23. Accomplishment

 

CHAPTER 23

 

 

 

 

Accomplishment

 

 

 

 

 

     I walked back to my room and did my usual morning routine. I slid my brown jumpsuit after I took a bath and walked down the kitchen. I never felt hungry until I smelled the luscious scent of eggs and bacon sweetly blended with the aroma of the cappuccino. No one was home except for me and Jasper. I texted Jacque to know what’s going on and she said that Mr. Borchetta gave a pop quiz. I guess I should go to school tomorrow already; it’ll be hard catching up.

 

 

     I spent the next few hours watching Grey’s Anatomy season five in DVD. I didn’t finish it; I just stopped when I heard someone knock on the door. I looked at the time, to see that it’s already four pm, and headed to the door. It was Paulo, smiling sheepishly like yesterday.

     “Wait just a sec,” I said and hurried to my purse. I took the one thousand dollars and gave it to Paulo.

     “Thank you so much,” he said and pulled me in an embrace.

     “No problem,” I murmured as my heart thudded faster, but it never felt so good with him before.

     He let me go after a few seconds, before I could push him. “You’re a real friend; I know I don’t deserve someone like you,”

     “Yeah, stop with the speech,” I said anxiously now. “Go, now... Troy will be home in a little while.”

     “Right, bye.” He flashed his most heart-melting smile to me and walked away. It only took a few second for Troy to come; on cue.

     He looked at me for a second and walked in without saying a thing.

     Great. You just blew it. The voice in my head muttered, and it was right.

     “Troy, I...” I said, though I don’t know what’s the next thing I’ll say. Nothing came from my mouth for a few more seconds except for light breathing. I headed to his room only to find it locked.

     I waited for a few minutes until he finally opened it, holding his bag.

     “Troy, I need to explain,” I followed him downstairs.

     “You don’t need to explain anything. It’s perfectly clear,” he said coldly.

     “But…”

     “You know what I said back then. Talk to him again and forget that we ever became friends again.” he cut me off.

     “Troy, wait!”

     I followed him as he walked out the door.

     “Wait, what about our other deal?” I finally said for my own sake. “Remember? Whoever loses shall do whatever the winner wants... no exceptions,”

     “Fine, what do you want?” He said not looking at me.

     “First, stop walking.”

     And he did.

     “Now face me,” I said as he did. I walked toward him my hands shaking. “I only helped him, but nothing else,”

     “Are you finish?”

     “Please, forgive me... I want you to forgive me, that’s my last request,”

     “Your last request?”

     “Yes,” I said keeping my tears from falling.

     “Fine,” he said quickly. “You’re forgiven, but that doesn’t mean I have to talk to you, and that’s final,” he said and continued his way to his car.

     He just outsmarted me. I can’t believe him. I sat on the swing and buried my face to my hands. How can I outsmart him too?

     Outsmart him? What is this, some kind of game? The voice in my head muttered again. And sadly, the voice was right.

 

***

     Okay, two days had passed and I’m sick of the cold shoulder. If he won’t talk to Taylor, at least he’ll talk to Lauren. Troy left without eating breakfast, and I just took two banana muffins and went off.

     It’s easier to leave now that Troy and Sarah left earlier and I can just walk out the door without getting seen. I took the cab as usual and called Troy to say that I’ll be going to school now. I was anxious to call him at first, now that he’s not speaking to me, and he hadn’t spoke to Lauren for so long that he might notice the voice resemblance.

     “Hey,” Troy said hugging me tightly.

     “Hey to you too,” I said hugging him back. “I miss you,” and my tone turned into a murmur. It’s true on both ways; for the last two days, we never spoke a word to each other. I can only have a glimpse of him at the morning when he left and in the evening when he hurried to the stairs. I don’t know where he goes after school, but it’s probably somewhere to forget the once best friend he had.

     “You two can do that later, we’ll be late for English,” Jacque said giggling.

     We walked concurrently his arm tight on my waist. He kissed me gently on the forehead before going in the room. “I’m gonna miss you again,” he chuckled low in my ear and sat on his seat in front as Jacque and I sat on the back the same time Mr. Borchetta entered the room.

 

***

     The hours passed swiftly and by lunch, Mandy, Jacque and Stephen were already in our table. New York beef jerky and macaroni and cheese are the specials again; actually, I missed it. Since my usual food in the house was pizza and lasagne.

     “So, what’s new?” I asked taking a bite on the macaroni.

     “Mitch was reigning the campus since Monday, and it ended today,” Mandy said. She kept her hair extension which really is looking dashing on her.

     “What happened today?”

     “She was late, and didn’t make her grand entrance,” she looked behind me.

     I followed her gaze to see Mitch flashing her fierce eyes straight to me. I felt a shiver ran down my spine. I know she already threatened me before and I didn’t really feel anything; except now. I guess that’s what happens when I don’t see her for a long time. I shifted my gaze back to Mandy and said, “What else?”

     “Except for the things I texted you? Hmmm... Mr. McKesson is engage, Mrs. Brown will be giving birth to her first child and there’s a new substitute in trig,”

     “Really, what happened to Mr. Alba?”

     “Had a breakdown yesterday,”

     “Oh,” I took another bite. My though wandered as I looked to my food. How long will Troy ignore me as Taylor anyway? Tonight is my concert and as much as I want to see him, even just from afar, I can’t.

     “Hey, are you going to Taylor McKenzie’s concert?” I asked Troy.

     “No,” he muttered. As much as he tried to hide it, the coldness still covered his voice.

     “Why not?” I looked to him, not expecting him to say the real reason.

     “I have no ticket,” he sipped on his soda.

     “Well, I have an extra one, since my brother is sick and well, if you change your mind. You know, just my payback when you gave me a backstage pass,” I bit my lip.

     “Well,” he looked to his plate.

     “So, what do you say? Besides, no homeworks,” I grinned.

     “Um,”

     “I thought you missed me?” I crossed my arms.

     “I did, I just...”

     “Fine. We haven’t talked for like two weeks and here’s to welcome me,” I stood up and took my bag. If there’s something that I like on my nasty mood, except for using it on getting the part on my last movie as a b***h turned to nice, is that I’m moody; or pretend to be moody.

     “Come on,” he stood up and held me on the wrist.

     “Don’t worry, I’m not mad. I’ll just go to trig class. Better be early after the spring break and being absent for a few more days.” I shook my hand off and headed to my next class and sit on my normal seat.

     The other students started to enter the room as Troy texted me. Mandy came and sat on her chair, which is behind me, and obviously eager to know what’s with my mood. She was about to ask when the substitute came in. His name was Mr. Cooper, and I can say that he’s quite good-looking with an endearing smile and irresistible charm. He’s more alive than Mr. Alba, and obviously enjoying his work.

     By arts, before the other students come, Troy walked toward me and hugged me. “I’m sorry. Fine, I’ll come with you in the concert,” he whispered to my ear.

     “Promise?” I chuckled.

     “Yes,” he brushed his lips to my wig.

     “Great,” I said as he let me go. “Pick me up at six,” I smirked.

 

 

     Now my only problem is how I’ll perform while watching beside him. Well, before when I first had a concert while he’s there, he’s not sitting where Lauren supposedly was.

     It’s too risky to make Stacey watch and pretend to be Lauren, since Troy can easily figured our differences; starting with her eyes. And she can only imitate a few words with my voice, not sentences. They say that my voice is one of the hardest voices to imitate, even to Stacey.

     I took the cab again and started to plan. I took my notebook and scribbled the schedule of my concert. Okay, opening act, I’ll be in the crowd. First two songs, I’ll be onstage... and I’ll just say that I’ll buy some food. Then I can say that the line was way longer than I expected. The next two acts will take time and I’ll be resting beside Troy on those. By my third to fifth performance, I’ll be... pretending to answer some calls and then head to the rest room? I hope he’ll buy it. Maybe Stacey can come once or twice then leave saying she’ll answer her phone again.

     Wait a second, as much as Stacey looks like me, of course when I tried it to Troy, Stacey was wearing shades, and now... of course she can’t wear shades in a concert. Troy might think she’s weird, and worse, Lauren might be thought as weird. I tapped my pen to my notebook as the cab went to its last turn. I’m already heading to Stacey’s house, since Troy will pick me up later.

     I breathed nervously. Okay, so maybe I don’t have that much time to prepare, but wardrobes are easy. It takes a minute or less to slip into another dress, and it won’t malfunction under my coat, and my vocals are fine, and maybe they already made sound checks. I got off from the cab and stepped into Stacey’s house where she and Kaitlyn are already waiting. I can tell by Kaitlyn’s look that she’s thinking of a plan too.

     “What were you thinking?” Kaitlyn’s greeting to me; very supportive, and that’s why I love her. “The first time you did it, he’s not watching beside you, which was still safe. But now, you want Stacey to watch with him. You do realize that Stacey does not look like you,”

     Frankly, for the past few minutes that I was seated in the cab, that’s mostly what I was thinking.

     “I know. I have a plan how to get out and perform. But I don’t know how Troy would believe that Stacey is Lauren. I know how she can come back, and I already have my reasons to go out,”

     “You do realize that if Troy finds out that you’re lying to him, he might not talk to you forever,”

     “He’s already not talking to me and I’m sick of it.” I sighed. “This is the only way that I can be with him. It’s the first time that I can thank my stupid alter ego because it’s the only time that Troy would spend time with me,” I looked down and closed my eyes. Please, no tears... no more tears. I thought.

     “Hey, how do I look?” Stacey asked, wearing black framed glasses. It looks good at her, as usual.

     It hit me after a second and took off my wig and put it on her. “It might actually work,” I smiled with hope. I took the glasses and wore it. I looked at the mirror slyly. I put the glasses to Stacey and took a shot of her.

     “She looks more like me with glasses, right?” I said wearing the glasses again.

     “Troy can buy it... I think,” Kaitlyn sighed.

     I sighed in relief as I sat on the couch. “Troy will be picking me up at six. It’s already four, and I haven’t done a sound check and I haven’t checked the stage yet,” I slouched letting it all sink in.

     “Then c’mon. You need to rehearse at least three songs.” Kaitlyn stood up and took her bag.

     “Are my outfits ready?”

     “Yeah,” she gazed at me. “You should take your contacts off first,”

     “Oh, right.” I said following what she said. “Remind me of that later,”

 

 

     It took an hour to rehearse the songs and check the stage and half an hour to pick on my outfits. I picked the less sensitive ones, that won’t be ruined once I put on my coat.

     I sat on the couch in Stacey’s house as I waited for Troy. If I pass this night, it would be a huge accomplishment for me. I took the mirror and carefully examined my looks. Wig, check. Contacts, check. Glasses that my mom originally included in the box she gave me two months ago, check. It’s similar to what Stacey uses. I also bought another pair of mauve contacts for Stacey. It’s actually nice that no one in school asked why I have violet eyes; I don’t even think that’s possible, but a lot of people say it is... and it’s very rare. But I’ll just believe whatever theories they throw about it, as long as they don’t ask me why it’s the color of my eyes. I sighed again. I hope I won’t forget to take it off later.

     I looked down to my black stilettos which I rarely use. The last time I used it was when I went to a mall in England. Okay, so maybe I bought it in England. I’m wearing my bronze sleeveless tiered dress underneath my brown evening coat. I’ll be switching my black stilettos later for a pair of gold embellished stilettos. My curls are gently placed in a clean bun under the cap of my wig so that it can be easily retouch later on. I also added a cute emerald barrel hair clip just for a little touch.

     My phone suddenly rang. I don’t know who it is since I bought a new phone after Troy broke my first.

     “Hello?” I said.

     “Hey girl! I miss you already!” it’s Melina; my first mentor. It’s good to hear her juvenile voice once in a while.

     “Miss you too... are you going to my concert tonight?”

     “I’m not yet sure. Oops, gotta go. Call you later,” she hung up. Well, so much for knowing more of what happened to her for the past year. I haven’t heard a word from her.

     I heard a knock on the door and flinch. I quickly stood up and hurried for the door. Troy was smiling my favorite smile with flowers in hand. I hate it when guys give flowers; it’s lovely, yes, but what will I do with it anyway? Troy is wearing a blue checkered polo over a white shirt. Suddenly, I felt overdress. Anyways, I’ll be changing into my simple silver metallic tank top and high waist skirt later after my concert.

     “Hey,” I smiled as I looked on the flowers.

     “Why do you always make faces when I bring something?” he asked laughing.

     “What?” nobody said that since like a year already. The last one who commented it was Jeff when he brought the same thing then realizes that I don’t highly appreciate it unlike other girls.

     He laughed louder this time. “Don’t worry, you’re still beautiful, and what’s with the glasses?”

     “Well, just between you and me, I really wear contacts in school, but I don’t know where I placed it, so now, I’ll be using my glasses,”

     “We can buy you a pair of contacts on our way,”

     “We’ll be late in the concert, c’mon,” I took the flowers and toss It gently on the couch and walked to his car.

     Somehow, I missed his car. The smell of it, its features, though I can have a glimpse of it whenever he comes back from school.

     “You hate the flowers?” he asked, starting the car.

     “Nope, I like it...” I lied. “But of course, you do realize that I can’t bring it, right? I’m not the performer to be given flowers...” I chuckled.

     “Sure,” he sighed. “Where are we going after the concert?”

     “It’s up to you,” and I hope you won’t make me decide. I wanted to add. I hate it when guys are pushover and always make me decide where to go... it’s boring.

     He looked at me as if surprised. “Seriously?”

     I laughed unexpectedly. “It’s obvious that you don’t want to go to the concert. So you can drag me anywhere after,”

     “Seriously?” he repeated laughing.

     “Seriously...” I smiled.

 

Reviews

[elyza0926]

aww.. i can't wait to see what happens next.. :D

[Jennika has a short att..]

awww. i can't wait to see if troy talks to taylor again. ugh, more chapters please.