24 Page 24: Ah...There He―She Goes

Of all the books I could have quoted or those several articles I've studied during my spare time, I fondly chose to recite a line from the note I made for him as Hera that had been kept soundly inside his wallet. I comforted myself by thinking it was fine since my words could have meant anything but that. Maybe he wouldn't recognize it. Even if he had read the note repeatedly and memorized it by heart, surely, my words would have sounded purely coincidental and not the exact thing. The only detrimental matter was only he and I have known what was written inside that paper.

His silence baffled me.

I squirmed to my feet fixing myself to look at him. His jade eyes were aghast, not sure whether it was still from me leaning over to him treating him like a beam or he was thinking where he might have heard (read) those words I blurted out of nowhere.

"I mean..." I coughed on my hand. "I have a feeling you'll be looking for me tomorrow so...just don't."

His face scrunched up, his eyebrows knitted together, eyes round and sad like a seal asking for fish. "So you're really not letting me go with you?"

I raised a brow giving him a side smile. Thinking I might just make this work without revealing anything. "Hey, take this opportunity to be ahead of me." I said punching his arm. "Besides, I won't be away to study extra hard. I'll be out and too distracted to think about school."

His eyes lit up as if the idea of me missing a day of school was an opportunity for him to surpass me. I wanted to nudge him and tell him he's actually gonna be off of school tomorrow as well, but let's leave it at that. He might not even remember we have a meeting tomorrow. I'll let Lily do the rest.

He scoffed. "I suppose you have a point."

"Right?" I patted his shoulder. "Now that this matter is over, I'm gonna go ahead and head home to uhh pack up."

I turned away from him and walked as fast as I could. I wasn't hearing footsteps or seeing shadows tailing me which relieved me. Finally, he understood and relented. I can finally focus on tomorrow and get it over with.

――――

Remind me to officially rename Niko to Nicholas Relentless Stupidanov. Later in the evening after I finished bathing and was heading for bed, my phone's screen kept flashing. I looked over to check what was going on when a flood of notifications overwhelemed my lockscreen all marked in TeaDiaries inbox from no other than Cherry.

Oh great, why do I have to deal with the same person in different personalities on the same day?

I swiped my screen open and realized she's sent me more than twenty messages all in short phrases. I slowly scrolled down and read through the chopped messaging. It began with a HEY all caps with an angry emoji beside the word. The next words were a mix of complaints and inquiry whether I've heard about the meeting for tomorrow.

Knew it. He didn't know. That's why he was so frantic on running away for a day and get even with me. Thinking maybe if I wasn't gonna study then why should he. Still assuming this was my secret to good grades.

I was lucky enough to have a weekend off to myself. Models such as ourselves don't get much free time. It was always camera there camera here then the next thing we know we've been signed up on a project that will require us to spend 90% of our time for it. I can't even take that 10% as a breather, how much more with him when all he can think about is studying to beat me.

Ah crap, now I feel bad.

I left Cherry's messages on read and turned in for the night. If there was one thing I wanted right now, it's clearing my mind for what comes the following day.

I arrived at the place an hour before the meeting time. Dave assured me the building was merely an annex of Heiress and that we were far from the main estate. Not that I was pumped of today's event, I was rather exhausted from yesterday's drama and was more than willing to avoid unnecessary encounters at all cost.

I've transformed myself into Hera beforehand leaving the make up for later. Assuming Cherry would jump on me anytime, I had to be prepared even if I was to chill inside my changing room. To lighten my mood, I decided to wear a knee length deep green sleevless dress under a cropped grey peacoat. Green is soothing for the eyes and the color calms me down. I paired it with silver maryjane heels and let my team style my hair up to a waterfall braid curling the tips that draped down to my waist. The second my make up and outfit was done, I heard noise comparable to an elephant approaching my room.

Greeting me with a death glare and several colorful rants slamming on the door of my dressing room was the blonde of my inbox. I turned my head to my visitor and forced a smile. She yelled, "Did you just seenzone me?"

"Good morning to you too Cherry Bomb." I said as I spun my make up chair around sipping on a metal straw stuck on my Red Bull. (Save the turtles!)

I wasn't a fan of energy drinks really. Usually I'd ask Dave to get me a shot of espresso, but today felt extra special and I wasn't wrong to assume she'll be blasting me right before we meet up for the roll call.

Wearing black stilletos, faded jeans, a beige flared top and her fake boobs, Cherry marched towards me stopping me from turning into a beyblade.

I looked up to her, "You'll ruin your make up if you crunch up your nose like that."

She was about to say something when she realized there were still some of my team's staff inside the room. I waved my hand at them instructing to call me if anything happens and they shuffled to the door in worried glances.

As soon as we were the only ones in the room, Cherry flocked me with questions.

"Why are you avoiding me?"

I squinted, "Avoiding you? How in the name of Queen am I avoiding you when we barely even see each other unless it's work?"

She recoiled, "Well, you didn't reply to me last night and...and that note you left under my table! What was that all about?"

I stared. Long enough to think of ways to answer her. It has now occurred to me how much of a Niko Cherry can still be even as a girl in high heels. I mean even before knowing who she really is, her stubborn naïvity reminded me of the boy in school who doesn't care about anything else but himself. Now, he suddenly found a hobby of following me around just as much as Cherry does. Oh gods. I'm going to have to live with this in two timelines, am I?

I raised my hand, "Alright, I get it. You need answers. First, I didn't reply because I was too sleepy to reply and about the note, it is what it is. I heard everything from the principal and I don't like the idea of you causing trouble in school."

"I am not causing trouble in school."

"That's the same as a drunk person saying 'I'm not drunk'."

She sighed, "Is it so bad if I search for you? You're the only person I could connect to."

Okay now she sounds like an abandoned puppy in the rain. I almost cooed at her when I remembered Lily was counting on me to be Cherry's secret guardian whenever she's not around. I tried not to think about the complications and focused on the problem at hand. Niko―err, Cherry has begun to identify herself with me (on both aspects of myself) which will be a lot harder on the both of us once I destroy Heiress. I gotta keep an ample distance while caring for her.

I set my Red Bull on the dresser and reached for her hand the same way I did yesterday with Niko. "You know, this is only temporary. I wouldn't want you getting attached with me. I know you're very professional when it comes to work and I am like that too. So, can we at least keep our personal lives to ourselves? We can still be friends here. I just don't think it's best for us to also be acquainted outside."

I wasn't sure how she'd react. I didn't want to upset her before we hop on to the meeting. This was also my way of setting boundaries before we spend the next four months together. She'll end up getting disappointed if I don't set our limitations as early as now.

Her hand on my grasp balled to a fist. I moved to gesture for a hug but she immediately backed away. "I don't understand you." Her voice was deeper as if she'd reverted to Niko despite in her Cherry persona. "Why do your words sound so sad?"

"Cherry, I am merely stating the facts. The contract is only―"

"That is not my point!"

The Red Bull in my mouth tasted like copper. I was about to touch her wrist when she held it with her other hand.

"No." She retaliated. She looked me in the eye and said, "What are you afraid of Hera? Why do I hear you indirectly telling me you don't want anybody else in your life but yourself?"

Her words felt nuclear. All of the sudden my blood pressure went up and I could feel my face heat up. Was it the energy drink? The stress? I don't know. It was as if she'd thrown me with a fast ball and it slipped for a strike. I couldn't avoid it. For the first time, I didn't know what to say.

Was I afraid? Psh no. Was I trying to avoid people? Maybe, but if I didn't want anybody else in my life, I wouldn't have allowed Miya to get close. I wouldn't have accepted Dave as a part of me. Yet why do I feel like agreeing with her?

I stood up. "I'm not afraid of connection, Cherry. I have no idea what you're talking about." My voice ringing like a buzzer inside my chest.

She folded her arms, eyes piercing like a nocked arrow, "We'll see about that."

I puckered my brows, "What do you mean?"

A knock on the door broke our exchange. Standing against the door jam were Lily and Dave each carrying their set of clipboards on hand asking if we were ready. We caught their blank faces staring at us as if saying: Why is this room as cold as the poles?

Cherry threw her arms on the air, "Fine. We're done here." She said walking away from me then walking past Lily forcing her manager to run after her.

Dave pointed his thumb to the direction of the girl who just walked out, "Were you two fighting?"

"No." I replied weakly. "Actually, I don't know."

I gingerly picked on the lipstick that I used on me and shoved it inside my purse.

"She's really affecting your mood these days." He noted.

"And my sanity." I tried for a cheerful tone.

"You might want to breathe it all out while you're still here. The mood might not be better in the conference room soon."

I turned to Dave, slurping the rest of my Red Bull. "Relax. I can handle myself with Cherry. I know she can't control her ups and downs but I've already made myself clear that I'll help calming her down if ever. That earlier was just...a slip up. A heat of the moment thing. She caught me off guard is all."

Dave shifted and closed the door. "That's not entirely my point."

His tone sent a shrill to my spine. I noticed Dave was acting a little bit suspicious after Cherry left.

"What? Are you gonna tell me Mr. Kim is gonna be there too that I should hold my tongue for any snide remarks?"

He shook his head, "I wish it was that."

I rolled my eyes. "Dave, we don't have time for riddles. I'm not in the mood for games. What is it?"

He flipped a page from the clipboard he was holding then turned it to face me. I took the document and found myself face to face with the list of participants for today.

Horror struck me like lightning. Listed first under Heiress's column of attendees was no other than the person I was desperately avoiding all my life.