Mannequin was human once. She knew that for a fact. Months ago mannequin resented her body, standing stiffly dressed in whatever her captor decided to put on her. Mentally screaming to be let go even as her plastic form made a beautiful display of anything she wore.

Mannequin gained her new form when offered a modelling job by the store owner. She'd always needed cash as a person, so doing the occasional photo-shoot was nothing new. When the owner used some sort of flash that stopped her from moving she knew she was in trouble. When he gently placed her on a mannequin pole she knew she was screwed.

The first few weeks were torture. He changed her daily, and his hands on her frozen form felt so good. Sometimes her friends would walk by the window, even look at her, but nobody noticed the pretty display dummy bore a striking resemblance to their missing friend.

Three weeks in she was addicted to being changed, she'd tried to fight it, but knew she looked forward to him running his hands all over her.

Six weeks in she started thinking of herself as Mannequin.

Twelve weeks in was put on display with a mannequin she recognized as her roommate. She thought she should be upset, but only wished that her friend take less time than she did to accept her plastic existence.

Six months in her owner popped the stand's transformative tip out of her. Mannequin was human for the first time in half a year.

"Contract's up."

Mannequin looked at him blankly.

"You signed a modelling contract. Mannequin modelling for 6 months. It's been 6 months, so you're free."

Mannequin blinked.

"You didn't read the contract did you?"

Mannequin looked at her stand.

"You go back on that thing, there's no coming back."

Mannequin fell back into her pose.

"Beautiful but vapid. I need to find models that read their contracts and listen when I explain what you'll be doing. Now you're just another pretty thing, and I bet your friend in the window will be the same. I swear I'm going to make new models fill out a quiz."

Mannequin stood still.

"I'll change you back, but at least sign this? It'll officially make you just a dummy."

Mannequin took a pen, scribbled what she remembered her name as, adding quinn on the end, and took her pose again.

Owner put her back on her stand, and mannequin felt right again.

Two years later Mannequin and Mannequin's old roommate and new windowmate were sold to a new shop, as their original owner had managed to find a steady roster of models for shorter mannequin contracts.

Mannequin didn't care, as long as she was dressed and on display, existence was good.

Image made with Stable Diffusion. Mannequin was 18+ before learning that reading a contract is a good idea.