"Let's go Meilin," said Andrew, after he draws out her luggages from the boot of the taxi. She didn't respond to him, Andrew stared at her worriedly.
Meilin's gaze drifted into the void, her eyes unfocused and her thoughts adrift. She stood suspended in time, her slender body in a very big tracksuit just to cover her identity. She wore big black glasses and a cap, to cover her pretty face properly. She stared as if she awaited a savior, a rescuer running to meet her. A savior to tell her to go home and that all is fine.
"Meilin, let's go!! Don't worry, okay? Japan will be good to us. I know some big designers that you can model for. They will be happy to see a pretty girl like you." said Andrew reassuring her for the 20th time today.
She flashed him a faint smile, as she walked behind him while he dragged their Luggages along.
The queue at the airport was long, Meilin was busy avoiding people's gaze. They were whispering, why would she cover from head to toe in this hot weather of China.
Andrew held her hand, like his child as they moved forward in the queue. Meilin sniffed and he heard it, she always does that whenever she wants to cry. His heart was torn, a girl with a bright future is about to lose her hard work for a crime she never commited. He knows how hard Meilin worked, all night and day nonstop. Even a shoot with a crying baby she will want to do it, something must models run away from, she will volunteer to do them. He wanted to release her goodwill donations she made in the past years, so people can reduce criticizing her online. But Meilin refused; she always did things anonymously not because she wanted praises from people only for just goodwill from her heart.
"Chen Meilin," the front desk lady called, looking around for the person she called.
Andrew pulled her forward and said to Meilin, "Let's do this with a smile."
"Remove your cap and your shades," the front desk lady whispered softly.
Meilin stood motionless, not replying to the lady, the security guard moved forward.
"Can we see your face madam?" the security guard asked.
Andrew stood by her side, raising his hands to cover her from others to see her face. Meilin removes her shades and her cap, after the lady verifies her identity. She wears her disguise equipment immediately.
"Do you think I should go?" Meilin asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper, as she locked eyes with the security guard.
The security guard was taken aback by her question, he didn't reply to her immediately.
He noticed the urgency and desperation in her tiny voice.
"If your heart tells you not to go, then follow the words of your heart or you will regret it later. Even if you regret it after following your heart, you can swear you have tried your best." The security guard replied with a smile, those words were like a confirmation to Meilin to run away.
That all hope isn't lost yet, for as long as you are alive there is still hope. Don't live in regret!!!
Meilin's hands trembled as she ripped off her shades and cap, revealing a face etched with desperation. Her eyes were red, it was holding in her longing tears. She threw her diaguise equipment at her manager Andrew.
Then, she turned and sprinted away, her feet swinging on air as she ran like someone being caged for ages.
Leaving Andrew stunned and silenced for a moment.
"Meilin!! Meilin!!! Where are you going," He screamed after her but there was no response or turning back from her. Like a flash of lightning she was out of the airport, people were staring at her like she had gone completely mad.
Meilin's race ended as she met rain falling, she stopped abruptly, the tears she was holding started failing. She had no umbrella and no phone with her, she recalled she just left her manager.
Some people passing her were whispering, "Is that not Chen Meilin? That model that killed her stylist? Is she trying to run away from the country?"
The hope she was holding on folded like clothes as she saw the rain, she felt weak in the knees. She couldn't run anymore, her legs trembling with fear.
A car passing splashed rain water on her, from her hair to her shoes were soaking wet.
"Is it a sign that I should go back into the airport? I think this is the end of Chen Meilin!! I thought my story was just getting started. So it's about to end now? Wow, Meilin, I thought you were a strong girl? Is this how you have reduced yourself? You forgot your life quote that only you can save yourself!!!!" Meilin minds running wild with these thoughts.
Then, it opened the door for the evil thoughts to come in,
"Meilin, just enter this road and get hit by these running cars. That will be the best decision for you right now. You know you don't have any hope left!!!"
She took the first step and the second one, she turned to her left and a car was coming towards her with speed.
The car suddenly stopped at her front and honked twice. It was like, it called her name, Mei...Lin. Hearing the sound calling her name, She jolted up from her bad thoughts.
The car windscreen rolled down, and it revealed the last person she never wished or believed would come for her.