You've reached your destination -- Chapter 15.
ღღღღღღღ
Chapter 15 - First Impression || Xavier's POV
I looked around me and saw that there are more guests now than an hour ago. There are guys who are in suits, girl in dresses, mothers who brought their children with a pairing dress, photographers, and a girl wearing a huge sunglasses and a summer hat who is coming on our way. I looked at the guys but they were busy eating, I turn around and saw the girl waved at me.
Wait, there's a girl ... who waved at me. And she's wearing a summer hat and huge sunglasses. And she's standing in front of me. I think the show's nachos did something to me.
"He-eey, are you here ah-lone?" the girl purred.
I shifted uncomfortably, not impressed with the girl in front of me. "No, actually. I'm with my friends." I smiled at her.
"Oh. Is there any reason you're at a fashion show?" The girl offered me her drink but I politely shook my head.
"Yeah, well, I invited him to come with me." Stella interrupted us, putting her hand playfully at my arm. She smiled sweetly at the girl and the girl gave me a confuse look.
"Oh, aren't you a gentlemen," the girl joked and winked at me. Stella cleared her throat but the girl didn't seem to get Stella's intention. The girl eyed my body and Stella cleared her throat loader.
"Are you sick, darling? I'm sure that the securities were very strict at not allowing any guests to enter the fashion show if they're sick." The girl feigned concerned, her smile says it all.
"I'm not sick, don't worry. But you will be if you keep your eyes on my boy friend," Stella snapped. I said nothing, since I know it's a girls' fight and I learned it in a hard way of not intruding a girl's fight. I kept on a straight face, not changing my mood, in case it might give away something.
"Is it true?" The girl locked eyes with me. I looked at Stella and gave her a warm smile, getting along with her idea.
"Well, I'm pretty sure you're not easy to get jealous, right? Boys don't like girls who get jealous too easily." The girl chuckled and sipped her drink. Stella gave her an icy, cold glare but the girl ignored it.
I tapped my feet, not wanting to see anyone get hurt tonight. I looked around the room and saw that it was already full and the music was slowly getting louder.
"I'm just, uhm, going outside for some fresh air." I smiled weakly. Slowly and gently, I removed Stella's hand from my arm and moved away.
"I'll come if you don't mind," the girl chirped and followed me. I walked towards the end of the room and opened the door that leads to the balcony. I inhaled the air and took a few moments before I deal with the girl.
"It's a lovely view, isn't it?" The girl grinned. I didn't bother looking for Stella; I can handle this girl.
"Yeah." That was I could say as I admired the view.
The night is dark and I can see the beauty of the scene as the city shined with lights. There's an empty pavement on the east with only a couple sitting on the bench. They both cuddled each other and looked happy, even though I could only see their backs. They looked at each other and smiled, the guy's holding the girl's stomach as I realized that she's pregnant.
"I think that after a couple gets married, they're all happy and excited to have a baby. Soon enough, they get tired of each other and then people will get hurt. You can't avoid that; getting hurt is part of being in love," she started. I looked at her for clues about what she was trying to say but her eyes remained on the couple sitting on the bench, hugging each other.
"But I think that you shouldn't get married if you're not really committed on your partner or just because you impregnate the girl," the girl continued. She shrugged and looked at me. She quickly turned around and looked at the picturesque scene and I saw her eyes sparkling.
I looked at the girl in front of me who was drinking her cup. "Are you crying?"
"What? No, no," she assured me as she wiped her tears. She took deep breaths and inhaled the air.
There are a lot of trees between the houses and there's a park on the opposite side. No wonder why the air smells fresh.
"It's okay, let it out." I rubbed the stranger's back, making her comfortable. Letting her tears fall, but I guess she mislead what I'm saying. I'm not sure what I'm going to do next since I'm not good with comforting girls, that's why the other boys comfort Stella if she has any girl problems when Sheena is not around.
"One day, when I was six months old, they left me on the orphan's doorstep in midnight. No one knew who my parents were. When I was seven, they thought that I was a lover's child. They were not expecting me. No one did. Five years later, a couple adopted me because they couldn't bore a child. And now, they're my parents. I want to forget who my real parents are, but whenever I see a pregnant woman with her guy, holding hands and smile like there's no tomorrow, I can't help but ask why my parents can't accept me or make their problems work out for me," she explained. Her voice was strong but I can sense the coldness in her voice.
Maybe she lacks attention that's why she loves to flirt. Or maybe she's holding something inside, not wanting anyone to hurt her. Or maybe she just wants to live happily ever after, unlike her parents. Or maybe ... Maybe she just needs a friend who could tell her the good side of everything.
"Thank you ... for trusting me," I uttered. She didn't say anything and I looked at the couple leaving and holding hands as they walked alone in the pavement as the trees moved in unison of the wind.
I stayed silent since I don't know what to do when a girl is crying, what more if a stranger told you about her life?
She looked at me, wanting me to understand her. I smiled and hesitantly opened my arms. She happily hugged me and when she let go, I played with her hair and she smiled at me.
"If there's one thing that makes a girl pretty, it's her smile. That's the most beautiful curve on a girl's body." I smiled at her. Finally, she laughed. I laughed along with her, encouraging her to smile more.
"Thank you for making me smile," she said.
"And thank you for letting me giving you a reason to," I replied. She walked towards me, the same way she did a while ago, but this time, it was slower. She tiptoed and kissed my cheek. A lot of girls kissed me on the cheeks without my permission, but her kiss makes me feel happy. Happy to know that I made someone happy. Does that even makes sense?
"I'm going inside. Thank you, again." She waved as she strolled approaching the door. Then she stopped and turned around, "By the way, I'm Kelsey."
"I'm Xavier." I introduced.
"And sorry for randomly blurting out my story, it wasn't part of my intention." With that said, she waved at me for the last time and joined the crowd inside.
I heard the host informing the guests that the show will start any minute as I entered the room and found my friends. When I saw them, they all welcomed me back with questions on how I handled the 'girl'. I rolled my eyes at how they expect me to say things like 'I told her she's too low for me.' or 'She's not my type.' Instead of answering them, I ate another nacho and listened to them talking about if the fashion show will be showing a summer season collection with girls in bikinis, which they obviously know that won't happen because it's December.
"You could always ask any girl who kept on drooling over you to do that for you," Stella responded easily.
"Ladies and gentlemen. Gays and Lesbians. Welcome to the Hitlist Rhivary's Fashion Show!" the host announced.
I tried to listen what the host was saying but I suddenly remembered to tell Stella something before I forget it.
"Thank you," I leaned lower as I whispered.
"Listen to what she's saying." Stella hushed me but I know she accepted my appreciation when she smiled.
Since there were a lot of girls 'throwing' themselves at me, Stella's words not mine, she offered me to be her 'fake girlfriend' if the girl is annoying me. Back then, we were joking about it, laughing at the idea, so I said yes. But I never really thought that she would do it. I'm happy that she did it, because if she didn't, then things will happen differently and none of what Kelsey said to me would happen.
And that's why it's possible to have girls as best friends and nothing more.
Cassidy's POV
I saw Xavier on the other side of the room, laughing with the guys as they watched the girls walk on the runway.
I tried to remove the thought of him flirting with a girl a while ago. And what's up with Stella holding Xavier's arm? Are they together? It's weird that Stella's not making it a big deal and announcing it to every girl on the school that they're together. Nope, I don't remember her doing it.
And he hugged the girl when he was alone with the girl. Didn't Stella saw that the girl was stalking Xavier? It's also weird that Stella hasn't ripped off that girl's hair off when she was looking at them. Maybe they aren't together. Or is it friends with benefits thing? Okay, I watched too much movies with Clarissa.
But when I saw Xavier hugging the girl and touching her hair and smiling at her, I can't get that thought out of my mind. It's like one of the romantic movie scenes.
I drank my drink that Clarissa offered me and said that I should 'live at the moment' and enjoy the show, which clearly isn't my type nor was it Reese's.
Reese and I both had a drink, trying to handle the thought of having a squealing Clarissa whenever she saw a familiar model or if she saw something she wants.
"The shirt looks so beautiful! I wonder if they have it on the mall next block." She gripped my hand and squealed. I smiled at her, happy that this was my payback for whatever she have helped me. The pros on coming the fashion show, I wouldn't owe anything to Clarissa now. The cons on coming the fashion show, I would be watching the entire shows with women wearing little clothes or very big clothes for two hours.
Across the runway, the guys were watching the models walking. I looked at Connor and saw him smiling with the guys. Some of the guys are missing; maybe they were flirting with the other girls on the room.
I looked back at the runway and saw another girl wearing a big neon green hat and neon pink tank top with a neon orange short shorts. Together with that outfit is a neon yellow handbag with neon high heels with the colors of orange, red, and yellow. The outfit shouts "SUMMER" when it really is winter.
I looked at Clarissa for some explanation which she gladly did, "It's an all season collection. It's an international show and designers as well as models travel every time around the world. They want to showcase the -" By that time, I wasn't listening anymore. I got bored easily when it comes to 'high fashion' as what Clarissa would say.
I saw Reese looking at the girl's body and quickly smacked his arms. Reese gave me a sour look. "I don't think Jessie would like you eyeing a model's body," I whispered.
"I wasn't eyeing her; I'm looking at her, uhm, outfit," he muttered.
I rolled my eyes in disbelief but continued to look for something more interesting than the show itself.
The thought of Xavier flirting with another girl came up to my mind again and I shook my head vigorously, hoping it would come off if I take it away physically.
"You look like a crazy gorilla," Clarissa cracked. I stopped and looked around me, some are looking at me and I quickly hid my face with my long hair, hoping it would be my disguise.
"Oh, I love those black boots!" Clarissa said in a high pitch. I smiled at her, wondering if I have to do this for the entire show.
"One more hour," Reese counted as he looked at his watch.
"I don't know if you're happy or sad since the way you admire the models on stage," I joked at him. Reese gave me a serious look and I laughed at his expression as I put my attention to the girls who is fitter and taller than I am.
"Look, skull eyeglasses!" Clarissa teased me as a girl model walks out of the curtain.
I looked at her eyeglasses and can't help but hate it. Sure I love things like that but I have better. I shook my head to show her my depreciation.
"Choosy," she muttered behind her breathe.
"Innocent," I sang.
"Curious," Reese said as he joined our talk. Sometimes, we talk with using one word only, and those times happen to be the fun part.
"Clarissa," I murmured. All of our eyes are on the models but our attentions are really on the talk.
"Judge-y," Clarissa mumbled.
"Delusional."
"You."
"Both," Reese uttered.
"Me?" Clarissa and I asked simultaneously.
"Yes."
"Insult," I said nonchalantly.
"Offended," Clarissa said on the other hand.
"Truth," Reese said happily.
"Proof." I looked at him now.
"Many," he responded.
"Example," I challenged.
"Skull," he answered.
"Exactly," Clarissa commented, happy to have someone on her team.
"Outnumbered." I sighed.
"Fair." Clarissa smirked.
"Enough," Reese commented.
"Cheaters." I rolled my eyes.
"Winners," Clarissa said in victory.
"Loser." Reese then pulled his tongue to me.
I laughed when he winked at me and looked back at the show. Can this day get any worse?
ღღღღღღღ
a u t h o r ' s v i r t u a l - p o s t - i t - n o t e :
It's quite short but I'll try to make it up for the next chapter! The picture above is what the fashion show would look like <3
OH OH OH! Don't forget to click Vote or comment below so it can help me improve this chapter :)
P.S. LOOK AT THE CAMERA, SMILE! :) *There's really no camera so stop turning your head around to look for it*
"If you feel happy, smile with all your heart. If you're down, smile with all your might."
– Paul Ian Guillermo.