"Hello, sis, I sent you the address. The coast is clear. You can come here now." Debbie called Isa.
"Okay, see you then." Isa agreed. She looked at the address and noticed that the location was just a few blocks away. She walked around wearing just a pair of sweatpants and an oversized hoodie. She could not care less about her appearance; no one looks her way, anyway.
She entered the door pin lock and went inside. The studio was empty, as her sister promised. She looked around and saw a rack of clothing and a makeup table where Debbie stood with a smile. "Are you ready?" Debbie was holding a makeup brush.
Isa exhaled heavily. "Yes, let's get this over with." She mumbled.
Debbie chuckled at her sister. "You know it is not that much of work. I really don't understand why you stopped making an effort to look your best." She started putting on Isa's make-up as soon as she sat on the makeup chair.
"Ahm, I'm too lazy." Isa lied. This topic is something she is not ready to discuss with anyone else right now. Not a single soul knows about her secret, and she definitely wants to keep it that way.
"Well, I'm glad this gig of ours is fit for lazy people." Debbie replied, accepting her sister's explanation.
The two were a great team indeed, just like the old times. They finished earlier than expected and Debbie asked Isa to go home first, because she would meet with DJ for dinner. Isa agreed and again wore her oversized clothing before she went home.
***
Cayden looked at his phone to check the time. "It has been a while since she went inside there." He said as he paced back and forth, glancing at the unit where she saw Isa went in. "It's been so long since I've tried to find her, but I have to be sure this time before I approach her." He sat near the window patiently waiting for Isa to come out.
"Thud," he heard the door close. Cayden went nearer to the window; his eyes were glued as he watched the girl in a hoodie exit the unit. "This could not be her. She hates makeup. This one is all glammed up." Cayden shook his head in disappointment, thinking he would never find Isa again.
****
"Good evening, everyone. It's truly nice to be back. This is Bella Moore, your love guru." Isa started her radio program with her sultry voice. This is the first time they went on air after the rebranding. "Since this is our first podcast, let's talk about firsts shall we?… What are your thoughts about this?" She urged conversation with her listeners.
Debbie signaled to Isa to keep talking to her listeners as she watched the number of viewers of their stream. She saw a comment and casted it on Isa's monitor.
"Oh, we have a question here. Is it true that men never forget their first love?" Isa read the first question. "For men who want to answer the question, you can call our line so we can hear your side." She encouraged her listeners.
"Well, generally, I think the question about gender is irrelevant. First, love is always something you don't easily forget." This is one topic she hates, but for her podcast, it is something she can pull out emotions for. "This is like the trial phase for our hearts, how we would handle the changes brought about by this first thrilling experience."
Debbie signaled to Isa that they had a caller. "Oh, looks like we have a caller. Hello there, what is your name?" Isa asked the caller.
"Hello, my name is Mark. I just think it is entirely about the first kiss and the first sex. Boys will always be boys." He laughed at his own remark.
Debbie raised her thumbs to Isa. Their views suddenly spiked after the first caller. She encouraged Isa to continue. "Hmm, well, the kiss and the sex are part of it. Those are the thrilling experiences I was talking about."
"See, even the host agrees," Mark said.
"Yes, in some ways I agree, but… there is a big but. You see, if all you remember about that relationship is sex, then it wasn't love. So it does not count." Isa made a rebuttal.
"What?" Mark raised his voice. He did not like what Isa had just said. "Then it goes both ways. If you haven't had sex or even kissed, how can you say it was love?"
Isa made her sexy laugh before she answered, it made Mark more uncomfortable. "Well, that is the difference between lust and love. You can love without sex, but you can never lust without it." Her point screamed across the lines. Mark kept silent; he could not refute it further.
Suddenly, Debbie jumped out of her seat. She pointed to her phone. Twitter is going crazy. The #loveorlust is trending.
The worldwide web went abuzz after that first podcast. They were trending on different social platforms. This was the break the two were waiting for, and Debbie knew this would bring in the sponsors they wanted. Bella's pages skyrocketed overnight. Her online presence dominated the internet, it surpassed even the senior celebrities.
***
Isa's day went on as usual. She worked in her bookstore like usual, but she did not expect this day to be different for her. She greeted everybody else like usual and Jack was there already, with a big smile on his face. "I tuned in last night. I waited so long for the grand return of Bella Moore and I certainly was not disappointed." He proudly said.
"Ah, we also tuned in last night. I am definitely hooked!" One of her patrons said. All the other patrons that were there also agreed as they all listened to last night's podcast. Unlike them, Jack is the only one who knows about the connection between Isa and Bella.
"So did you listen too?" The other patron asked Isa as she went behind the cashier's counter.
Isa smiled. Though she cannot thank them directly, she could only promote Bella with discretion. "Yes, I actually loved the show. I can't wait for more." She said and sipped her coffee.
"See, everyone loves Bella. I wonder what she looks like. From her voice, she is surely pretty and sexy." One of the patrons said and all the others bobbed their heads in agreement. This library has never been this busy and noisy ever since.
Isa almost spat out her coffee after hearing that people are curious about what she looks like. "Ahm, I don't want to see her face. I love the mystery that shrouds her." Isa said, trying to divert the sentiment of the group.
"You have a point there my dear." Jack glared at Isa as he was doing his best not to burst into laughter. All the other patrons settled down to their favorite reading spot right after. Jack went beside Isa and whispered, "Congrats, girl! Don't forget me when you become super famous!" She shook Isa as he jumped in gladness.
"Wait, how are you able to handle all this alone?" Jack asked Isa, confused about how she was able to pull it off on her own.
Isa smiled at Jack. "Oh, that. Actually, I have received some help."
Isa's answer made Jack more confused. He knows Isa does not have any other friend, other than him. "Huh? Who? You hired someone? You could have just talked to me if you needed help. You know you can always count on me." Jack tapped Isa's shoulder.
"Well, that relentless caller. Do you remember?" Isa asked Jack.
Jack raised his eyebrows. "You mean..." He paused and covered his mouth.
Isa nodded, confirming Jack's assumption. "Apparently, we made up. My sister moved with me to my apartment."
Jack clapped his hands out of the blue. "Bravo!" He said with sarcasm. Isa stopped him from clapping some more. "That's what we call character development," he added. They both laughed out loud.
****
"Son, how are you doing? Have you made up your mind about your marriage?" Cayden's mom called him as he expected. She was just waiting for him to settle back in his own house and stir it all over again.
"Yes mom. My girlfriend, I have already asked her to marry me." Cayden declared to his mother, although it was not as convincing because there was no hint of emotion in his words.
"Good, this is the only term your father wants for you to inherit everything immediately." His mom reminded him of what was at stake. Deep inside, Cayden knew that his mom was in a hurry just because she did not want his father's illegitimate children to get a portion of their wealth. They have been conniving to bring him down since he was a kid.
Cayden declares a sign that he will not pursue marriage if he sees Isa again when he comes back home to the country. But just like every tragic love story, they did not see each other. With a heavy heart, he proposed to his girlfriend via phone and, surprisingly; she accepted it.
"Good, son. Then when should we come home for the wedding?" His mom asked Cayden.
"In two months' time," Cayden answered in a straight voice.