The sky was dark, yet bright lights lit the campus of the University and the adjacent National Laboratory. STS, the local law enforcement agency, had posted guards inside the entrances of all the buildings and they patrolled the grounds on a frequent schedule, either in car or on foot. If any criminal was stupid enough to attempt committing a crime here, the use of force would be overwhelming. Capital City was indeed a safe city to live in.

Viviane entered through the glass doors of the research offices of the National Laboratory and the STS guard at the entrance identified her on sight and waved her through.

“Good evening, Ms. Fox. No need to show your ID. Working late tonight?” asked the guard.

“Yes, I have some data that I want to look at,” said Viviane and she walked past the guard on her way up the stairs to the offices above.

“I believe Mr. Bouche is the only one left upstairs,” said the guard.

“Kylian Bouche?”

“Yes. New guy I believe?”

“Thanks,” said Viviane before she headed upstairs to what she thought would be a night of looking at spreadsheets.

Kylian, who had been upstairs at his desk, heard someone walking through the offices and leaned out of his cube to see who it might be. He caught sight of Viviane walking to her desk and almost fell out of his chair in surprise. His mind re-winded back to all those pictures he saw in the Soyeux catalog of Viviane modeling lingerie and he started to feel hot under the collar while beads of sweat started rolling down his temples.

Oh man! thought Kylian. What’s she doing here at this time of night? I think I’m the only one here. Should I let her know I’m here, too? Why am I sweating? Does my breath smell? What should I do? he asked himself over and over.

While Kylian mentally wrestled with himself, Viviane made the first move.

“Kylian! Are you in here?” Viviane called out.

As if he had stuck his finger into an electrical outlet, Kylian was shocked at hearing Viviane’s voice. “Gaaaahhhh! Um, yes! I’m here! I think. No wait, I know I’m here. What I meant to say is I think I’m the only one though. How did you know I was here?”

“The guard at the entrance told me.”

“Oh, I guess that makes sense.”

Upon hearing Kylian in the research offices, Viviane headed over to his desk. Kylian saw her coming down the aisle toward him. She was still wearing her last outfit from her Soyeux shoot today and still had all her hair and makeup done. She looked beautiful. Kylian said nothing once Viviane reached his desk. He could only stand there blinking his eyes and sweating from his forehead.

Uh oh! What do I say? thought Kylian. All I can think about are those pictures I saw of her in that catalog, but I can’t let her know that I’ve seen them! She might think I’m some kind of pervert. How can I get out of this situation?

The pregnant pause caused by Kylian’s inaction was finally broken. “I shouldn’t be here. Sorry about that!” Kylian blurted out.

“Why are you apologizing for sitting at your own desk?” asked Viviane.

“Oh, I suppose you’ve got a point. I’m sorry, I don’t normally talk to girls like that. I mean, what I meant to say was that I don’t normally talk to girls. No, that didn’t come out right either. What I meant to say is that I don’t normally… never mind, I’m just sorry, OK? I don’t know what I’m saying! Don’t slap me!” and Kylian ducked behind his arms.

Viviane laughed. “You’re funny!” she said, but out of the lower corner of her eye, she spotted the Soyeux catalog peeking out from the edge of Kylian’s desk. “Hey, what’s that?”

Kylian’s fear turned to panic. Oh, no! He tried to grab the catalog before Viviane nabbed it.

“Ah ha!” She held up the catalog with the front cover facing upward.

Viviane flipped through the catalog while Kylian braced for the slap to the face which he was pretty sure was coming.

“So, you know?” asked Viviane. She didn’t sound mad, but Kylian held his breath all the same.

With guilt written all over his face, Kylian grinned and nodded without uttering a word.

“Well, it’s not really a well-kept secret. I think everyone knows that I model for Soyeux, but no one says anything to me about it. At least not here. That would be inappropriate I suppose,” said Viviane.

“You’re not going to hit me?” Kylian asked.

“No.”

Kylian exhaled the breath he was holding. He had escaped physical injury, but more important, he was happy that Viviane was not mad at him for learning of her dual life. Curiosity got the better of him, though.

“So, how long have you been modeling?”

“Since I was fourteen,” said Viviane. “Growing up, I’ve always been tall and skinny. People would tell me that I should try modeling, so I did. It wasn’t anything big. Just catalog jobs for clothing, sunglasses, jewelry, that sort of thing. I’ve even shot ads for boats, jet-skis, personal communicators, even some horribly unglamorous things like bug spray and lawn fertilizer.” Viviane laughed a bit remembering the somewhat embarrassing jobs she had done in her past. “It helped me earn some extra money when I was a teen, and for some reason, being in front of the camera just came naturally to me. I can’t explain why, but it just feels so right to be doing it.”

“Well, no kidding you’re a natural. You’re tall, thin, and beautiful. Aren’t those the requirements?” asked Kylian.

Viviane shrugged off the compliment having heard it many times before.

“I can’t help it if that’s how people see me. For me, I just feel like a normal person. I didn’t think I was all that special growing up, but other people kept telling me that I am.”

“So, what are you doing here?” asked Kylian.

“I’m working toward my Ph.D. in the field of quantum and particle physics. I was also really good at math when I was in High School, so my counselor told me I should consider a career in science. I chose physics.”

“Don’t you think that someday, you’ll have to choose between one career or the other?”

“Everyone asks me that, but I can’t choose between them! The work here is so intellectually stimulating. I really feel like I’m making history working on teleportation technology with Dr. Renard. But at the same time, modeling is so freeing with how I can express myself, despite the low pay. I couldn’t give up on either right now. I’m stuck in both worlds. I don’t have my Ph.D. yet, and modeling hasn’t really gone anywhere either. So, I keep doing both for as long as I can.”

“I’ve always known since I was like five years old that I’d be some kind of scientist,” said Kylian. “I would always read books on astronomy and space. I never doubted it. Was it like that with you?”

“You know, for some reason, I can’t remember anything about my life before the age of twelve,” admitted Viviane.

“Are you kidding me?” asked Kylian not certain if he heard correctly this odd fact.

“No, I’m not!” said Viviane. “You know how other people remember things from their childhood like going to kindergarten or climbing a tree and looking out at the horizon or their friends from birthday parties? Well, I don’t remember any of that.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously! I don’t have any memories from before I was twelve-years old. I don’t know why, but sometimes when I’m alone, I’ll start thinking about my earliest memories. I’ll try to remember something, anything, from my childhood, and I’ll just come up with nothing.”

“Gee, that sounds kind of tough, actually. I’m sorry for asking.” That was all Kylain could say.

Viviane turned her back to Kylian and crossed her arms. “Oh, I don’t know why I’m telling you any of this. You must think I’m crazy.”

Kylian put his hands up in defense. “No, don’t feel like that. I’m really glad you were able to tell me. I’m a doctor of physics, not psychology, so I can’t help you much with what you’re going through, but if it makes you feel better to talk about it, I’ll be here to listen.”

Viviane, still with her arms crossed, cracked open her eyes and peeked out to steal a glance at Kylian. She was not used to anyone listening to her troubles. Most people assumed she didn’t have any.

“It’s getting late. Didn’t you come here for a reason?” asked Kylian.

“Oh! That’s right!” Viviane’s eyes widened as she remembered why she came in. “I have spreadsheets of data to study! Well, I’ll be going now, OK?”

“Alright,” replied Kylian. He put his index finger in the air while he asked a question. “Um, can I get that Soyeux catalog back?”

Viviane had completely forgotten about the catalog, but the whole irritating incident came rushing back. “No! I’m keeping it! No looking at my pictures here at the office! That’s just creepy!”

Kylian gulped and ducked his head under his arms again as Viviane swiped him with the rolled-up catalog.

“If you want to ‘shop for clothes’ on your own time, do it at home and don’t tell me what you’re interested in. That’s way too much information.” Viviane spun around with her defiant nose in the air, and walked off with the Soyeux catalog under her arm.

Kylian watched Viviane walk off and noticed that she did indeed have the strut of a model. It was elegant, confident and feminine. What a mysterious girl Viviane was.