"Supermodels 3 - Having It All - Calhoun, B.B." - читать интересную книгу автора (Calhoun B.B)

"Okay, Kerri," I said. "See you."
I rapped twice on the door and walked in. Inside the office, a young woman with shoulder-length brown hair and wearing a cream-colored blouse sat behind a desk.
"Hi," I said. "I'm Naira Taylor. I think you're supposed to be my adviser."
"Ah, yes, Naira, come in," said the woman. "I'm Ms. Mastronardi. Please, have a seat."
She pointed to the chair opposite her desk, and I sat down.
"Give me a secondЧI've got to find your file." She flipped through a pile of file folders on her desk, pulled one out, and opened it.
"You're new to HSPS this year, I see," she said, looking over the contents of the folder.
"That's right," I said. "I just moved to New York from Chicago."
"Welcome to the Big Apple," she said. "So, it says here that you're with Ford Models. Do you know Kerri Gold? She was just in here. She's another new advisee of mine this year."
"Actually, Kerri's my roommate," I told her.
"Oh, good," she said, smiling. "Well, tell me, have you been working a great deal for Ford?"
"Well, I just moved here, so I've only been with Ford a month or so," I explained. "I did some modeling back in Chicago, too, but I'm getting a lot more work now that I'm in New York."
She nodded. "Here's something that you might want to think about, Naira. I don't know if you're aware of it, but we have an extended program here at HSPS for those of our students who are particularly busy with their engagements outside of school."
"An extended program?" I repeated.
"Yes," said Ms. Mastronardi. She looked down at her file. "In your case, it would mean taking two to three academic classes a semester, and extending your graduation date by three semesters."
"Oh, no," I said quickly. "I don't think I'm interested in doing that."
"Well," she said, "some people do find it difficult to maintain a full academic schedule and work at the same time. Especially if they work long hours or frequently have to miss classes."
"I can handle it," I told her. "Really, I'm very organized."
"Yes," she said, glancing at something in
the folder. "Looking at your grades from Guilford, I'd say you're probably right, Naira. This is a very impressive record you've got here."
"Thanks," 1 said.
"Still, just keep the extended program in mind. You never know what your life here is going to be like until you try it. Now, I see that you've already had two years of high school Spanish, so that completes your language requirement."
"Actually," I said, "I think I'd like to keep taking Spanish, if that's okay."
"Why, certainly," she said, looking a little surprised. "Although I was going to suggest that you take advantage of the break in your schedule to try something a little less demanding, such as one of our performing arts classes."
"Performing arts?" I said.
"Yes," said Ms. Mastronardi. "We have quite an extensive program. You'll find all the courses on the other side of the list, there."
I turned over the course list and was amazed at what I saw. I hadn't even realized that there were courses listed on the back. HSPS seemed to offer everything from vocal
training to comedic acting to tap dance. But it made sense now that I thought about it. Many of the students at HSPS were in the performing arts.
"Wow," I said, reading down the list. "Jazz dance. I took that last year at the community center near where I lived."
"Then that might be a good choice for you," said Ms. Mastronardi.
I thought a moment.
"Can't I do jazz dance and Spanish?" I asked.
"I suppose," said Ms. Mastronardi. "But you'll still have to take the regular core curriculum of English, math, history, and science as well."
"I understand," I said, nodding.
Ms. Mastronardi looked at my file again.
"Generally I only approve programs of five courses," she said. "But once in a while if a student with a proven academic record wants to take on a sixth, nonacademic course I'll give it my okay."
"As I said, Ms. Mastronardi, I know I can handle it," I said. "Last year in Chicago I took five courses in school, as well as jazz outside of school, and I did just fine. And as far
as work goes, I'm used to modeling and going to school at the same time."
"All right, then, Naira," she said. "I'll approve your program on one condition."
"What's that?" I asked.
"I want you to promise me that if things get to be too much for youЧif the course load you've taken on proves to be too heavy with your work scheduleЧthen you'll make an appointment with me right away so we can make some changes," she said.
"Sure, Ms. Mastronardi," I said. "No problem."
But I knew I'd never have to make that appointment. After all, I'd been modeling for years, and I'd always managed to be one of the top students in my class. Besides, if there was one thing I'd never been, it was a quitter.
"I wonder why Eileen Ford wants to meet with all of us," said Paige. She pulled open one of the double doors to the Ford Models red brick townhouse.
"I hope it's something good," said Cassandra, patting her hair into place.
As the six of us walked into the reception area, I smoothed down my long, purple-striped knit dress and tucked a stray curl behind one ear. When we'd gotten back from our first day of school, Mrs. Hill had given us the message that Eileen wanted to meet with us. As soon as we heard, I went to my room and changed my clothes. I wanted to look my best when we went to Ford. It makes sense, after allЧlooking good is my job. Not that that's the only thing there is to modeling, but
you can't deny that it's probably the most important.
As we climbed the staircase to the second floor, I wondered why Eileen had asked to see us all. It was very unusual. I mean, Eileen meets with each of us individually once in a while, to check up and see how things are going. But until now she'd never wanted to meet with all six of us at once.
When we got to the second floor, the first person we saw was Jill Murray. Her desk is right outside Eileen's office.
"Hello, girls," she said, smiling when she saw us. "Go right on in. Eileen is expecting you."