Chapter 2

I turn silent as I wait for their reactions. It’s like a slow motion as Amanda’s face changes. She is now staring at me with wide eyes. I risk a glance at Jack and sees him staring at me intently with an unreadable expression on his face. I don’t like the way he is looking at me because I feel a shiver down my spine and feel drowned with his intense blue eyes. I look the other way as I try to collect my thoughts.

“Oh my God! That is so cool,” Amanda beams.

I give her a confident smile. I guess it was . . .okay?

“So what does it mean?” She adds after a moment.

The smile freezes on my face. To be totally honest, I have no idea as well. But of course I will never tell her that.

“It means My God,” I say calmly.

The most important thing which I’ve learned from being a con-artist is to still stay as close as you can to the truth. So when all hell break loose, you can still find a way to stay alive.

I think I did well because Amanda looks amazed with her wide eyes. Although I’m not sure if I convinced this Jack guy. He is just regarding me with an amused expression.

“What else?” Amanda doesn’t give up.

I feel a clench of alarm. But of course I try not to show it.

“Er . . .” I clear my throat and busy my mind of something else to say. A sudden brave wave hits me. “Aren’t we going to share our ideas?” I color slightly after realizing what I just suggested. What ideas do I share?!

Amanda frowns thoughtfully like she is considering it. But I guess Jack has a different idea.

“I don’t think so,” he interrupts for the first time, “I think your Japanese words are far more interesting. Tell us some more.” He smirks.

Okay. So yes, truthfully and I won’t lie, I find him attractive and sexy as hell if you’re into this rough kind of guy but the reality is I don’t think I should. I could see it in his eyes that he has been laughing at me for a while now. Am I a joke to him?

And the thing is, I am here to lie. To pretend to be someone else. So I don’t really think that I have that option to be righteous at the moment. It is a job and I have to get on with it. Anyway, I am pretty sure Grandpa will pray for my dark soul. I mean, he goes to church all the time! God will definitely favor him for some extra requests. Like saving his precious and beautiful granddaughter.

“Takeyake.’’I dive in to my puddle of lies.

“Means what?” Jack raises and eyebrow.

“It means Take care!” I answer nonchalantly.

“What else?” Amanda leans forward on her seat like she has all the time in the world.

“Er . . .” I struggle as I think of a word. “Asahi,” I finally say.

She frowns. “What does it mean?”

“It means ‘Ask him’. You know, when a girl asks a guy . . out,” I explain trying to be more helpful.

She nods like she understands. “Oh. How about when it’s the other way around?”

For a moment, I look at her blankly. “Oh!” I say quickly and frown thoughtfully, as though the answer is on the tip of my tongue.  “Asa-her?”

“Cool!” she gasps.

I glance at Jack Wills, just to see if by any remote chance he might look impressed. But he is still frowning instead.

I clear my throat and continue. “We also have a word Chinaoil which means ‘I love you.’ “

Amanda turns silent for a moment as she thinks. Suspicion snaps into her eyes. “Isn’t it Aishiteru?”

I swallow hard. I nervously fan myself with my hand and attempt a laugh but it sounds a bit throaty. I risk another glance at Jack and I wish I didn’t because I saw him staring at me too. My heart sinks as I try to gather my thoughts and save my own stupidity.

“Well . . . You’re right but uh . . . you can also use Chinaoil..” A saving grace idea comes to mind. “It’s a local term. Yes, that’s it!”

Smooth.

Amanda raises her perfect eyebrows and looks at me suspiciously. “A local term in Japan? With a word China, you say?”

I close my eyes and mutter a silent curse. I guess this is end. They will know that I am fake. They will definitely catch me. I am going to be kicked out of this wonderful room and will be on the newspaper headline tomorrow. I shouldn’t have taken this job. I am not yet a pro at this. Maybe I can learn from this experience and do better next time around. I pat myself. Yes, that’s it. Just learn from it, Betsy.

I slowly open my eyes and bravely face them. I am not sure which one of them is much worse. Amanda, who is now suspiciously staring at me or Jack who is regarding me with humor in his eyes. There is even a ghost of smile on his sexy mouth. Did I just say sexy? Of course, I didn’t!

As I wait for my bitter fate to unfold in front of my eyes, I am gladly saved by one of the organizers in front as he starts to talk again. He announces that we can go back to our original positions. Nobody talks as we drag our seats. Amanda clearly ignores me. She looks upset and offended. I glance at Jack and notice him watching me with the same annoying twinkles in his eyes. His smirk becomes evident too!

As the discussion continues, I stay quiet on my seat. I am barely breathing just to avoid making noise. I am not even listening. What’s the purpose? It’s not like I have a business to run. I am just a mere employee. But I do well . . I guess.

I ignore the paper and pen on my table. As I said, I barely breathe and move. What I encountered earlier was a shameful one, but that was fine. It’s not like I will be seeing them in the near future. This is just a one-time experience. It’s just similar as peeing on a public swimming pool. You will never ever get back in there again.

After two hours, finally the discussion ends. People start to stand and shook hands. Others are making small conversations, probably about business. I follow suit and pick up my bag from the chair. I take the paper I folded earlier from the table and put it inside the small pocket of the pencil skirt I am wearing. I also take Jack Wills pen to give it back to him but when I turn, he is already gone from his seat.

I turn around and also do not see Amanda. Maybe she is hiding from me. Can’t really say I blame her. I try looking for Jack Wills in the middle of the crowd. After some time, I finally find him. He is standing near the doorway and casually leaning on the wall with that old notebook on his left hand. It seems like he is waiting for someone. I take a deep breath and slowly start to walk towards his location.

A few more steps before reaching him, I stop on my tracks because a small Asian looking guy approaches him. He looks very formal on his business suit. I realize he maybe the person Jack is waiting for. My suspicion is confirmed when I see Jack smiling at him and offered his hand. Asian guy gladly takes it. They shake hands. This is definitely not the first time they see each other. I also notice that they start to have a serious conversation.

I backtrack a bit and take some steps on the other side for them not to notice me. Once I feel my back hit the wall, I stop. The Asian’s back becomes my shield against Jack Will’s vision. It’s not really my intention to eavesdrop on their conversation but from where I am standing, I could not help but hear them. And I am appalled upon hearing the language they are using! They are talking in Japanese! I am more astonished listening to Jack Will’s very fluent speaking skill.

I freeze and then inhale sharply. Their conversation is about to end and I am pretty sure that Jack Wills will see me. I panic, and frantically run after the fat guy in suit who suddenly passes by on his way outside the door. I hide myself and casually walks with him. He becomes my human shield against Jack’s sight.

Unfortunately, when we finally reached outside, I am almost out of breath. My human shield stops walking. He turns around and suspiciously looks at me. He raises a bushy eyebrow.

“What are you doing?” he asks sharply.

I put a hand on my chest as I try to catch my breath.

“Oh. Sorry!” I say and exhale loudly. “I just thought I knew you from somewhere. My bad.”

He looks annoyed. He tsks reprovingly and walks away.

“Have a great day!” I call after him but I don’t think he hears.

I am bone-tired when I reached the hotel. I lie on the queen size bed without changing my clothes yet. It has been a long and exhausting day. I stare at the ceiling as I try to relax and feel the soft bed.

“You almost got caught in there, Betsy,” I say out loud. “Thank God you are still alive!”

I blindly reach for my bag which I clumsily put on the bedside table. I open its zipper and take my smartphone out of it. I put the bag near the headboard and start dialing Yuri Haruko, my client’s number. I want to inform her that my con earlier was a success. Of course I will not be telling her that I almost got caught.  After three trials, she does not pick up so I FaceTime with Pam, my best friend, instead.

She answers on the second ring. “Who are you and where am I?”

“I am Mila Kunis and you are in planet Mars,” I retort.

She yawns and nods as if what I said earlier made sense. “How is New York? How’s the Apple? Is it still big?”

I let her lame joke pass and stares intently at something near her pillow.

“Is that a left over hamburger, Pam?” I ask aghast. “That is really gross.”

“At least I’m not hungry,” she smirks and changes position. Now I don’t see the hamburger anymore. “So . . . how was it pretending to be Yuri Haruko for a day?”

“I almost got caught. Well to tell you the truth I actually think I got caught. I don’t think they believed I was Japanese.” I massage my temple.

“Well, first of all, you don’t look Japanese.”

“What? I’m Asian,” I explain.

“Yeah.” She nods. “But you’re Filipino.”

“What’s the difference?” I ask, puzzled.

I know that she is about to roll her eyes at me but she realizes she is too tired for it so she sighs instead.

“You’re only half Filipino. Plus, you don’t even look like it because of your American dad’s strong genes,” she explains in a soothing voice which I am familiar with. She’s about to take off and by ‘take off’ I mean fall asleep.

“Do you want to see my hotel room?” I say, to keep her up.

Her eyes suddenly snap open, alert. I raise my smartphone for the camera to capture everything.

“Wow! You are definitely living the life,” she gasps. “Now when will I ever meet this Japanese client of yours? You know, I think I can do some extra work too . . . ’’

“Once she visits the spa again. I’ll give you a call.” I can feel my arms starting to get hurt so I brought the smartphone closer to my face again.

“You got a lot of side jobs, my friend,” she yawns loudly. “Even the US Department of Labor is ashamed of you. And also the ITA.”

“You know I just need it,” I say and turn serious.

She frowns. “Wait, you still haven’t told me how you were caught.”

I turn silent as I am reminded again by that conference situation. I organize my thoughts and finally look at her. But instead of seeing her staring at me and waiting for my story, I see her eyes shut and her mouth gaping. Then she snores.