"He's actually coming here? Oh no, seriously, what expression do I even wear? The one that says 'I totally owned you yesterday' or the one that screams 'I have no idea what I'm doing'? And how in the world am I supposed to navigate this situation? It's like I spent more time concocting my 'I don't care' attitude last night than it takes to solve a trigonometry problem. I mean, seriously—"
My internal monologue was brutally interrupted by Auntie's voice, still struggling to communicate despite her mouth being full of chewy rice cake. "Rayden's practically on our doorstep. Drop the theatrics, sweetie. Not a good look for you. Oh, and by the way, once you get your allowance, water and electricity bills are your newfound friends, got it?" Her elbow prodded me with a mischievous wink, as if she could tap into my bank account before the ink on the contract even dried.
Oh, wouldn't it be just a dream come true if my dear old mom could magically rise from the ashes and give my Auntie Irresponsible a good old-fashioned reality check? I mean, who needs responsible guardianship when you can have chaos and unpredictability, right? It's almost admirable, the way my aunt has perfected the art of not taking care of me.
Can you picture it? My angelic mother returning from the great beyond to give my aunt a taste of her own medicine. The sheer shock on my aunt's face when confronted with a stunning ghostly apparition would be worth its weight in gold. The gaping-mouthed astonishment, the wide-eyed terror—it would be a cinematic masterpiece.
I can practically hear my mom's ghost now, clearing her throat in that ghostly way and giving my aunt a piece of her mind. "Oh, hello there, dear sister. Fancy seeing me, your beloved late sibling, back from the beyond? I just thought I'd drop in and offer a friendly reminder about the responsibilities that come with, you know, taking care of a child."
And my aunt? Oh, the panic. The frantic scrambling to explain herself, the stuttering and stammering in the presence of such a beautiful and undoubtedly annoyed spirit. It would be like a ghostly intervention, a paranormal reality check.
But alas, it's just wishful thinking. A scene that will forever remain confined to the theater of my imagination. Still, a girl can dream, right?
"Auntie, seriously? This soon? I haven't even agreed to anything!" I fired back, caught between the whirlwind urgency of needing a shower and the impending doom of facing that guy. But wait, what if I pull off an epic escape plan? Shortcut through the backyard to the jeep stop! Yeah, that's my ticket out!
"Calm down, Sidney. You don't want to look all grand and mighty in front of our dear Rayden," Margo chimed in, her eyebrows reaching for the heavens, and her expression morphing into a vivid shade of disdain. Oh, Margo and her partner-in-crime Cynthia, the self-proclaimed Lovestruck fanatics, who'd made it clear I was their sworn enemy from the get-go.
"Enough of the sideshow, you two. Get dressed, Rayden's practically touching down. And Sidney, don't even dream of using the kitchen door to escape; it's on lockdown," Auntie announced with the finality of a judge delivering a sentence. Just great, my escape route obliterated by Auntie's unerring instincts.
I managed to squeeze in a sprint-shower and threw on some threadbare jeans and a white t-shirt that had seen more days than it cared to admit. My standard 'blend-into-the-background' outfit, perfect for my uni escapades where uniforms are as extinct as disco balls. Emerging from my room, I overheard the tail end of Auntie Iya's conversation with the show's producers.
"You're telling me he can't even squeeze into the car with the girls?" Auntie's voice, sharp as a samurai sword, sliced through the air. It seemed she was ready to wage war against the world to secure her daughters' royal treatment.
"I apologize, Mrs. Posit, but that's just not feasible. They could hop on the convoy if you'd prefer," the producer replied, her tone oozing empathy as she attempted to pacify my audacious aunt.
Auntie Iya's double-handed clap echoed frustration. "Fine then, girls, pick up the pace! And Sidney, snap out of your daze and get your act together! Shoooh! Oh, and don't forget to foot the water and electricity bills once you're rolling in dough." Auntie's glance shot lasers of anticipation, as if she was counting her riches before they hatched from the hypothetical financial eggs.
"Auntie, come on! Pay up immediately? What if I haven't even given my nod?" I shot back, tucking away my irritation as I oscillated between leaping into the shower or plotting a one-on-one with Mr. Irritating. Heck, maybe I'd just do a runner, vanish through the back door, and ditch the whole charade. There's a shortcut behind the house that leads straight to the jeep stop. Bingo, that's the game plan!
"Cut the theatrics, Sidney. That's not how you'll charm our Rayden," Margo inserted, her eyebrows now somewhere in low orbit and her features contorted into a classic sour expression. Ah, yes, Margo and her comrade-in-obsession, Cynthia, two peas in a Lovestruck pod, whose affection for me plunged into negative integers the moment we met.
"Both of you, enough. Slap on some attire, Rayden's nosing around. And Sidney, toss out any thoughts of sneaking out through the back door—it's as locked as my aunt's secret pickle recipe," Auntie proclaimed, her words landing like raindrops in a thunderstorm. Escape? Foiled again.
So, I dashed into a shower, scrambled into presentable clothes—worn jeans and a baggy tee from the history museum that was my wardrobe—before making my entrance. But, I caught the tail end of Auntie Iya's conversation with the show's producers.
"He can't just squeeze into the car with the girls?" Auntie's voice carried a metallic edge, as if she was primed for a verbal swordfight, determined to attain her daughters' VIP treatment.
"I apologize, Mrs. Posit, but logistically it's not feasible. However, they could hop onto the convoy if that's preferable," the staff member replied, her tone coated with understanding as she attempted to appease my resolute aunt.
Auntie Iya's two-handed clap echoed annoyance. "Very well then, girls, hustle up! And Sidney, quit staring into space like a daydreaming duck! Shoooh! Oh, and remember, once that allowance of yours comes through, it's time to settle the water and electricity bill." Auntie's look sparkled as if my allowance had already lined her pockets, even though I hadn't even put my signature to the contract.
"Auntie, seriously? Fork over the cash immediately? What if I haven't even given the green light?" I retorted, tucking away my frustration, simultaneously juggling the idea of diving into the shower or hatching a scheme for a tête-à-tête with Mr. Exasperating. Then again, what if I just made a break for it? There's that secret passage behind the house leading to the jeep stop! Brilliant, that's my exit plan!
"Enough with the theatrics, Sidney. That's not going to sweep our Rayden off his feet," Margo chimed in, her raised eyebrows and puckered face reminiscent of a lemon that's been left out in the sun too long. Oh, Margo and Cynthia, Lovestruck devotees who switched allegiances to Team Anyone-But-Sidney the moment we crossed paths.
"Okay, enough chit-chat. Girls, get a move on, Rayden's almost here. Sidney, the back door's not an escape route, so wipe that thought off your face," Auntie declared, her words cascading like rain in a monsoon. Exit strategy? Annihilated.
As I shuffled towards the gate, now draped with cameras like festive streamers, my sense of self seemed to unravel. Seriously, who needs this drama in their life? Stepping out, ready to blend into the scenery, the cameras erupted in flashes, blinding me like the universe trying to outdo itself. I let out an involuntary yelp, instinctively using my bag to shield myself from the blinding lights, my pace quickening as I hurried toward the jeep stop.
"Camera's on her!" I caught a snippet of the director's command. But I didn't dare look back.
Capture the uncatchable! I snickered internally. I rounded the corner, the jeepney stop beckoning like a sanctuary. Just as I was about to vanish into the wilderness of normalcy, a silvery symphony of car horns honked in unison—a luxury sedan, no less, glimmering in the sunlight. Camera flashes pounced on me yet again. Oh, for the love of... He's arrived!
Like a deer caught in headlights, I halted, the world around me freezing for a split second. And here we go again. I scrambled to muster a calm façade, a bemused chuckle bubbling within me. It was a delicate dance between panic, mild embarrassment, and the sheer absurdity of it all. Suppressing a laugh, I fought to maintain a stoic expression, pretending not to notice him even though my heart raced like it had forgotten its caffeine limit for the day. Yet he persisted.
"H-Hey!" he stammered, his voice carrying a note of uncertainty that was almost endearing.
I tuned him out, playing my part like a seasoned actress, feigning ignorance while internally wrestling with a baffling blend of panic and curiosity. A second later, he raised his voice a notch, his tone a mix of urgency and surprise.
"Hey, Sidney! Wait up!" His words rang out, hitting decibels that could've broken glass, effectively drawing the attention of half the neighborhood.