Read Winter Smith (Book 1): London's Burning for Free Online Page B

pose with it with him, maybe say a few words on it! Oh, isn’t it a wonderful surprise?”
                  Winter didn’t hate it. Compared to other clothes she had been forced to wear she thought it was quite nice. The dress she was wearing now had become bearable. Winter thought it suited her. She smiled and took the dress off her mother.
                  “Well, hurry up! You need to get into that before Teen Vogue gets here!”
                  Winter rolled her eyes. Olivia was bouncing with enthusiasm. Winter wished she could feel just a fraction of excitement for the night ahead. It would certainly make it go faster.
                  She walked into one of the changing rooms fitted in the closet and drew the curtains. She saw her reflection; saw how tired she looked from today’s efforts. She pulled off the dress she was wearing now and began putting on the other dress of a golden yellow fading into white, not bothering to check the label of the designer she would have to meet later. She saw it glisten in the light above and thought tonight the effect would be dazzling.
                  She messed up her hair once more and checked her reflection, pleased with how she looked. Although her lips looked bare. Maybe she would put some red lipstick on.
                  As she rooted in the make up bag on one of the shelves, her phone went off. She stopped looking for lipstick and instead turned her attention to her phone. It was Connor.
                  “Still up for tonight?” The message read.
                  Winter text back, confirming the time to meet her. Her parents didn’t know she had invited a boy to the party. They would be even more surprised to find out she had invited a boy.
                  The doorbell rang downstairs and Winter thought it would be the people from OK! Magazine. Although it did seem pretty early for them to be arriving. She heard the closet door open and her dad announced Missy’s arrival.
                  “Hello, Missy,” Olivia said. “Winter is just getting changed. It’s good you’re here. Vogue is on their way.”
                  Winter applied the red lipstick slowly, trying to extend the time she would have free of Missy Founder.
                  “Winter, are you almost ready?” Olivia asked. The doorbell rang downstairs and Olivia gasped. “They’re here! Girls, I will leave you be! Come and join us in an hour for the OK! shoot!”
                  “We will, Olivia,” Missy said, so sickly sweet it made Winter want to retch.
                  Winter heard Olivia leave. She saw a hand reach for the curtain separating her and Missy and watched as it was yanked back. Winter saw Missy in the reflection of the mirror before turning around to face her.
                  Missy’s long brown hair was wavy and set around her shoulders. She was wearing a French dress with inspiration drawn from 18 th century French fashion and Marie Antoinette. Winter thought she looked slightly maid like, but the dress had been made a little more modern with light pink fish net tights and a hint of lingerie on show.
                  “You look pretty,” Missy said. Winter even thought she sounded genuine.
                  “You too,” Winter said out of politeness.
                  The closet door opened and in walked three people in their late twenties, all elaborately dressed. A man was carrying a camera, a woman carrying lights and another man carrying notes. Winter recognised them from previous parties, although they had never spoken.
                  “What beautiful girls!” The man carrying notes said. “Set up the lights and lets get this shoot started.”
                  The man with the notes was the interviewer, while the woman with the lights didn’t