The Witcher's Hour

TWH Chapter 4: Wistful wit

"Where am I?" As soon as Ella opened her eyes, she was able to see herself inside a room.

"Is she okay?" She could hear some voices from where she is right now. She slowly opened her eyes and turned her head sidewards. She can see the worried look from the woman who seemed to be Ella's nurse. They are both talking to her from that room.

She preferred to observe them secretly first. She saw Ella being impatient. It was obvious when she saw her putting both of her hands on both sides of her waist as she frowned.

Despite Ella wearing that kind of frown, Chloe is still wondering how could she look so beautiful and classy with that look? Chloe thinks that there's no flaw left for this kind of woman. It made her envious with her even more.

"I'm okay..." She softly said that caught their attention to her. Both of them rushed beside the bed where she lies down. She can see Ella frowning in front of her.

"Oh. Good to know. I guess you can go home now, right miss?" She said with full sarcasm to the nurse attending to her right now.

"Ah, yes. I should go. I'm sorry." Chloe interrupted them by assuring them that she's already good to go. She tried to get up but then she's a bit groggy and tired.

"You should be. You almost ruined my show by making a scene, I can't believe you." Ella folded her arms as she frowned at her. Chloe saw how Ella rolled her eyes because of disgust and she wanted to cry but then she tried her best to stop the tears from falling.

"Miss...if she can stand up, then she can go home now," Ella said to her nurse. She then stepped between the two of them. Chloe started to get up and even though feeling a bit dizzy, she managed to walk outside the door. Ella followed her until she was able to reach the wide staircase.

"Gosh, my fans nowadays. Are you that desperate to make a show for yourself? How could you?"

"I'm so sorry Ella. I do not mean to ruin your show. I am not feeling very well, I don't know what happened next."

"How can I ever believe in you?"

"That's the truth. I apologize for what happened."

"How can I ever let this pass? Can you even compensate what I have lost tonight?"

"I'm sorry."

"As if your apology can make any difference. You are just one of my trying-hard fans who will do everything just to give yourself a big break, what a shame."

"I'm not trying to prove anything. I don't intend to steal anything from you too. It's not my intention. I am not feeling very well. Please forgive me."

"Did you know that most of my guests rush into you? Instead of me giving my closing remarks, I told them that the show is over for my nurse to attend to you."

"Believe me, I will always be grateful for it."

"I will always hate you for it. Everything that happened tonight is a total mess."

"I'm so sorry." Chloe started to cry as tears uncontrollably ran down her cheeks.

"As if your apology will bring everything back."

"If only I could do anything to make it up to you‐‐"

"Do me a favor. Do not show your horrible face to me." Ella cuts her off before she will say another word.

"I promise," Chloe said as she wiped her tears that's running down her cheek with her bare hands. Ella just looks at her as if she's not important. Ella walks past her and slammed the door.

"I will go with you. You might get lost around the house for sure." The nurse said as she nodded.

"Thank you so much," Chloe answered. She even said sorry numerous times. The nurse just shook her head as she heard her saying those words.

'Poor girl. I'm with her on this. However, if Ella will get mad, nobody can stop that brat. She's very annoying and spoiled. She doesn't even care about what you feel. Instead, she only thinks about herself.' The nurse kept those words to herself.

One thing she knew is that, Ella Grande is seriously hard to deal with.

----

"I told you. It is not a good idea to spend something that's not worth it."

"At least I got the chance to see Serene Sanders."

She said gloomily. Peter tried to comfort Chloe by patting one of her shoulders. Honestly, he doesn't know how to make her happy either. They were sitting on one of the benches of their school.

"It's still not worth the money. If only I know that you will just end up crying because of it, I never should have allowed you to attend Ella's show."

"I never expected her to treat me like that."

"Of course. They will always look down at us because..."

"Because what? We are poor? We were just trying hard no matter what we're doing? Because we are not attractive compared to them?" Chloe can't stop her tears from falling. Peter can't help but pity his dearest friend.

"Hmmm...come here." Peter held her hands as he pulled him closer to her. He wiped her tears using his handkerchief from his pocket.

"It is not what I intend to tell you. Please do not misinterpret what I am trying to say." He added. Chloe looked up and met his gaze.

"I always try to catch her attention but it turned out to be my worst experience meeting her in person."

"I'm sorry you have to experience it, Chloe. Too bad, sometimes we just have to accept that our world simply doesn't fit theirs."

He heard her sigh as she looked down.

"It hurts but we need to accept things because that's the way it is." As soon as she heard those words, she seemed to cry even more.

"I'm so sorry dear Chloe. How about some food to cheer you up?"

"Don't make me sad even more."

"What?" Peter can't help but chuckle.

How can Chloe be lonely if that's already food that he's offering right now?

"Ella is dieting every day that's why she can maintain her waistline at twenty-two." From her tone, Peter can't seem to comfort her that easy.

"What's your full name?" Peter cheerfully asked her.

"Chloe Prin." She said as she pouts her lips.

"See? You're not Ella Grande to start with."

"Peter...stop it." She reacted with a chuckle.

"You stop belittling yourself, will you? You're beautiful just the way you are. Do not try to be someone else when all you think of is being pressured rather than being happy."

"You think so?"

"Yes. You're Chloe and she's Ella. Yes, she has a waistline of 22, but can she enjoy the food you're enjoying right now?

She was suddenly stunned because her friend Peter is right.

"Just feel better. We never knew what kind of pressure she's facing every day that you effortlessly enjoy without thinking a lot."

"You know what, Peter? You're right. I suddenly become hungry. Where's that food?" She flashed a smile. She suddenly stood up and pulled his hand.

----

After Peter and Chloe ate their food, Chloe decided to go home. Peter went with her until they reached their gate.

"Thank you so much for making me feel better, Peter."

"It's always my pleasure, Chloe. You know that I love you."

"Nah. I've had enough for today. Please do not add up to my stress."

"If you will love me as your stress, It will be more than a pleasure to be your stress forever."

"Peter, you're crazy."

"Yes, definitely crazy for you." He smiled sweetly as he looked upon her gaze.

"Go home."

He bid her goodbye as she gave him a friendly hug. "See you tomorrow."

She slowly went inside their house and it was exactly 11:00 in the evening. She's very sure that her parents are sleeping already. She tiptoed upstairs and as soon as she reached her room, closed the door, she was able to put off her clothes.

She can't help but stare at her figure at her body mirror. She doesn't seem to have a figure anymore, does she?

After attending Ella's show, she realized that there are still people who seemed to care a lot for themselves. That's why they always looked so good, but her? Forget it.

She slowly puts on her pajamas and she takes her eyeglass off her face. She carefully placed them inside its pink hard-case cover.

She let her body drown on the soft mattress of her comfy bed. With eyes opened, she fixed her attention to their ceiling painted all white.

"Why are there people so unfortunate like me in this world? While there are people so lucky they don't need to try so hard for it."

If only I could set any situation favoring me...if only I can change myself to be someone I admire the most...I would do everything for it for sure.

----

She is now slowly walking as if without any direction. She's all alone as she walks from her home going to their school approximately two kilometers away.

"Oh, please pity this old lady...please." She heard someone groaning as if she's feeling hurt somewhere. Somebody caught her attention as she is about to cross the road. When she looked at where the sound comes from. She saw a frail, old woman offering her palms wide open in front of her.

She looked at her eyes and she pities her right away.

"Oh...here you go, dear." She grasped the idea of the need to help her. She quickly yanked a biscuit from her bag and handed it to her in an awkward manner. She saw the old woman's face lit up after she saw the biscuit on her hands. She looked very happy.

"You are a good person."

"How I wish being a good person is also credited equally for being physically beautiful as well."

They sat side by side on a bench, quietly observing the passersby and on what the other people doing.

"Do you think so?" She said in a meaningful manner that Chloe can't help but to turn her gaze towards her grinning face.

"Just maybe...if I could be beautiful and attractive, then my life will be different from what I have right now," Chloe said as she sighed.

"Are you sure it will make you happy?" The old woman asked, facing her. She can see that her facial expression is very serious right now.

"I will trade by giving anything just to achieve it. I think it will make me very happy forever."

"Very well. I want you to think about it over and over again. Be careful what you wish for..."

"Chloe? Were you listening to me?" She suddenly heard a voice right after she blinked her eyes.

"Huh? Peter, what are you doing here?" Chloe said, feeling very shocked as she looks around, hoping to find that old woman she's talking with a while ago.

"What?! I've been here with you since twenty minutes ago. You're absent-minded ever since."

"But...but you know, there's an old woman that I talked to...believe me."

"I thought you badly wanted to become Ella. Now, you want me to believe that you have seen an old woman when you're with me all along?"

"No! It's not it. There's an old woman--"

"Let's just eat. The class is over for the morning and it already breaks time. Don't worry it's on me."

"But---"

He pulled her hands and that made her not add a word anymore. She hasn't got a choice but to follow Peter. She just looked at her submissive hands being held by him.

She slowly turned her head back and as the passersby walked in front of her. She slowly blinked her eyes, she saw the old woman grinning at her. In another blink of an eye, she saw that the same old woman standing on the same ground instantly became a beautiful woman dressed in black from head to toe. She's wearing the same grin as the old woman wore as she heard the words coming from her like an endless echo...

She's directly looking into her eyes right now as she heard these faint words that seem to also came from her...

'Be careful what you wished for…'