Fame Or Faith
bikini fame
jenna(fl)
Okay, Ryan, can we just get this over with? The sun is burning my skin already and I’m sweating under all these lights. What’s the first shot?”
ryan(fl bf)
Babe, you look amazing, but for this sunscreen collab we need to sell the product. The brand wants sexy, fresh, beach-vibes. Loosen the straps on that bikini top a little. Show some skin. Just a bit of cleavage, come on. It’s not like you’re naked. This is how you get the big contracts
jenna(fl)
Excuse me? Show my body a bit? Ryan, you’re my boyfriend and the cameraman, not my pimp. I already agreed to the bikini. That’s enough. I’m not here to flash for likes.
ryan(fl bf)
Jenna, don’t be dramatic. You’re a famous model. This is literally your job. The director said the client loved your last campaign because you were confident and showed confidence. Confidence equals skin. Just pull it down an inch. Trust me, the numbers don’t lie
jenna(fl)
Confidence? Or just objectifying me? I’m angry now. Back off with the camera and stop telling me how to pose like I’m some Instagram thirst trap.”
At that moment, footsteps crunch on the sand. Layla, Jenna’s best friend since high school, walks up in a modest black abaya and a neatly pinned hijab, carrying two iced lattes. She stops short when she hears the last line
layla
Jenna? What’s going on? I came early to surprise you and I already hear ‘show skin’? Ryan, what are you pushing on her?”
ryan(fl bf)
Layla, not now. This is a professional photoshoot. You don’t understand modeling. It’s not like wearing hijab all day and hiding. We’re selling sunscreen. People need to see it on skin. Jenna’s body is her brand.”
layla
Her body is not your brand, Ryan. It’s her body. And right now you’re asking her to expose more than she’s comfortable with. Jenna, you don’t have to do this. Say no. The brand can work with what you’re already wearing
ryan(fl bf)
Oh here we go. The hijabi police arrive. Layla, with all due respect, this is why Jenna’s career is taking off and you’re still just… supporting. She’s a global model. She doesn’t need lectures on modesty right now. We’re on a clock. The light is perfect
layla
Modesty isn’t a lecture, it’s our deen. Jenna and I grew up knowing that awrah is to be protected. This isn’t ‘just a job.’ You’re her boyfriend. You’re supposed to protect her honor, not push her to show more skin for money. Jenna, tell him. You know this feels wrong
jenna(fl)
Both of you, stop! Right now. Layla, I appreciate you coming, but Ryan is right about one thing — this is my shoot. Ryan, stop talking to her like that. Layla, I’m not fighting about religion on set. Let’s just finish the photos so I can get out of this heat.”
ryan(fl bf)
See? Jenna gets it. She’s a professional. Layla, you can stand over there and watch if you want, but don’t interrupt my shots again.
layla
I’m not watching my best friend get talked into something haram just because it pays well. Jenna, you used to pray with me after school. You used to say you’d never compromise your values for fame. What happened? This isn’t you.
jenna(fl)
Enough! Both of you shut it. Ryan, take the damn pictures the way the client wants. Layla, I love you but stay out of this. I’m handling it. Let’s go, Ryan. Camera up
The next twenty minutes are tense. Ryan snaps photos while giving directions. Jenna poses, smiles tightly, adjusts the bikini straps exactly how he asked, but her eyes are flashing with irritation. Layla stands a few feet away, arms crossed, lips pressed tight under her hijab, refusing to smile for any of the behind-the-scenes clips.
ryan(fl bf)
Yes, babe, tilt your head… perfect. Arch your back a little more. That’s the money shot. See? You’re killing it when you listen.”
jenna(fl)
Just take the picture, Ryan. I’m not smiling for real anymore.”
layla
(muttering loud enough): “Astaghfirullah… this is so wrong.
ryan(fl bf)
What was that, Layla? You got something to say? Because if you’re going to stand there judging, you can leave. Jenna doesn’t need your guilt trip today.”
layla
I’m not judging her, I’m protecting her. Jenna is Muslim too, even if she’s forgotten. Our bodies are an amanah from Allah, not billboards for sunscreen. Ryan, you call yourself her man but you’re fine letting the whole internet see her like this? Where’s your gheerah?”
ryan(fl bf)
Ghee-what? Look, I’m not Muslim. I support Jenna’s faith or whatever, but this is business. Faith doesn’t pay the bills. Fame does. Jenna chose this life. She chose me. So back off.
jenna(fl)
I said STOP! Both of you! Ryan, take your last shots and we’re done. Layla, I’m not doing this argument on a public beach. Save it for later
The shoot finally wraps. The crew packs up the reflectors and lights. Jenna throws on a loose cover-up, but it’s thin and still shows the bikini underneath. She walks over to Layla while Ryan checks the camera footage.
layla
Jenna… I waited until they finished because I didn’t want to ruin your money. But this is wrong. That whole thing was outside of our religion. You know it. Showing your body like that for strangers to gawk at? It’s not just ‘a job.’ It’s a test and you’re failing it.”
jenna(fl)
Layla, please. Not right now. I’m tired, I’m sticky from the sunscreen, and I just want to go home.
layla
No, we’re talking about it now because I love you and I’m scared for you. Remember when we were fifteen? We promised each other we’d stay on the path. You stopped wearing hijab after your first big campaign. You stopped praying five times a day. You started dating Ryan who doesn’t even understand our deen. And now this? Asking you to show more skin? Jenna, this isn’t ‘profession.’ This is selling your modesty for fame and checks
jenna(fl)
It is my profession! I’m a model, Layla. This is how the industry works. If I say no to every bikini or skin shot, I lose campaigns. I lose money. I lose followers. I’ve built everything from nothing. You think I like it? No. But it pays for my family, for my future, for everything. You wear hijab and I respect that. I really do. But I’m not there yet. Maybe I’ll never be. Stop making me feel guilty for living my life
layla
I’m not trying to make you feel guilty. I’m trying to wake you up. Our religion isn’t a part-time thing you pick up when it’s convenient. Allah says in the Qur’an to lower the gaze and guard our chastity. This photoshoot? Thousands of men will see it and… you know what they’ll think. And you’re okay with that? Because it’s ‘just work’? Jenna, you’re my sister in Islam even if you don’t act like it right now. I can’t watch you drift further away
jenna(fl)
I’m not drifting. I’m living. I still believe in God, okay? I just… I don’t wear hijab. I don’t pray every day. I have a boyfriend who makes me happy and a career that took me years to build. If I suddenly become super religious like you, everything I worked for disappears. The brands will drop me. My followers will leave. I can’t afford that. So yes, I did the shoot. Yes, I showed a little more than I wanted. And yes, I’ll probably do it again next month for the next campaign. That’s my reality
layla
Your reality is temporary. Jannah is forever. Think about that before the next ‘business collaboration.’ I’m here for you whenever you’re ready to come back. But I won’t stay quiet while you throw away what we both know is right. I love you too much for that.”
jenna(fl)
“I know you do. And I love you too, even when you lecture me on the beach like my personal imam. Can we just… go get food? I’m starving and I don’t want to fight anymore today.”
layla
Fine. But this conversation isn’t over, Jenna. Not by a long shot
ryan(fl bf)
Ryan walks over, sliding his arm around Jenna’s waist.
ryan(fl bf)
Babe, the shots look fire. Client is going to love them. You ready to head out? I’ll drive
jenna(fl)
Yeah… let’s go. Layla, you coming with us or you got your own ride?”
layla
I’ll follow in my car. Someone needs to make sure you actually eat something halal after all of that.”
Jenna sighs, forcing a small smile as the three of them walk up the beach toward the parking lot. The waves keep crashing behind them, but the argument still hangs heavy in the salty air. Jenna checks her phone — already 50 new notifications from the brand teasing the campaign. She likes one of the posts, heart floating up the screen, while Layla watches silently from two steps behind.
.
The high of the photoshoot and the hum of the cafe died the moment Jenna stepped through her front door. The air in the house was thick, smelling of stale cigarettes and that sharp, metallic scent of tension that usually preceded a storm.
jenna(fl)
“Where is it? I know you tucked some away!”
The roar came from the kitchen. Jenna’s stomach did a slow, painful flip. She didn't even have time to take off her sandals before she saw her mother, Amina, cowering by the refrigerator, her hands trembling as she clutched the edge of the counter. Standing over her was Khalil, Jenna’s stepfather. His face was flushed a deep, angry red, and his eyes were wild with the desperation of a man who had lost more than just money at the tables.
..
Khalil, stop it,” Jenna’s mother whispered, her voice cracking. “That money is for the electricity. It’s for the groceries. You’ve already taken Jenna’s last check.”
..
She’s a famous model!” Khalil sneered, slamming his hand against the cupboard. The sound echoed like a gunshot. “She’s got millions. You’re holding out on me. Give me the damn envelope!”
jenna(fl)
“Leave her alone!” Jenna shouted, finding her voice as she lunged between them. She stood tall, despite the fact that she was still wearing the thin beach cover-up, her skin still sticky with the remnants of the sunscreen she had been forced to sell. “Don't you touch her.”
..
Khalil turned his glare toward Jenna, his lip curling in disgust. “Oh, look. The big star is home. Did you have fun posing for the world today? Why don’t you do something useful and give your old man some cash? I’m on a streak, Jenna. I just need one more buy-in to turn it all around.”
jenna(fl)
You’re not on a streak, Khalil. You’re a bottomless pit,” Jenna snapped, her eyes flashing with a mix of hatred and exhaustion. “I work eighteen-hour days, I let people poke and prod me, I let Ryan talk me into things I hate—all so I can keep a roof over this head. And you gamble it away before the ink is even dry on the check. Not today. Get out.”
..
You’re ungrateful,” Khalil spat, though he backed off slightly, intimidated by the sheer coldness in Jenna’s gaze. He grabbed his jacket from the chair, muttering curses under his breath about how women didn't understand the "pressures of the world," and slammed the front door so hard the framed pictures on the wall rattled.
The silence that followed was worse than the shouting. Amina sank to the floor, burying her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking with silent, broken sobs.
jenna(fl)
Jenna dropped to her knees, pulling her mother into her arms. “Mom, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”
..
It’s my fault,” Amina wailed softly. “I should have left years ago. Now he’s draining you dry, Jenna. You’re selling your soul for this money, and he’s just throwing it into a fire.”
Jenna didn't have an answer. She just held her mother, feeling the crushing weight of her reality. On the outside, she was the girl with the perfect life, the "it" girl with the handsome boyfriend and the soaring career. On the inside, she was a girl trying to keep a sinking ship afloat while the water rose to her chin.
An hour later, Jenna slipped out the back door and walked the short distance to the park bench where she knew Layla would be waiting. Layla lived three houses down, and since they were children, this bench had been their sanctuary.
The moment Jenna saw Layla’s familiar silhouette in the moonlight, the walls she had built up all day—the "professionalism" she had shown Ryan, the "toughness" she had shown Khalil—crumbled.She sat down and let out a broken, jagged sob.
She sat down and let out a broken, jagged sob.
layla
He took it all again, didn’t he?” Layla asked softly, not needing an explanation. She reached out and pulled Jenna into a tight, grounding hug
jenna(fl)
Everything,” Jenna choked out, her forehead resting on Layla’s shoulder. “I hate it, Layla. I hate the shoots, I hate the way Ryan looks at me like I’m a product, and I hate that I have to go home and see my mom crying because of that man. I feel like I’m disappearing. Like there’s nothing left of the real me.”
layla
Layla didn't offer a platitude. She didn't tell Jenna to just "get over it." She simply held her, stroking her hair as Jenna poured out the sadness of a life lived in a golden cage
layla
You’re still in there, Jenna,” Layla whispered. “You’ve just covered yourself in so many layers of the world that you’ve forgotten your own heart. But Allah knows. He sees the weight you’re carrying.”
After a long time, Jenna pulled back, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. The night air was cool, and for the first time that day, she didn't feel like she was suffocating.
Layla closed her eyes and raised her hands slightly, palm up, in a quiet, private moment of supplication.
layla
O Allah,” Layla whispered, her voice steady and full of conviction. “Guide my sister. Light her path when everything feels dark. Protect her heart from those who only want to use her, and give her the strength to return to what is pure. Give her a way out of this hardship and grant her peace that the world cannot provide. Ameen.”
Jenna felt a shiver run down her spine. The word felt heavy on her tongue, forgotten but familiar.
jenna(fl)
Ameen,” Jenna whispered
The next morning arrived with the sharp, unforgiving clarity of a new chapter. The drama of the beach and the heartbreak of the kitchen were packed away into suitcases.
It was the start of the semester.
Ryan’s sleek, black SUV pulled up to the curb at 6:00 AM. He honked the horn twice, the sound echoing through the quiet neighborhood. He looked energized, wearing a designer hoodie and sunglasses despite the early hour, already back in "manager mode."
ryan(fl bf)
Let’s go, babe! University calls! We’ve got a brand meeting near campus at noon, so we need to make time,” Ryan called out as Jenna walked down the driveway.
Jenna tossed her bag into the trunk, her movements sluggish. She looked back at her house—at the window where her mother was likely still sleeping off the exhaustion of another night of tears.
Layla appeared from the house next door, carrying a backpack and a small bag of snacks for the road. She looked at Ryan with a polite but distant expression, then turned to Jenna, offering a small, encouraging smile.
layla
“Ready?” Layla asked.
jenna(fl)
Ready,” Jenna replied
As they piled into the car—Ryan in the driver’s seat, Jenna in the front, and Layla in the back—the dynamic was palpable. Ryan was already talking about engagement metrics and the "vibe" they needed to maintain at the university to attract more student-targeted sponsorships.
ryan(fl bf)
“This is a big year, Jenna,” Ryan said, pulling away from the curb. “New city, new campus, bigger audience. We’re going to be the power couple of the university. Everyone’s going to be watching.
Jenna watched her neighborhood disappear in the rearview mirror. She thought about the crack in her phone screen—the one the stranger, Noah, had pointed out. “Sometimes the cracks are where the light gets in,” he had said.
She didn't want to be a power couple. She didn't want to be a brand. She just wanted to find the light.
As the car hit the highway, heading toward the bustling city and the sprawling university campus, Jenna leaned her head against the window. The road ahead was long, and she knew that the battle between the life she was living and the person she wanted to be was only just beginning.
walk
The university campus was a sprawling labyrinth of brick and glass, usually a place where Jenna felt like a queen. Her face was on the posters for the student gala, and her Instagram stories from the beach had already racked up thousands of views. But as she walked through the central plaza the next morning, the air felt different. It wasn't the usual admiring glances or hushed whispers of "That's Jenna."
It was laughter. Sharp, jagged, and ugly
A group of girls from the fashion department huddled near the fountain, holding a phone between them. When Jenna passed, one of them—a girl named Chloe who had always been jealous of Jenna’s contracts—didn't even try to hide her smirk.
..
Nice angle, Jenna," Chloe called out, her voice dripping with mock praise. "Though I didn't know the sunscreen brand required a full anatomy lesson. Bold move for a 'modest' girl."
Jenna froze, her heart hammering against her ribs. She tightened her grip on her bag and hurried toward the library, where Layla was waiting at their usual table. Layla wasn't studying. She was staring at her phone, her face pale, her lips moving in a silent, stressed prayer.
jenna(fl)
Layla? What’s going on? People are acting... weird," Jenna said, sliding into the chair.
layla
Layla didn't look up at first. She slowly turned her phone screen toward Jenna. "Ryan posted it, Jenna. Not the campaign edit. The raw shots. The ones where you told him you weren't comfortable. The ones where the straps were... lowered
Jenna’s breath hitched. There it was. A high-definition post on Ryan’s "Director" page, captioned: Behind the scenes with the muse. Pushing boundaries for the brand. It wasn't professional. It looked voyeuristic. It looked exactly like the "thirst trap" Jenna had fought against on the beach.
jenna(fl)
"I told him no," Jenna whispered, the color draining from her face. "I told him those were just for the client to see the skin texture. He promised he wouldn't use them
layla
"He’s chasing engagement, Jenna. And he’s using your body to get it," Layla said, her voice thick with pity.
Before Jenna could even process the betrayal, the PA system crackled to life. “Jenna Amina, please report to the Principal’s office immediately. Jenna Amina.
The walk to the administration building felt like a walk to the gallows. When Jenna entered the office, the atmosphere was frigid. Principal Vance, a stern man with spectacles perched on the tip of his nose, sat behind a mahogany desk. Next to him stood Professor Sarah, Jenna’s biology teacher, who usually looked at Jenna with pride. Today, her expression was one of deep disappointment.
..
Sit down, Miss Amina," Vance said, gesturing to a hard wooden chair.
..
On his computer screen was the post Ryan had uploaded.
..
"This institution prides itself on its moral standing and the conduct of its scholarship recipients," Vance began, his voice clipping every word. "We understand you have a career outside of these walls, but this... this crosses the line of our code of conduct. It is being circulated among the student body as we speak."
jenna(fl)
"Sir, I didn't post that. My—my photographer did without my consent," Jenna stammered, her eyes stinging.
..
You are the face in the photo, Jenna," Professor Sarah added softly, though her words cut deep. "As a recipient of the Excellence Scholarship, you represent this university. This image has brought unwanted attention and mockery to our department."
..
Vance leaned forward. "The board has made a decision. To remain enrolled, you must pay a disciplinary fine of $2,000 for the breach of conduct. Furthermore... your scholarship is hereby revoked. Effective immediately.
The world seemed to tilt. The scholarship was the only reason she could afford this elite university. Without it, the money she made from modeling wouldn't just go to her stepfather’s debts—it wouldn't even be enough to cover a single semester.
jenna(fl)
"Please," Jenna choked out. "I... I'll have him take it down. I'll make a statement
..
The damage is done," Vance said, looking back at his paperwork. "You have one week to settle the fine. You’re dismissed."
Jenna stumbled out of the office, her vision blurred by hot, angry tears. She felt like she was falling through space with nothing to catch her. Her career was a trap, her boyfriend was a traitor, and her future was crumbling.
She turned a corner too fast, her head down as she sobbed into her hand, and slammed directly into someone.
She stumbled back, nearly tripping over her own feet, but a pair of steady hands caught her by the shoulders. She looked up, blinking through tears, and saw a familiar face. It was the guy from the cafe. Noah.
noah(ml)
You again," he said, his voice dropping an octave as he saw her distraught face. He immediately let go of her shoulders, giving her space. "I'm so sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going."
Jenna couldn't even speak. She just wiped her eyes, looking like a shattered version of the girl on the posters.
noah(ml)
Are you okay?" Noah asked, his brow furrowing. He didn't look at her like she was a model or a scandal. He looked at her like she was a person in pain.
Before she could answer, the door to the faculty lounge opened and Professor Sarah stepped out. She stopped when she saw Noah.
..
"Mr. Schnapp?" she said, her tone shifting from the coldness she'd shown Jenna to a weary academic patience. "What are you doing back here? I told you your thesis wasn't due until five."
noah(ml)
Noah turned, offering a sheepish but charming smile. "I know, Professor. I finished it early. I figured I’d hand it in now so I could go clear my head." He held out a thick manila envelope.
..
Professor Sarah sighed, taking the envelope and flipping through the pages. She clicked her tongue. "Noah, your research is brilliant, but your grammar... it's still a disaster. You have 'grammar problems' that make your most complex theories look like they were written by a toddler. Fix the syntax and bring it back, or I can't give you the honors grade."
noah(ml)
Noah rubbed the back of his neck. "Syntax isn't really my strong suit. I think in diagrams, not commas."
..
"Well, find a tutor or a friend to proofread it," the professor said, turning back into her office. "Now, go. Both of you."
Noah looked at the envelope in his hand, then looked back at Jenna, who was still standing there, frozen in her misery. He saw the tear tracks on her cheeks and the way she was trembling.
noah(ml)
"Hey," he said softly, stepping toward her. "I'm heading toward the campus exit. Do you want to get out of here? It looks like you could use a break from this place."
Jenna looked at the hallway where students were still whispering, then at Noah’s kind, unassuming face. For the first time in a long time, she didn't care about the "power couple" image or the "brand."
jenna(fl)
Yes," she whispered. "Please."
As they walked out of the building together, Noah kept a respectful distance, not trying to fill the silence with prying questions. He just walked beside her, a quiet shield against the world that was trying to tear her down. Jenna felt a strange sense of calm. She had lost her scholarship, she was broke, and her reputation was in tatters—but for some reason, walking next to a guy who couldn't place a comma to save his life felt like the first right thing that had happened all day.
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