A GLIMPSE OF HIM

"I didn't...I didn't…." Her voice faltered, the corners of her lips quivered as camera lights flashes on her face. She was too stunned to make or decipher what was going on. Jane was speechless, the words happened to get stuck in her throat. Her body froze like it was being poured icy, unable to understand what was going on. Her brain tried to process what was going on before her as cold blood rushed down her spine, to her temple down to her cheeks.

Another reporter repeated the same question the first reporter asked.

"What drove you into that act? Was it the resentment you had toward her? What could have pushed you to carry out such an act...."

"Miss Jane Anderson, what led you to such an act? Weren't you two into some sort of dispute which made you kill her?"

No answer came from Jane, rather she was stunned. Too perplexed to speak a word, too numb to analyze what was happening. Who is her? Who were they talking about? She never murdered anyone, either by hands or words. So what were they talking about?

"Miss Jane Anderson, would you care to explain what is going on?" Another female voice amongst the female reporters inquired. Across the faces of the reporters both male and females were curious, questioning and accusing expressions and Jane felt like a prey caught in their midst. But what was most traumatizing to her was how, where did the bucket of blood come from and why was she drenched in it? She stood there, the trophy was sweared in blood and the blood on her gown was dripping, staining her intricately designed shoes.

"You bit*h you killed! Ain't you happy now?" A deep male from the congregation yelled on top of his lungs. Where crumpled papers appeared from, Jane couldn't tell. Crumpled papers were thrown at her, like she committed a very treacherous heinous crime.

"I didn't...I swear…..I didn't do, she defended herself. Her voice barely a whisper as two people in police uniforms approached her and cuffed her hands and began to lead her away.

"What is happening? Where are you people taking me to?" She cried, trembling with fright. "I didn't kill anyone. Why are they suddenly accusing me?"

She was led out of the hall and once the police were about to force her into the police car. A hand clasped her wrist, pulling her way from the police grip. The hand pulled her to him and when she looked up to meet the face of the owner of the hand with her watered filled eyes. Her vision was hazy but she did catch a glimpse of his face. Of her savior. She saw a glimpse of the face of the man she had always seen in her dreams.

Toro Wilson.

"I didn't kill her...." she said, sobbing. Praying he'd believe her when a voice called out to her, tapping her.

"Jane? Jane? Jane?" The voice echoed in the background.

"I didn't kill her, I didn't ... .you are accusing the wrong person," her voice fell into a mere whisper, drifting off in a distance as she gasped and flew her eyes open when the voice calling her and the hand tapping and shaking her, grew more severe. She snapped her eyes open, groaning. Her eyes rested on Ivy who was tapping her.

"Hey, wake up, you are sweating." Ivy prompted with concerned filled eyes. "And what were you mumbling in your sleep? Who is she? Who didn't you kill?"

Jane sat up, realizing it was a dream but it felt so real. The blood on her gown, the blood in her hands and the mockery coming from her fellow actors and actresses even the ones she was close to. Everyone mocked her except him. She never interacted with him or something but he was the only one who came to her rescue.

She raised a finger to wipe the dry tears in her eyes. Finally meeting Ivy's worried gaze.

"Sis, you were crying and mumbling in your dream, did you have a bad dream?"

A little pale smile appeared on Jane's lips and shook her head. "No, it was nothing. I'm fine."

"But I literally heard you saying in your sleep you didn't kill her...." Ivy trailed off and gasped, her eyes widened. "Were you being accused of killing Angelica Marco in your sleep?"

The thing is….she didn't know who they accused her of killing? And the most crucial part was the part where he showed up and freed her from the policemen. Was she this excited to work with him, he literally shows up in her dreams often.

Her pale smile broadened a little, shaking her head once more. "I didn't….." She repeated the words she said in her dream.

"Also, why were you tapping me like that?" Jane added.

"Oh, I was trying to wake you up so you wouldn't be late for your shoot in case you have one today," Ivy answered.

"What about you? Don't you have some shoots to do? You seemed to be worried about my shoots more than yours...."

"Because I believe if you make it to the peak, meeting the same peak wouldn't be too hard and of course you are my cornerstone." Ivy tapped a finger on Jane's nose, earning a smile from her. But from Jane's side, that smile was rather forced. The smile deflated in an instant at the remembrance of her encounter with Ashley Mckenzie and the hooded guy.

"What's wrong?" Ivy noticed the change in her countenance and couldn't help but ask.

"Nothing, just that I don't have any more shoots..."

"Huh? Say what now?" A startled look appeared on Ivy's face. "What do you mean you don't have any more shoots? What about the recent movie you are starring in as the female lead's sister?"

"The director took my role and gave it to another actress because of the stunt I pulled at the bar that night and moreover, Angelica Marco is the female lead but now she's dead."

"What! She was the female lead?" Ivy queried.

Jane nodded.

"This is bad…. This is bad," Ivy tapped her foot absentmindedly. Channeling her gaze from her to anything in the room. "What is going on? First, it was you and now Angelica Marco? I'm still stunned at her death. How could someone end her life when her life is going perfect?"

Jane didn't know if the last part of Ivy's statement was a statement or was required to be answered. But what kept her mind in deep unrest was the fact that the hooded guy was working with Ashley. Jane never felt this bleak in her entire life, even when she found out Hugo was having an affair with someone, she never felt this hurt. She felt very stupid for the last few days and for the fact she handed him her digits and the sweatshirt belonged to him.

Was everything she experienced with him staged? His words…..and was this the reason he kept his face hidden? She felt more stupid for mistaking him for Toro Wilson because they had the same eyes.

"Are you alright, sis?" Ivy pulled her eyes back to her. Seated beside her and rested her head on her shoulder, patting her back as a form of comfort. "I could understand what you're going through now but it isn't the end of time. This is just a phase that'd end soon. Just give it time."

"Be not troubled, sis. At least the news, videos and photos of you having a one night stand with some mysterious guy and you messing up on the stage are no longer on the trending news. Angelica Marco's death shocked the whole community."

Jane was distracted. What if Ashley cooks up a lie and frames her for killing Angelica? A thought crossed her mind. Nope she wouldn't go that far.

"For now, don't worry about anything and come have breakfast." Ivy got to her feet and pulled her up. "I had been literally tapping you to wake up and come have breakfast."

Once at the dining table, Jane pulled a seat and sat down as her stepmother dished out her plate. She picked up her spoon and played with the dish absentmindedly. Burying her gaze on the dish but her mind was distracted.

"Girls, I'd like you to help me drop some clothes and shoes at the orphanage. You two will help, right?"

"Okay mom." Ivy responded. Looking over to Jane who kept silent, playing with her dish absentmindedly.

"Jane?" Ivy's mother called with a concerned tone. Jerking her back to the present. "Are you alright? You don't seem to be looking fine."

"I'm fine," Jane raised her gaze from her food to her. Wearing a gloom smile. "I'm alright, just a bit tired but what did you say?"

"I would like you girls to accompany me to the orphanage. You are coming, right?" Ivy's mother gaped at her and it felt like she anticipated her answer to be yes.

"Sure." Jane nodded and threw her a forced smile that didn't reach her eyes.

●●●●●●●●●●●●●

Their car halted in front of a tall building. A sort of a Roman building with tall trees that added a bit of a homely vibe to the house. Jane and the rest of her family alighted the car and helped Ivy's mother unload the carton filled clothes and shoes from the car boot.

As soon as they finished unloading from the car boot, they proceeded to walk in but as they walked down the hallway of the orphanage home, Jane caught a glimpse of a guy that looked like him dressed in pale ash polo and sweatpants walking out of the second exit door. Curiosity spiked in her and she hurriedly dropped her own cartoon filled clothes on top of the one in Ivy's hold and rushed after him.

"Where are you going?" Ivy asked, surprised when she dropped her carton on hers.

"I will be back, shortly." Jane answered and rushed out of the exit. She was certain she saw him. The side of his face showed clearly it was him.

Toro Wilson, she was certain she saw him. But when she rushed out, he was gone. Nowhere in sight.