I got home at seven. Laura was already there, bustling in the kitchen with her dark brown hair loose. “Stella, how was your day?” she asked, stirring cocoa. “Come, have some cocoa!” I nodded. “Good… it was a good day,” I mumbled, my voice trembling as my face flushed again. I sat at the table with the cup in hand and told her about my unexpected first adventure at the photo studio. She listened with sparkling eyes and enc...

I'm Stella, 21, shy, slim, with long blonde hair. I'm studying to become a teacher in my third year at university. My boyfriend Ethan and I rent a small house together, and this is our first Christmas Eve as a couple. We invited my two best friends – Laura and Emily – along with their boyfriends. To make the night more fun for the guys, I chose the theme “Naughty Snowflakes and Fairies.” I wore a light blue short dress wi...

Tommy drove downtown—the studio was a large modern building, with a glass facade reflecting the afternoon sun, and a sign at the entrance, “Professional Studio LA”. “This is it,” he said. I stepped out, heart pounding. “Stella, I wish you luck, don’t be nervous, you’ll manage like always,” he added encouragingly and drove off. I stood in front of the building, looked at it, and felt my knees tremble a little. I had always...