Chapter 30: Comfort
910 Words
*BARBIE HEAVENWARD*
"Did you see the girl's face? It's funny. My stomach hurts from non-stop laughing even though she left long ago. I can't easily forget what happened." Anica said while giggling as there were not many customers in the shop. She went to my post just to gossip.
"Enough laughing. Go back to your post. I don't want to be scolded with you by ma'am Denice when she sees you here." I said while arranging the clothes in the hanger.
"You are really such a killjoy." She slapped me on the shoulder before returning to her area.
I shook my head. To me, what happened was indeed really funny. But I couldn't quite imagine that someone would be so obsessed with Angelo despite knowing he was just a Mannequin to the point she was willing to make a fool of herself. How much more if they met him as a real person? They would certainly hover around him everyday.
I didn’t know why but that thought tightened my chest that I could barely breathe.
How do I feel about this? Why does my chest hurt?
"Are you okay Barbie?" Ma'am Denice suddenly asked from behind me.
I was startled by her sudden speech and I could not answer immediately.
"Barbie, are you okay? Why are you holding your chest?" She asked again, once rubbing my back.
"I'm okay ma'am. My stomach suddenly hurts." I said as I forced a plaster smile on my lips.
"Your stomach hurts? But why are you holding your chest instead of your stomach?"
"This-- I was startled by your sudden talk, so I rubbed my chest to calm. Yes. Yes. That is right. That is what happened." I turned my back at her with my face contorting in embarrassment.
"Oh, I see. Since, you are not feeling well. I will allow you to leave early."
"No. No. Thank you ma'am. But I can hold it. Really."
"Then alright. If you can't endure it anymore. Just go home. Okay?"
"Yes ma'am. Thank you."
Ma'am Denice just nodded with a inquisitive stare before she left me alone. She seemed to have some thoughts against my actions. Well, never mind.
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"You finally come home. I miss you so much!"
My heart almost jumped out from my chest when Melanie suddenly greeted me with a hug. Her face was covered with a white facial mask and she wore shorts and sleeveless blouse. Her hair was tied messily at the top of her head.
"What happened to you?" I asked, looking at her whole face and get-up. Even her voice was sluggish with mixed annoyance. I didn't know what it really was.
"I was bullied this afternoon. That jerk. If he is not only handsome, who would notice him?" Melanie grumbled. "He should thank me because someone like me, a beautiful perfect great kind smart girl, took a little fancy of him who was too arrogant like a fierce tiger and cold as ice."
I laughed as I guided her back into the living room and I sat down next to her. "Who has the courage to bully you? Tell me and I will avenge you?"
"Really?" Melanie's face wrinkled, giving me a measurable look. "You? Can you?"
"Ehmm, I'll try." I chuckled.
"Forget it! Drop the subject. Instead of talking about him, let's just have fun. You comfort me."
"You asked the wrong person. Even I was bothered with my own feelings. How could I possibly comfort you?" I mumbled.
She tilted her head and asked, "Are you saying something?"
I gibed, "Auh, I said, no problem. But I don't know how. Can I just hug you?" I immediately hugged him tightly.
"Hmmm it's so warm and feels great. But Barbie-- your hug can appease my feelings for a couple of minutes but not for a whole night."
I let go of her hug, "What do you want to do My Dear Princess, I will accompany you without hesitation."
Melanie blinked her eyes in a cute way, "Let's buy some snacks outside and have a movie marathon. What do you think?"
"Alright! No problem. Wait for me. I will change my clothes."
"Don't bother to change." Melanie grabbed my hand to stop me from going to my room upstairs. "Your clothes still look fine on you." She moved closer and sniffed at my body. "You still smell good. Don't worry."
"Are you a p*****t?" I tore down the mask on Melanie's face and stood facing the doorway, "Let's go so we can come back early."
"Okay. Okay. Wait for me." She said while chasing my pace.
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While each of us was carrying a bag of chips snacks, Melanie and I immediately returned home as many men stared at Melanie's sexy clothes as we walked. They were even whistling us. I felt like going to hit people but I was powerless and weak so we just ignored it.
The quiet return to the house that we thought was a mistake as we ran into the group of middle aged men drinking in the street.
The one whistled, "Ladies, can you come over here and join us to drink? We are bored. Let's have fun together." The man in grey grinned lecherously as he kept waving his hand on us.
We held hands tightly to each other.
"Barbie, what to do? I regret wearing clothes like this. It's my beautiful face and body’s fault." Said Melanie.
We were already being rude but she still could not forget to praise her own beauty. I glared at her and whispered, "It's your fault indeed. Let's just walk fast. Don't look back at them if you don't want to become their appetizer."
"You're so mean."
- Writer
