Chapter 3: The Girl Named Caroline

Matty already went home after our small conversation. As for me, my day was just starting. I'm on my way to a part-time job at a convenience store just between our house and the capital. 

Seeing the road quite empty, I think it is going to be a long afternoon. 

The almost worn out sign was flickering, and the cemented floor has some obvious cracks. Perhaps it is time for me to inform the owner about some repairs. Well not that it is urgent. 

I saw Rex sitting on the counter busy playing with his phone, I can see he pretty much focuses on other things than his responsibility in manning the store. 

The digital effect, together with the voice of a female character, is loudly echoing on the walls. Just hearing that as a hint I already know he is playing a game with legend on it's title, though my limited knowledge of mobile games made me fail to recall it fully. 

I coughed to announce my presence. Calling the attention of the young Rex. 

"Oh, Ate Mimi... You're just in time!" he said standing up preparing to leave. 

"Naku, Rex... I'll take over now," I said to scold him a bit. 

I head to the backroom to change my clothes. I donned my uniform and proceeded to the counter. As I tied my hair, Rex suddenly handed me an expensive boxed meal, saying it was his treat. 

Knowing him it was probably a bribe, since he is currently courting my little sister, Natalie. 

I smirk at him, "Do you really think you could sneak up on me like this." 

He ignored me, and made a bold statement as he ran away, "You received it already so please let me have just one date with Natalie." 

"You cheeky brat! I won't let you... No matter how many Boxed Meals you gave me!" 

I sighed, since in the end Natalie will decide for herself. My part-time work took more time than usual since the owner who is taking the night shift came late. 

"Mimi, Sorry... Something came up and I wasn't able to text you, I'll pay you overtime, so don't worry," he caught his breath and apologized.

"It is ok, Kuya Alex," I simpered, excusing myself on the counter. 

I went home at quarter to 9 o'clock and saw Natalie squirming on the sofa as she watched her favorite teleserye...

"Ate, your home!" she greeted me while chomping potato chips with her mouth. "Do you have something right now?" Extending her hands toward me as if she's begging alms. 

I gently threw her a bag filled with sandwiches.... And more chips. 

I slapped her hand as I saw her grabbing another bag of Potitos, "Oho, too much sodium will be bad for you, there are sandwiches there to refresh your palate, just make sure to leave some for breakfast." 

I already felt her annoyance, but of course she cannot disobey me. Right now I'm her legal guardian. Much more true that all her suitors are required to pass through me first. Well, the truth is she is just using me as an excuse to indirectly reject them. 

"By the way, Ali, where's Tatay? Did he come home?" I asked since I wasn't able to see him... 

"Ate, didn't you know Tatay is preparing for his campaign speech," She said, pondering the reason behind my unawareness. 

"Ah, Yes! I almost forgot it" 

My mind was wandering somewhere, I did a lot of things today. Tatay will probably sleep at the barangay hall. Marking the date of barangay elections on my calendar with a sharpie, I crept up into my bed, and opened my laptop lying atop the mattress. 

I closed my eyes and Melissa Santiago disappeared temporarily to the world. 

I do dedicate my late night activities as another person, no matter how absurd that thought is. 

That night I entered a new world, with a different me— 

This is a secret I kept to myself, well except for Matty who for some reason found me out herself. Until now I still wonder how she did it. I certainly do not believe that it was just from intuition just like she reasoned. Maybe she is a psychic!? 

Anyways I'll take this debate for another time. 

[CAROLINE is now online]

I checked my page and my followers went up another few thousands. Seeing this made my seemingly normal life start to get a bit exciting. 

In this place I was an admirable girl, an Aphrodite with a wholesome angel-like face. You can even debate that I was the prettiest.  

The little cheers of admiration had been making my nights special. Scrolling and clicking I witness that my post is getting more popular and many people await everything I wanted to say. Well, for starters, I think I need to update my status. 

- @carolineonline

<< Today someone gave me a boxed lunch for my part time job. Isn't that a little sweet? >>

I also inserted a complementary picture along with my post. According to those How-To-Be-Popular Teen Magazines, having a visual aid to a post helps the audience engage with it instinctively. Even more so that people's attention spans are getting shorter and shorter by the year. 

Just for a few seconds, many liked my status and comments were flooding on my page. It took quite a long time to almost read them all. 

There is even one person, spamming his name like 25 times now. 

Reading through my comments, a notification appeared on my screen, it was from Jaiden. 

Perhaps you are wondering who Jaiden is, well it is safe to say he was my online fling. We instantly clicked together so when he asked me on an online date, I saw no harm and agreed. 

To be honest, I don't like him that much, I just love the attention he was giving me. I don't really care what he does or who he is in real life. 

Anyhow, it may have been just a few months but I can feel the relationship is still sailing well. Knowing that Caroline is one dazzling lady, I believe she is meant to be liked by anyone.

I stumbled upon her photo randomly uploaded on the net. It was during my first class in photo-realism sketching. We are tasked to draw an image of a perfect woman and I know just from seeing her looks, she is a goddess-descent. Perhaps the personification of beauty itself. 

That is when I first received an A+, and the idea of Caroline getting into shape. 

Jaiden, on the other hand, was in the realm of handsome. He has this sort of devilish look, and he always looks good in red. Though he is pretty, he has a gentle feel to him like you can feel his love even just behind the screen. He also follows my requests pretty easily. I do use his pictures for some sketches, every now and then. 

I do not know but he is becoming more active with me lately, just yesterday he admittedly told me he had 13 ex-girlfriends, which I had little doubts about.  

At first I thought he was just goofing around, but seeing him messaging me everyday without fail, made me kind of guilty that the girlfriend he expected to be a goddess might just be an ordinary girl. 

I know I'm not ugly, but I cannot also admit that I'm pretty. I know because no one notices me, no one dares. So here we are right now. 

I clicked Jaiden's profile and went to the message tab. There flashed our chat message. 

There are few unreads so I clicked them one by one, arriving at the last one. 

[JAIDEN: Hi Caroline! How's your day?]

My cheeks flushed seeing his wacky photo sent along with the message. 

I scrolled to my saved images and used a photoshop image of Caroline and skillfully attached it to my body. 

As a media arts major, making a clean Photoshop is just a piece of cake. It is pretty convenient as well. 

I only have one original photo, which I got from the net. I'm just continuously recycling it over and over again. There are no copywriter claims to it nor any record of that person. So my initial thought was that she might be a computer generated image. Honestly even if you look through the depths of the web, I'm sure no one will find her, I hope.

I finally sent him the finished photo of me eating in the convenience store. 

"I sent this to make you jealous. Haha" I replied pertaining to the post I sent earlier. 

[JAIDEN: This sucks, I cannot send you anything because you refuse to tell me your address. When will you agree to meet?.] 

"Haven't you agreed that it is ok not to tell you? I hate you, you're being too clingy!"

[JAIDEN: Ah, by the way, I would like to ask you something....]

Seeing his reply, I sense some anxiety building inside me. Perhaps it is better to call it bad omen. 

"What is it?" I proceed to reply. 

[JAIDEN: Well it was my mom's birthday next week, and I already told her about you. If it was possible, I would like you to meet my parents. I think I really love you and I think it is time for me to take this relationship seriously. Please agree.] 

Reading the message, my senses had told me that I screwed up.

I froze on my spot, deeply thinking about my life decisions. "Shit! What should I do?"

Unable to think of a reply I logged out of my account and closed my laptop. I was panting. I feel my lungs shutting down and a heated feeling is welling up inside me. Perhaps this is what they're calling conscience. 

I laid on my bed, facing up the ceiling. A thought appeared in my mind. Maybe Matty knows what to do... 

Assuring myself, almost as if convincing. My friend who resolved every problem she had faced will surely give me the best solution. 

I close my eyes wishing for the night to pass quickly.