After the interview wrapped up, Bell was whisked away to the cover shoot for VibeNation Magazine. The set was alive with activity—cameras flashing, lights adjusting, stylists fussing over the tiniest details. Bell barely had time to breathe before she was ushered into a makeup chair for touch-ups.
As the makeup artist worked, Bell found herself trying to remember how to pose, how to act in front of a camera as Vivica Winters. But just as she was starting to relax, her manager, Jacen, appeared in the mirror's reflection behind her, his arms crossed and his expression tense.
"Dance? Dance, Vivica?" Jacen said, his voice sharp but low enough for only Bell and her assistant to hear. "Are you crazy? You know you can't dance. You've got duck feet! Your fans are going to lose their minds over this!"
Bell spun around in the chair, staring at him with disbelief. "What do you mean I can't dance? I'm a singer. Which singer doesn't know how to dance to rhythm?"
Jacen blinked at her, a little taken aback by her confidence. "Uh… you? Vivica Winters doesn't dance. Everyone knows that. We've always kept you away from anything involving choreography because, frankly, you've never been good at it. And now you've just told VibeNation you're going to dive into it? Do you realize what a mess this could be?"
Bell felt her pulse quicken, but she forced herself to remain calm. This wasn't her body, but it was her life now. She wasn't going to let anyone stop her from dancing. "Listen," she said, locking eyes with Jacen, "if I say I want to dance, then I dance. I'm Vivica Winters."
Jacen exchanged a glance with the assistant, both of them looking startled by her firmness. "Well, I'll just have them edit that part out of the interview. It'll be easier to—"
"No!" Bell interrupted, standing up abruptly. "Don't you dare edit it. If I say it, I mean it. I'm going to dance, and that's final. Got it?"
Jacen shook his head, his face filled with skepticism. "How are you so confident all of a sudden? Did you… wake up as another person or something?"
For a moment, Bell froze. The words hit her like a slap, and she almost faltered, her heart pounding in her chest. But she quickly recovered, forcing a small smirk. "You wouldn't believe it. I did."
Jacen raised an eyebrow, shaking his head,
"Vica this is no time for joke..." Before he could say anything else, Bell cut him off. "Now, just watch me perform the magic. Don't worry—I've got this."
"Whatever you say, Vivica," Jacen muttered, clearly still unconvinced. "Just know, if you mess this up, it's all on you." With that, he walked out of the dressing room, leaving Bell alone with her assistant.
The assistant, who had been silent the whole time, finally let out a long sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. The Vivica Winters I know is back. I was so worried. You've been acting really weird since I woke you up this morning. Like… you weren't yourself. You felt vulnerable. Not like the domineering Vivica we all know. But it's nice to see you back in action."
Bell glanced at her assistant, trying to hide her unease. "Yeah… I guess I'm back."
The bright flashes from the camera flickered like strobe lights, momentarily blinding Bell as she stood on set. Around her, the hum of assistants moving props, adjusting lights, and whispering directions buzzed in the background. The photographer, a wiry man with glasses perched on his nose, circled her like a hawk, snapping shot after shot.
"More! Give me more, Vivica!" he shouted, his voice booming through the studio. "Bring that fire! Give me power!"
Bell stiffened, feeling out of her depth. I know nothing about posing, she thought, but there was no backing out now. She adjusted her posture, throwing in what she hoped was a fierce look. Alright, let's wing it—like always.
She tossed her head back, letting her hair fall wildly over her shoulders. She shifted her weight, twisting her body into new positions, each one blending more of what she imagined a model would do. A hand on her hip, a sultry gaze into the camera, her body arched just right. The flashbulbs popped with every movement, and soon, she found herself moving instinctively, letting her body flow without overthinking.
"Yes! That's it!" the photographer cheered, his voice growing louder with excitement. "Perfect! More of that energy! You're killing it!"
Bell smiled to herself, loosening up, enjoying the unexpected rhythm of the shoot. She spun, threw a hand up, and arched her back, her legs subtly shifting into a movement that felt strangely like a dance step.
Suddenly, she froze, realizing what she'd done. She had unconsciously slipped into dance moves. They were simple, subtle shifts in her hips and arms, but the rhythm was unmistakable.
"Vivica, where did that come from?" Jacen, her manager, called from the sidelines, his eyes wide with surprise.
Bell's heart pounded in her chest. "What happened? Was it bad?" she stammered, suddenly unsure.
The photographer rushed forward, eyes gleaming. "Bad? You call that bad? That was FIRE! Seriously, where did you get all that aura? You're bringing something fresh, an entirely new charm to the table! This is turning out incredible."
His praise echoed through the studio, and Bell felt a wave of relief wash over her. "Keep up the good work, Vivica!" he added, clicking his camera furiously as he captured her next pose.
Bell continued, now more confident, her body moving freely as she let herself blend dance movements into her poses. Her arms swept wide, her legs shifted with a grace that felt foreign but exhilarating. She was no longer stiff, but fluid—powerful.
Behind the photographer, Jacen stood frozen, his mouth slightly open in disbelief. "What the hell…" he muttered, barely audible.
Her assistant whispered in awe, "Is she… dancing?"
"Apparently," Jacen whispered back, still trying to comprehend what he was seeing. "This isn't the Vivica I know. Where is she getting this from?"
Bell caught their expressions out of the corner of her eye but kept moving. Each step, each pose, felt more natural, more her. She spun again, her dress flaring around her like a dancer's skirt. The camera kept flashing, the photographer's cheers filling the room, but she was only half listening now.
I can do this, she thought. I can blend who I am with who Vivica is supposed to be. I'll find a way to make it work.
The session wrapped up with a final flourish, the last camera flash fading as Bell struck her last pose. Panting lightly, she glanced around the room. The photographer was ecstatic, reviewing the shots on his monitor, while Jacen and her assistant stared at her like she was an entirely different person.
"You... danced," Jacen said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Vivica Winters doesn't dance. I'm telling you, duck feet."
Bell gave a playful shrug. "Guess I'm full of surprises today." "Well as you can see duck feet is serving. I practiced alright." She said laughing.
Jacen let out a shaky breath. "Well, if that's what this is, then fine. But just know this is going to send shockwaves through your fanbase. Everyone knows you—well, the old you—couldn't dance. This is going to be huge. Good you definitely know what's good for marketing."
Bell smiled to herself, her confidence rising. "Good. Let them be shocked. It will be for the best then."