ONE HOUSE

TWENTY-THREE : It's not yet over

THE ANGEL's POV

Ann and Lauren were silently eating their breakfast when they saw James. Unexpectedly, he was well dressed. He was wearing a long-sleeved polo shirt that was enough for him to hide his wrist. His head was still bandaged but it was okay now. It didn't hurt that much anymore. The test results said there was nothing to worry about it. His hair was newly cut and he had an unusual aura. They were surprised. Why all of a sudden did he become like that? What happened? Was it the thing he was telling Lauren the other night? That everything will be okay again?

"Good Morning!" he sweetly greeted as he kissed Lauren, then Ann. They were both frozen for James was suddenly acting like nothing happened. He was in a good mood and they both didn't know where that mood was coming from. He was totally devastated the other nights.

"You..." Lauren didn't know what to say. James looked at her in confusion. But when he didn't hear anything else from her, he just smiled and went on.

After about ten minutes, Ann and Lauren stood up. They were off to the studio and they would be leaving James alone. But just when they were about to leave him at the dining table, James immediately stood up and indifferently held Ann's arms.

"I'm coming with you guys," he said as he wiped the corners of his lips. Ann couldn't react. Why all of sudden was James acting that way? 'What is he up to?'

"What... are you... going to do there?" she asked with an unsure tone. But James didn't tell her. Instead, he just gave her a smile. A smile that might mean a thousand things. A smile that she or Lauren cannot understand.

Silence filled the air the whole time. They were stuck in traffic but no one dared to talk. James was seated beside his sister at the back while Ann took the front passenger seat. From time to time, she would check on James. He was very serious. The same look he had when he arrived. There was like a wall between him and all the other people. But when he saw her, he immediately gave her a smile. Then she realized that he was just acting. He was still mad. He was still sad.

***

It was already near lunch time when they arrived at the studio. Lauren asked James where he was going inside the building but he seldom talked. He just let them go wherever they wanted to. "I'm just going to roam around," he replied.

Lauren went to the auditorium as a seminar was again, being held while Ann went to the studio where he co- models were already waiting. They were in a rehearsal for a series of summer fashion show which were about to happen a month from now. But she still had no partner. For the mean time, she was going solo.

"Girls, I have something very important to tell you," Jessie excitedly announced. His smile never leaved his face as he was about to tell them good news. At long last, his prospect called him and was already willing to do modeling under the studio.

"You will all love this because, the handsome son of Ms. Marie, James, has agreed to be in our fashion show!" he exclaimed. Ann was surprised. Now she understood why James dressed himself well today. He entered the room and his presence made the girls feel giddy. A lot of them really had a huge crush on him. Ann, on the other hand, was hoping that James would be her partner for the series of shows since she was the only one without one yet.

"James, Ann will be your partner for the show," he told him. But James didn't seem to hear what Jessie remarked. Instead, he scanned the faces of the other models in the room. One by one, he looked at them.

On the eighth lady, he stopped. She was familiar to him. After about forty seconds, he remembered where he met her. She was the crying lady who left her bracelet on the dressing room. "You are Maxine, right?" he tried to confirm. Maxine nodded but she was confused why James knew her.