inesperado

INESPERADO


Shaira T. Lopez
BSEDEN 4-2D

"I am in the middle of the dance floor, in the place where everyone is having fun. I am seeing the happy faces of the people, hear their loud cheers and the booming pop music, feel the treble and bass of the speakers, and smell their mixed sweat but I know I do not belong here. I am being claustrophobic until I saw a beautiful scene. I caught, this beautiful Greek god staring at me. I smiled and he smiled back coming closer. I feel the tension of my limbs, the churning of my stomach and the hard thumping of my heart. Now that he is few inches away, I can smell his delicious breath. I can't resist but to stare at his angelic face. And when he held my hand I melted and almost lost my sanity. I am under his sweet spell, and I hope this would last forever."
---
Grace was awakened by her noisy alarm clock. The strands of sunlight from the window are struck her face. How she wish that her dreams would last forever because in dreamland she have his prince and there was a happy ending.
"Urgh. I hate Mondays." she groaned.
She is too tired to get up. She closed her eyes again hoping to get more sleep and experience the glory of God but the cruel alarm clock rang noisily again demanding her to get up.
She looked at her cell phone but she only saw blurred image. Nah, she forgot that she have a poor eyesight. She wear her eyeglasses and checked the time, 6:48 A.M. flashed in the screen.
"What the hell? This is so fucked up!" she shouted upon seeing the screen.
She hurriedly checked the girl in the other room; she was so worried about her last night. Sleeping there was a girl full of promises who is still dreaming at the moment. They have to talk some matters but for now she must get prepared. She rushed into the shower room and washed all of the thoughts she has in mind.
---
"All right Miss Silvestre, explain to the class the importance of Economics to our society." her teacher announced.
That question terrified her and awakened her from day dreaming. She was still thinking about her dream last night, and the thought of it make her more nervous.
Finally she recovered from losing her common sense and faced the class as confident as she can.
"Economics is the study of the supply and demand and it is essential to the society because without it, society will not be functional. Make sense."
She sat on her armchair and after hearing her answer her classmates laughed. She finally realized that they are not used in seeing her like that, looking like a damn stupid.
"Shit. I hate this." she murmured to herself.
"It seems like you aren't prepared today Miss Silvestre. Are you all right?" asked her young, strict and terror professor.
"I'm so sorry Prof." she whispered shyly.
After some moment of discussion professor finally said, "All right class, let's call it a day. Class dismissed."
---
She is a competitive woman, she is an achiever, and she doesn't want others to see like that. She had a lot of misfortunes in her life during her childhood.
It was a Sunday morning in a busy market in San Isidro. The people were busy doing their own businesses. They were all preparing for their gatherings. She still remembered what actually happened that day.
She was with a woman, she looked like her and she promised her that she would be only left for a while to buy her a toy but she never came back. That cruel woman left her in the middle nowhere, in a busy place where people do not care.
That merciless woman treated her like a piece of garbage that can be thrown anywhere. That very moment she felt that she is the most unloved and unwanted creature ever made. The woman whom she called 'Mama' had forsaken her and chose the freak tattooed police man over her.
That very moment she was crying so hard looking for her Mama. But the people act like they are not seeing her. They do not pay attention. Thanks God a concerned woman heard her cries and grabbed her in the middle of the crowd. Her face is as calm as an angel and her voice is a soothing sound. Her sweet smile and tender touch calmed her from the trauma she had.
The kind hearted woman asked her "What is your name little girl?"
She just looked in her eyes "Why are you alone here in the market and where is your Mama?" after hearing that question she shook her head and tears fell down to her innocent face.
Her mama left her in the market so she can live freely with the tattooed policeman who maltreated her.
"Alright then, we will go to the police station so we can report your case." She said in a concerned tone.
She held the right arm of the woman tightly with eyes pleading.
"Oh what is the problem little girl, are you afraid of policemen?" she just moved her head up and shrugged her shoulders to show yes sign.
"All right we will not go there, By the way I am Maria but you can call me 'Ima'. For the meantime come with me so I can clean you and give you some warm soup." she told her smiling.
After hearing those gentle words her eyes twinkled with joy.
---
Ima Maria has been her mother since she was 4 years old. The woman does not have any relatives so she treated her as her own. Her Ima taught her lot of things. She taught her from household chores to lessons in life. In short, she taught her the A-Z of life.
What she loved the most about Ima is her being caring and understanding. She always cooked the soup she tasted when they first met but she knew she will never taste that soup again. Her Ima died couple of years ago because of heart failure.
Since then, she became independent and hardworking. She became a working student to support her studies. All of the lessons of her Ima are instilled in her heart and mind. She missed her Ima so much and she wish she is still here by her side.
---
"I miss you so much Ima." she murmured silently.
"Hey Miss Prim and Proper what are you thinking, and hey why are you crying?" she heard a concerned voice but her mind is still buffering.
"Hey Gracie are you with me?" said the only person calling her that way so she easily recognized her even when her eyes are still foggy.
"Ah...Yes. I just missed my Ima." she said while wearing her specs.
"Poor Gracie, please stop crying. I'm sure Ima doesn't want to see you this way" the girl told her.
"I know, I know. By the way, what are you doing here?" she asked curiously.
"Isn't it obvious Gracie? Of course I am also studying here. Have you forgotten?" the girl answered with a laugh.
"Geez, it's not what I mean, I thought you are enrolled in night class" she replied.
"Now that is the reason why I am already here. I just fixed my schedule so I can do some other stuffs." the girl replied her cheerfully.
"Don't tell me..." she told her in a laugh. The girl just smiled.
"You're hopeless Karla. You must set your priorities." she continued.
Karla shook her head and said "No Gracie. You always sound boring, your just 18 yet you sound like 35 ha-ha. Well kidding aside study hard, work hard and play hard. Live life to the fullest because we only live once."
She could always rebut her arguments "Alright, alright you won this argument Karla but I'm just a good friend reminding you. See you later."
The girl smiled and replied "Got that." They exchanged kiss in the cheeks and giggles.
---
She had known Karla since they were kids. They were childhood best friends. Her Ima and Karla's Mom are good friends too so they have a strong family bond. They graduated in the same school during Elementary and High School and both of them always belong to the Top students.
Now they are both studying in the same University but enrolled in different courses. Karla is taking up BS Tourism while she is BS Management. They are also housemates. Karla's parents insisted that she must stay in the same unit they bought for Karla.
In their years of being together, they laughed, cried and bathe together. They have shared many things, listened to the problems of each other, used with the attitude and habits of each other and even smelled the fart of each other.
They are like sisters. They are cliché even they are opposite in many things. Karla was independent, bold, straightforward and damn confident. She does not really care about how she looked because is born beautiful and effortlessly gorgeous.
In contrary, she is called as "Miss Prim and Proper" others call her old maid because of her actions. Even though she was independent, she is always shy and naïve in some things. She loves reading classical books.
---
"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."
She is sitting in her favourite bench inside the campus while reading one of her favourite classical books: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. People walking in the campus don't even care about her existence. She is alone in her own world dreaming that like Elizabeth she will have her own Mr. Darcy.
She is a kind of girl who wanted to have her own happy ever after but she know that omens are not yet on her side.
"Do I not deserve to have my happy ever after?" she asked herself.
She is already in the second semester of third year college yet she hasn't had any relationships or suitors. It's given that she is aloof with men because of her childhood experience but she is not a man hater maybe she haven't seen that man he is dreaming every night.
"Please boy, save me from this misery." she told herself while thinking about the man in her dreams.
A text message from Karla interrupted her from reading, "Hey Gracie come with me in the salon later. See yah" That text made her think, what was Karla's plan?
---
"So what are you feeling right now?" Karla asked.
What was she feeling right now? There was a team of stylist working on her. A woman is scrubbing her soles and giving her an excellent foot spa, other was fixing her fingernails and the other was doing her hair and brows. Well, she felt overwhelmed, exhausted yet happy and excited. Yes she was excited seeing how would she look like.
Finally she said, "I feel different and..."
Karla stopped her in mid-sentence and exclaimed "Wow, that's great! That is the answer I want to hear, that you feel different and will surely look different."
She just smiled and looked at her friend.
"Thank you Karla." she said shyly but the latter just smiled at her.
Karla seemed to be very happy and contented. Even they are living in the same unit, they haven't talked much since last week. She was sure that her best friend was very happy even she does not know the reason. Whatever that is, she feels the same way for her.
---
After the transformation in the salon, Karla grabbed her in the department store. She was curious why her best friend was putting lots of item in the cart. Karla picked twenty items and called the sales lady.
"Miss, please accompany her to the fitting room. Thanks." Karla told the sales lady.
"What was Karla saying? She will go in the fitting room?" she told herself.
She is about to ask Karla but the latter waved her hand saying that she is speaking in the phone.
"Ma'am this way please" said the sales lady.
She has no choice but to fit those dresses. They are beautiful but very expensive. She has no budget for these possessions, maybe some other time but not now.
While in the fitting room, she was wondering why Karla was so excited about her transformation. She shook her head to erase those thoughts and concentrate in what she's doing.
Finally, she wore the last garment and her reflection captured her attention. The dress fits perfectly to her. It was a silky and velvety violet v-neck tube dress with lacy design. She tied her curly hair, revealing her assets: her fair skin, slim shape, her bust and butt. She realized that she is beautiful and alluring in that dress. She suddenly became conscious on how she looked. The thought of this made her pale cheek turn red.
---
"OMG Gracie! Is that you? You are so pretty!" Kala exclaimed. Hearing the compliment of her friend made her flush.
"Karla about the dress, I will pay you back in my next payday" she said shyly.
"No that's nonsense; well that is my treat for you. And now let's go in the restaurant, I am starving." she said cheerfully.
---
It's Friday night and both of them were staying in the unit for the whole weekend. They were eating diner when Karla just gave her 32-teeth sweetest smile.
"I am afraid to see that smile Karla. I know you are up to something." Grace said looking to her best friend straight in the eyes.
"Yes Gracie. I-I have a proposition." the girl said in a low voice.
She can saw the honesty in her best friend's expression. And when she saw that her best friend having hard time, she can't help but to also carry the baggage she have.
"And what is it this time?" she asked seriously.
She really hopes that this was not one of her best friend's bratty proposals.
"I am giving you Julius." she said in a serious tone.
Hearing her best friend's proposition made her heart beat increase and her saliva thick.
"Karla, are you out of your mind? How can you say such thing?" she told her while rolling her eyes.
"No Gracie, I am serious. Make Julius fall in love with you." she told her.
"Did I mishear Karla? No. Not. This is far from dreaming." she told herself.
She is fucking awake. She closed her eyes forcefully not believing of what she just heard.
"You've got to be kidding me. No. This is one of your pranks. Karla this isn't getting any funnier." She said forcing a laugh.
But what she heard is not funny at all. The delicious diner lost its flavour.
Her best friend just asked her to make her boyfriend fall in love with her. That is very complicated. It is more complicated than Newton's Theory of Relativity and the hardest Algebraic expression. And this is not being sensible at all.
"Gracie, I know you are in the state of disbelief right now but I am not joking or making pranks at all. I am fucking serious." She told her.
"I've never been this selfless in my whole life. Gracie, Julius is a beautiful person and I don't want him to be taken for granted. I loved him but not the way he loves me. I know that I am not the right girl for him because I am not capable of giving him back the love that he is giving." she added lengthily.
"But Karla..." she protested.
"I don't want him to end with girls like me who can't give the love he truly deserves. I know you are the right person who can give him that love." Karla continued.
"I-I do not know what are you...why are you doing this?" Grace muttered silently.
"As I said, I just want to be fair, I fell out of love and I don't want him to be miserable. I do not love him the way I do but I still care for him. He still plays a big part in my life. Look Gracie, Julius is a person easy to love. And you are a lovable person. You two will end up happily. Trust me this will be going to work. Please." she said with a tone of finality.
That was her best friend's final words before going to her room. She was left in the dining table mouth-opened and staring at Karla's door.
---
Karla planned all of this. She planned everything from the salon, the makeover, the wardrobe transformation, up to this moment. Her best friend is really a master manipulator.
Karla, her best friend fell out of love with her boyfriend and asked her to make Julius fall in love with her.
"God Karla, what have you done?" she told herself.
She doesn't know what to do and can't stop thinking about her best friend's revelation. The thought of this made her weak.
---
It's already 9:00 am and she is still lying on her bed. Last night was exhausting. She was drained because of too much information and emotion she had the previous day. She still can't believe what happened last night was real. How she wish that it is just a bad dream and now she can start a brand new day.
"Good Morning Grace. For sure Karla will be enlightened." she told herself smiling.
When she is about to go in the restroom she saw a sticky note in the door saying. "Hey Gracie, I believe you will make the right decision. I am not forcing you but I trust that you will grant me that favour. Just give it a try. Love lots.