Chapter 7: 250 dollar face.

Marcel went the bedroom for a change of clothes before he left the orphanage and fortunately did not run into Liam on his way out.

'How do I make a portfolio?' Marcel asked Avian.

[It's basically your photos] Avian replied.

'Where can I go to make this portfolio then?' Marcel asked still oblivious.

[Obviously to a studio, let me research for you] Avian replied and went silent for some time.

[There is a studio seven kilometres from where you are standing, and even though the photographer is not popular, he can make you a brilliant portfolio dependent on the type of work you are pursuing.

'Show me the way' Marcel demanded before he started following the map that was prepared by Avian.

Soon enough Marcel was in front of the studio. He looked at the small building before decisively walking inside. When he finally walked into the small building he did not hear any sounds and the place was eerily quiet.

"Hello?" Marcel called out but no response was heard.

'Are you sure this is the right place?' Marcel asked Avian.

[Positive] Avians response came.

Marcel called out for a while and he finally heard a groan come out from behind the reception desk. He deliberately knocked on the desk loudly to wake the person on the other side.

"Who is it?" A lazy voice was heard from behind the desk before a red-haired young woman stood from their sleeping position. She was still drowsy when she stood up but the moment she saw Marcel she felt refreshed.

As she looked at Marcel she started believing that she had been using the word eye candy wrongly all her life. Marcel watched her dazed face for a while before he got impatient.

"Where is the photographer?" Marcel asked with a raised eyebrow.

"In his office, I'll give him a call to let him know you are here," the receptionist said with a wide smile.

She picked up the desk phone and called the photographer's office. After a while, the photographer came out of his office.

"What is it Milly?" the photographer asked impatiently before he saw Marcel.

"Oh, good morning," Marcel said as he extended his hand. The photographer sceptically looked at Marcel before he extended his hand for a shake.

"Good morning, how may I help you?" the photographer asked Marcel with a polite smile.

"I'm Marcel, I want to create a portfolio. I want to be a model you see" Marcel explained as he released the hand he was holding.

"Oh, I'm Paul. I may look young but I'll do my best" the photographer said with a small smile before he nudged Milly who was still in a daze.

"She is the stylist and makeup artist for the studio. Did you bring any clothes or will you be wearing what we provide?" Paul asked after he nudged Milly who was still dazed.

"Oh, yeah, whatever you need Marcel," Milly said already sounding smitten. Marcel thought she was cute and smiled sweetly at her almost making her heart stop.

"We have a problem, we might not have your shoe size," Paul said when he realised that Milly's efficiency was going to be on existent.

"No worries, I can do it barefooted," Marcel said as he maintained the smile on his face.

"Mmh, Milly, please prepare Mr Marcel," Paul said loudly startling Milly out of her reverie so she would focus on preparing him for the shoot.

Paul went back to his office to prepare his equipment as Milly ushered Marcel to a back room where he gave him a pair of black pants a long-sleeved white shirt to wear. The clothes fit him almost perfectly. If the pants weren't slightly too long for him it would have been perfect.

'Avian, I want to start practising the walk that you prepared' Marcel said suddenly.

[Alright] Marcel's voice replied before Marcel suddenly felt listless and nauseous before he could feel the current knowledge of the runway was downloaded.

He only received recent information without any details on the evolution of the whole process. The information felt incomplete to some extent.

Milly folded up his sleeves and loosened up the tie around his neck and slightly roughened up his hair.

She wanted to put some makeup on him but he had blemishless skin so she just put some that would counter the brightness of the lights in the studio so he wouldn't look too bright.

After she was done she led him to the studio where Paul had already set up his equipment.

"What type of portfolio do you want?" Paul asked as he set up his laptop.

"What are your packages?" Marcel asked curiously.

"They range from 150 to 1000 dollars," Paul said without looking at Marcel.

"What does the 1000 dollar package contain?" Marcel asked.

"You will have a larger variety of photos, and if you decide on this package I'll print out your portfolio free of charge," Paul said trying to entice Marcel.

"I will take it, but I need five copies by today, I need to apply as soon as possible" Marcel said with a questioning gaze. Paul found that he couldn't refuse printing out five portfolios for him even if he wanted to. The fee he would receive would help him pay the rent to the studio and Milly.

"What about you pay for the two portfolios. It's just fifty dollars each" Paul tried to coax.

"Tsk tsk, forget it. I'll just get the three then if it's too much" Marcel said. Paul was surprised that he did not even leave room for negotiation.

"Okay fine, but I want to use your photos to promote my studio," Paul said with determination.

"You want to use my face for 250 dollars?" Marcel asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Uhm," Paul was really speechless making Marcel smirk.

"You can use them, I'll come up with the price later on," Marcel said and went in front of the cameras.

"What image do you want to promote?" Paul asked.

"All of them" Marcel answered and unbuttoned the first three buttons of his shirt.

"Should we start?" Marcel asked as he looked at Paul who looked dumbfounded.

Paul nodded and stood behind the high definition camera. Every time he snapped a shot the lights in the studio would also brighten with the flash of the camera.

The open shirt showed just enough to rouse one's curiosity. Marcel's clavicles peeked from the now wide collar of the shirt. When he raised his head the curve of his neck and the bump of his Adam's apple would be exposed.

Paul had never had so much fun taking pictures of anyone before. Marcel was the definition of a person who was sensitive to the camera. After he had taken a large variety of photographs he shouted on reflex.

"Go change!" Paul said as he smiled while heading back to his computer to look at the photographs.

Marcel obediently followed Milly who gave him a pair of dark blue pleated slim fit formal trousers and a black turtleneck sweater. She put a necklace on top of the sweater before styling his hair and darkening his eyebrows with makeup. She even put a light tint on his lips to create an attractive contradiction with his clothes. When he stood in front of the camera again Paul nodded in approval.

They then went through another round of photography before he was asked to change his clothes again.

Marcel was not expecting to actually enjoy the process but he did, since he was in front of the camera, albeit that it was a very outdated one and it was not similar to the ones that were available 300 years into the future, it still felt very good to be working once more.