The blinding sun shines so bright outside the window, indicating a new day to survive. As I dressed up in a blazer skirt romper with a pair of black heels and a small bag, I was ready to head out to start my day with the people I just badly want to meet now.
I drove my way to the coffee shop that Aisha told me about where we would all meet before going out to a shop for the rest of the day. I insisted that we go to one because I feel really stressed these days. I am not even sure if a single shop for new clothes when I have dozens of new ones sent by some brands can cure my stress.
When I arrived at the shop, it looked like an expensive one with only a few people inside. As I entered, I caught some of the people’s attention, making them approach me and ask for a single photo which I didn’t ignore. My manager used to tell me that I needed to be cautious of meeting people in public or accepting requests for pictures because any issues might arise even though it wasn’t true or they might have some bad intentions. But I see it as an exaggeration.
Surely my private life was purely stolen the moment I decided to step into the spotlight and I am fully aware of that. But actually judging people that they only want something that won’t even benefit me is an overstatement. Throughout my whole career, I have already learned whom I should be careful of and how to act when there are people around.
It’s not really about being fake, or showing them that I am such a nice woman. That act will be dropped anyway once they find out that I am not what they expected me to be. Even just a single question about my personality can make them question my whole being and start to hate them without much care of my good acts. So being fake in front of the cameras like some models, that is not my thing.
“Took you long enough,” Cat commented upon reaching the table with a sigh. She raised a brow at me, probably confused by the sudden reaction.
“What’s with the sudden long face? You were just smiling earlier.” Aisha pointed out.
But today, that fakeness, I needed it. Not on the negative side, but just to show the people that I am doing well on my vacation, that I am smiling. Since I am mostly out of the media cameras these days, the only news they can rely on me was my own social media posts, my friends, and also the people who spotted me. And if the media shows that I am stressed about small things, they might turn it around and turn my vacation into chaos when it already is.
“I haven’t slept properly since the other day. That’s why.” I only said before taking the menu from Cat’s hand.
Supposedly, it should be all of us to meet today, but can’t really get in our way now that we have our own busy lives. Esther went back to Beijing just a week ago since she needed to take care of some urgent business. She also needs to attend her fiance’s grandmother’s birthday so she can’t stay here. Dominic and Tyra left the city the other day to visit Tyra’s relatives in the province with her family as some kind of family tradition every year. Lastly, Kai has his schedule packed with important investors coming from abroad today, so he can’t really leave until he gets it done and makes sure that everything is under control.
The fact that we actually have our own lives now still makes it an interesting sight in mine. It’s been years since we graduated from studying and since we have entered the path that is set for each other. However, the fascination still remains in my head because, thinking about it, the set of people who used to spend their day after being on the campus for six to seven hours with an after-class shop or hangout and a club at night can barely have any free time to spend with all the others now.
We used to have so much time to spend with one another, despite being given such activities, that we have almost traveled all over the country already. I still remember those times when we caused actual trouble just because we wanted to have fun. Or those moments when thinking about the future seem so far and hard to achieve. But looking at us now, in our late 20s, we have already achieved so much and have been achieving more.
It is all just a good memory now. But I definitely am thankful because I still got all of them even up until now.
“By the way,” I looked up to Cat when she spoke in a curious tone. She presses something over her phone before handing it over on the table to my side. “I saw this earlier while I was getting ready. Is it true?”
I raised a brow, confused about what she meant. But all that confusion disappeared when I saw the headline of the article. It is the same article I saw last night about the end of my contract with the international brand I have been with for many years. They announced that my term as the Global Ambassador of the brand would only last until this month, and even if I made the decision, I am not really sure what to feel about it.
It’s been two weeks since that deal was made with Brandon. And it was the least of my concern now that a deal was made. Since then, I have been in agony about whether the decision I made was actually wrong and I was just being competitive and paranoid about things that I didn’t even manage to take control of my decisions. Just think about it, I dropped a contract with my long-term associated brand just to participate in such a childish deal because I wanted to prove something. It’s ridiculous!
I handed back her phone before nodding. “It’s true. I am signing with a new brand for a year once the contract ends this month,” I explained.
“But you aren’t on a break? Can you even engage in such matters when you shouldn’t be disturbed?” Aisha commented, pointing out what I was actually supposed to do.
“I can, since it depends whether the offer was made before I took a break.” I simply explained again.
They both nodded but I’m sure that they have more questions in mind which I cannot deny. I mean, even I myself was confused and lost after I realized that I dropped such a massive contract. Realization only hit me that it wasn’t the right call after I already dealt with Brandon, but it was already too late to cancel it. The negotiations have already started and I am already stuck with a new brand.
“Which brand is it anyway? Which brand made you drop such an expensive one?” Aisha asked with such interest in her tone, forming a smirk on her lips.
“Styles & Co.,” I only said, earning a look from each of them.
“Isn’t that Brandon’s company clothing brand?” Cat pointed out, and it only took me that before actually wanting to slam my head into the table. I lowered my head to the table, my forehead coming into contact with the table and making a small sound. “What the hell are you doing?”
“It was ridiculous, wasn't it?” I questioned, not sure of what came out of my mouth now.
The signing contract with Brandon’s company was the one that has been bothering me these days. It is also because of that I have been getting a lack of sleep, especially after I had a talk with the director of the previous brand I am with. It was only then when reality fully hit me that I made the wrong call. I am just thankful because the previous brand didn’t hold it against me or else, I will certainly lose it.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Aisha questioned in a frustrated tone.
I raised my head and stared in front of me in the air. “I ended the deal with my previous brand just so I could execute that bet Kai made, and now, there is a huge possibility that I will be in Brandon’s brand for the next three years if I don’t do this well.” I explained without stopping.
“Aren’t you exaggerating a little? Shouldn’t your contracts with a brand only last for a year?” Aisha pointed out once again.
“That is what it is supposed to be, but because of my stupid competitiveness, I pushed myself under a problem that I shouldn’t be in.” I looked at Aisha, then looked at Cat. Each of them gave me a curious look and I just lost it with a sigh. “The day I went to Brandon’s company to discuss their offer, I asked him whether he was gay because I needed an answer to immediately end the bet with Kai.”
“Wait! So you told him about the bet?” Cat exclaimed, looking at me in disbelief.
I nodded and I couldn’t feel more regret. I looked down and sighed again. “He said that he wasn’t. But then, maybe he got all playful and the next thing I knew he was already making a deal with me. If I sign the contract for a year with them, then he will give me the answer through another deal. He will flirt with me and I will do the same, but only with the intention of proving if my allegations are true or not.” I explained without giving them a look.
“What did you just say?!” They both said in unison, raising their voices, making them attract everyone’s attention in the room.
I looked around and immediately gave an apologetic smile to the people around us before glaring back at the two. “Can you shut it down? Oh my God! I’m already stressed enough here. I don’t want you both to let other people know more about this,” I said in a firm tone.
“Sorry. I think we were very shocked. But, are you f*****g serious right now? A deal? Flirt with one another?” Aisha cursed and asked. Maybe just to make sure she didn’t hear it wrong.
“It’s ridiculous, isn’t it? I made a deal with the person I despise and now I have to deal with him almost every single time.” I frustratedly said.
“Damn, I never imagined that there would be a chance for you and Brandon to actually work together on something. I mean, way back to college, it is impossible because you were both in a different department and you both hated each other naturally just afterwards. Then, now that you are in a working world, your worlds suddenly collide again? With an actual twist with so many possible endings?!” Cat continuously says, making me only let out a deep sigh. “What’s the catch? Surely a deal wouldn’t be made with that guy if there isn’t a catch.”
“He said that if I win, I can tell all of you that he is gay even though he might not be and he wouldn’t care at all—”
“But wouldn’t that make the whole bet useless? Kai made that bet so you could prove to him your allegations, but if Brandon just basically wants you to lie and tell Kai that he is gay even though there is a high chance he isn’t, then what’s the use of it?” Cat interrupted again, confused about the catch.
“I was thinking the same thing!” I exclaimed. “You don’t know how confused I was when he told me that I could just shout out that he was gay and he wouldn’t care about it. Isn’t that the actual interpretation and answer right there that he isn’t gay?”
“That man probably has something on his sleeve. What if he wins? What does he want?” Aisha interrupted this time.
“He wants me to model for their brand for three years,” I simply answered.
“Now, that is the reason why,” She said in a chill manner. She leaned forward, placing her folded arms on top of the table while looking at me. “You do realize that you got trapped, right?”
“There is certainly no need to point it out more. I knew I had made such a stupid decision. I don’t even know why I actually gave in.” I said, disappointed in myself.
“Well, you made a bet with Kai, a troublemaker. So I guess it’s not really shocking if you will fall into Brandon’s trap too.” Cat pointed out, making me feel frustrated more. “But, isn’t it a good thing to sign a contract with him too? I mean, his brand is basically new and you could be the one who can lead that to success. That will be a huge recognition to your name, proving that you are indeed in your prime. He gets to have a successful business while you get praise. That’s a win-win situation.”
I looked at her, unsure of how to take such a remark. It might indeed be a win-win situation. But I didn’t really want to work with Brandon now. My life was already going well without his presence. My career is stable and I have huge endorsement deals, then he just had to ruin it.
“But you better be careful, Alexa.” Aisha says, looking at me with such a meaningful look. “A deal that comes with messing up with one’s feelings, it comes with a lot of consequences. I’m hoping you realize how much risk you put yourself into, emotionally if I may say.”
“I agree,” I looked at Cat upon her speaking. “Emotionally means it is your heart at stake. If things go the other way round, it might be your hard work that leads you to losing the game. It’s all about gaining or losing. I just hope you will actually gain something from that deal.”
I know the consequences, and I also know that it is the most impossible thing to happen in this world. If their fear comes with me falling in love with the jerk that hurt our friend and made her cry, they don't need to worry about that… because that is the last thing on my list.
I only have one goal, and one goal as always.
The promise I made shouldn’t be broken, and the only way to actually gain from this deal is to hurt him the way he hurt Tyra. That way, even if I lose the deal, I still gain something.