Mae stood in front of her bathroom mirror that early morning scrutinizing her body structure, practicing to stand erect with her chin high as she makes eye contact with her reflection.
She felt the fat on her arm and then bulked in her hand some flesh on her lower abdomen. "I should cut down on carbs" She thought to herself, realizing she had gained some weight in the past few days, she sucked in air to tuck her tummy.
With her fingers drumming on the sink, she gazed profoundly trying to figure out her best facial feature. She closed her eyes, massaging her temple to visualize if she had ever had a compliment about her face. Then she remembered vividly the previous day when Chen told her she has beautiful eyes at the time he was applying mascara on her eyelashes.
Mae concealed a smile, holding unto her chest as she flashed back multiple times to that moment.
"Ew!" she said when she saw how she smiled in front of the mirror.
Mae had the idea of rehearsing a cute smile. she grinned with her 32 teeth displaying as her lips widened to the end. She shook her head several times, trying again and again until she got it right. Then she released a deep breath of fulfillment.
The doorbell rang and she rushed out of her bedroom in her morning coat to receive the package from the delivery guy standing outside. Grandma was already up, setting the table.
"Good morning Mae" said Nana.
"Morning Nana" Mae responded, picking a slice of bread on the table and hurrying back to her bedroom.
"Oh dear, she seems pretty pumped up today..." Grandma chuckled as she thought to herself.
Mae impatiently opened her package, idolizing her new school uniform but was careful enough not to rumple it.
She went back to the bathroom to wash the purple dye off her hair and got prepared for school.
She missed the school bus as she had spent hours, watching YouTube makeup videos, doing and redoing her makeup until she looked flawless.
Mae walked through the hallway and every head turned in her direction. She looked like an entirely different person - confident, beautiful, and radiant.
Her glossy hair was braided at the side, leaving the remaining highlights of purple and ebony brushed to the side in corkscrew curls. It blended just perfectly, complimenting her purple eyes. Her buttoned white 3-quarter sleeve was tied in a bow, exposing the ring on her innie belly button. With a silver chain around her black pleated mini skirt, she cat-walked in her new black sneakers with purple laces, revealing the length of her black net socks.
"Hey, who is she? Does she go to school here?" A guy tapped on his friend, as he drooled over her.
With a purple designer backpack hanging on one shoulder, the silver bangles on her wrist jiggled as she throws her arm in the air, flipping her hair. Chin up, with a piece of silver necklace sitting on her collar bones, cross pendant in between her unbuttoned cleavages, she smiled dazzlingly as she had practiced in the mirror.
Her glossy lips were alluring, not to mention the purple glitters on her eyelids complimenting those cute doe eyes; highlighted on her lower eyelid with white aqua liner. It was a sight to behold.
Jade was busy in the hallway sharing invitation cards for her birthday bash when she noticed Mae in the hallway. "Is that... Is that who I think it is? *Scoffs* No way... haha, whatever". She paid no attention to Mae and kept on sharing her invitation cards until when she noticed no one was enthusiastic about her upcoming birthday.
"Hey, see you on Saturday". Jade smiled radiantly, handing over the invitation card to a student in the hallway.
"I wouldn't miss the party if that hottie would come too". The guy responded with a husky voice, pointing to Mae as she walked from afar.
"Same, same... I would be the first to show up if that chic would be there bro." his friend added.
Jade grunted violently, glaring at Mae. She watched Mae walking towards her direction, clenching her jaw, then she sprinkled some water from her water bottle on the floor and walked away from the spot.
The scent of Mae's cologne caught a male student's attention as she cat-walked past him "Hey beautiful.." he said, biting on his lower lips as he glanced at her lustfully.
The sound of his smoky voice complimenting her struck her heartbeat. She lost focus and missed a step, stumbling as she slipped at the spot Jade had sprayed water.
She staggered and tried to regain her balance. Then she ceased, folding her arm to herself with her back hunched as she looked around to see if anyone would laugh at her. Her eyes caught with Chen and he nodded slightly, communicating non-verbally for her to carry on.
Mae hijacked her confidence again. With her head high, she walked elegantly once more.
"Oh wow… did she literally fall from heaven? I'm tripping, this angel almost fell for me. Come on baby, I love you too. Woohoo!" a guy screamed from the crowd, teasing.
Mae concealed a smile upon hearing this. She didn't turn but kept on moving.
Everyone was stunned by her transformation and no one could believe that this was the same girl who had been a laughingstock the previous day. As Chen watched from a distance, he couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction, knowing that he had helped Mae to become the best version of herself.
Mae walked up to Chen with Jade standing beside him, handing him an invitation card.
"Hi.. Pretty boy Chenny" Mae waved, twinkling her fingers at him as she walked passed him to the classroom.
Chen smiled softly, licking his lower lips.
Jade turned to look at her and scoffed, wrinkling her face.
Mae entered the classroom and her classmates were dumbfounded. The noise died down when everyone stopped to stare.
"Hey! Hey! I'm talking to you. Who were you on the line with last night?" A girl stood, backing the entrance of the classroom as she interrogated her boyfriend, snapping her fingers countless times at him "Hello?!! Oh now you want to play deaf? " she nagged at him.
He was lost in thought as Mae entered the classroom. When the girl noticed the ominous silence of the class, she turned to look in her boyfriend's eye direction.
With her jaw-dropped, she turned back briskly landing a slap on his cheek "We are done! Don't call me ever again. Hmph!" She stomped her feet on the ground, biting hard on her lower lips and left the class angrily, with him running after her, begging.
"Hi Liang..." Mae showed a luminous smile as she took her seat.
Liang turned slightly to look at her. Startled, he turned briskly again to admire her. Her beauty was captivating, his heart ceased for a second.
He wanted to ask her "What happened to you?" then he held back his words, looking into his geography textbook again.
Mae bit her lips, thinking "Why didn't he say anything about my new look? Do I look horrible? Is the concealer breaking already? Sheesh!" She brought out a mirror from the mini purse in her designer backpack and looked critically at her reflection.
She lets out a sigh of relief, holding unto her chest "Thank goodness, it is not the makeup".
With her pupils dilating, she went ahead to overthink "So what is the problem? Why is he not impressed with how I look? Oh no... Am I too extra today?" she gasped, holding up her fingers close to her mouth.
Liang jammed the book closed. He turned to Mae, clearing his throat "Ahem! You know... you are less quiet when you open your mouth to speak".
"I-I don't understand you." she responded, looking puzzled at him.
"Never mind" He inhaled and let out a deep breath to relax.
When the fragrance of her cologne struck his nostrils, he leaned closer to her, sniffing her collar. "You smell different today".
"Thank you?" Mae looked confused at him not knowing whether it was a compliment or an affront.
She picked up her phone to text Chen, shielding the screen away from Liang;
[Hey bestie, If a guy you like tells you that you smell different today, what does it mean?]
She waited for him to text back, constantly checking her phone screen and drumming her fingers on the desk.
Her phone chimed and she looked at it quickly only to find a message from her service provider.
[Dear customer, you have been charged for this SMS. Simple dial *104# to check your remaining balance]
She smacked her lips, rolling her eyes. Then she laid down her phone, turning to Liang.
"Give me your hand" Mae said.
"wha.." Liang was inquisitive.
She smacked her lips, taking him by the hand. "Close your eyes, I want to show you a magic trick".
"What? How do you show me a magic trick if you are asking me to close my eyes" Liang questioned.
"Just trust me.. Okay?" Mae Laughed.
"How can I trust you when you pretend to be weak yet you have the Amethyst stone in your possession? What do you have up your sleeves now?..." He narrowed his siren eyes holding a long gaze at her as he thought to himself.
"Please... Close your eyes. Please...." Mae pleaded.
Liang exhaled, shutting his eyelid "Okay" he said.
"Now open you eyes" she said.
Liang opened his eyes and Mae was no longer in front of him. He had a tap in the back, he turned around to see her standing behind him making a goofy face.
"Tada!" Make said with her arms stretched out.
Liang looked puzzled at her. "So... Where is the magic?" he finally spoke out.
"Don't you see... I disappeared and appeared behind you" she excitedly explained.
"False! I could hear you tiptoeing to stand behind me. That's no magic trick." Liang said.
"Of course she would not want to practice magic on Earth. Mother had also warned against it. Nice play Mae Li" he said in his thought.
"What are you insinuating? Where you peeking? I thought I asked you not to look. You cheated" Mae pointed accusing fingers at him.
"I have another one to show you. This time you can open your eyes." she said rolling a paper ball in her palm. She continued "You see this paper? I can make it disappear---"
"Not interested" Liang interrupted, going back to his geography textbook.
At that moment Jade approached Liang "Hey sweetie, what are you reading?" she said in a sweet tone as she swayed her way to sit closer to him, peeking into his geography textbook.
Liang was totally buried in his book, giving Jade deaf ears.
"Oh I see you have so much interest in geography. No wonder you swirl my head like the globe." she covered the book with her palm and brushed a finger on his fragile lips, getting his full attention, then she looked up to Mae in a sly manner, rolling her tongue in her mouth, hoping to get a reaction.
Mae chewed on her lips, feeling some sense of jealousy. She started picking on her nails to distract herself from the way she was feeling.
"If you have your head spinning, take some meds. I have absolutely nothing to do with that" Liang said to Jade in a flat tone.
Mae's cheeks swelled with air as she held back her laughter.
Jade was however persistent, pretending like his words didn't get to her. "Ouuu... You are one naughty boy. I love me a bad boy" she said in an alluring tone, twirling the bubble gum in her finger and blows a bubble.
"Basically, I'm hosting a birthday party this weekend. You should come" She got up from the seat and slid the invitation card onto the desk to him.
"Oh no... it is Jade's birthday this Saturday. Last year was a blast. Quite unfortunate I never get invited to her birthday parties. I felt so left out watching her reels on social media. I wish she would invite me too". Mae thought, biting on her fingers.
"I have no interest in parties but I'll go if Mae would be there" Liang replied Jade.
"Tsk! Why is everyone saying this today? Not like she's the life of the party. What the hell is going on in this school?! I make the rules, I run this school!" she freaked out in her mind.
Then she turned to Mae, handing her the invitation card "You can come too sweetie. By the way, you look less of a zombie today". She sneered at Mae from her head to her toe.
As Jade turned to take her leave, she muttered under her breath, squeezing her fist as she walks away. "We will see about that. You want a party? I'll give you a freaking show!"
Meanwhile, Mae was super excited she got invited to Jade's birthday bash without knowing the ulterior motive Jade has in play for her.
She ran her fingers over the ornate, gold-embossed envelope and felt a tingle of excitement.