Reaching The Brightest Star

CHAPTER EIGHT

Chloe

The Swift Kiss

Monica loses this time. Such a smart lady.

I immediately distanced myself from him when I got down from his arm. It was my fault for him to see my tears heralding a drip. That even my hair can’t afford to cover it. I calmed myself down to continue the game.  Even if I just wanted to sit and watch, I just couldn’t because I knew I wouldn’t be allowed. I'm sure I'll just be pulled back here again.

The game went on, whoever man picked me up. And every time I look up at him I feel like I'm out of breath. Those dagger eyes that used to linger on me. There are only three of us left. Me, Marco and another woman that is unfamiliar to me. We have already started circling Marco. I just bent down my head and walked. Even when I don’t look up, I can feel the way he looks at me, following my movements. The place is filled with screams and teasers.

"Ladies, dance!" The MC exclaimed.

"Stop the music!" 

"Get it done girl!

"Don't let them win!" 

"Keep it going! Keep it going!" 

The technical staff seemed to hear the people’s cry so the music stopped and at that time I didn’t know what to do. I stopped where I stood and bowed and hugged myself. I could see in the corner of my eye that the woman was about to approach Marco but he pushed her away. The woman clung to his neck but he untied it immediately.

In a swift moment I floated, my body was in the air and clinging to the person who lifted me. By instinct, I immediately wrapped my arms around his neck. Although I was shocked by what was happening, I didn't protest. 

Ten seconds starts ticking again. And when they count, it slows down even more.

I can no longer look at him. I could no longer match his stares. My eyes turned to my friends. They gathered next to the stage as Lauren was being supported.  They could no longer hide their teasing smiles. It seems that they are liking what they have witnessed. His grip tightened behind my knees.

"I probably gained so much weight," I whispered. He didn't even notice. I couldn't look straight into his deep eyes. 

"You can take me down if you can't take it anymore, we're the winners now." I said calmly while I was still not looking at him. I heard his violent breathing that turned my eyes to him. His jaws tightened while his eyes were still fixed on me.

"f**k!" He whispered harshly. What did I do?

"You're showing too much skin," he said heavily. I feel like he's gritting his teeth from the way he said that. He's conservative, I gave him that.

For six years, I never heard his voice. And I admit something has changed now. His voice became fuller, thicker and full of authority. The hair on my body stood and shuddered. Hearing him speak to me again is unbelievable. Planting pain to his heart six years ago seems nothing when he speaks. I just remembered that I was wearing a daring dress. The long slit on my right leg, the rectangular hole on the small of my back, and the free exposure of my shoulders say it all, daring.

"5...4...3...2...1! Okay put her down." He didn't seem to hear anything that the MC said. Instead, his jaw just tightened. The two of us stared at each other and the joy revived in my heart. That seems to be the best feeling I can feel right now.

"Looks like that Engineer is still happy carrying her! Don't want to let her bride down!" The whole gymnasium was filled with cheers. 

"Bride? Right away?" I said while stuttering. With that having been said, I volunteered to push myself so he could let go of me. I don't want to give him hardship. And he couldn't do anything when I did that.

I walked to the stand of our table. I was three steps away when the MC carefully grabbed my arm to bring me back to the middle stage.

"Congratulations to both of you for winning the game. Wait a minute! This looks like a good couple. An Engineer and a Doctor!" The people roared again. I hear cries and screams.

He put me next to Marco, fixed like a child. I barely spaced about two inches. His girlfriend is watching. I just don't want to cause any scene.

"Both of us are successful now. I could get them as my son's godfather and godmother." The MC could not contain his laughter.

It feels awkward to be in an atmosphere like this. I bowed my head and I felt like my cheeks were on fire. They were like bringing back the past, what had been between us back then. The MC knew about us. They knew what's between us way back in High School. 

I felt the warm hand on my back, seemingly covering whatever was showing. I immediately stiffened at his sudden action. I was caught off guard so I looked at him. He was all smiles while looking at the MC. My stance on him was up to his ears, if I took off my stiletto, maybe I was only up to his shoulders. How tall can Dorothy be? They were almost equal in height when I saw them enter the hall together. His smile faded when he turned his eyes on me, I felt warmth on my cheek so I immediately averted my gaze.

"What else does that mean, partner? Are they also the pair for the next game?" The female MC asked her companion.

Got another game? And do they even plan to include us? I can't! My feet hurt. I regret that I still wear these shoes.

"That is, if they will consent?" The MC maliciously looked in our direction.

"We're in," Marco said with full authority that no one could break it. 

Sorry, self. We've lost.

I don’t want to agree with their wishes. I want to sit down or just go home. I was about to complain when Marco caressed my back where his hand had been fixed before. I suddenly stiffened and lost the word that should have come out of my mouth.

He really knows my weak spots.

"That's good! Let's find couples to join our second game." They suggested. 

Now, couples will play. And what do you think of us? We're not even a couple! If it was Dorothy I wouldn't complain.  They are the true couple!

"Your girlfriend might get mad at you," I said. He heard that so he turned to me.

"She's not like that. She will understand the situation." He said. The bitterness immediately drew into me. He already knew that woman. I turned my gaze in front of me and never looked back at him again. My lips were pressed in a thin line and holding back my tears.

He did not deny! So it means they're really together.

"Okay," I couldn't help but roll my eyes in the air.

"The second game is meant for couples. We need four more pairs to complete the competitors." I saw three of my friends walking toward the center with their husbands. They were willing to play this game!

"There are apples hanging on each string. One apple each pair, alright? This is just like catching things by hand but instead, you will use your teeth and mouth." I looked up to see the apples hanging like some decorative lights.

When the pairs were completed, we stood under each apple. 

"Remember players! Using your hands in any possible way is f*******n. Ready? Set. Go!"

I observed the other players that were trying and laughing at the same time while they weren't able to bite the apples. Their hands are behind their backs and secretly used to steady the apple in its place. The apples are going up when the players are trying to take a bite and it will go down when the players backed off. I laughed while watching my friends having difficulty in this game. They were just like kids in their childhood. Annoyed, angry, and having a hard time biting the apple. The game continued but Bethany noticed that I didn't cooperate with Marco so she screamed hysterically. 

"It's unfair! They are not playing this game!" She pointed at our direction and caught the attention of others. 

We are in the middle so we are not the center of attention. They just noticed it when Bethany caught us. The exchanging stares of the MC with mine and Marco are scary so I forced myself to cooperate. I accidentally looked at Marco only to find out that he was entertained while I did my thing. The apples went down as soon as I stoop down my head. 

So embarrassing! I am so ashamed of myself! 

"It's really unfair!" One try but you gave up easily" Everly hissed loudly, loud enough for the MC to hear it. 

I turned to her direction and she was already laughing. They really like making fun of me. I closed my eyes tightly and brought my face close to the apple. Even before I opened my eyes I knew that people were stunned. Only the weakened music transmitted the noise throughout the room.

Soft and familiar lips touched my lip. When I felt it, I immediately hung up, even before our lips parted. The familiar feeling when we kissed filled my body. It makes me want more. I opened my eyes to confirm the feeling. His face was so close to mine as our lips touched. His eyes did not even close.

To my shock, my eyes widened. I cut off the kiss with a slap on his left cheek. The people around us signed with disappointment and were surprised. I turned to my trembling hands and a tear fell off it. My vision became blurry and a tear fell off again. I looked up at his face. His eyes start to turn red, which sends a message that he did not like what’s happening right now. His lips were pressed into thin lines and obviously restraining himself to move. The jaw tightened. My hand left a mark on his cheek.

I glanced at the crowd around us. They are still surprised by what I did and I can totally see it through their expressions. I met Dorothy’s eyes and even she was shocked. Her both hands were covering her mouth. I was waiting for her to dash over me, slap me, pull my hair, just to defend her boyfriend. But nothing like that happened. She just stayed there. Shocked. Stunned. Stiffened. I stepped back four times before looking back at Marco. His reaction remained the same. His hands were formed into fist. Nervousness and fear came gushing inside me. Whatever he’s planning to do, I am more scared of it.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it." I said while stuttering.

I need to get out of this place.

I ran out of the gymnasium. My feet carried me to the school’s Science Park. This place is the only place I can hide for now. I left my clutch inside so I couldn’t go straight to my car. I chose to be in a position that no one could see me immediately. While sobbing, I stepped up the bench and faintly sat up. Up until now, my hands are still shaking.

Memories of yesterday filled my mind.

"Let me go!" I struggled from the grip of a man I don't know. I don’t know who to turn to for help. Who will I call? Because even the people around me don't care about my yell.

“Shut your big mouth! I will surely hurt you if you don’t shut it!” The man kept dragging me into a white van. I stomped my foot on the car door to prevent them from getting me inside the van.

I don’t know who plotted it. I know a lot who can do this but I just hope I'm wrong. This often happens especially here in Manila. Someone will take you, force you to go with them and they will sell you after. The man succeeded in getting me into the van. It immediately sided with me as I tried to stand up to flee.

"Hi Chloe," I silenced myself as soon as I heard the voice who greeted me. I looked up to the person and there were hunches forming inside me. 

"Aunt Fely?" She chuckled.

“You are a big time. Ben, let’s go.” The car moved and I knew immediately where he was going to take me. Aunt Fely's staff put duct tape around my mouth, folded my hands and wrapped it with rope. I can’t scream and that will just lead to nothing but to exhaust myself.

Aunt Fely is my only relative left here in the Philippines. She works in a private bar in Manila that only the rich and powerful can enter. But what I didn't know was that she was hiring unemployed girls to entertain the men or to be a waitress at that bar.

I am in my third year of college now and I only walk to the school I attend. It’s just near the dormitory where I live. And now we have arrived at what they call headquarters. Two men pulled me inside. Because they were strong I did nothing.

"Hello ladies! All right, just make yourself beautiful and later we'll go to the bar." My aunt greeted the other women here in the room. The women looked at me with disgust. It's like I have a contagious disease.

"By the way, this is my niece Chloe. She’s my new recruit. Introduce yourself to them." She tapped me on the shoulder.

"Get dressed too and let's go to the bar," I immediately approached her and knelt in front of her.

"Auntie, I don't want it. I don't want this. I haven't finished my studies yet. Let me go. I promise I won't report you to the police." My pleading continued but she seemed to hear nothing. She was just looking at me and had no expression on her face. I could do nothing but cry and cry while Aunt’s female staff was dressing me.

As she mentioned, we went to the bar. It is even mandatory for me to wear this kind of clothes. The piece of clothing was so tight, hugging and suffocating my body. I kept on lifting and pulling the cloth where my private areas are particularly exposed. Almost five minutes have passed and there are affluent men coming in our direction. I would say that these men are in their mid thirties to forties. 

"Mr. Ardente! As we have discussed, I have a new girl for you." Aunt grabbed me by my elbow and faced me to the man he called earlier. He immediately scanned and inspected my body.

"I'll take her," he said. My aunt didn’t even think twice before giving me to Mr. Ardente. My tears poured heavily while begging them to let me go. They didn’t even bother to notice me, until they dragged me out of the bar. A black SUV stopped in front of us.

"I beg you. I haven't finished my studies yet. I don't want to ruin my future." I pleaded. I almost knelt down with him in the car just so he could let me go.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you." He smelled my hair. I avoided him myself. I already know the end of it. I don’t want to ruin my future. I don't want this to happen to me. I never dreamed of it.

The car stopped in front of a five star hotel. I continued pleading with him. People and staff were already looking at us as we walked towards the elevator. I couldn't do anything as the elevator went up. I sobbed next to Mr. Ardente, he was just looking at my reflection at the elevator door. The elevator opened and he immediately pulled me into a room at the end. He hurried to open the door and when he succeeded he immediately attacked me with aggressive kisses on my neck. I avoid my lips because I don’t want other men to kiss them.

I screamed and struggled, hoping someone would hear and I would be saved. He led me into the kitchen without breaking the disgusting kisses on my neck. He tore up the things on the table and they fell to the floor. Sounds of broken things I heard in conjunction with my crying. I lost his grip when he tried to lift my body so I immediately ran close to the knife. I immediately pulled you out of the container and pointed at him. I could think of no other way to defend myself.

"Put that down," there was a threat in his voice. My hand trembled with fear. The closer he gets to me, the more I back away.

In this world, there are these kinds of scenarios. If you are not brave, you cannot survive. If you can’t get someone hurt, you can’t get away. I also need to be a monster so I can get away with another monster.

"No!" I shouted. I grabbed other sharp objects that I could use to be a weapon against him.

I need to be alert.

"You can't kill me," he grabbed the knife on me with all his might. We were snatching it both. I was fighting a big man, but I knew where I should attack him. I knocked over his middle part using my knee and he released the knife as I bit his arm. I kicked his stomach to keep him away from me. When he moved away I picked up the knife and pointed that pointy edge at him again.

"Let me go," I begged him. I felt the coldness of the cement behind me, I had nothing left to hold back. The knife and my kick didn't have any effect on him as he kept approaching me.

I could think of no other way but to just follow my instincts.

I closed my eyes really hard as I waved the knife repeatedly. He couldn’t get close to me if I moved the knife. I heard a loud cry and a slight s***h. I opened my eyes and I catches him holding his left cheek.

"Son of a-" he continued on cursing. His blood was leaking from his hand.

I saw my reflection on the metal thing I was holding. It has blood from the cut I made on his face. My hands kept on trembling and I put down the knife. I picked up his coat and covered my body with it. By instinct, I ran towards the door until I reached the hotel elevator.