THEM AND HER FLEETING ROMANCES

The five-inches high heels she’s wearing make loud noises as she steps out of the room angrily to her boss that’s begging her to stay at ARDEA for another year. If there’s no reason to exit the damned company, she’s willing to stay for another couple of years and do her best as their best employee every month. But because gossip is starting to affect her daily lifestyle that is outside of her job in ARDEA, she can’t help but take the way out as early as possible. Sarah Castillo, who is also known as Rai in their company, was dubbed as the “Love Killer” of ARDEA because of the large number of people who hire her in order to break up with their partners. There are also others who don’t fall in that category but they can be counted using the fingers in her hands and feet. As a “Love Killer” who has a good track record with her previous clients, she’s the one that’s most sought for and no one ever succeeded in snatching that spot from her since the time she got it. Nonetheless, people are still greedy to their core and gossip about her selling her body emerged. “Damn those bitches. I would never sell this precious body of mine for the measly few dollars that this company offers,” she cursed in her head. “Miss Rai, about the client last –” “I quit, okay? Let me get lost in peace…gracefully, can you?” The lobby staff who called to her pursed her lips and looked down at the keyboard in shame. “People want me to leave, now you are all begging for me to stay? My god, this is hilarious. Are you also going to offer that I’ll receive more benefits?” The staff shook her head and mouthed “sorry”. A week after her scandalous resignation, Sarah was left with nothing to do but scroll on her social media accounts the whole day. She sighed and stared at the mirror that is meters away from her and what she saw is the reality of her life that she kept hidden as ARDEA’s “Love Killer”, Rai. Her hair that’s bleached and colored brown feels so dry. On its roots is her original hair color, which is black. It’s supposed to be shiny and silky but because of the chemicals she’s putting in it, her hair turned dry like the corn’s hair, flying everywhere. No make-up makes her look bland. And with the loose round-collar shirt she’s wearing, no one can tell that she’s the same person who wears expensive dresses, jewelries, and shoes for a paid date every working time she has a client. ARDEA is a company that allows any individual to experience having a partner for a specific period of time under special conditions such as no s****l conduct is allowed to be done to their employees and all they’ll do is be that person’s companion. As a person who’s in the industry for more than three years, she’s completely aware of the fact that s****l activities are prohibited. But because of those ungrateful bitches who’ll ask for free coffee any time they want, she’s now the talk of every employee of ARDEA with their eyes full of jealousy and contempt. Her manager and superiors know the truth and her capabilities but instead of stopping the blazing rumor, they stood idle which infuriated Sarah. “I won’t go back to that place ever again.” She sat in front of her computer and typed something. A story…about someone she met in ARDEA although she can’t remember the full version of the lover’s tale and how the husband ended up hiring her to play as a mistress for a day, she continued writing, filling the missing parts of the story with logical explanations on how things became that way. “Wow, I can be a writer.” The thought suddenly crashed inside Sarah’s mind and she imagined herself signing a book with thousands of readers and fans holding her masterpiece, each waiting for their turn to see her up close and hold her hand. Curious on how writers make their own money, she started searching related materials about the job and joined forums about writing, the hours became days and days became months. Four months after she retired as ARDEA-girl, her ongoing book received a contract which she gladly signed in. That brought her to the wildest experience she’ll ever have. Even more special than when she works under ARDEA, where partners cuss at her and call her a w***e. “Love Killer,” their asses, she’s more of a “frustration-dumpsite” for all those people and the only one that’s being killed is her self-love and identity. After she decided to take writing as a career, she moved back to her mother’s house in a suburban community. Painted in orange, the bright two-story house sat peacefully beside a road. Their small garden creates a green scenic atmosphere in the area and despite being near the roads, the sound of vehicles passing by are tolerable. It is an ideal place for the now amateur writer, Sarah, because in a swift motion of putting headset in her head, she can easily cancel all the noises that could be heard whether it’s the birds chirping or the neighbor’s greeting each other. In exception to her mother’s nagging. Sunday. She was rushing another three chapters to post when her mother walked inside her room without her noticing as she was deeply focused on her work. She only realized that she’s talking to her when Sandra Castillo took away the headset in her ears. Sarah slowly turned around to see her mother grimacing at her untidy appearance. Sandra, on the other hand, looked at her from head to toe, insulting her messy daughter internally as she slowly took away the rest of the headset. The action unplugged the earpiece from Sarah’s laptop, which caused the loud music she’s listening to shake the household. “Oh, good grace, Sarah! What kind of music is that?” “It’s rock, mom.” “What rock?” Sandra asked, confused. Sarah sighed and paused the blaring music off. “Why are you here?” she queried, finding no reason to talk more about her choice in music. “You can knock first if you need something. I’m busy. I have deadlines.” “Have you ever thought that I already knocked multiple times before raiding you here? Sarah? Are you thinking?” The accused daughter found it hard to create a rebuttal to her mother. It’s true that she can’t hear anything aside from the music she’s playing whenever she decides to lock herself up, cooped up in her room, typing the best images in her mind. Her mother, sensing that Sarah has nothing more to say, opened her mouth and made a declaration that shook Sarah’s existence. “You have a date.” A date? Sarah tilted her head, waiting for her mother to expound what she’s saying which the latter understood. “Yes, date. Between man and woman. Dating. Mating – if you wish. Remember this, I don’t want my daughter to become an old maid.” With that, the queen of Castillo household, Sandra Castillo left.