Not Me

Days passed. I think it's been at least eleven days since then. I changed my phone number since the one I use back there won't work here anymore. I bid goodbye to my friends at the airport who luckily was able to catch up before we departed. I guess Aaron left after we talked since he was nowhere to be seen after that.

"No, your legs should be like this." Madame Bee sat demonstrating what I should look like.

"No, no, not like that." Madame Bee is starting to lose her temper like every day because of me. I just can't seem to get it right.

"Let's move on to the next one, holding a teacup. Remember, your pinky should be raised like this." She demonstrated again. "Your back is straight. Inhale."

I followed.

"Exhale but don't let go of your posture. That's it."

I oblige.

"Finally, a lesson you got right. You're meeting your fiancé tomorrow, you should wear something blue. It fits you perfectly. Ah, I should tell your dresser about it." She took her phone from her pastel pink purse and pressed a call.

"Yes, I would like to talk to Miss Valoria's dresser for tomorrow. Yes, this is Madame Bee." Her strong French accent tainted the English. I heard sweet laughter from the other room and then came closer to this area.

"Sister!" Julia called. Her perfectly hazel bouncy hair flew with the wind while running towards me. But when she saw our mother who just stepped into the room, she stepped backward and fixed her dress. "Good afternoon, mother." She glumly greeted me.

"What kind of lady acts that way? Go back to your room and don't disturb your sister."

"Yes, mom." She sadly followed.

Madame Bee just finished talking to the phone and put it back in her purse. She greeted my mother who she kissed on the cheeks and smiled.

"How's the training going?" my mother asked.

"She's not really doing well but just right now she perfected a method."

"Please, push her harder. Tomorrow's the day she meets her future." Her sharp eyes stunned me.

"Yes, of course." Madame Bee bowed.

I breathed deeply.

"That's not a lady's breath. You should take it from your stomach." She hit my belly with her pastel pink fan. Her chubby figure passed my back and faced me. "Do it."

I oblige.

"Good. A little more practice. Your feet hide the other. Flatten your skirt properly." She continued to order me.

"I'll be going. I need to talk to some investors." My mother smiled.

Madame Bee bowed at my mother as she went outside the area.

Tomorrow came and everyone seemed so busy. I missed Jo doing my hair but instead, someone else is doing it. I would like to do my make-up but they let someone else do it too. They prepared a dark blue dress for me. A Sapphire-toned to be exact. Matched with Silvery stoned high heels. They gave me silver accessories too.

"There you are. Fixed." The dresser smiled. I faked a smile back.

"The shareholders are here!" One of the maids announced.

"Oh, dear. Let's see; eyes, check, make-up good. Dress," Madame Bee pampered the flowy bottom, "looks wonderful and the shoes are perfect! Ready to go!"

An escort guided me towards the hall where my family and Mark's family will meet. My mind feels so empty now that no one's talking to me telepathically or me thinking of some musical melodies to play. It's been a while since I heard someone play. It's been a while since I've heard some wonderful noise.

The escort opened the door for me, "Sapphire Valoria has arrived." I looked straight ahead and bowed down gracefully. This is not me. Someone save me.

"Beautiful," a lady in her late 50's complimented.

"Sapphire, isn't it?" A soft-toned guy whom I assume is Mark asked me.

"Yes, that'll be me and you're Mark if I'm not mistaken?"

He smiled back at me. I offered him my hand and he humbly kissed the back of it.

I shivered inside. The last time someone held that hand, he took me to a paradise that didn't last long. It hurt me in the end.

"Sit down, now. We still have yet to get to know you." A guy in his 50's said. I sat between my parents and him. "So, do you have any talents?"

Talents, I have a good hearing, "I play the piano. At least, I used to."

"Oh, why is that?"

"I have a lot of things to do to have time to do other things."

"Like what, dear?"

"I'm currently learning to become a proper lady for your son." I smiled, hating myself. Being a lady is the last thing I would want to be.

"That's some dedication," the father was pleased with my answer.

"Why don't we let the two have their own time to get to know each other while we talk about something else?" the mother asked.

"That'll be marvelous." My mother replied.

Mark lay his hand in front of me. I imagined it was someone else's and grabbed it to help myself stand.

"Where do you want to go, Sapphire?" he asked.

"Just on the balcony will be fine," I answered. We quietly went there and stared at the stars. I can't help it. Everything that we do right now just reminds me of him. I remember him looking at the stars and being amused by what he was seeing. No, forget him. He's not here anymore. Mark's here. He's here. Not him.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" He led me towards the terrace.

"Nothing in my mind yet. You?"

"Well, I was thinking of asking you to lunch tomorrow if that's fine with you?"

"Of course, it will be fine to be out in a while." Since I came here I have done nothing but train.

"It's planned then. Lunch with a beautiful lady," he approached me.

I smiled.

"The sapphire-colored dress fits you. You look beautiful." Between his sentences, I lost my smile. "I mean it," he must have seen how fast my expression changed.

I forced a smile, "Really, thanks. I thought I looked odd in blue."

"Who said that? You looked perfect just the way you are." This is not the way I am.

"Thanks again. Stop fluttering me with your kind words. It'll be too hard to respond."

"I won't stop, my lady. I will keep on flattering you until our lives together come to an end. I just can imagine how it will be with you forever." Forever.