FOLLOWED

"Unbelievable....this is unbelievable," she whimpered under her breath. Cursing under her breath, and strolled in, flopping down to the sofa in a loud thud. She leaned the back of her head against the sofa's soft headrest and gaped at the ceiling as if merely looking at it'd put to calm the unrest she was feeling. She drew in a deep sigh as the memories from today replayed over and over her mind. Her face contorted with disbelief and surprise. She never thought her meeting with him for the first time would turn out this way. They said first impressions mattered but in his case, no matter how hard she tried to leave a good impression on him. He seemed to have a problem with it—- as if rejecting her as his female lead wasn't enough...he went as far as coldly dismissing her like she was a parasite he couldn't withstand seeing.

She suddenly jolted her head from the sofa's headrest and gaped into space. Talking to herself.

A puzzled snort escaped her lips when her mind traveled back to the interview venue. "I'd like it if the female lead would be replaced, only then will I consider the skinship parts." His words echoed back in her ears.

"I mean what's wrong with me?" She said to herself. "What's wrong with me being the female lead? I bet Wonder Prism Studio was impressed by the stunts I pulled in any roles given to me which made them offer me the role as the female lead—-- then why would he request that I should be replaced when Wonder Prism Studio already saw me fit as female lead?"

"Who the heck is he to decide who should be replaced and who shouldn't!" She jolted upright, a grimace appearing on her face unconscious of her balled fist. "He had been my number one role model in acting, someone I respect so much in the entertainment industry but hearing those words from him, the one I have so much reverence for, dried up the energy in me. What's so wrong with me? Why wouldn't he have me as his female lead?"

"And most questionably, why would he request all the skinship parts to be removed? Why? What could have made him request that? Is he allergic to human touch or something? Don't be frivolous, Jane!" She let out a chuckle at her overboard assumptions. "What human being would be allergic to a fellow human contact? To my best knowledge, every human wants contact whether in acting or not."

So many questions rose up her sleeve as to why her fav actor wouldn't wish to act along with her? But then a particular memory flash in her mind she had to tightened her eyes shut in embarrassment, what was she thinking uttering that to him? She should know there's a difference between reality, dreams and delusion.

Her delusional self was thinking he might be swayed by her appearance. Every man has, from high school. Boys and men have swooned around her like she was some rare gold but why wouldn't the very man she wanted his approval a tad difficult to approach or hold a conversation with?

"I dressed up in this color because you told me it looked good on me." Honestly speaking, she didn't know when those words flew out of her mouth. What was she spewing? The moment those words left her lips, she raised up her eyes to meet the startled and questioning look across his face.

"Huh? I did?....When?" He threw her a stunned look. "Didn't you just say this was your first time meeting me?"

"Only in my dreams….." she said inwardly. "You only said that to me in my dreams. And most importantly, why do you often show up in my dreams and your personality in my dream is a lot different from your personality here," she said to herself, feeling the pressure to voice them out but she bit her lips tightly.

Not ready to embarrass herself further.

"Why did you prevent me from stopping that car and why did you hug me like that?" Her curious self won't stop asking, watching a dark glow flicker in his eyes. A shadow casted on his face from the streetlights as his height towered her.

"Like what?" He inquired. His gaze was hard and fixated on her.

"Like some precious jewel that you won't give away….." Okay right now, she was talking too much. No one asked her to be definite. She gulped hard, melting under his strong gaze. She bit her lips and gave him a small anxious smile.

"Do you always assume stuff?" He queried, his eyes still lingering on her.

"Not assuming," asserted Jane in an unruly confident manner. "I mean, why would you yank me like that against you when I was about to fly down a car? If you weren't my role model in acting, I'd as well label you as a pervert."

The hardness in his eyes softened, replacing with a little glint of amusement as the corners of his lips stretched and a little smile appeared on them before concealing it.

'You assumed holding you in that manner means you are a precious jewel and the next minute, you are labeling me as a pervert? Do you even know the meaning of the English words you use?"

Jane couldn't decipher if that was an insult, question or statement but she knew she had no answer to it.

"Still yet, I want to know why you grabbed me in that manner and why you started acting like you'd pass away any minute."

"No reason," was the only response from him, causing a frown to appear on her face. As he started to turn away.

"Do you have no reason for everything?" She followed him into the busy streets night of Las Vegas.

"Do you always assume stuff?" He queried back.

"I haven't assumed any stuff, I'm simply saying based on the impression you gave me." She sighed but eyes lit up as they stood in the Las Vegas strip, gaping at the replica eiffel tower not too far from where they stood. "Woww... such a sight to behold."

Her eyes twinkled with delight as she gaped at the gigantic building not too far from them as its lights merging with strip lights illuminated the whole vicinity.

"Would you believe me if I told you this is my first time seeing this in person?" She swifted her head to him, harboring a massive grin on her face. Her eyes gleamed under the lights like a child on a Christmas day, meeting Santa in his reindeers for the first time.

Toro turned to look at her but she pulled her gaze from him and channeled it to the building. Across her face showed immeasurable joy. He could feel her being all excited.

"I have lived in Las Vegas my whole life but this is my first time standing in front of this majestic building....weird, right?"

"Beautiful..." Jane swore she heard that right and her ears weren't playing pranks on her.

"Huh? Did you just say something?" She asked, expecting him to repeat what he just said.

"I meant the eiffel tower is beautiful," he answered. "But then, why did you pull me out here? Is this your bribe?"

A sleazy grin spread across her lips as her eyes twinkled mischievously. "Let's find out," she said and grabbed his wrist and sprinted toward the eiffel tower.

"Just so you know, no amount of bribe will make me change my mind, I already said what I said." His face features were ridgid and his voice all proved his mind was already made up.

Her smile broadened when his stomach made a little bit noise. "We will see about that," she dragged him to the tower, making their way to the elevator. "I bet you are hungry right now."

"I'm not...I'm fine," he tried to release his hand from hers but she tightened it.

"My momma said the best way to make a man submit is through his stomach," she pulled him inside the elevator.

Jane was surprised when he suddenly yanked his hand free from her. She was a bit taken aback but brushed it off. He had been doing that all day.

"Mirabel?" He called when their gaze fell on a very beautiful woman when they emerged feom from elevator and walked into an exotic dazzling restaurant in the first floor. Jane directed her eyes on the tall beautiful woman dressed in a short Jean skirt and blue top, her red hair was tied in a ponytail, matching her flawless skin tone.

"Wow, Toro, didn't expect to me you here." The beautiful lady beamed. Channeling her eyes to Jane. Jane couldn't identify the look in her eyes so she simply threw her an pale smile. Standing before this woman who exuded with richness and glamor, she felt a little out of place. Even though she was dressed in simple clothing, Jane could feel an aura of sophistication surrounding her.

"Yeah me too," Jane watched him smile. And that was the first time he was smiling since she pulled him out of the interview venue.

"How was the interview? How did it go? I can't wait for this particular drama to air," the woman before them clasped her hands together, almost giggling. Completely ignoring the fact that she Jane was a standing there too.

And that was how she was dismissed by them. By him.

Who is she? Jane had thought. Was she his girlfriend? Of course, judging from the attitude he exhibited, he seemed like he was the secretive type so it'd be no surprise if he hid his relationship from the media.

"Why are you talking to yourself as if you've gone mad?" Jane was jarred back to the present when Ivy's voice pulled her back to reality. She met Ivy's eyes and saw the strange look she was giving her.

"It's nothing." She stood up and made her way upstairs to her room.

●●●●●●●●●●●

Waking up after a little bit nap and because for no reason known to mankind, she suddenly craved for chicken and since she couldn't join Toro Wilson since that woman showed up, she was a little bit famished. She dressed up and decided to rush to the nearby eatery. Ivy insisted on coming with her but she refused her.

Walking down the dark alley, shortest short cut to the restaurant. She noticed she was being followed by someone but whenever she looked back to see who it was, she saw no one. Spiked with fear as trepidation rise up on her sleeve, she hurried on her heels holding her breath as she tried to out walk whoever that was.

As she noticed the footsteps were becoming heavier every minute. She took to her heels to outrun whoever that was but unfortunately, two strong hands grabbed her immediately.

She tried to scream but his strong palm covered her mouth, muffling her screams.

Dragging her away.