it" He says confused and L.J lost it.

"Yeah, you wouldn't because you kept interrupting me!" She yelled at him and the guy grabs his stuff and walks away from her. She groaned and walks back to the guys, plopping down on the seat.

"Maybe next time don't be so aggressive. Not all guys like it, but I do" Cam says and winks at her, making her cringe.

"This is really hard and complicated guys" She complained, and Shane chuckled. He gets up and grabs L.J's hand, pulling her up with him.

"Hey guys, I'm going to go have a talk with L.J real quick ok?" He says to Aaron and Cam and then leads L.J away from the restaurant.

"You need to be confident, and you need to be a little less…" He tilted his head from side to side trying to find the right word to describe her flirting method.

"Mean?" She asks, and he looks at her, and chuckles.

"A little less desperate" He says, and she sighs.

"I seem desperate?" She asks him, and he nods once.

"Just a little bit" One thing Shane always did for L.J is he always told her the truth, no matter how bad it sounds, and she loves that about him.

"I don't mean to seem desperate, it's just that I am, but only because I want to get this right" She says, and Shane laughs at that.

"I know, but us guys can feel that vibe, and that kind of scares us off"

"Alright, so how do I get it right?"

"Just stay calm and be sexy, fierce, with a little bit of dominance" He says, and she nods.

"I'll try" She says, and he points at a guy sitting on a bench a little bit away from them.

"I want you to go and use a good pick up line on him, alright?" He squeezed her shoulders once and then sends her off to do the task. She walks to the guy and braces herself for the worst.

"Hi" She says and grabs his attention making him look up at her. He smiled at her, and she only noticed now how hot he was.

"I must be in a museum, because you're a work of art" She says, and he chuckles.

"That was cute" He says, and she smiles.

"Thanks, I guess" He scoots over, making a seat for her, and she sits down.

"So, what are you doing here alone?" She asks, and he chuckles.

"I'm actually waiting for my girlfriend" He says and her face falls.

"Oh, well bye then" She stands up walking back to Shane and he looks at her shocked.

"What happened?" They started walking back to the rest of the guys.

"He has a girlfriend" She says, and he sighs.

"Oh L.J I'm sorry, I thought because he was alone, he didn't have anyone with him" Shane sounded sincere but she didn't feel pumped anymore, and she just wanted to go home.

"Yeah, it's not your fault Shane" She says, and they arrived back at the table. L.J picks up her bag and looks at the guys.

"Can we please go home?" She asks, and they nod getting up and walking back to the car. The entire ride home, nobody makes a peep giving L.J some silence. She horrible for not being able to do this right. How was she ever going to talk to Roy if she couldn't even talk a strange guy? She looked out the window, thinking of nothing, trying to get that whole day out of her system.

"I have to go to work soon" She says and Shane nods.

"I'll give you a ride" He says and L.J runs upstairs to get changed into her overalls, and a black tank top, and boots. She worked part time at a mechanic garage, fixing cars. She honestly loved it so much, and she was really good at it. She got downstairs and met Shane at the front door.

"Just lock up when you guys leave" She yells to Aaron and Cam and they holler back an 'ok' at her. Shane and L.J got in the car, and he looked at her a couple of times before she asked him what was up.

"What's up?" She asks, and he shrugs.

"Just making sure you're ok" He says, and she sighs.

"I guess so, but I don't think flirting is my thing"

"You will get better I promise"

"Yeah, I don't think I want to"

"Why not?" He asks her, his voice a bit shocked.

"I don't know why I even wanted to in the first place, I mean it's not what I do" She admits honestly.

"We can help you" He says, and she nods.

"I know, but I think we have to give up with the flirting" He nods and gives her a glance.

"But you still want us to help you with other things, right?" He asks her, and she nods.

"Yeah sure" She says, and he smiles.

"Thanks for trusting us" She placed her hand on his knee and smiled at him.

"Always" They got to the garage and he pulled over, letting L.J hop out of.

"Bye Shane" She says and shuts the door. L.J could think about being a good flirt a little bit later, but right now she just wanted to enjoy herself in heaven.