Losing Control

Isa

"Ayoko!   Basta!  Walang kasalang mangyayari.  O siya, tawagan na lang kita bukas.  Kailangan ko ng magimpake."

"Best, think before you act.  S, seriously."

"Babalitaan na lang kita.  Mamaya isumbong mo pa ako kila Mommy.  Bye, Rach."

"Best!"

Stephanie hung up the phone before Rachel had the chance to be the voice of reason.  She didn't want to do this, but she had to.  She had to get away from her parents who have apparently lost their marbles and making irrational decision all for the sake of their hotels!  She felt hurt and anger, tried to understand her parents, but she just couldn't wrap her head around being sold for a hotel!  

She quickly packed some clothes into her biggest luggage bag she had.  It was too late for her to go to the bank at this time, but she decided to go first thing in the morning.

It took her a while to pack.  Syempre, nahirapan syang pumili kung alin sa mga mamahaling name brand shoes nya ang iiwanan nya.  Medyo napaluha pa nga sya pero pinili nyang tatagan ang damdamin nya. 'They're just shoes, Steph," she thought to herself.  'You will return to your other babies as soon as this drama is over.'  She also packed a lot of casual clothes, mostly jeans and plain white t-shirts, her other vice.  She also packed one power suit, a few flirty sundresses, a little black dress, and one dark blue evening gown...you know, just in case.

Tinago nya muna ang kanyang suitcase sa pinakalikod ng kanyang walk-in closet at tinabunan ng mga damit nyang nakahang pa rin.  She thought of doing errands the following morning before leaving the day after.  She had a lot to do and so little time.  Hindi nakatulog ng mahimbing si Stephanie ng gabing iyon.  She kept tossing and turning, going back and forth on her sure to be failblog.com plan.  She had to think positive, though.  She just wanted to teach her parents a lesson

***

She called Rachel the next morning.  Magpapasama kasi sya sa salon.  Gusto nya kasing magpa mani/pedi and also get a haircut.  Maybe magpamassage and facial treatment na rin sa isang spa, Lord knows kailangan nyang magrelax.  She told Rachel na treat nya, after all, she wanted to spend as much of her parents' dime as possible, tigang sya in the following days of her "running away", after all.  Mabait naman si Stephanie, yun nga lang, may pagkabrat pa rin umasta minsan.

Inuna muna nilang magpa manicure and pedicure.  Tuwang tuwa naman si Rachel kasi mukhang hindi na matutuloy ang palpak na plano ng kanyang best friend.  Habang nagpapagupit si Stephanie, nagpa hot oil treatment na lang si Rachel.  She wasn't sure what Stephanie's haircut was going to look like.  Madalas nagpapatrim lang naman ng split ends si Stephanie.  Basta ang sabi lang ni Stephanie ay surprise daw ito.  Dinala si Stephanie sa kabilang side of the salon para hindi makita ni Rachel ang surprise.

"Miss Rachel, ready na po si Miss Stephanie," a salon assistant told Rachel who was now reading a magazine while waiting for her friend.

"Okay," Rachel replied with a smile before standing up to follow the assistant.

A couple of other assistants held a towel to cover up Stephanie and Rachel looked at them with one eyebrow raised.  "Steph?" she called out to her friend.

"Yup."

"Come on,  I want to see!" Rachel said excitedly.

"Okay!  Ready?  One.  Two.  Three!" The assistants holding up the towel dropped it to the floor as Stephanie looked at her friend with a huge smile.  She raised her arms up in the air and gave a little wiggle.  "Tada!  What do you think?"

Rachel's mouth dropped open.  Surprised was an understatement.  Ibang iba na ang itsura ni Stephanie.  Ang drastic lang ng change!  Stephanie's usually long, brown, wavy hair was dyed jet black and cut into an edgy bob that reached just past her jawline, the tips grazing above her shoulders.  Stephanie swung her swishy new hair and fluffed up the roots with her hands, all the while waiting for her friend to say something.