After finishing the Paris schedule, Akshatha moved on to Milan, where her agency had arranged another concentrated week of castings.
After completing her Paris commitments, Akshatha and her mother travelled to Milan.
The transition was quick.
There was barely any time to relax because the next part of the fashion season had already been planned.
Her agency had arranged a full week of castings in Milan.
This time, everything was organized in advance.
The agency provided the schedule, including the casting locations, reporting times, and the order in which Akshatha was expected to attend them.
Each morning, she and her mother would leave the accommodation with everything prepared.
Her portfolio was ready.
Her casting clothes were prepared.
Her shoes were packed.
Her documents were kept safely.
And Akshatha made sure she arrived on time.
The Milan castings had a different atmosphere from Paris.
There were familiar faces from the international modeling circuit, but there were also many new models trying to establish themselves.
Akshatha didn't allow herself to become distracted.
She simply followed the schedule.
One casting after another.
Some were quick.
Some involved a longer conversation with the casting team.
Others included a runway walk so the designers could see how she carried their clothes.
She treated every opportunity seriously.
During the evenings, she and her mother returned to their accommodation and reviewed the following day's schedule.
"Tomorrow?"
Her mother would ask.
Akshatha would check the list.
"Three castings."
Then she would prepare the outfits required for each one.
Her mother had become almost as organized as the agency.
She knew which clothes had to be ready, which shoes went with which casting, and what time they needed to leave.
---
As the week continued, Akshatha began receiving more attention.
Her previous Paris work helped establish her credibility.
She wasn't simply another newcomer walking into the casting room.
She had already worked internationally.
Some casting teams recognized her from previous seasons.
Others recognized her from her portfolio.
That familiarity slowly began working in her favour.
Still, Akshatha remained careful.
She knew that fashion could change quickly.
One day could bring several opportunities.
The next could bring nothing.
So she never assumed that a good casting meant a confirmed booking.
She simply continued.
By the end of the week, she had completed the entire schedule her agency had prepared.
She was tired.
But satisfied.
Paris had tested her stamina.
Milan had tested her consistency.
And the season was only beginning.
There were still more cities ahead.
After the packed weeks in Paris and Milan, London was a much shorter stop—but Akshatha still made sure to use those two days well.
From Milan, Akshatha and her mother travelled to London.
This time, the schedule was much shorter.
Her agency had arranged only two days of castings and meetings in the city.
There was no point in treating the visit like a long stay.
Everything had been planned carefully around the available appointments.
On the first morning, Akshatha was ready early.
Her casting outfit was prepared, her portfolio was with her, and her mother had already checked the day's schedule.
They moved from one appointment to another.
Some castings were brief.
At others, Akshatha was asked to walk several times so the casting team could see her posture and movement.
Her previous international experience was becoming useful.
She was more confident now and knew how to enter a casting room, introduce herself, and present herself without appearing nervous or desperate.
Her mother waited nearby whenever she wasn't allowed inside.
By evening, Akshatha was tired but satisfied.
They returned to their accommodation, had dinner, and prepared everything for the following day.
The second day was equally busy.
There were more castings and a couple of professional meetings arranged through her agency.
Akshatha also met people who had seen her work from the previous season.
That recognition gave her confidence.
She understood that she was gradually moving from being an unfamiliar newcomer to becoming a model whose name and previous work were beginning to matter.
By the end of the second day, her London commitments were complete.
There was no need to stay longer.
Her agency had already arranged the next stage of her schedule.
Akshatha packed her things with her mother.
Paris had been intense.
Milan had been a full week of concentrated castings.
London had been short but productive.
And the fashion season still had more opportunities waiting for her.
She looked at the schedule once more before closing her laptop.
"Ready for the next one?"
Her mother asked.
Akshatha smiled.
"Always."
From London, Akshatha and her mother flew to New York.
New York was another major stop on the fashion-season circuit, and unlike London, this time the agency had arranged a much fuller schedule.
By the time they arrived, Akshatha already knew what to expect.
The next several days would be filled with castings, meetings, fittings, and waiting.
Her agency had arranged appointments with different fashion clients and casting teams.
Akshatha kept her portfolio ready and made sure her casting wardrobe was organized.
Her mother handled the practical side of things while Akshatha concentrated on presenting herself well.
The first morning began early.
They travelled into the city while it was still busy with people heading to work.
New York felt different from Paris, Milan, and London.
It was faster.
More crowded.
More energetic.
And the fashion industry here moved at an equally intense pace.
At the first casting, Akshatha joined a long line of models.
Some were experienced international models.
Others were new faces hoping for their first major opportunity.
When her turn came, she walked into the room confidently.
She introduced herself, gave the casting team her portfolio, and followed their instructions.
Walk.
Turn.
Pause.
Walk again.
Then she thanked them and left.
There was no guarantee.
She knew that.
The same process repeated throughout the day.
Some castings lasted only a few minutes.
Others involved conversations with the team.
At one appointment, the casting director recognized her from her previous international work.
"You've been working in Paris and Milan?"
"Yes."
The woman looked through her portfolio.
"Good. We'll keep you in consideration."
Akshatha thanked her and left without assuming anything.
She had learned not to celebrate before a booking was confirmed.
---
The days continued like that.
Castings in different parts of the city.
Agency meetings.
Client appointments.
Occasional fittings.
Long journeys between locations.
Quick meals whenever there was time.
Then back out again.
Her mother remained beside her through the demanding schedule.
Whenever Akshatha returned exhausted, her mother would make sure she ate properly and got enough rest before the next day.
Despite the busy schedule, Akshatha continued keeping up with her studies whenever she had free time.
Even during travel, her laptop came with her.
She would sometimes work on school assignments or check on her game-related projects before sleeping.
Her life had become a strange combination of school, technology, business, and fashion.
But she had learned how to manage it.
---
As the New York appointments progressed, Akshatha began noticing something.
People were remembering her.
Not everyone.
Not every casting.
But enough.
Her previous runway work, international experience, and updated portfolio were slowly giving her credibility.
She wasn't walking into every room as an unknown teenage model anymore.
She was becoming someone the industry could place.
And for Akshatha, that was more valuable than any single casting.
By the end of her New York schedule, she was exhausted.
But when she looked back at the season so far—Paris, Milan, London, and now New York—she knew she had accomplished something important.
She wasn't simply travelling from city to city.
She was building a name.
And the season wasn't over yet.