As they say in fashion

chapter 5

They re-boarded the train after their two week stay. Jasper had put on 11 pounds and his clothes fit even worse than before he got there. It really was all Noah's moms fault. She cooked and cooked and Noah said it was only because neither he nor his father could eat that much.

"My mother is flying in from New York," Jasper told Noah.

"You know, I don't quite know that much about your mom."

"She's a total bitch."

"Come on, I'm sure she's not that bad."

In preparation for the arrival of Jasper's mother Noah had been cleaning for days, and it was not as if his apartment was filthy. It was actually always clean. He dressed quickly on the day she would be coming and started baking. His mom had told him baked goods should always be prepared when having a guest. Jasper sent a car out to get his mother and sat waiting on the couch eating the cookies Noah had just plated.

The doorbell rang and Noah quickly opened the door. A man with an extremely large suitcase entered and left after placing it on the ground. A woman in black entered. She was much taller than Noah, at 5'11" and very thin. She couldn't have been older than 40. "Hi, Mom," Jasper said.

"Jasper," she said in a motherly tone. "You seem to be eating, um, well."

"I guess," Jasper said, eating another butter cookie.

"It's really my fault, I cook an awful lot," Noah interjected. She focused her eyes on the small man.

"Then why are you not fat?" she asked radiantly with an underlying tone of malice. "My son lacks self-control and is quite the laughing stock now that he's--how much do you weigh?"

"241 pounds," he answered somberly.

"200-40-1" She smiled. "You're such a slob and I saw it coming. That's why I had to let you go." Noah's head was spinning. 'Let him go? From where?' he thought.

"From Star Models?" Noah asked. He realized this woman was the president of Star Models. She was the one he talked to about never using any of her models again.

"Of course!" she exclaimed. "Only the best can model for Star."

"But he's your son," Noah protested. "And you fired him when he still had the look you wanted."

"But he was not--is not--the BEST." Noah could have died. Jasper wasn't kidding when he said she was a bitch. "And I would never have my models wear your trashy clothes."

"Mom, stop."

"Your color scheme is ridiculous, your style is overly done, and your brand name is just plain unappealing." He picked up her suitcase and walked toward the guest bedroom, she followed quickly after smiling at Noah.

They were in that room for a long time. It was dinner time when Jasper finally reemerged and it really calmed Noah to see him again. "I'm sorry, I forgot to make dinner," Noah said apologetically.

"She doesn't eat dinner," Jasper said with a frown. "We need to talk."

"Oh, yeah, okay." Noah sat at the kitchen table. We need to talk was never a good thing to hear.

"I think I'm going to be leaving."

"What?" Noah asked, dumbstruck. "But why? What about us?"

"There is no us, not anymore anyway."

"But...but why?" Noah asked, his stomach tightening. Everything had been going so well.

"I don't know, multiple reasons."

"I can, like, not do whatever is making this happen."

"No, you can't." Jasper left that night with his mother. He left a large pile of Meadows clothing on their--Noah's bed. Noah thought of his apartment as spacious, but without Jasper it was gigantic and lonely. He sat alone for such a long time. He realized it really was over, and it was nothing he could do or say. He went to start a new project, not changing a thing about his designs.

He worked and worked and worked, and slowly he began to regain feeling. He decided to go out and have fun, maybe even meet a nice guy. He got dressed and locked up his apartment.

Preston Jacobs sat across the club surrounded by a large group of his model friends. They were all gorgeous and made Noah sad. Without Jasper, he didn't fit into this kind of scene. "If it isn't Noah Meadows." Preston had made his way over to sit next to Noah.

"Preston." Noah wasn't much of a fan of Preston Jacobs, but that had only been because of Jasper.

"Why the long face, Chubby Hubby dump you." Noah felt his ears flame red and he felt like crying. He stood up and left. Preston followed.

"Hey, Noah," Preston called as he followed Noah. "I'm sorry. What's up?"

"None of your business."

"Come on, I didn't want to make you cry."

"You? Make me cry? Never." Noah gave a mock laugh and continued walking.

"Then why did you run out instead of defending chubs?"

"You can call him whatever you like," Noah said angrily.

"So, he really did dump you." He moved closer. "What an idiot."

"Uh, what're you doing?" Noah asked, slightly uncomfortable with how close Preston was. Preston really was tall, maybe about 6'5". His blond hair was pretty long and he fixed his dazzling blue eyes on Noah. 'Oh god, he really is gorgeous,' Noah thought.

"Why don't you forget about him?" He lightly kissed Noah and there was a bright flash. Someone had taken a picture. Noah blushed and in a rush to leave agreed to meet him again for dinner.