CHAPTER 11: A TOKEN

I heard the boisterous laughter of the staff around. Today, there is a fashion show rehearsal as the fashion week gets nearer. Currently, the models are on the ramp practicing while the support staff and the coordinators are exchanging banters at the backstage.

I didn’t join them because I am too pre-occupied by thoughts of my conversation with Lola. I cannot make up my mind and it gives me a hard time sleeping.

How will I even begin doing what she wants? I said yes to her but I do not know how to proceed with that.

Earlier, she called me to ask how I was doing. She didn’t mention anything about her wish but I know the call is her way of reminding me. And indeed, she reminded me of it all too well.

It seems like Rodney is still clueless about his grandmother’s illness and I don’t know if I should tell him. Maybe I should just remind him to call Doctor Sanchez.

“You know what, you should have braces on.”

I looked at Yesha (Lamberto, according to his birth certificate). I don’t remember when he got here, but he is standing in front of me now. He held my cheeks and looked at me. As usual, their jokes always go back to me in the end.

“That’s the only thing missing for you to look like Betty La Fea!” he laughed at his own joke. The rest joined him.

Even I smiled secretly, remembering a time in my highschool days when I went to school with braces on.

Braces became a trend shortly afterwards.

"Mira.."

I turned to see Rodney who entered the backstage. He seldom does.

His brows are furrowed as if he’s extremely irritated. He didn’t even glance at the people who greeted him cheerfully. He used to smile and acknowledge them. He must be really pissed right now to ignore people.

“W-Why?”

Yesha slowly moved away when Rodney shoot him a deadly glare. That’s new.

“Aw, Papa Rodney is in a bad mood today..” he whispered as he walked away.

"I need your help." Rodney’s expression is serious while looking at me. Before I can even answer, he already pulled me by the hand and led me outside.

“R-Rodney, where are we going?”

He stopped in front of a bench a little far from where we came from. Then he sat there and pulled me to sit beside him.

He exhaled as if calming himself.

“What’s the problem?” I asked.

“Nothing.”

I raised one brow. He looked really peeved back there, it can’t be ‘nothing’.

“I’m just really annoyed,” he said afterwards.

“Annoyed with what? Why? Or who? Are you annoyed with me?”

He suddenly twisted his body and faced me. Then he held my cheeks. I jolted at his sudden action.

"Mi.. Listen to me. Don't mind what they are saying, okay?"

"Who?"

“Them,” he tilted his head towards the general direction of the room where we came from. He looked at me again. “You have to trust me on this..”

He moved his face closer to mine and looked me in the eye. I felt like an ice slowly turning into liquid. My heart started to beat furiously again especially when I heard his next words.

“You are beautiful. Even if the world thinks you are not, in my eyes you are beautiful."

The world stopped moving and I can hear my heart falling complete for this man. The seconds ticked by in slow motion and the loud pumping of my blood banged in my ears, deafening me.

In reality, it only happened in few seconds before he withdrew his hands and leaned on the bench. It felt like he confessed his feelings for me even though he just said that I am beautiful in his eyes.

Still, to be recognized by him, to be beautiful in his eyes despite how I look, is enough to make me happy.

‘And it makes the task ahead of me more difficult to do,' I thought regretfully.

‘Lola, what will I do?’

"You.." I tapped his shoulder jokingly once I composed myself. “I’m okay, you don’t have to worry about me. You probably thought I was offended by their words, but no. They won't get under my skin."

"Are you sure?"

I simply laughed at him.

“Let’s go back. Shelley might need something from me. Rehearsal is about to finish. You can wait for her inside.”

“Wait! There is something I want to give you,” he stopped me by the arm and took out from his pocket a small rectangular box with a logo of one of the high-end shops of jewelries. He placed it on my palm.

"What's this?"

"Open it."

I gasped when I followed his instruction and saw a beautiful charm bracelet there.

"W-What is this for?"

"Because you tricked me and bought an eyeglass on your own, I want to give that to you instead."

"No Rodney-!"

He shushed me with his finger.

"I want you to keep it. As a token of our friendship. If you won’t take it, it means you are also refusing my friendship, and that would hurt."

He looked at me and I found sincerity in his eyes.

I know how much this costs, and for him to give me something this precious, I'm starting to feel even more guilty. Ashamed, even.

"Ney.. It's a bit too much. You didn’t have to give me an expensive bracelet as a token of friendship."

“I just want you to realize your importance to me as my friend. I treasure you because you are a genuine friend."

He picked up the bracelet inside the box and put it around my right wrist.

I wanted to cry as I felt a bitter lump in my throat. When I couldn’t contain it, I hugged him tight.

I felt him stiffened in surprise, but he patted me on my back afterwards.

‘Ney.. why are you so nice? Why are you so kind-hearted, it makes me feel sick and rotten.’

I have to execute my plan soon. It’s either I do that or I cannot do it forever.

Tomorrow, I will do it tomorrow. For now, I just want to hold him.

"Mi..?" even though he seems confused with my action, he hugged me back and let me calm down. I know he doesn’t understand why I am crying, and I don’t plan to explain. I just continued crying on his chest and he just let me.

When I calmed down, I removed my arms around him with embarrassment. I wiped my face that is still wet with tears but he pulled a hanky from his pocket and wiped it for me.

A fresh batch of tears welled up my eyes. He hugged me again.

"Shh.. don’t cry anymore," he murmured against my hair, his breath fanning my face.

A warm pleasure overtook me, and I inhaled his masculine scent.

‘Rodney, I wish you’re mine. Just be mine, please…’

Even though I didn’t really want to, I force to pry myself from his embrace. I took his hanky and forcefully wiped my tears with it.

“You’re annoying. Why did you make me cry!”

“What?” he’s smiling in amusement. “Was that my fault?”

“Yes! Why did you have to make that touching speech? So mushy!”

“Tss.. You’re just a crybaby, you know. Look at your eyes now, they are swollen. You’re ugly now.”

“See. You just said earlier that I am beautiful!”

“I take that back. You’re ugly.”

“A-hole!”

He laughed and I can’t help but laugh too.

“You want ice cream?” he asked, pointing at an ice cream stall nearby.

“Don’t like.”

“Coffee?”

I shook my head.

"Chips? Soft drink? Cookies? Anything."

I pointed at a milk tea shop nearby. So he pulled me towards that stall as if he is guiding a kid.

“What flavor?” he asked when we are in front of the counter.

"Honey dew slush. Crystal sinker. I want two servings of sinker!” I emphasized.

"Tss."

He turned to the staff. "You heard the lady. Two honey dew slush each with double servings of crystal sinker."

"Sugar level, Sir?"

He looked at me.

"Regular."

"Name, Sir?"

"Mi-"

"Ney-"

We answered in unison.

"Your order will be ready soon, Sir, Mam. Please wait on this side."

When we are heading to a waiting table, I felt my phone vibrating.

Incoming call.

Shelley.

"Ney, I need to go ahead. Shelley is looking for me."

"Oh! Okay, I’ll be there in a jiffy."

"Okay."

I was almost running just to get back to the practice hall as quickly as I can. Shelley’s rehearsal is finished and she’s the only one left among the models. Her eyebrows are knitted together in irritation as she waits for me with her hands on her hips.

Shelley nagged at me for a while, saying I was irresponsible for leaving her while on duty. Well, I am guilty so I could only utter a ‘sorry’. I didn’t want to prolong this and didn’t want to tell her that I was with her boyfriend.

Remembering how I hugged him tightly earlier made me uneasy. I am sure Shelley would kill me if she finds out.

When Shelley abruptly stopped nagging, I looked at her in confusion. She was staring at my wrist. Or more appropriately, at the bracelet on my wrist.

"W-Where did you get that?"

I fidgeted, unable to speak.

"A-A friend. A friend gave it to me," I stuttered.

"Who?"

I bit my lip. Her tone tells me she has an idea about who gave me this thing.

"Ahm.."

"Hey Babe!"

I exhaled in relief when Rodney arrived and kissed Shelley. She seems to have forgotten what our topic was before the interruption. I just swallowed and looked away.

Rodney turned to me.

"Mira, here's your slush."

I took it from him and when I was about to put the straw, Shelley took it from me.

“Just buy for yourself again, Mira. I’ll take this.”

Rodney lifted his left brow with an amused smile playing on his lips. Luscious lips.

"You didn’t like that, remember?" He reminded her.

“I want to try one now!”

“But Babe, that’s Mira’s.”

“Rodney, it’s okay. I can buy another one,” I cut in.

“No need. Here, this one’s yours,” he offered the one he’s holding.

"No, I'm okay."

"I insist, Mira. Take this."

"Who's Miney?" Shelley suddenly asked while looking at the sticker on the side of the paper cup.

Rodney and I looked at each other. I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Babe don’t mind the name. The cashier made an error.”

“Does Miney stand for Mira and Rodney? You’re playing love team now?” Her eyes blazed in anger. I knew she’d kill me.

"That was just a cashier error, Babe. Don't make an issue out of nothing."

"I don’t like this anymore! 100% sugar! I don't drink stuff like this!"

She forced the cup onto my hand and stormed out of the room.

Brat.

"Why don’t you go after her," I suggested.

"I will help you pack up here first."

I did not argue anymore since it will just prolong the job. I didn’t want a world war. We moved swiftly.

“Shelley’s mad at me again,” I sighed.

“Don’t mind her. I will take care of her mood,” Rodney said.

“How? You’ll dance in front of her?” I teased.

“But I don’t now how to dance. Is this how?” he placed down the things he’s holding and started dancing like a macho dancer.

My eyes widened and covered my face with my hands while trying to stop myself from laughing my gut out.

“Rodney, please! Stoooppp!” He laughed at my reaction. “You just lost my respect there!” I threw Shelley’s shoe at him.

He caught it in the air while still laughing.

"You look better now," he smiled smugly. "Stop worrying, okay?"

I smiled back. "Okay, Sir."

He messed my hair.

"Do I always have to dance like that to make you laugh when you're down?" he smiled while shaking his head.

"No! Please don’t do that again! You are molesting my innocent eyes!"

After that, we finished packing up. Rodney took the heavy bags and led me to the car where Shelley is waiting with a very bad temper.

I silently sat at the backseat.

“Babe, your lips are so long, it could reach the windshield,” Rodney joked.

She just shoot him dagger looks.

“Tch! What’s with you? Don’t tell me you’re jealous of Mira, too?”

"Of course not!" Shelley denied violently.

“If that is so, then can you smile for me please?”

Rodney reached for her face and caressed it. I looked outside the window because I don’t like what I am seeing. Something is aching in my chest.

I have no right to feel jealous because I am not Rodney’s real girlfriend. But I am jealous nonetheless.

In my periphery, I can see Shelley moving closer to Rodney and leaning her head on his shoulder. He held her head and kissed her hair.

Why am I watching them? Why am I hurting myself? I wanted to escape this situation and run away from the car, but Rodney already started the engine.

Shelley’s mood seems to have picked up. She’s been talking to Rodney animatedly all throughout the ride home.

Never once did she let me speak, even when Rodney tried to take my opinion. And I didn’t try to join their conversation as I pretended to sleep.

“It’s crazy, I have a new fashion show coming up shortly after this one,” I hear Shelley saying. Maybe she really wanted Rodney’s full attention on her right now because she started talking about her stints. Normally, she doesn’t like discussing this to Rodney.

“This show’s director, Joel, is new. He just graduated in Paris and is just about to launch his career here. So I hesitated in accepting the offer. I didn’t want to be dragged to a flop show,” she continued.

I cannot hear Rodney’s voice and I was wondering if he fell asleep, too.

“But on the other hand, his main sponsor is Lady Mystery and I really like that label. It’s a leading figure in local haute couture, so I accepted the offer. Anyway, Lady Mystery is the label that propelled me in my career, and Joel told me that Lady Mystery suggested to make me the lead model of the show. Joel said he will try to convince Lady M to make a public appearance during his show. Poor guy. Didn't he know that Lady M never shows up? Good luck to him. Though if he happens to succeed, that is good for me, too. I really want to meet Lady M, too."

There was only silence.

"Hey! Are you listening to me?!"

I opened my left eye very subtly to peek at them. Shelley is pouting once again while glaring at Rodney.

"Of course, Babe."

“Then why aren’t you responding?”

"I don't know what to say about that. I mean, I know Lady Mystery, the label. But who's Lady M?"

"That's exactly my point! No one knows her!"

Rodney was at a loss. He doesn’t even have an idea what Shelley is talking about. I almost snorted.

In fact, a small laughter escaped my lips. They both looked at me but I continued to pretend to sleep and feigned a subtle snore.

The silence filled the car. I kept pretending that I am asleep until we reached Rodney’s condominium.

“Why are we in your house?” I whispered while he was helping me get Shelley’s bags from the trunk.

“She wanted to sleep here tonight,” he shrugged his shoulder. "Hey, by the way, I heard that."

"Heard what?"

"You laughed!"

"Huh?" I looked at him innocently.

He smiled playfully.

"You naughty lady, I clearly heard you laugh. You were pretending to be asleep while laughing at my misfortune."

"Misfortune? Why is listening to story a misfortune?” I walked past him when I see Shelley looking at us.

Rodney followed and we rode the elevator towards Rodney’s unit.

When we got there, I almost dropped everything when we saw the person waiting there.

"Lola.."