18 Page 18: Making a Choice

Confused is an understatement of how I feel right now.

I am conflicted.

Three years ago, I remember gloating over getting into a modeling slash magazine industry that would rival my most hated entertainment company that destroyed my mother's career which consequently also lead to her death. It had been set in stone that my ultimate purpose in life was to find a crack within Heiress' flawlessly unbeatable facade as the best in the business. And yet now that I know the fatal flaw of their top model, I wonder why instead of taking this opportunity to weaken the opponent by driving their model into the pits of hell, I am desperately trying to know the tragic backstory of Cherry, who happens to be a regular teenage boy named Niko Stepanov, who also happens to be my seatmate at the school I'm attending at. Oh, the world and its wonders.

I am utterly clueless to what my brain wants me to do, but I am positive that this could be one of those high moments in your life that you'll look back to, then proceed to cringe at that one bad decision you made during your youth. Brilliant.

Thirty minutes after the call I just had, Dave rings me up again telling me to walk out of the gate since he was already parked outside. At first, I protested yelling of how I just reminded him not to straight up reveal himself in public and that he could have taken the back gate like the last time he fetched me. I could hear him snicker on the phone, but this time he said it'll be alright and that I should just trust him.

I rolled my eyes dropping the call as I picked up my backpack and slung it over my shoulder. I hesitatingly walked from the shadow, glancing over to the entrance of the lobby, examining whether there were still a lot of students coming out. Thankfully, there were only three girls huddling at the walkway with their phones against each other, completely inattentive of their surroundings. I know they probably will not care about me since duh, who am I? I remind myself all the time that nobody really cares when I'm Eve. However, due to my unnecessary hyper vigilance that had become a habit, I walked fast dashing towards the gate. I must have looked stupid strutting with tense limbs and arms that were going up and down like some weird bimodal machine.

I got out of the gates safely, panting like a maniac then switching to a decent looking school girl in a split second. I scan the perimeter for a black Lamborghini, expecting Dave would be using that again, but instead I see this awkward yellow mini van parked at the front left block of the school. At first, I was squinted staring at it, doubtful that it was Dave in there, looking at how the van looked like a hand me down vehicle that was just repainted. But then the windows were tinted very dark which reminded me of the black Lamb he drives.

Worried that it might be paparazzi, I quickly send Dave an instant message saying, "Honk four times so I'd know it's you."

A few seconds from my sent message, the yellow mini van honks four short jumpy beeps that made me stifle a laugh saying, "Yup. That is Dave."

Confirming it was my ride, I immediately found myself standing in front of the shotgun door pulling the handle for the hinge to unlock. There I see Dave from the driver's seat wearing his usual dark blue tuxedo, red tie and bright smile. I raised an eyebrow at my 23-year old chauffer realizing the efforts he had done to cater my demands of making my presence incognito. Excited of the new ride, I take off my bag, throwing it to the backseat, and slid my way into the front, slamming the door shut.

"Where in the world did you get this?" I roared in amazement.

Dave gives me a smug grin then steps into the gas and we started moving along the highways of Rocky Street.

"This is mine." he replied.

I shot him a stare of disbelief making him feel uneasy for a short pause.

"Oh, alright." he dreaded, "This was my Dad's that was supposed to be mine once I graduated from high school but then I got a job in the city and they had to keep this at the countryside to help with deliveries."

"Deliveries?"

"Our family runs a farm." he said proudly, "We deliver our produce to little towns and sometimes in one of the city's fresh market when gas is cheaper."

That made me fall back to my seat. This is absolute news to me. I hardly heard from Mr. Kim about Dave's family profile and trusted the whole process to them. I assumed he was the same as all those well established men that I meet in the industry. Hearing a bit of Dave's backstory now, brings a tickle of joy in my stomach. This is a breath of fresh air.

"You look awfully amused. Does my family background suprise you?" he said.

"A-Absolutely!" I stuttered, "When I heard you were related to my mother's manager who graduated in Harvard, I just assumed..."

"My uncle was a very intelligent man." he said in a tone of low spirits, "His parents spoiled him being the one who is seen to bring back the family's honor and grace."

"Honor and grace? Aren't you farmers? You make it sound like your uncle belonged to a lineage of monarchs." I giggled playfully, but then I noticed his face was getting dimmer. I wanted to ask more about Dave's past, but looking at his expression, I took the cue not to.

"I thought you wanted to ask me something." Dave breaks the silence.

"Right!" I instantly bolt up from my seat, "It's about Niko."

"Cherry?"

"Yes."

"Something about Cherry's background check?"

"That's it." I nodded, "Back at the hotel, Cherry―Niko had told me about his past. He told me how he was..."

"Sexually assaulted by his uncle." Dave finished my sentence which made me flinch.

My eyes widened, "Yes! Wait...you knew?" I exclaimed.

"Of course I did. Don't underestimate my background investigation."

I narrowed my eyes at him questioning whether I should be amazed or scared of his skills.

"After his uncle was captured," I continued, "Niko said he was taken to Russia to live with his paternal side of the family. But years later he came back here debuting as Cherry at 10 years old in order to help find his uncle who had escaped from jail."

I studied Dave's expression from every information that I had revealed at him. He did not look fazed nor worried that I was aware of such gruesome past story, but instead when we arrived at a clear avenue downtown, he parallel parked at a vacant spot on the sidewalk and looked straight at me.

"What do you want to know?" he said, his voice sending chills at me.

"I want to know what happened to him right before he had debuted."

Dave's eyes glanced from right to left, examining my serious gaze. I wasn't sure if he was trying to figure out what was on my mind or he didn't trust me with any possible information he has up his sleeve.

"First thing's first." he said, "Your response to the next thing I am about to say will determine whether I'll help you or not."

"Wha-"

"No no, protesting won't help."

I rolled my eyes, "What is it then?"

He leaned back to his cushioned head rest, tapping his fingers on the wheel.

"What?" I demanded.

He inhaled, squaring himself to me,

"If you obtain the information you need on this case you're so fixated on, what will you use it for?"

And that was it. That was the pinnacle of my thoughts that I've been desperately trying to avoid all afternoon. I leaned back to my seat, flustered and confused. To hear that from Dave, he too must have felt that my resolve was wavering.

I suddenly found myself getting interested on my shoes, "I know what you're thinking." I said, "That I'll use this against him."

"Are you not?" he mumbled.

Dark clouds start to loom above us. I thought the sun had already set, but realized it was just about to rain. I suddenly hear thunder rumbling, slightly lighting up the fluffy grey clouds. The once sunny afternoon had turned into a gloomy one, perfectly matching the tension inside me.

"I, too, thought that was the case," I smiled bitterly, glancing up at him, "I know you'll laugh at me if I say I actually want to get to know him better since we'll be working side by side for the next months."

I don't know if those were the right words to say. It sounded too shallow for a heavy price. I didn't really find the feeling of wanting to help as an accurate explanation to how I feel. Neither the feeling of wanting to use it against him in winning against Heiress and finally fulfilling my goal.

"You don't know what you're getting into." Dave's seat croaked as he pushed for a stretch, reaching his arms to the low ceiling of the van.

"Aren't I always like that?" I chuckled.

He turned to me and cracked up laughing realizing how we always ended up in situations like this.

"Then I shall be your accomplice in your crazy antics, m'lady." he said impersonating a noble man.

I burst out laughing at his dumb look and dumb accent. He sucks at making impersonations but he never fails to make me feel better. I thought we were both still laughing, but the next thing I know, he already has his phone out and is typing really fast with two thumbs.

"Woah woah...who are you texting?" I said recovering from my cackle.

"Someone who can help you with your 'getting to know' case." he replied, eyes unaverted.

I slumped back in a daze, concerned of what he meant by that.

"You're free tomorrow, right?" he said.

I nodded, "Yeah, it's a Saturday."

I see him pressing for a final send then immediately shutting the screen off as he exhaled. He turns to me excitedly which startled me, a grin growing on his face as he said, "We're going for a ride."