*******
After walking out of the bar, I was still in a daze.
"It’s you?" Leon said.
"Do….do you know me?" I asked.
"Oh ..it’s the guy from yesterday!" Ruth whispered to me.
"Let’s go, Kelvin," Leon said walking away in haste.
"No, wait please…." I ran in front of him blocking his way.
"Move….." He said.
"No, please….. I…. I need your help." I said.
"Sorry, I don’t have any help to render." He said coldly about to walk away again but I grabbed his arms.
"I’ll pay you any amount…. all you have to do is…is to be my BODYGUARD!" I said.
"What?!" Kelvin yelled.
"I….I’m the true heiress of the J corp. industry….and my stepmom is trying to kill me. Please……" I said but he didn’t spare me another glance as he pushed my arms away and left in a taxi.
The other guy looked at me and could only smile and walk away.
**********************
Leon got home and took off his clothes and entered the shower. He was done bathing when Kelvin came in.
"Dude…..what do you think about it?" he asked.
"About?" Leon asked.
"The girls offer…..Leon, J corp., and IM have been business enemies for decades…..I think this is an opportunity to take revenge." Kelv said.
"Bro, I don’t get you," Leon said paying attention to him.
"Look, nobody knows you are the third son of the IM. If you get close to her, you can get access to the J corp."
"Are you saying I should use her?" Leon asked.
"Well, if that’s the case yes….be her bodyguard and you know."
"Kelv, just shut up," Leon said.
"Leon, don't you know what he did to your father? dude….."
"Kelv, I said shut the fuck up," he yelled.
"Think about it…..I'm off." Kelvin said leaving Leon in a daze.
*************************
"Gem, why did you ask him that out of the blue…..you haven’t even thanked him yet?." asked Ruth.
"Sister Ruth….I'm scared….I'm really scared…..she won’t stop until I die. And….and this is the first time somebody has…. Have ever stood up and fought for me…." I said crying.
"It’s okay…..with his moves I'm sure he’s an IM-trained bodyguard…..let’s go there tomorrow maybe we will find him….. with that aside…..your shooting starts next week…hope you are ready?" She asked and I nodded.
"Sister Ruth, thanks a lot….I’ll be going home today," I said.
"No, I can’t let you go to that house today!" she yelled.
"It’s okay….I'm going there to do something important. I’ll be fine." I said and she sighed.
When I got home, I took a deep breath as usual and entered the house. The family of three was busy eating and celebrating….when I was almost killed today. I knew that Dad didn’t care about me at all but no matter how hard I tried it still hurt my heart a lot….
I walked in and immediately Marie saw me, she choked and Jolene crushed her fork in her hands but faked a smile.
"Hi," I said and took a seat and started eating.
"Gem, what’s the meaning of this?" father yelled.
"Meaning of what? Is it a crime to come eat at my own father’s house?" I asked.
"I heard you’ll be acting with your sister……don’t act in that movie." He said…..and that crushed my heart but I smiled.
"Honey don’t say that!" Marie said.
"Yes, daddy….I'm happy to act with sister, maybe we’ll get along well." she smiled.
"No….what if she hurts you, baby. We all know she’s a heartless psycho." He said again and my heart sunk to hear my father say such words to me.
"Maids, more rice please…. yummy, this food is good," I said but he walked up to me and pushed the food away and it fell on the floor.
"Honey stop!" Marie cried but deep down she was happy.
"Get out…. you evil child…..from today I disown you….." He said and I couldn’t hold back anymore as tears ran down my face.
"Father……." I cried. "I won’t go…..disown….me all you want….I won’t leave this house….and I'm not staying in the basement anymore….I'm moving into mom’s room today….." I said.
"All you’ve ever brought to me in this house is bad luck….you took everything away from me….. everything I love….." he yelled.
"No…..I didn’t…..but I promise you, father…..you’ll regret all your actions someday….." I said and ran upstairs into mom’s room.
I cried myself to sleep.
******
A Ray of the sun shined into mom’s room. I opened my eyes and felt safe and calm inside the room. My phone rang.
"Hello, sister Ruth."
"Gem, hurry out….. I’ve found your bodyguard, he’s indeed a member of the IM trainees." She said and I sprung up from my bed and ran out of the house.
Unknown to us, he wasn’t a trainee…..he was the owner of IM. I got dressed like a celebrity and so did Ruth.
We matched into the IM guards Training facility.
"Wow….Gem all eyes are on you." Ruth said.
"I'm not called Gem for no reason." I bragged and we laughed.
"Hi Miss, how may I help you?" A man approached us.
"Take me to your most unique guards ….I need to handpick one." I said and the man smiled.
We sat down and many handsome guards, with built muscles, kept going and coming but I couldn’t find him.
"Are these all of them?" I asked, looking tired.
"Uhmm…. yes ma….you don’t find any of your likings?" He asked.
"Are you sure this is all?" Ruth asked again.
"Yes madam." He answered.
I looked out the window and saw Leon walking with Kelvin, they seemed to be arguing about something.
"That….yes….that guy over there…..he’s the one I need," I said and the man’s jaw almost dropped.
"Uhmm…. Uhm….I’ll…. I’ll talk to him….well you see he is a very special guard….he…Uhmm…only guards people he like, no one can force him." The man lied. That was his President and he couldn’t disclose his identity.
The man went to Leon and whispered something to him. He frowns his face.
"Tell them I'm not interested….good work sir." He said and started walking away…..I saw this and ran towards him with Ruth.
"Hey…..hey, wait up." I managed to catch up to him.
"What again?" He asked.
"Please…. can you be my bodyguard?!" I asked.
"No!" He said about to walk away again but I blocked his way.
"Please… I’ll do anything to make you my guard….I just need your help." I said.
"There are 946 men in this building…..go choose one." He said.
"But, I want only you out of the 900," I said and he looked at me with his handsome eyes.
"Bro….don’t miss this chance," Kelvin whispered to him.
"I'm sorry….miss but I can't guard you." He said and walk away.
"And he is so handsome." I cried.
"Crazy…..are you looking for a guard or a husband? don’t tell me…. You’re….."
"I just have a little crush on him nothing more….let’s go…." I said.
*********************
It was a new week and we were starting shooting today. When I stepped into the background I felt inferior. Other actors and actresses had makeup artists, each but Ruth was my all in all. After a quick chat with the director, Ruth and I took our seats when Jolene walked up to us.
"Hi, newbie!" She said "Oh, you must be her manager, Ruth. I’ve heard lots about you…." Jolene wanted to win Ruth’s heart just like others but Ruth only smiled at her and nodded.
"Jolene, I hope we both do a great job," I said extending my hand for a handshake but she looked at me in disgust.
"I don’t act with rookies like you…. but I have no choice…. Know your place Gem….. and keep your distance." She said.
We started acting in the first scene. Jolene acted first and I have got to admit she had skills. It was my turn and the director called me and explained my part to me. I nodded.
"Action!" the manager yelled.
The scene was when I saw the male lead, saved his life, and fell in love with him at first sight.
"Thanks for saving me, young lady….I'm grateful," He said, looking straight into my eyes but I shyly looked away and lowered my head.
"It’s nothing," I said.
"I'm Yona by name….and you?" He asked.
"My name….I… want to be called Yona too…." I said shyly, looking like a 12years old. The director was pleased with my act. In the next scene, I had to go home and beat up Jolene, my younger sister for telling me she loves Yona.
********
"Senior sister."
"Shut up….you slut …..I’ll kill you…..I’d make sure I cook with your flesh….." I said and bit her hands…she screamed in pain. "You taste good, junior sister," I said and slapped her……the slap was supposed to be fake but I made it real. The director was so happy and satisfied with our work so far.
I grabbed Jolene by her neck.
"Look at me….. you took dad’s love and mom’s love from me….ever since you were born…..you are a curse…. A pig with no value….I could cook and eat you anytime you are my meat…my meal….I’ll eat you….. eat you hahaha…. my tasty sister." I yelled….as we both locked our gaze.
"Cut!" the director yelled.
"Bravo….. bravo…. Miss Gem wow…. you are awesome." he started praising me forgetting Jolene, the female lead….. Everyone praised me and I was happy.
"The way you acted it….I never wanted it to stop….you did splendid dear."
We took a break and I was the only one left in the theatre room. Before we left everything was in place.
******
Later Jolene’s stuff was messed with.
"Miss Gem, did you mess with our goddess's stuff just because she said you’re a newbie?" Jolene’s worshippers said.
"What do you mean?" I asked as her bodyguard seized me. "Let go, don’t touch me!" I yelled, "I didn’t do anything, let me go."
"Oh, yes, you did…..if only you have a guard, they would have protected you." She said.
"What’s going on here?!" Ruth yelled.
Then Jolene came in, faking a cry, with the director.
"Miss Gem, how could you? I'm so disappointed." He said.
"I didn’t do it. I swear, director, I'm not that kind of a person, maybe it is Jolene trying to set me up."
Pah! Jolene’s manager slapped my cheeks.
"You dare accuse a goddess of stealing? you brat!" she yelled. A punch came from nowhere and landed on the bodyguard and hit the other one.
"Miss, you okay? Sorry, I'm late!" He said….. I looked up in confusion…… it was Leon.
"Who do you think you are?" Jolene's manager yelled.
"I'm Leon…. Appointed by MYM Industry to guard Miss Gem." He said and my eyes were widely opened.
.
.
.
…….