CHAPTER 4

Bria was busy stirring her iced mocha while waiting for her friend Shayla to arrive. She called a while ago saying she wants to meet Bria. She had a feeling that this is all about what happened to Jane the last time.

                                                    

While waiting, she saw someone standing at the front door of the café shop and she knows who it is. She tried to call him but didn’t seem to hear it because he was talking to someone over his phone.

Sabria stood up and tried to walk to approach him but a sudden group of people walk inside towards the café and when she looked again where she had last seen him, he wasn’t there anymore.

She knows it was Dash. When she was about to go outside to find Dash, someone called her name. It is Shayla with Coreen, another friend of hers. “Hey there, did you wait long? Let’s go grab something sweet,” Shayla said after they kiss cheeks to cheeks.

As soon as they’re all sitting at their table and got their orders ready, they opened up about what happened to Jane.

I knew it, she thought to herself with slight twitching of her lips.

“Why did you do that to her? She’s one of our friends right?” said Coreen feeling annoyed.

“Oh, that thing? Dash and I already talked about that a week ago. I said I had nothing to do with what happened to Jane. I wasn’t even there in the first place, so why’d everyone blaming me?” she told them as tears shone in her eyes.

“We all know that you have a deep grudge against her. And we have a feeling that you did it,” said Shayla but she was somehow affected by Bria that is now wiping off her few drops of tears.

“Prove it.” She challenge them as she ruggedly wiped her fake tears.

She knows that they have no evidence to prove that she was the one who did it. I clean all the pieces of evidence. My fake friends. She said grinning at the back of her head.

“If you don’t have any evidence, please stop this nonsense conversation. You only cared for her. How about me? You guys didn’t even bother asking me if I was okay. I’m also one of your friends,” she said trying to hold back her tears.

It was so painful to know that they are more concerned with Jane than me. When in fact we were the first ones who became friends, she thought and can’t help but to feel so much resentment towards them.

They had no idea what Jane did to me, how she lured and befriended me until she successfully stole Dash from me. Her anger once again wanted to explode but she tried to calm herself.

“Bria, of course, we cared for you, that’s why we want you to reconcile with Jane because we treasure our friendship,” Coreen said as she holds Bria’s hand and look her in the eye as she was about to cry.

Her mind became gloomy because of what she heard. She raised her voice and said. “Treasure our friendship?” Her lips formed into a grin and continued. “If Jane treats me like a friend, why did she stole my dreams most especially Dash. She knows very well that he is my boyfriend but in just a snap I’d lost the one I love. How could she let him fall for her? She must’ve thought that someone would be hurt if she cared and knows what friendship means!” Her eyes swam with tears. As she felt so much loath towards Jane and starting to build a wall between the two.

She has no one to trust anymore. Even Coreen and Shayla. Nobody is there for her when she was in her saddest days. But when they heard about what happened to Jane, they immediately confronted Bria without knowing the entire story.

“Sabria, that is not true. Jane does her best to avoid falling for Dash because she knows that you will be mad at her, but as Jane tries to avoid him, he approaches her even more that she can’t control her feelings and eventually fall in love with him.” Shayla tries to explain everything to her. But her mind is closed to any explanation coming from them.

“I don’t believe you! I know you always take her side. So don’t force yourselves to protect her!” she said as she hit the table with greeted teeth then walked out of the café.

She heard them calling out her name, yet she didn’t turn around. When she realized that she was far from the café, she immediately look for a restroom and took out all her tears.

She cries out loud in one of the cubicles. She wants to take out all the tears she kept for too long. She felt so much hatred for her friends. I felt betrayed again. As if all the memories of our friendship vanished because of a mere woman. She thought as she continued to cry.

When she felt more at ease and dried up all her tears, she fixed herself and came out of the restroom. While she was walking around the mall trying to clear her mind, there’s someone caught her attention. She came closer and suddenly hugged her from the back.

“Hey Dash, I’ve missed you so much,” she said and not breaking the back hug.

He suddenly turned around and saw the shock and astonishment on his face but faded away instantly, then gave her a sweet smile.

“Oh. Hi ahmm, Save, how are you?” he said not taking off his smile.

I felt a bit strange. Dash didn’t call me by that nickname, and the way he smiles, there is something. Sabria said at the back of her mind but she ignored her thoughts, instead. She kissed him on the lips, a quick one.

His eyes widened due to the sudden kiss and to her surprise, he did not get angry with Bria, yet he gave her another set of a smile.

She did not get what was going on right now. Why did Dash smile when I kissed him instead of getting angry about what I’ve done to him? She wondered. However, she does not want to bother with any more thoughts as long as she had a chance to have a little time with him even if she was now in love with Jane.

“So, what are you doing here Dash?” she asked while smiling at him.

She noticed the sudden frown on his face but abruptly change into a slight curve in his mouth and form a smile.

“Well, I am ahh… Here to meet someone. But sorry, I am not…” He didn’t get a chance to continue what he was about to say when his phone rang. “Excuse me, got to take this.” He picked up the phone and answer the call.

On the other hand, Sabria got a text message from her mom saying that she was brought to the hospital due to a mild fever a while ago, but is now okay and resting in their house. So she just waved to Dash as she’ll be leaving first and hurriedly walked away.

SATURDAY

This is the day that Sabria is waiting for. She woke up early in the morning and prepared everything she needed.

She was preparing breakfast when she heard her mom walking down the stairs.

“Mom, why did you get up so early? The doctor said you have to rest for a whole week,” she said worriedly, as she helped her mom walking by holding her arm.

“I’m already okay gummy bear. I felt sicker if I stayed lying on the bed for a week. It’s already sickening for a day. And I know this is a special day for you, so I want to eat with you,” her mom said as she hugged her tight and kissed her forehead.

“Thank you, mom. But promise me do not overwork yourself and take your medicine on time. I will be calling you from time to time, and you will be dead if you didn’t obey me.” She tried to be funny as she scolded her mom.

“Okay. I think I am the daughter between us. You always scolded me like a child.” She chuckled. After they eat, Bria cleans their dishes and fix herself to go.

“Got to go, mom,” she said and hugged her mom.

“I love you, mom. See you later. Rest well, okay?” Bria added

“I love you too, my gummy bear. Drive safely.” Her mom smiled as she went out and hopped in the car. She waves her hand before she drives off.

She was in a good mood while driving, and she even turned on the radio and played a song. When she arrived at the agency, she called Claire and said that she was at the entrance of the building. Claire replied that she would be waiting in the conference room to explain everything. Sabria hurriedly went to the conference room and saw Claire inside.

“Claire, I’m already here, so what’s the problem you’ve been telling me?” she asked cheerfully.

“Oh, thank God you’re already here, Verone. Here, take this.” She gave Bria some colored paper, markers, and a pencil.

Her forehead puckered. She wondered why did Claire give these things to her.

“What’s the matter, Verone? Move quickly. We don’t have enough time to prepare for this,” she said as her eyes focused on the other colored papers on the table.

“I…don’t understand a thing, Claire. What are these for? Am I making something with these art materials? I thought I was about to join the event with Mr. Alarcon, so why am I here holding these… things?” She lifted the things she was holding. She can’t figure out what is she doing here and not on the stage? As she remembers, one of her colleagues told her that Jane got scolded so hard by Claire and Mr. Alarcon, she wanted her out of the models after what she did to her dress.

Claire cleared her throat before she replied. “No one said that you’re gonna be one of the models of Mr. Alarcon, Verone. I said I needed your help, but that doesn’t mean that you’re joining them on stage. Who told you that? I just needed you to help me finished the decorations for the event. What’s on your mind Verone,” she explained as she chuckled and let out a small laugh while shaking her head.

Sabria felt so disappointed. She expects that she will be the one that will replace Jane but, she expects too much. She can’t control herself. Her grip tightened while holding the materials and dropped it hard on the table before she managed to talk.

“I... I need... Some fresh air Claire. I want to go home for now. I’m not feeling well. I’m so sorry I will not be able to help you with this.” She hurriedly ran out of the room before her tears fell out.

While running, she bumps someone in the corridor.

“Hey, watch where you’re going b*tch!” said the girl.

Sabria lifted her head and saw Esther. The one who said to her that false news.

“Oooh, look whose here, Hi there Verone, How are you? Do you really expect that you will be the one who will replace Jane as the main model for the event?” She looked at Bria in a very disgusting way, and her companion said, “I think she does Esther, look at her face.” And they both laugh loudly.

“So, you planned all this. F*cking Assh*le!” Bria managed to fight back her tears and pulled the hair of Esther as she was now full of rage that she wanted to beat someone, especially now that she already knew who did this to her. She will not let anyone step on her.

Esther screamed out of pain, and can’t fight back because Bria is taller than her and her hair is shorter. Her friend just run away like a coward after she saw what Bria is doing to Esther.

“You son of a b*tch!! Don’t you ever do this again to me, or you will die in the most painful way. I will shred you into pieces like a scratch paper!” After that she let her go and pushed her away. The girl glared at her and starts to talk. “Do you think I am really the one that told Ms. Claire about you? Think again little fox.” As the girl runs away from her with fear in her eyes.