Ana Louella
A week has already passed but the memory that Ace has left to me is still fresh in my mind. It feels like it just happened yesterday and I badly want to forget it but I'm always reminded by his voice. The words he had said to me were way too painful, and all I could do is to endure the pain and pretend that nothing has happened.
"Hey! You're spacing out again, Lou." Meg spoke out which pulled me out of trance and I turned to see her before replying.
"What were you saying?" I asked.
Meg crossed her arms on her chest as she squinted at me and then she exhaled heavily before speaking.
"Andrei is on his way here now and my mom hasn't arrived yet." She said and then she paused for a while.
Every time I hear his name, all I could ever think of is his terrifying sermon but I'm glad that he found me on that day because if he hadn't, then I wouldn't probably know the reason why he is angry with me. It turned out that he followed me on that day because he wanted to know where I've been going to for the past few days, and he got even angrier with me when he knew that I was trying to see Ace. Thankfully, we became okay after his sermon.
"He's going to see us wearing those gowns and he won't probably let us leave your house wearing those." She added as she pointed the gowns hanging on the clothes rack and then she sighed.
Meg's mom works as a makeup artist in a beauty parlor and she volunteered to do our makeover but she is not yet here. Andrei is coming which means, he will be able to see us wearing our gowns. I'm certain that he won't let us leave this house and if that is the case, I don't think we can attend the ball later, but we have to come. Otherwise, the money I spent to buy our gowns would be put in waste and I don't want that to happen. More than that, I want to experience how it feels like to attend a ball and I'm sure Meg wants that too. So, we are still going.
"Forget it. He can't stop us from going anyway." I snorted.
"Right! We'll attend the ball no matter what happens. Besides, I've been dying to wear this gown." Meg replied as she glanced at her gown and then stared back at me.
"That's right! Those gowns were made to be worn and not just to stay in our closets!" I hurled as I stood.
"We're unstoppable!" Meg exclaimed as we both nodded and then we ended up chuckling at our remarks.
"I think we should take a bath now. Your mom would probably be here soon. Besides, we only have two hours to prepare." I stated.
"You're right." She replied as she nodded.
"You go first, Meg. I'll wait for your mom." I answered.
"Okay, see you in a bit." She said and then she flashed a smile at me before going to the bathroom.
I flopped down onto the couch as I thought of a better way to hide ourselves from the devils tonight and I was pulled out of trance when I heard the doorbell rang.
It is probably Andrei or Meg's mom. I quickly got up from the couch and ran down the stairs. I walked towards the door and twisted the doorknob open. There I saw Auntie Mary. She flashed a smile at me and I smiled back at her before speaking.
"Mano po, auntie." I said and she instantly held out her free hand to me.
I took her hand and I slightly bowed my head before placing the back of her hand on my forehead.
"God bless you, my child." She said as she patted my head and then I let go of her hand.
"Come in, auntie." I said.
She went inside and I closed the door before turning to see her.
"I've missed you so much, auntie. How have you been?" I said as I kissed Auntie Mary's cheek and then she pulled me in a hug.
"You just saw me two days ago." She replied as she let go from the hug and I chuckled at her retort.
"I'm doing good, how about you?" She asked.
"Knowing that you're doing good, I feel great." I said as I ushered her to the couch and she sat before replying.
"You're really good at making other people feel good huh? That's the reason why I love you." She said as she lightly pinched my cheeks.
"And I love you too." I answered as I kissed her cheek again and she patted my head before asking.
"Anyway, where's Megan?" She asked and I moved away from her.
Auntie Mary is pertaining to Meg. Megan is a portmanteau of Meg's name- Meg and Andrea. The reason why Andrei and I don't call her Megan is because she hates it. I find that nickname cute but according to Meg, it sounds old. I don't really understand why she doesn't want to be called Megan when in fact, it is quite cute.
"She's taking a bath-" I was suddenly cut off when I saw Meg walking towards us.
"Here she is." I said.
"Mom, you're finally here." Meg said as she took her mom's hand and placed the back of it on her forehead.
"My boss just released me an hour ago." Auntie Mary said.
"God bless you, sweetie." She added.
Meg let go of her hand and then she kissed her mom's cheek.
"Hey, you usually take a bath for thirty to forty minutes. Why-" Meg cut me off.
"I already took a bath before going here. I just need to freshen up a little." She said and then she winked at me.
"Then, I'll take a bath now. Shall we go to my room?" I asked and they both nodded.
Auntie Mary stood from her seat and I led them to my room.
"Go ahead, take a bath now. I'll do Megan's hair and makeup first." Auntie Mary said and I just nodded before going inside the bathroom.
I did my usual routine. I scrubbed my body using my favorite body scrub, washed my hair with some shampoo and conditioner, and soaped my whole body with strawberry and vanilla scented soap. After rinsing my hair and body, I dried myself using a clean towel and then I put on a fluffy white robe.
I went in front of the sink and brushed my teeth. Then, I cleansed my face with a mild cleanser and dried my face with a piece of tissue; I wet a piece of cotton pad with some toner and dabbed it on my face and neck, and then I put three drops of facial serum on my face and gently applied it all over my face and neck. After that, I exited the bathroom and there I saw a gorgeous lady sitting on a stool.
"You're gorgeous!" I exclaimed as I went in front of Meg and she flashed a smile at me.
Meg is wearing a glamorous evening makeup look. She is wearing a smoky metallic gold eyeshadow which made her most beautiful feature- her chocolate brown eyes even more dazzling. She is also wearing a pair of round golden stud earrings and a gold ring which will surely accentuate her gown.
"There's one more thing missing." Auntie Mary said as she knitted her eyebrows.
She took a lipstick from the dressing table and applied it to Meg's lips. Her lips were instantly turned into glossy pale red ones. Her hair was tied up into a high bun with a wraparound braid which accentuated her heart-shaped face.
"There you go." Auntie Mary said as she twisted the stool clockwise so that Meg could finally see her appearance on the mirror.
Auntie Mary covered the lipstick with its lid and held it out to Meg as she moved away from her.
"Put this in your clutch bag. Reapply this when needed." Auntie Mary said and Meg took it from her hand.
"Wear your gown now, hurry." I said.
I handed her the gown and she chuckled before taking it from my hand. Then, she went in a corner and started dressing.
"And now, it's your turn." Auntie Mary said and I quickly sat on the stool where Meg sat a while ago.
Auntie Mary started fixing my hair but I can't see her since my back is the one facing the mirror so I can't actually tell what she is doing right now. After she finished fixing my hair, she immediately proceeded doing my makeup. After a couple of minutes, she is finally done with my makeover.
"Take a look at yourself." Aunty Mary said as she twisted the stool clockwise.
"You're drop-dead!" Meg exclaimed who is now wearing her gown along with her pair of navy three-inch block heels and I laughed at her remark.
Auntie Mary tied my hair up in a side-swept messy bun and it looks fantastic. She did the classic makeup look on me with smoky metallic-flecked eyeshadow and she applied a deep red-colored lipstick on my lips which will surely give me a sultry vibe upon wearing my gown. I just hope that I will look good on it.
"Let me help you wear your gown." Meg said and I nodded as I stood.
Meg did help me wear my gown and after that, I slipped on a pair of three-inch ankle strap heels. Then, I wore a pair of diamond teardrop earrings and a diamond ring which were given by my father. Meg and I walked hand in hand towards her mom who was just about to cry.
"Thank you, auntie." I spoke out and she paused for a while to eye us from head to toe.
"My babies are now grown-ups." Auntie Mary said as she wiped her tears and we just hugged her.
We stayed in our position for a few moments and we just let go of each other when we heard a car honking.
"It must probably Andrei. Let's go downstairs." Meg said and we immediately went downstairs after grabbing our clutch bags and invitations.
Auntie Mary opened the door and Andrei instantly went inside. He was immobilized when he saw us as he gaped at us. His brows were furrowed and his eyes were narrowed too. He is wearing a navy tuxedo and trousers along with a pair of black leather shoes, and his hair was dressed in a pompadour. For tonight's black tie gala, I must say that we dressed well.
"What the hell are you two wearing?" He snapped.
"Come on, it's getting late. You should go now." Auntie Mary said.
"But-" She cut him off.
"Go now!" She exclaimed.
Andrei wasn't able to do something anymore because she pushed him out of the door while Meg and I trailed behind them as we chuckled.
Andrei opened his car's rear door for us as he scratched the back of his head and we carefully got in the back seat.
"By the way, you look handsome tonight Andrei! Have fun and take care of yourselves." I heard Auntie Mary shouted and after Andrei got into the driver's seat, we drove away.
After about an hour and a half, we finally reached the Hotel Royale where the gala will be held. We are actually late for twenty minutes but it is actually a good thing. The devils are probably inside now which means that we no longer have to see them upon entering the hotel.
"You guys are showing off too much skin, don't you think?" Andrei asked as we walked towards the entrance.
"It's just for one night, come on." I piped up.
"But-" Andrei was cut off by someone with a familiar voice.
"What the hell are you doing here?" He spouted.
That voice belongs to one among the devils and I cannot go wrong. I thought they were already inside but I was wrong.
Here we go again...
...
TRIVIA:
What Louella did earlier when she saw Meg's mom is called pagmamano. This gesture is common in the Philippines. It is a way of showing respect to someone who is either older or a person from a certain religious order who is usually a priest. Filipinos would normally ask for the elder's hand first by saying "mano po" (mano means hand in Spanish and po is a Filipino word used to express respect). When the elder gives his/her hand to the nagmamano (the person asking for the elder's blessing), it will be followed by a slight bow upon taking the elder's hand and the act of placing the back of it on the nagmamano's forehead. Pagmamano is done as if to receive the elder's blessing in which the elders would normally reply "Pagpalain ka nawa ng Diyos" (English Translation: God bless you). Pagmamano is a counterpart of Japan's act of bowing and other gestures done by the people from different parts of the world in order to show respect.