BE A LADY

Ending the chat with Rexana, Daerin had decided to check on the reception. He hadn't actually check how this business had been doing. He was slightly curious on how bad the business doing that his father had to force him to marry Graceilla.

And, talking about Graceilla, his light mood suddenly changed with her presence. Daerin had just been thinking about how he had been annoyed to be forced towards something.

He tried not to notice her and he focused his gaze on the computer, specifically the check-in log book, thinking that she would just let him slip.

"So… that was the peasant girl they had been talking about?" Graceila leaned towards the counter pretending to check on what Daerin had been looking over the computer screen.

She raised her brow when she hadn't received any response from Daerin. However, it didn't bother her, she asked again, "Do you like her?"

Daerin huffed then chuckled discretely, blowing air from his nose, as he shook his head. Nevertheless, the more he wasn't planning to answer Graceilla's question or gave attention to her.

Graceilla's face began to distort in annoyance. Nonetheless, she wasn't planning to stop at all. "Maybe you like her, that's why you are helping her."

"Grace? Do you even hear what you sayin'? You did see her, right? I wonder if there will be someone who'll get attracted to her. Well, maybe except that perverted man, who I think only looking for someone to stick his stick unto." Daerin shrugged, she didn't know why he still have to prove himself to Graceilla, well maybe just because his parents have to keep on telling him to be good at her.

Besides, he was a gentleman by nature.

"Uhmm… what if she will get a makeover? Had you been imagining what she looked like? Do you think she's beautiful?" Graceilla tried to move inside the counter, which gave Daerin more annoyance but still, he had handled himself well and acted as if everything was just fine.

He knew one harsh word toward Graceilla could mean a war between him and his father and maybe even more than that.

However, he didn't know how to respond to Graceilla. He knew that it was not her fault if he felt annoyed with her, it was mostly their parents' fault that it gave him the feeling of being trapped and he hated that feeling.

They may say it is irresponsible, but for him, taking his freedom is not being responsible either. He wanted his parents to see that. They want to prove to them that he could handle being responsible even not following on kind of solution they thought.

Although, by that moment he wondered how he would do that. What would be the that big thing that he could do to prove that he could go against them? That he was independent enough to prove to them that he was an independent man.

***

Before Rexana had finally walked far from the resort, she smiled once again and shiver while thinking of Daerin. She wanted to take a glance at him one more time. So she looked back a little closer from the gate and peek over the behind a palm tree.

She could see the front lobby from where she was and she could see Daerin inside the counter as well as a very elegant looking lady that approached him. She looked so beautiful and so tidy, that she couldn't help but looked down and compared herself to the lady.

Her heart sank, what she saw hurt her a bit and she wondered why she had to feel that way. However, if there was one thing she realized. Daerin for sure wouldn't like her back, if he had someone in front of him that looked so elegant, that clean and that lady looked like a true praised worthy lady compared to her.

Rexana's head was all over the sky while walking on the edge of the sea. The shoes were in her hands. Daerin's question had kept on repeating in her mind and every time she remembered it she couldn't help but be ashamed.

'Had you tried bathing with fresh water?'

Rexana stopped as she got an idea, and without wasting her time, she ran back toward her home, excited and smiling. She immediately looked for his father as if there was an emergency happening.

"Ana? Are you okay? Is there something going on?" Her mom asked her the moment she got in, catching her breath.

"Mamang, I need fresh water and bath soap, and I want the one with a good smell. I also want a shampoo for my hair… and… and can you help me comb me after?" She asked her mom with begging eyes.

Rita's brows furrowed at her for a little while with a questioning stare in her eyes. She moved closer to her and touched her forehead and neck.

"What happened to you, are you sick? Are you okay?"

"Of course mang, I am okay, I just want to have a real bath. I want it with fresh water, with soap and shampoo. I just want to smell good and feel clean." She coyed over as she said that, and it was more because of how shocked her parent's reaction was.

She wondered what was in their mind but she knew that there was more than that, like the way her parent looked at each other and seemed to communicate something secretly with their smile.

"We are so happy that finally, you are thinking of taking care of yourself Ana. Do you even remember, how long it had been, that I kept on telling you to do that? Yet you kept on saying that it's still the same since you bathe in the sea every day."

"I know right, it's because fresh water is way much colder than seawater. But don't worry mom, I am a new Ana now. I can resist the cold, well, I have to. I have to be a lady you know, at least, I want to look like one, even just a bit?" Rexana sighed, as she gestured for a pinch on her finger. She knew it would be hard for her to look exactly like the lady in Daerin's resort.

She didn't have some pretty clothes to wear not beautiful long-heeled shoes like what the lady wore. Her hair was beautifully combed and shiny. She wondered if she could do the same to herself.

However, if she couldn't, at least she had to improve herself and she wanted Daerin to see that. She wanted him to notice her changes day by day. Rexana smiled so motivated to take care of herself, and her parents noticed how inspired she was.