Unbroken August

Miss Arrogant

After my bath, I dressed and applied light makeup. Heading downstairs for breakfast, I found my dad already at the dining table.

"Morning, Dad," I greeted him.

"Good morning, my angel," he replied, leaning in for a kiss on my chin. "How was your night?"

"Fine, Dad," I said, trying to sound cheerful.

"Do you mind coming to the company with me today?" he asked.

"No. I'll be going to the studio today," I replied, avoiding eye contact. Since Mom died, I have lost interest in anything related to business.

"Okay, angel. Have fun, okay? Jamal will take you," he said.

I wanted to protest, but I stopped myself. "Bye, Dad," I said as he hugged me before leaving.

I finished my food and headed outside, where Jamal was standing beside the car. He opened the door for me, greeting me with a

"Good morning, Miss," and a slight bow. "Hi, Jamal," I said, taking my seat.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"The studio," I replied.

"Okay," he said.

The drive there was long and quiet. My mind kept drifting as I thought about my life.

Truth be told, after my mom's death two years ago, everything had become harder. First, my best friends Lili and Beau stopped talking to me, then my boyfriend broke up with me. Everyone in the studio who used to adore me began to hate me. Thank God for Becky; I met her just after my mom's death, and she has been with me in my darkest times.

"We're here, Miss," Jamal said, looking at me through the rear-view mirror.

"Okay, thank you," I said as I came out of the car. Jamal ran around to open the door, but I had already opened it.

"I will wait for you, Miss," he said.

"No, Jamal, go home," I said.

"But..." he tried to protest, but I cut him off.

"Go home," I repeated as I walked into the studio. I could feel his eyes on me as I entered.

~

As August stepped into the bustling studio, a hush fell over the room. Murmurs began to circulate among the models, "Miss Arrogant is here" they whispered, and she could feel their eyes boring into her. Ignoring the stares, she scanned the room for Becky.

Before she could locate her Becky, Lili, her former best friend, stepped in front of her, her voice sharp with accusation. "What are you doing here?" Lili's eyes were filled with tears, her anger palpable.

"I..." August started, but Lili cut her off.

"I gave you a last chance, but you blew it," Lili said, her voice breaking. Beau came to Lili's side, offering her comfort.

"I don't understand," August protested, but Lili wasn't listening.

"You're the worst, August. I thought you were just arrogant, but now I see how wrong I was," Beau continued, her words cutting deep.

August felt the sting of tears behind her eyes but blinked them back. "I don't know what you're talking about. You're the ones who stopped talking to me," she retorted, her voice trembling with emotion.

As the confrontation escalated, other models began to gather around, their voices joining in the chorus of condemnation. August felt trapped, the weight of their accusations crushing her spirit.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, August tried to push past Lili and Beau, but someone grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Get out," the girl said, her voice cold.

"I don't know you, and I don't have any issue with you," August said, pulling her arm away. "Let me go."

"Exactly, I don't know you, and I don't have any issues with you. So why did you do that to me? Leave now, while I'm asking nicely," the girl said, her tone firm.

Feeling the eyes of everyone in the room on her, August's anger and humiliation boiled over. She turned and walked out of the studio, the whispers and accusations following her.

Outside, she tried to hold back her tears, but they flowed freely down her cheeks. She was about to call a cab when Jamal, her father's driver, ran up to her.

"Are you okay, Miss?" he asked, concern etched on his face.

August's emotions were raw, her patience worn thin. With a cry of frustration, she slapped Jamal across the face. "I thought I asked you to go home. Do I look like a joke to you?" she cried, her voice cracking.

"I'm sorry, Miss," Jamal said, his eyes wide with shock.

August sank to the ground, the weight of the day's events finally crashing down on her. Jamal knelt beside her, offering her a comforting embrace.

"Let's get you home, Miss," Jamal said softly, helping her to her feet. As he led her to the car, August couldn't help but feel defeated.

As Jamal drove August home, she stared out of the window, lost in thought. The events of the day replayed in her mind, each word and accusation cutting deeper than the last. She couldn't understand where all these accusations were coming from, or why everything seemed to be falling apart around her.

When they arrived home, August was grateful for the solitude of her room. She collapsed onto her bed, the tears she had been holding back finally flowing freely. She felt a deep sense of loneliness, a feeling that had been growing ever since her mother's death.

At that moment of vulnerability, August longed for her mother's comforting embrace, for the reassurance that everything would be okay. But her mother was gone, and August was left to navigate the complexities of life on her own.

As she lay there, her tears drying on her cheeks, August made a silent vow to herself. She would not let the cruelty of others break her spirit. She would rise above the gossip and the hatred, and she would find a way to reclaim her life, no matter how difficult the journey.

"When mom was still here, those models used to cozy up to me, all for the chance to wear one of her designs. But now that she is gone, they treat me with nothing but humiliation" she said, laughing bitterly to herself, hot tears streaming down her face.

August wiped away her tears, a plan forming in her mind. "Mateo," she whispered, rising from her bed. "If I manage to marry the most eligible bachelor, naturally everyone would respect me again," she said, a hint of laughter in her voice. "Yes, that's it. That's it."

"Pregnant or not, I must have you, Matty," she said.

As she lay down on her bed, August found herself staring at the ceiling. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, but exhaustion soon took over. Before long, she drifted off to sleep.