Whisper of the Silencee

16

Beams of the camera blinded the 'never-ending' hallway. Reporters were setting up their tripods, some on the inside while some along the corridor outside. Because it was an official press conference, his fans were blocked to enter. Noises floated across the atmosphere, making it a sting to the ears. Though it was just a 2-hour prior notice, everyone was ready. Everything was well-prepared. Banners of him with the latest headlines were put at obvious spots.

Sitting in his dressing room surrounded by the four walls, his hands were shaking in fear. It wasn't the first time for him to have a conference but probably the first one to clear the rumours about scandals. He never had one before. No black issues about him all this while, except for some bits and pieces. Until Clover stepped into his life. Things became complicated.

As he was having his hair being styled by the stylist. his thoughts were all jumbled up. Where did you bring her, Brandon? Eyes questioning Brandon through the big mirror in front of him.

Not for you to worry. His gaze answered coldly.

The expressionless response annoyed him. Kyle let out a deep breath loudly, strong enough to shake the balance of the cosmetics on the table. They waggled, drifting his vision into the past, to the memory where Clover messed up her job on the very first day.

She was there on the floor, hands running everywhere, picking up the sets clumsily. Mandy was at the side holding back her anger while instructing her what to do. And there came Brandon, stomping off the ground angrily once he found what mess Clover created. Back then, she couldn't even differentiate between foundation and toner. She was so afraid to do this, to do that.

Kyle puffed through his silent tears.

That was Clover. The noob Clover. The kind Clover.

The Clover he loved.

Reality slapped hard on his face when his sight returned to the reflection of him in the mirror. The lump in his throat was getting heavier. His tears weren't obedient to his command, escaping through the gaps they could find, ruining tip of the eyeliners he had on him.

Clover was gone.

He shifted his head with a tsk, signaling the stylist to stop what he was doing. The stylist jerked and immediately retreated, dropping his spray, gel, glitters on his way out, leaving only two of them in the limited space.

Unable to breathe properly anymore, Kyle got up from his chair aggressively, dropping it on the floor. He sped up a little too fast, almost bumping into the tough Brandon who stepped into his way suddenly. He took a step to the right to get to the door, but his manager did the same. When he took another step to the left, the same scenario repeated. Brandon crossed his arms over his oversized black baggy shirt, looked past him and remained motionless. There was a sense of guiltiness ran across his face, for forcing him, for breaking him.

But, he wasn't letting him out till he was notified to do so.

He couldn't.

"Brandon?" A voice came through the door after hearing several soft knocks. "He can come up now."

"Noted," he answered, slowly sliding away from the entrance, giving way for Kyle to make his appearance.

Kyle paced through without looking back, sending a strong wave of air onto Brandon's face. He heard Brandon mumbling under his tone about putting on the best act and stuffs like those, but he didn't give a damn. He was angry with him.

For what? For.....

He wasn't sure.

Since he was part to be blamed.

Glimmers from the ongoing spotlights blurred his vision. And despite that, he had to put on a charming smile. That was the basic rule each celebrity should follow. Climbing up the side stairs hiding underneath the white cloth, reaching for his seat like nothing scared him, Kyle lifted his head, looked straight at the camera. Instantly, the media groups from Apple TV, WONderNews, everydaytalks.com went wild. The chairs that were served for them to seat suddenly served no purpose but as obstacles for them to reach him nearer. Some hopped on them, pushed them, kicked them, just to be the first to get to the nearest place right below the stage.

And the bomb began.

"Kyle, what is your response regarding the latest headline?"

"Kyle Lee, can we know more about your personal assistant?"

"Is your personal assistant here today?"

"Are you two dating?"

"I've heard that Clover Hon has been staying in your house for quite some time, is that true?"

One after another, the questions being shot like a shooting gun. There weren't stops. The cameramen were bumping into each other, securing their cameras, video cameras. They showed no sense of moral values, no sense of respect. Kyle remained silent, watching them. Seeing everything from the stage was clearer. And maybe it was because of that, he was disgusted, by their acts.

The noises were still going on. Toying around with the red ribbons tied at the edge of the table, "Well..." his voice was as cold as ice, shutting the crowd instantly.

"If I say we are just friends with no any special kinds of relationships.." he paused, curling up a side of his lips, "will you believe me?.. or will you stir up another rumour just to get this thing hooked up for quite some while?"

His attack was unexpected.

"I'm right, isn't it?" he glared at them. "Media has no humanities. They screw on people's lives in order to make a living."

"But you chose fame. And this is one of the sacrifices that you gotta give," someone in the crowd said.

He smirked painfully. "Exactly.. I chose to live a life like this." And I'm starting to wonder if I had made the right choice.

"Sorry Kyle..." another voice was heard, "I'm very sure that it's not just us who are curious. Your fans out there too are facing the same dilemmas. Who exactly is Clover Hon?" There was a firm tone at the end of his words.

"A human just like you and me," he answered spontaneously.

"You are making this situation really bad, Kyle Lee."

"I don't have the choice. I just want to protect unfamed people from being backlashed by the media. What is so freaking wrong with that?" he slapped his palm on the table.

Suddenly, the main entrance to the conference was creaked open very loudly. Strong rays from the outside blazed their eyes. Two figures stepped in, into the crowd, and then onto the stage. "Clover Hon is just an old friend of his." A voice pierced through the awkward moment.

Cameras shifted to their directions. Kyle squinted his eyes, trying to make out who they were despite the blazing rays. The usual black baggy shirt came into his view soon after (which made him rolled his eyes). But the next figure that walked down beside him wasn't what he wished to see right now, right here. His saliva sored the throat, trying to be gulped. You definitely can't be here.

She was dressed in a simple sleeveless white dress, hair up in a long ponytail, touching her upper waist. Face touched up by thin layers of makeup. The smoothness of her slender legs and her slim figure were grabbing the focus of the public. The familiar look of her was...stealing his heartbeats away.

"This is Clover Hon," Brandon repeated, pulling the seat next to Kyle for Clover to lay down her butt.

"Hello, everyone," she greeted with the mic, "It seemed that my appearance had caused our Kyle Lee here some troubles." The tension in the air was getting to her. Too many eyes, too many ears were waiting for her words. She dug her fingernails into her lower thighs, making semi-circles, infusing herself with the painful temptation.

Don't speak anymore, Clover. He whispered. Please.

She heard him despite the clicking noises from the cameras around. His tone was wavering. He was scared. So was she. But there wasn't any other way to clear him from the rumours. He saved her. All she wanted to do was to save him back. Focusing on the sting of the circles, she forced him out of her mind. This was the best that she could do for him. As a gratitude for his kindness, he showered her with. If she could solve this matter, why wouldn't she?

"Miss Clover Hon, what is your relationship with Kyle?"

She smiled, "Just like what Brandon had mentioned earlier," she turned to look at Brandon, "I'm an old friend of his."

"Then what about the photos that are already spread all over the media?"

She dug her nails deeper, refreshing the lines that Brandon had thought her a few hours ago. "Because we are old friends, small reunions is a must, isn't it?"

"Does that also mean that you've been staying in his house all this while?"

Clover! Kyle stretched out his arm, wrapping her clenching fist in his. No more please! Don't say a single thing anymore!

Once again, she ignored his hisses. "Well... I don't see it as a problem since we have known each other since young.."

"Or is it because you've fallen for him, Miss Clover? That's why you laid a dirty hand on Stella when you guys went to Guilin since there are rumours about her liking Kyle?

That struck her. Her eyes widened in shock at their words. "W..What?"

The media must have seen this as her weak part. They continued to bombard her, heating up the situation.

"You like Kyle, don't you!?"

"You must have liked him for a very long time!"

"You has always been trying to get rid of Stella because you think that she's your rival!"

"You stayed with him because you love him."

"Right? Tell us that we are right!!!"

Clover slacked her jaw, dumbfounded. The eagerness in their hungry eyes was fearing her. They weren't trying to find out the truths but actually trying to confirm their so-called truths. Shivers ran down her spines. Brandon too was panicking at the side. His jaws were moving, gritting his teeth. He failed to predict this part. She had no scripts to follow. And the reporters were down there, almost banging into the stage, waiting to get her answers (probably her forced-out answers). She had to come up with something before they break down the place.

"I don't like him." It started off with a very soft murmur.

Brandon gave her a puzzled look from the side. Kyle jerked his head. His heart twitched in pain at her reply. The grip on her was releasing. Salty liquids were beginning to accumulate at the corner of his eyes, cracking the walls he was building. He immediately blinked them away when he sensed cameras targetting his reaction. Burying the stinging pain, he drifted his gaze away from the girl who had just rejected his feelings and blocked his one-sided feelings from rushing out.

"I don't like him," she repeated, stronger, restricting her tears from registering. "That is why I'm here," she turned to look at him directly for the very first time. "To bid my final goodbye."

A drop of tear slid off him silently. "..F-..final goodbye?" he asked with a choky voice.

"Yea," she said in a high pitch tone, lifting up the mood, running her hand over his shrunken shoulders. "I've stayed here long enough. It's time to go."

Second drop of tear fell. "Where?" he mouthed.

She smiled, and that was all her reply.

"Miss Clover. Could you hint more about your next stop??!" The bomb started back as soon as she stood up to make her leave.

"I don't know either," she said blindly, pushing the seat into the table.

"Will you be coming back?"

"Hmmm...maybe?"

Kyle's hand caught her tightly, holding her back. The media was quick enough to snap this shot. They didn't stop at a single shot, nor multiple. But more.

Don't leave, Clover. His tearful gaze begged pleadingly, hoping so much that Clover would change her mind. It was filled with such love and tenderness. But she had to go. The black men had fixed their eyes on him because of her. She couldn't afford to drag him into any more of her pool of troubles.

The cameras were all on them, not moving an inch. On the sight of him grabbing her hand.

"Goodbye, my friend," Clover pulled her hand away in a move and exchanged it with a quick embrace. She didn't want to make the situation awkward. "Hope you will be successful forever."

Looking into his eyes for one last time, I'm sorry, Kyle, she muttered by his ears and dashed to the nearest exit before he had the chance to stop her again. He loved her. She loved him.

But the world wasn't giving them the chance to be together.

"Clover!!" Kyle jerked from his seat, but the crowd wasn't letting him away.

"Kyle," Brandon's firm voice took over. "Please conclude this press conference."

***

Her tears flew along with the warm breeze as she ran, wetting her baby hair. Her makeups were wearing off, smudging her face. But they didn't matter anymore. Everything was settled. She didn't need to burden Kyle any longer. She cleared the scandal. It was supposed to be a happy news. Yet, she wasn't feeling any hints of it. Her paces slowed down, swaying from running any further, hating the fact that she had hurt her life savior.

Danise stuck his chin under his palm by the side window, ready with his car, looking at the sight of Clover approaching. His thoughts were completely out of order. He kept on refreshing the scenes with Clover in them. They were certainly not much of a problem, except for the one in Guilin. But that didn't seem to be the real reason behind her leave. What was it? Why was Clover leaving when she had nowhere to go?

"I thought I could stop this scene of you leaving from happening," he said as she opened the door.

Clover gave him a very sad, heavy-hearted look. "How did you know that I was going to leave?"

"I overheard your conversation with Brandon," he hesitated for a little while," .. but... but why? Clover.. everything went on pretty smoothly..isn't it?"

"Don't ask why, Danise," she mumbled, allowing her eyes be wet without attracting his attention. "...Just.." sobbing silently, "don't ask..."

"Where are we going? ... Where am I going? To be more exact," she asked.

"Brandon told me to send you to someone that we can trust." he began, pressing the pedal with no brakes on the traffic-less streets. "And I only managed to think of him."

"Who?" she asked curiously.

"Raymond."

Clover bugged her eyes. "... DreamMare?"