CHAPTER 14: Doll Up!

Chen was feeling an incessant throb in his heart. His chest felt heavy as if he was suffocating. He lets out a scattered gaze that bounced around, searching the school premises for Mae Li.

The show was over and majority of the students had left the school premises to their various homes. Meanwhile, the staff of JM Memorial High had no clue about the incident for they were still holding a staff meeting after the school closure.

He had caught eyes with Mae running off, having not been able to bare the embarrassment.

Chen fought back the thought of him convincing himself to confess. He had never felt this way before. All his life on Earth, there wasn't a day he pickpocketed even the helpless and felt guilty about it, returning back their properties.

He ran through the neighborhood, calling out for Mae with a cracking voice. Then he stopped, holding unto his knees, muttering to himself tearfully.

He bitterly regretted stealing Jade's bracelet but how could he have stood up to defend Mae? He needed no attention on him at that moment for the bracelet was still in his pocket. Chen's mantra had always been 'If you weren't caught, you are not the thief'.

Chen was afraid to own up to his mistake. The shameful expression on his face attracted a female student to walk up to him;

"Hi Chenny." she smiled radiantly at him. When she noticed how devastated he was, she asked "You look pale. Are you alright?" touching his broad shoulder as she felt concerned.

He grew reclusive, avoiding the company of her and every other student he encountered on the way. It wasn't easy dealing with the gossip as some jabbered amongst themselves, laughing and sharing the video of Mae's embarrassing moment. Others felt a frenzy for missing out on the show.

"Show me the video! Show me the video! What color of bra was she wearing?" one dude said excitedly, snatching the phone from his friend's hands.

Chen boiled inside, squeezing his fist tightly but holding back from defending her once again. Remember, he refuse to attract eyes on him concerning this matter. He shut his eyes in anguish as he reminded himself of those words.

"Mae! Mae!" he called out again, checking every site in the building.

Chen's footsteps dragged as he approached Mae in the library. Guilt gnawed at him, sinking its teeth deep into his conscience when he saw her sitting in a corner on the floor, cradling herself in a sober state.

Her phone chimed continually without a break. He knew she was reading comments on the viral video. He observed from the entrance as she scrolled through her phone sniffing in repeatedly.

Chime! Chime! Chime!

@PrettyBee65: [Because you are less privileged doesn't justify the act of stealing]

@Lady_lala327: [This girl is a disgrace to our school. She's a disappointment to her generation.]

@Bigpapi999: [I'm guessing she stole the bracelet for her generational wealth LOL.]

@Milky.berry: [Please don't come for me, I just feel this isn't the right way to handle the matter. Y'all would have informed the authority or better still, called the cop].

@CallmeZaddy: [That animal shouldn't be in JM Memorial High. She should go to the zoo and steal bananas like the monkeys there. Whoever granted that thief a scholarship made the worst decision of their lives.]

Mae's lips trembled as she kept on scrolling through the comment section. Chen couldn't believe he had been so foolish to steal that bracelet from his classmate, Jade.

"You shouldn't be reading that. It may trigger a cardiac arrest. Ignore them, they are all jerks" Chen said as he walked closer. Mae looked up at him, wiping out her running nose with her forearm.

As he sat across from Mae, he saw the hurt etched on her face. It was too familiar, and it pained him even more. He wished he had the courage to confess, to tell her that it was he who had taken Jade's bracelet, but the words stuck in his throat.

Instead, he tried to keep the conversation light, talking about their classes and the weather. But every time he caught sight of the rubber band on Mae's wrist, his guilt grew stronger, reminding him of Jade's stolen bracelet. He wanted to reach out, to hold her hand and apologize for what she was going through, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"I don't like how Jade has been treating you" Chen said suddenly, trying to steer the conversation away from the topic of the bracelet. "She's mean and rude."

Mae looked up, surprised by the sudden change in topic. "I know" she replied, her expression guarded.

"You shouldn't let her get to you" Chen continued, trying to offer some words of encouragement. "You are better than that, and you shouldn't let her bring you down."

Mae looked at him skeptically. "It's easy for you to say that" she said, wiping through her nose as she sniffed in. "But you don't know what it's like to be falsely accused."

Chen winced at her words, knowing that she was right. "I know I don't, and I'm sorry" he said, trying to make amends. "But I also know that you didn't steal the bracelet, and I want you to know that I believe you."

Mae's eyes softened, and Chen breathed a small sigh of relief. At least he had made some progress in easing his guilt.

"Thanks" Mae said softly. "That means a lot to me."

Chen nodded, feeling a sense of hope that maybe, just maybe, he could find a way to make things right without causing any more harm.

He opened his designer backpack and brought out her sketchbook, handing it over to her.

She looked skeptical at it and snatched it from his hand "Where did you get this... Goodness! I thought I lost it".

"Well, I wanted to give it back the other day, after your encounter with Saleem but you ran off, Cinderella" he teased.

"It cracks me up when you call me that, heheh" she chuckled, flipping the pages of the sketchbook.

"Omg... you fixed the torn pages" her cheeks turned pink as she reflected a passionate gaze at Chen "Thank you..." she said, holding the sketchbook to her chest.

"Oh, it was nothing. I went through your sketches though. You are a fine artist" he complimented.

"Oh stop... I'm no way near William Turner" She felt flattered, then she continued "You see... I want to make my way to Paris after senior year. Art is in the heart of the city".

"No doubt. Right choice girl" Chen commented.

"So what inspired you to do those sketches?" Chen was curious to find out.

"Well.. Um... Dreams?" She expressed a hand gesture that tells I-do not-know.

"Hahaha, Nice one! Nice one..." Chen forced ironical laughter, causing Mae to intrigue an eyebrow.

"She is keeping her secret from me. Now is not the perfect time to open up. I should switch to a different conversation" Chen thought to himself.

"You are very talented. Would it thrill you to know I'm a good dancer?" Chen asked.

"Oh really? I'd love to see some moves to believe that" Mae exhibited a teasing smile.

"Alright then, here we go" Chen got up from the ground and danced seductively like a stripper, smooching every part of his body as he whined his waist, flicking out his tongue just to make Mae laugh.

"Stop... Stop... It burns..." Mae said jokingly, covering her eyesight.

" Oh yeah, it burns 'cause I'm too hot Bebe" He moved closer to her, squeezing his chest as if he had imaginary boobs.

"Hahaha... that's enough" Mae laughed uncontrollably.

The longer they talked, the more Chen found himself getting lost in Mae's presence. She seemed so kind and gentle, yet guarded like a wildflower trying to protect itself from the harsh winds. He realized that he had misjudged her, just like how others had wrongly accused her of theft.

As he prepared to leave, Chen felt a wave of regret wash over him. Mae didn't deserve to go through this, and he knew he had a part to play in it. He wished he could turn back the hands of time and undo the mistake he had made.

With his hands in his pocket, he turned around, fidgeting his feet on the ground. "Let's hang out... that's if you are free though". He then looked up at her, exhibiting a wide smile.

Mae jumped up excitedly "Sure, Let's go!"

Chen knew just the perfect place to take Mae. As they walked out of the school gate, he led her to a popular eatery in the heart of the city. The aroma of freshly cooked meals hit them as they entered the restaurant, and Chen could see the excitement on Mae's face.

"Have you ever been here before?" Chen asked Mae.

"No" she replied, looking around in awe. "It looks amazing!"

They placed their order and settled down in a cozy corner of the restaurant. As they waited for their food, they talked about everything and nothing, enjoying each other's company.

Chen couldn't help but notice how Mae had slowly let her guard down around him. She laughed freely at his jokes, and her eyes sparkled with joy. He felt a deep sense of satisfaction, knowing that he was making her happy.

After they finished eating, Chen suggested they head over to the mall to do some shopping. Mae hesitated for a moment, looking at her disastrous uniform, but eventually agreed.

As they drove in his Camaro to the mall, Chen could feel the anticipation building up inside him. He wanted to make this day special for Mae, something she would never forget.

Chen took Mae by the hand as they walked together in the mall. The mall was bustling with activity, and they headed straight to the clothing store. Chen encouraged Mae to try on different outfits, and she hesitantly obliged.

It was Mae's first time visiting the shopping mall. She looked around, stupefied. She could barely decide on which clothing fits her well. Chen, a fashionista and once a hair model had no difficulty in helping her make the right choices. He had juggled so many professions in the human world.

Mae tried on various clothes, and Chen couldn't help but feel proud of the transformation he was witnessing. He watched as Mae's confidence grew with every outfit she tried on. When she finally found the perfect outfit, her face lit up with pure delight.

"Wow, you look stunning!" Chen exclaimed, admiring her from head to toe.

Mae blushed and smiled shyly, feeling like a completely different person.

"You should check out some more" Chen said, sitting comfortably on the sofa with his index finger rubbing under his hairy chin.

Mae's jaw dropped. She was too perplexed to utter a word. He beckoned on the wardrobe attendant to help Mae get into her outfit in the dressing room.

It was a parade show. Mae came out of the dressing room trying different outfits. It was exhausting yet satisfying. She cosplayed with customs and demonstrated in a dramatic way in fancy attires.

"Bonjour!" she greeted in French, imitating a fancy accent in an elegant trench coat and a classy beret.

Chen chuckled and took a picture of her and was about to post it, with the hashtag #ShoppingSpreeWithBestie, when Mae dived in to seize his phone.

"No… don't upload it on your page" she said, holding the phone behind her back.

"I don't look good enough like the Instagram models. People may laugh" she thought, fidgeting her feet on the ground.

"Why? Do you want it posted on your profile instead?" Chen asked.

"No. That wasn't what I meant. You see… with what happened today after school, I am certain I'm the talk of the town. Can we just stay low please... I don't want to drag you into my shit".

Chen darted uncomfortable glances at her as she spoke. He knew he was at fault. "Did she have to bring it up? I thought taking her shopping will help her forget what had happened" he thought to himself.

Mae saw that he felt uneasy, so she quickly had to change the conversation, handing him back his phone. She didn't want anything to ruin this happy moment.

"Here, you can have your phone". She glanced at his screen and when she saw the hashtag she jumped up, exclaiming "Ouuuu... Bestie? Am I really your bestie? Are we actual friends now? Oh my God! Oh my God! I'm super excited I have a bestie".

Chen chuckled and took his phone from her hand. "Heheh. What is your IG username, you just gained a follower".

Mae's phone chimed when the notification popped in. "Wow! I finally got one follower!!!" She screamed in excitement.

The customers at the store turned to look contemptuously at her. She gave Chen a side eye, biting her lips to hold back her laughter.

She couldn't keep it in when he made a silly face and both busted into laughter.

"Whoa... He has lots of followers." she thought, holding up her phone to follow him back.

They went back into trying out different outfits in the store. Mismatched outfits cracked them up. She was really glad to have the company of Chen.

Mae got lost in thought admiring a cute couple. The man was fitting his bae's feet into a red heel. His kind gesture made her aware of what love is about.

Coincidentally, Mae looked down at her shoe and saw her big toe sticking out of the hole in her shoe, then she curled her toe back in, feeling embarrassed.

Chen noticed she needed new shoes. He pulled her slightly to the shoe store and asked her to pick any of her choices. Of course, it was difficult to choose from the numerous shoes hanging on the shelves.

He said "Take as many as you like, bills on me"

Mae turned to him, her eyes watery and almost to release a waterfall. Her pouted lips trembled as she rushed to give him a tight hug. The word 'thank you' was too heavy for her to say as it wasn't enough. She treated him with an ice cream as an act of generosity for that was what she could afford in such a sophisticated mall.

They spent the rest of the evening strolling around the mall.

Chen and Mae took advantage of the free samples, trying out the lotions and free food. He also got her some skincare products and makeup kits after they played with free samples of makeup, painting absurdly on their faces as they point at each other, laughing hysterically.

They went to the arcades and played games like they had known each other for decades. They played hide and seek like little kids and danced silly behind strangers in the mall.

They lost track of time having fun and taking countless pictures at the mall. It was a cruise drive back to Mae's residence.

"So this is where you live..." Chen thought, standing with shopping bags in both arms, admiring her residence.

"Yeah. It's not as big as you thought. My grandma and I occupy this place" Mae said, offloading more shopping bags in the trunk.

"Nice... Nice..." He nodded in affirmation.

Chen sneaked in an envelope of cash, inscribed on it "Buy yourself a new uniform. With love...Bestie".

As they parted ways at the end of the night, Chen couldn't help but feel a sense of joy in his heart. He knew that he had made a difference in Mae's life, and that was all that mattered to him.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" Chen spoke as if he wanted a contradicting response.

Mae replied in a cheerful tone "Haha, come in! We still have more time. Or do you have something else to do from here?"

"Uh.. No." Chen said.

Mae said excitedly "Come on, let's go in". She gently opened the door of her house, saying "Shh... Raise your feet. Nana must be asleep by now".

They tiptoed into her bedroom. Mae was just overly excited about her new wardrobe. She had to put on a parade show again, trying out her new outfits.

She brushed out her old clothes hanging in her closet, fixing the new ones in. Chen gave her a makeover; applying skin care products on her face, manicure and pedicure on her fingernails and toenails respectively. He is a talented makeup artist. Like earlier stated, he had juggled different professions on Earth. He took his time to make her up.

Mae picked up the mirror to look at her face. She couldn't believe her eyes.

"Yes, you are beautiful" Chen had to say.

His words warmed her heart and she was melting inside as her eyes turned watery.

"This is the best day of my life. Chen... I look like a stunning bride" she said, holding the mirror to her chest, with a cheeky smile on her face.

Chen emitted a long deep breath and dragged out a chair to sit near Mae. Then he said,"You are an amazing person Mae, you just need to work on your self-esteem. You have to be confident and own your status. With that, nobody can oppress you. I can walk you through if you are ready to be a new person---".

"It's not that simply, you know..." Mae interrupted.

"How about we start with your dress sense and a make up tutorial?" Chen cocked an inquisitive eyebrow at her.

Her eyes widened in denial "What is wrong with my dress sense?" Mae acted defensively.

"Really?" he said, raising a sardonic eyebrow.

"Okay. Okay. Fine. You win. When do we start practice? Tsk!" Mae flicked her tongue to taunt him.

"Now!" Chen said.

"Oh okay. Let me go change in the bathroom. I don't wanna mess up my new dress with makeup" she winked at him, playfully blowing a kiss in the air.

"Blurr..." he pretended to feel disgusted.

Mae stayed busy in the bathroom, taking pictures of her glowing makeup which had concealed her blemishes. She was overwhelmed she needed no filter because she looked fabulous. Mae had never taken this much photos before. She had always thought poorly about herself.

"I don't think I'll ever wash my face, ever." she thought to herself.

She had never admired herself like this before. She took a lot of mirror selfies, having a difficult time, swiping to pick which one to upload on her social media of 1 follower.

At that boring moment of Chen waiting for her to come out of her bathroom, he got the sense of his forgotten mission- to retrieve the Amethyst. It was a great opportunity for him to search her house.

As quick as a Wolf-monkey should be, Chen searched the entire place. He had to take the risk of sneaking into Nana's bedroom, trying not to wake the snoring old lady as he looked around for the purple crystal stone.

He got disappointed not finding it anywhere "Where could she have hidden it?" he thought to himself.

Mae came out of the bathroom to see Chen sitting on her bed with his legs crossed.

"What took you so long?" he asked, checking on his gold wristwatch.