THE chat and questions from Callea's readers were unlimited. Her hand hurt from signing and she was parched from talking to them but she didn't mind. She didn't even feel hungry until her stomach growled and Deive had to remind her to eat and drink at least. She realized that she missed talking to different people. Their energy rubbed off her. It was contagious. She felt like they know each other for a long, long time thru her stories.
Even Marina enjoyed the event. Nobody minded if she was a hunchback. Fans were excited to take a picture with her. She had many friends and others offered to create a social media account for her since she didn't have one. There was even a Facebook page dedicated to her. When they found out that the character was based on her and she was not a cosplayer, they were even envious of her that Marina found weird. But her friend had that newly found confidence.
"Thank you for coming, Callea," Mattheu said and kissed her cheek.
They were waiting for dinner at a restaurant in mall of Asia. The function room was reserved for them. It was a long, tiring day but it was worth it.
"No, Sir. I should be the one thankful.This cosplay idea is brilliant."
"You are not mad?"
"At first because this is not something that I asked for. I came here on false pretense and I was trapped. But later on, I can't say no. I was on a costume so is everyone. These readers didn't only buy my books and appreciate my talent. They are passionate about my stories that they even play as my characters just to please me. I… I don't know how to give back that love."
She felt natural in her costume. She didn't feel uncomfortable talking to people without thinking that they would hurt her or judge her for being different. All she heard were praises. And she was glad that nobody asked what she looked like. They respected her privacy. They were more interested in what story she would write next and what costume she would come up with. Because of cosplay, her anonymity was protected.
"This is not my idea. It's Deive's."
"Deive thought about this?" She looked for Deive who was talking to her cousin, Lee. When he felt her eyes on him, he waved at her then proceeded to talk to her cousin. "I… didn't expect that."
"Well, he told me that the book signing would do wonders for you but you need to keep your identity hidden. That's the only way to convince you and it worked." He tapped her shoulder. "You are finally coming out of your shell and that is good. I think he is good for you. And you look inspired. I heard the wedding is in order."
"Will I get you as a secondary sponsor?" she teased her boss. "Pair you up with a hot mummy maybe?"
His face scrunched. "Never mind, Callea. I will just attend the wedding. J-Just don't make it a cosplay okay? No mummies or anything bloody please."
She laughed and walked towards Deive after he talked to her cousin. He was surprised when she kissed his lips. "Thank you."
"What for?" he asked innocently.
"Well, Sir Mattheu told me that the cosplay was your idea. You also organized it. He said that you even want to finance the event if you could because you want everything to be perfect. Now I know why you were gone these past few days."
He pulled her body against his. She felt tired but she could feel her whole being buzzing in his warmth "I want everything to be perfect for you. Are you happy?"
She nodded."Yes. I have new friends now. I miss meeting new people and having new friends."
"Callea, you deserve to be a part of this world. You don't have to stay in the darkness. There are people out there who appreciate your talent. Sure, there are judgmental people out there. But there are people like you who want to embrace their uniqueness. Maybe they were bullied or judged as well. They need to connect with people who understand them. You need people who understand you. A lot of people love you so you don't have to be afraid to take a risk."
She remembered the readers she talked to. Their smile was real. They may be cosplaying but the camaraderie and the love couldn't be easily faked. Even Marina was not afraid to show her real identity. She helped her to be accepted but she was afraid of herself. "Looking at them makes me want to be a normal person. I want to walk into the light and be comfortable with my own skin."
"Do you really want to?"
She slowly nodded. "I want to but I am scared. I know it won't be easy."
He kissed the tip of her nose. "No one is rushing you. Do it on your own pace. Even a cocoon cannot be rushed to be a beautiful butterfly. I will be here to wait until you are ready to fly."
"Then be patient with me, Deive." She knew that nothing was impossible when they were together.