Chapter 2 - Rust

Elaina

"I'm not trusting you," Mr. Lee shakes his head in disagreement. I shrug my shoulders with a plain smile plastered on my face. Sort of a 'It is what it is' face. This man is too stubborn to convince even when I'm telling the truth.

The situation is becoming more and more scandalous by time- I don't know if 'The Morning Shine' has put spies behind me too. Let's hope for it to not be a 'yes'.  Trusting that company is like getting back to someone who cheated on you twice. They are nothing but two faced snakes.

Mr. Lee takes another sip from his hibiscus tea, "You are definitely a stalker, aren't you?" I can sense that this man is scared, maybe he is fearing that I might tell the media about his 'CENTIMETER'.

He puts the cup on the wooden table, hands shaking, few droplets of sweats dripping down from his head which is making the sides of his brown hair a little moisty.

There's more time for me to get all this right. Time to leave Elaina.

"Thanks for the hibiscus tea from China by the way," I stand up from the sofa, preparing myself to leave this smothered place. It's hard for me to breath- both physically and mentally.

Different kinds of art pieces are placed everywhere around the living room. I mean there's  beauty in them, but...I don't know why, it feels like one more minute in this place and I'll lose my senses.

"Sit down please," the man states hesitantly ; either smooth or hesitant, there's always an impolite tone in his voice when he talks. It's hard to stay calm when talking to these kind of people.

"I'm so sorry sir, I have to finish up some personal stuff first," I try to hurry, almost running, but the man grabs my wrist making me stop right on my track. My gaze drops on both his and my wrist, then at him- his wide dark brown eyes have turned more wide, a slightly open mouth and yes, his famous blank face. Although he removes his hand as soon as he realizes what he just did, nothing, only grabbed my hand cause he wanna know that how do I know about 'CENTIMETER'.

(In those cheesy romcoms, either the girl or the boy, sometimes both of them end up blushing in moments like these. Maybe I'm different, same goes with Mr. Lee.)

"Sorry if I made you uncomfortable," he apologizes in a very low voice, this time a tone describing to me that he is ashamed. "It's fine," I assure.

"Please sit. It'll take only two minutes, I promise."

"Okay" (Since he is requesting so nicely.)

And it turned out us sitting back at our places. I clear my throat first, "The things I have told you till now, are all true Mr. Lee." He nods, all those sweat droplets have dried. My gaze drops at his fingers, they aren't fiddling anymore, then moves to his earthy eyes- much less wider than before. He looks much relaxed now.

He hesitates a bit at first and says such a long 'so'. Though he overcomes from that awkward state in seconds. "Anyways. So I was about to ask that...how do you know about 'Centimeter'? I didn't tell anyone about it."

"Well," I chew my lower lip, kind of embarrassed. On the other hand Mr. Lee's nervous chuckles are echoing in my ear. I know I can manage this situation.

"Um, It's actually rumored among the whole 'stalker team' that the view from the rooftop of this place makes people so mesmerized that they-"

"Please skip this part miss."

I nod, "So just when I was about to step on the rooftop, someone almost shouted 'GOODBYE CENTIMETER!' and burned down the whole painting in front of my eyes without even noticing me!" I exclaim. Couldn't find another way to express the words.

"I'm sorry, that's so dumb of me."

You can call someone a 'wise person' when they admit their mistake- I can call Trevor Lee a wise man without any doubt. Shouting 'goodbye centimeter' and then asking me how the heck I got to know the name- that's nothing but a naive act.

"It's fine. Please be aware of your surroundings from the next time Mr. Lee," I flash a smile, before standing up from my place, this time REALLY heading for home, third floor of this tall building named 𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐨 𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚.

(In Spanish, 'Enamorado' means 'In love'. I wonder why did the owners choose such a cheesy name for a place where boring people like me and Mr. Lee live?)

━━━━━━━━━━━━

𝐒𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐮𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧.

I slam the book shut. Reading boring interviews is better than this.

Interview+ing= Interviewing. That's what I do- interviewing. It's been not more than two years since I'm doing this job. It's difficult, just like how other jobs are. Though this time my job is seemingly more hard; being a part time so called 'crazy fan' is enough for me to lose my career in a snap. The only difference is I'm not doing this from my own will, the company is making me do this crap.

Few folds make their way on my forehead as soon as the the topic of the company comes. I try to to massage my horizontal forehead lines considering the fact that I'm already delayed to prepare the files. Sudden headaches and me are the best enemies. Mom told me to go and see a doctor, I lied that I did. The truth is I'm not even allowed to show a doctor.

I feel like saying 'Nc is shit' at this point. "Yes, Nc, you're shit."

This company is forcing me to do stuff that I don't want to. I can't even leave from here, I'm unable to file a case too; money always talks.

People can do anything for money.

MONEY.MONEY.MONEY

Meanwhile, loud music is coming up from the top floor, too loud to make someone's ears blast.

I take a look at my wristwatch, just five o'clock, more time for to pass to do stargazing. The weather update says that the night sky will be clear. I hope that's true- haven't noticed clear night sky in a year. Maybe this time is the chance.

I get up from the wing chair, stretching my hands to reduce the stress before I walk to the balcony.

Sun is sinking towards the horizon, it's almost evening.

Erica once told me: 'Evening is a time of reward after the daylight efforts are made, when it feels good to enjoy the simple pleasures and ready oneself for the world of dreams.' That time I believed her without any doubt. Though almost everything changed after her death. At this point I don't believe any of the words she told me all her lifetime.

All the warm quotes of hers reflect the romcom books I've read in my whole lifespan> feels good to read, but unrealistic.

Example: I don't get any reward on evening. I don't enjoy the work I do. Nothing feels good. My job is a crappy piece of nothing but shit.

I may put a lot of effort in this job, but I not really enjoy it. It feels so suffocating to work like this. From today it will be more strangled. But I have accepted the stinging reality.

(Holding a pen instead of a paintbrush- that's my reality.)

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭, 𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐝𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞.

~𝐓𝐚𝐞