A Tale of a Mannequin

Chapter 2

Melania went to the bathroom and washed her face and cleansed her body.

And every time she sees herself in the mirror she feels frustrated, because she is chubby and not pretty as well, that’s why she was often bullied in school.

“What if I’ll become as beautiful like mannequin?” She said to herself.

And she remembered the man she had seen on her dream. "Who is he? It seems like I knew him for a long time?" Melania mumbled and she felt thrilled. "It's nice to have that kind of boyfriend," she sighed. She wish she will meet a man like him in real life. Since then she always see him in her dreams that they were in Bolanaire Kingdom. She was also wondering why she was always dreamed that she was in the Mannequin’s land and talking to a queen. Ever since she she was a child, she was dreaming to be beautiful like the mannequins, but recently, she started to dream that she was in their land.

One day…

Melania and Iris went window shopping in a mall, and while walking around, she saw a mannequin in the glass window, she remember when she was a kid before her parents died, she was strolling with them at the mall and saw a beautiful mannequin displayed at the glass window, and while looking at it, it suddenly moved and smiled at her, since then she always want to see mannequin and waiting for them to move. She was very fascinated by its beauty. When Iris saw her, she tapped her shoulder.

“There you go again, staring that thing! Come on lets go buy something," Iris said. And while they were walking they saw an event that happening from the distance. "What's having there?" Melania asked. "I don't know, well lets find out!" Iris said then they walk towards the event. They saw a poster and there they found out that it was a men’s sexy body building contest. “Look, there is a posters of the candidates!” Iris said then they look at it, the poster was displayed and each contestants has their own large pictures that posted in the wall. While Melania was looking at it one by one, one of the poster caught her attention, she look at it deeply and she felt strange. The guy was posing leaning on the wall with his bare upper body, wearing only a swimming trunks. His eyes was seductive as Melania can’t stop gazing at it. “It seems like he is the man that I saw in my dream?” she mumbled and when she look down and there she found his name was written on it.

“Brando Moran?” feeling strange.

Iris noticed her and looked at the poster that she was looking at. “Brando Moran,” Iris said as she read its name. "He is the most handsome of all," Iris said twinkles her eyes.

"Iris, let's watch the program, come on!" Melania invites her.

 Iris glanced at the event that happening nearby. "With so many people watching? Do you think we can get close to the stage?" she nodded.

"It's all right! Let’s try!" Melania said happily then she walks toward to the crowd who was watching the contest. Melania squishes herself by the people she was passing through, Iris was following her. "Excuse me, excuse me," Melania chanted every time she have difficulty passing through the crowd. Some people get angry because they bumped by her but she just ignores it, she really wants to get near the stage. Iris asked to stop right there, they can’t go on anymore because it’s too crowded. Then she tipped her toe and rolled her eyes on the stage to find him, and suddenly the host called the names of the candidates and they all went in the stage, she was delighted when she saw him, his face was stern, yet peaceful as he swung the dumbbell to his shoulder. His muscular upper-body stretched backwards and then suddenly sprung forward. Malania can’t take off her eyes of him. Her toe was still tipping just to see him closer. Brando is the most handsome among the participants. He has the most perfectly shape body compared to the others, it’s seem like shaped by an expert sculptor. Melania was excited as she watched him, she remembered her dream one night. She was standing under a red tree, feeling alone and lonely in the Bolanaire kingdom, and in her soliloquy she heard a voice from behind. "You are not belong here," the voice softly said. As she turned around, she saw a handsome man looking intently at her. "You?" Melania smiled brightly, as if she had felt hope and salvation when she saw him. "What is your name?" she asked. But Brando was just staring at her. "Come on, let's run away!" The man said and spread out his arms and arousing her to come to him. Melania felt strange but excited at the same time, she tried to reach him but she can’t budge, she couldn't move where she was. She pushed herself closer and as they approached to each other, but all of a sudden a mannequin blocked them.

Then her thought was interrupted by the voice of Iris.

“He is the guy in the poster, he is truly handsome!” Iris exclaimed.

Melania can’t stop looking at him.

“If you are the guy that I saw in my dream, I don’t want to let you go,”

 Melania mumbled while she was keep gazing at him, then suddenly, someone bumped her and she fell on the floor.   “You know how fat you are!” The woman's voice spoke to her. Iris helped her stand. "Come on Melania let's go home," Iris said. Melania is able to stand up despite her heavy body like closely on obesity. "No, I just want to know who will win," Melania said.

"Well, okay then I also want to know, and I think that Brando will be the winner!" Iris said. Some women from the crowd was cheering for Brando. Until the winner was finally revealed.

But Brando wasn’t hailed as winner. Melania glanced at him and followed him through her eyes, he looks so disappointed, and he went on the right corner looks desperate. Then suddenly, a beautiful woman approached him and help him to wear his shirt. They look so sweet to each other. Then the girl looks like she is comforting him for not winning the contest. The woman kissed him on his lips and he kissed back. And they walk away holding hands.

Melania felt insecure. She wanted to approach him but no chance to do so. Iris asked her to go home. “I think he was deceived!” Iris said in disappointment.

When they got home, she couldn't help but to think about Brando and believing that he is the man that he always saw in her dream.