The Cure to My Scar

Conceited

"Hi, everyone...."

I study the face of my audience but their face is kinda blank. I couldn't read if they will gonna welcome me after hiding for a long time. What if they regret going here today? What if they will be disappointed to see who is Sissy.

"...It is so nice to finally meet you all. My name is... Sissy." I can't help but buckle from too much nervousness.

But my lips slowly arched upwards as the sound of applause gets louder. The blank faces I've been looking at turned into smiling faces. They were all shouting out for my name and some even shout appreciating my beauty. I miss being on stage, receiving warm applause from the crowd.

I bowed on different angles to show how grateful I am that they welcome me despite the long wait. I can't stop my lips from smiling.

After a few more talks and some sort of Question and Answer portion, the Meet and Greet session begins. Euphoria, ecstatic, elated, delighted... say whatever it may be but those words are not enough to measure how happy I am to see my avid readers face to face and engaging with them every once in a while.

The queue is slowly fading and we're almost done with the signing session when this girl in her early twenties asks me a question.

"May I ask Sissy if you don't mind, what factor makes you change your mind and you've decided to reveal yourself in public after a long time?"

And that caught me off-guard. I tried my best to dodge that topic but I guess most of them are curious about it.

I was writing something in her book and smiled back at her without saying anything. She was quite confused with my reaction and just raised my brows as a hint. She opened her book and looked at the page where I put my signature. She smiled brightly after reading which made the people behind curious. They were murmuring, asking what's my answer to that question so she show them what's written.

"Running away from your fear is tiring. Try facing it once and for all, then you'll realize that it's not that scary at all. It's just you who creates what scares you most so you're the only one who can find the cure to that fear."

She mouthed thank you and hugged the book with her arms. I felt like I am being loved more than I deserve. And I will be forever grateful for the people who continuously support my writings.

Finally, the signing session is all done. The event was about to end when the official photographer from our publishing company requested some group picture-taking for documentation purposes.

The fans start to gather in the middle while I was looking for a spot in the middle to be fair with everyone. They start gathering around me and I carefully looked at the people standing beside me. Good thing that they are all girls. The photographer helps to arrange the fans so everyone can be captured and seen in the picture.

We were about to start to take the first picture when I suddenly smell some men's perfume. I want to turn around to check if it's a guy or am I just mistakenly took the scent as for men but I can't move even a bit. My anxiety starts to attack.

The girl beside me looked at me intently as she noticed the bits of sweat that starts to appear on my temples. I tried my best to be extra careful but I guess there are things that you can't avoid, what's bound to happen will happen.

I am looking around trying to see where Nini is but she is so busy talking with the staff of the café. I wonder if she already has my medicine. It's the only way I could calm down from this panic attack.

"Okay, ready... In three...two..."

Now I became more certain that it's a guy when I heard his voice. What should I do now?

I think the photographer has been calling for my attention but I just can't smile while being under this panic. Nini...please. Look over here.

"Okay, Sissy. At the count of three. Three, two, one..."

The guy from behind tapped her shoulder as the photographer kept calling for my attention so I could look straightly at the camera. But before I knew it, I unintentionally jumped out of fear when the guy's hand touched my shoulder.

He was shocked at my reaction as if I was disgusted being touched by him. It was just on my shoulder, I know. It is supposedly not a big deal for everyone but not me. Not when any other guy touches me, even a bit of brushing my finger with some other guy can make me panic.

Now, what should you do Chloe?! It seems like he was offended by the way I reacted.

"I-I'm so sorry. I...I didn't mean it. I was just shocked that someone from behind tapped my shoulder. I don't mean to offend you."

I tried my best to apologize properly and good thing the guy is kind enough to shrug it off. He just smiled and accepts my sincere apology.

I looked at the photographer as if giving him some eye signal to please hurry up.

But as soon as the cameraman counts after three, the guy from behind rests his arm on my shoulder as he strikes a v-sign pose. And right before we can take the second shot, I slowly feel that there is something wrong within me. I suddenly sweat even more and I am slowly feeling dizzy. Before the count of three ends, my vision became blurry.

I tried my best to look around as the fans disperse after that picture-taking. But before I could take another step, my eyes shut down and lost consciousness.

Everyone gasped and shout from shock to see me lying on the floor. Somebody cane towards me and calls for some help to wake me up but I couldn't utter a single word. I can hear an inaudible sound of people around me but I can't open my eyes no matter how hard I try.

The people surrounding me start to move away as someone shouts to give me some space to breathe. He straighten my arms and legs and kept tapping both sides of my shoulder, maybe he's checking if I'm still conscious. I tried my best to utter a word but all I can do was to say an inaudible sound to show him I'm still conscious.

My vision may be blurry but I am sure that there's this familiar girl who walks towards me and stay right beside me. She was calling out for me and listening to her voice made me sure that it's Nini.

In a panic, she commanded the guy who initially took care of me to bring me to the nearest hospital. He took off his jacket and put it on my lap to make sure that the skin beneath my shorts won't be exposed. He pulled up my right arm and wrapped it around his neck then he slowly lifted me. The way, he took me in his arms, proves that he's into the gym. He easily lifted me despite my height and weight.

Nini was about to call out for a taxi but the guy walk towards the white car parked in front of the café.

"It will be faster to bring her with my car."

Then they rapidly lay me down on the back seat. Nini sits on the side so my head could rest on her lap. The guy walks towards the driver's seat and drives hurriedly.

I am trying my best to stay conscious but my lids get heavier each time I tried to open up my eyes. I can't hold out any longer. I guess, I just have to sleep during the drive.

=========

My head is aching so much and my vision is a little bit blurry. I tried to move my head to see if there's someone with me but the room seems empty.

"Are you back to your senses?" I can hear a guy's voice. Am I still hallucinating from fear because of what happened a while ago??

"Who are you?" I mumbled as I tried to look at him intently to see his face but it's hard.

"Don't push yourself too much. It won't do you any good. But since you're finally awake, I guess I can leave now."

He took something from his pocket and I saw the white bottle of medicine. He put it on the side table and turned his back away from me. But before he took another step, he took a pause and said...

"Don't rely too much on ALPRAZOLAM. it can only help to subside your symptoms but it won't cure you at all. Don't be mistaken."

Then walked out cooly without even introducing himself. I was about to talk but he already closed the door before I could say a word. I didn't even have the chance to thank him for taking me to the hospital.

Nini came in after a few seconds and her eyes brighten to see me awake. She hugged me tightly while looking t me with teary eyes. She kept saying sorry to me for neglecting me during my panic.

"Anyway, did you ever had the chance to ask who that guy is? I wasn't able to thank him for helping a stranger like me."

"For your information, he's the new owner of Everyday's Mood Café. So you can thank him properly later." Nini said nonchalantly.

"You have his number, right? Can I have it?" I asked.

And Nini gave me my phone and his number as well so I can send him a message to thank him even this way in the meantime.

"Hi, sir. This is Sissy. I've got your number from my manager. I just wanna thank you for helping me a while ago. I hope I could pay you back for your kindness. Please let me know if there's anything I can do to return the favor."

After a few seconds, a received a message from him.

"Jace. Don't call me Sir because I'm not your boss. No need to return the favor. Just take care of yourself properly so you won't cause any commotion again."

Wait, what?! Commotion?! How dare he! As if I intended that to happen. Who the heck he thinks is he? How dare he mock me for something beyond my control.

CONCEITED!