by Yuriko Hime
“How can I forget that beautiful face?” she said huskily. My cheeks warmed. Funny how a few words could make me blush. And did she say beautiful, or did I hear that wrong?
“Why did you ignore me earlier then?”
“Oh that.” She shrugged. Glace sat on her chair. “I tend to do that a lot in front of other people. That’s why they call me the Ice Princess.” She murmured the last line, as if she was speaking to herself. “Wait, is that why you’re sad?”
“A little,” I admitted.
“I didn’t mean to offend you. I just can’t let my guard down with everyone looking at us like that. Sorry.” She sounded so sincere, unlike other people I knew, namely Denise.
I broke into a smile. “You’re forgiven because you remembered my name.” Glace’s mouth opened a fraction. She stared dumbfounded at me. I waved my hands in front of her. “Why are you staring at me like that?” Was there something on my face? She averted her gaze quickly and stared down. Her ears and cheek turned bright pink. So people like her made those kinds of expressions too. How cute. But why was she blushing? “You look a little feverish. Is everything okay?”
“Don’t mind me,” she dismissed. “I feel a little hot, that’s all.” She gave a shaky laugh.
“I see. By the way, something’s been bothering me. Why did you tell me your name was Glace? Everyone calls you Frio, and I don’t really get that.”
She sighed, propping her arms on the desk so she could place her chin on her hands. “My real name is Glace McKenzie. Frio is my stage persona that executives from Hollywood created. Not a lot of people know me as Glace, even my diehard fans. Call me that only when we’re alone like this. I don’t want everyone running around screaming my birth name.”
“Why did you give me your real name then? You could have just told me outright that you’re Frio.” The thought of pulling her inside my car made me cringe. If I’d known that she was a celebrity, I wouldn’t have done that. Or maybe I still would. Who knew?
“It’s because you didn’t appear to recognize me Dulce.” Glace studied my face, as if searching for something more. Whatever it was that she was looking for, she didn’t seem to find it. Glace shrugged and settled back comfortably on her seat. “You don’t watch a lot of TV do you? Most people would have easily known me at a single glance. I did wear my disguise that day, but I removed it in the car. Aside from that, you looked a bit innocent so I couldn’t help it.”
“I only watch cooking shows,” I explained. “And what do you mean by innocent? I’m not like that.”
She rolled her eyes, making me notice her thick lashes. “Relax okay? I meant that in a good way. You’re not like some of my followers. I like that about you. You make me feel like a real person instead of a product or a piece of meat.”
The bell rang loudly before I could reply. Lunch was over. Students streamed like water inside the room, including Tim and Patty. My conversation with Glace was cut short. Like the first time, we went back to being strangers. But now that I knew her reasoning, I didn’t feel too bad.
I stared in front of the classroom as the teacher entered. Tim leaned near me. “So did you get that sleep?” he asked.
“Uh huh,” I whispered back.
“Good. But next time, let’s talk to Frio. I’m dying to be her friend.”
“Okay sure. Whatever,” I said in a hushed tone so the teacher wouldn’t hear us.
The lesson started soon after. I tried to concentrate on what the teacher was saying. I also tried to pretend that Glace was not sitting beside me. It was hard, considering that she smelled good like that day in the café. Cream and coffee. She was torturing me with her scent. I did my best to ignore her the whole day, since she didn’t want to acknowledge me herself.
When the last class ended, Glace got her books and stood from her chair. Before she walked away, she whispered something to me, making my cheeks blush beet red. “Nice doodle by the way.” She strolled out of the room, her tons of followers marching right behind her.
I glanced down at my notebook and saw my drawing of Glace’s name with hearts and all. I completely forgot that it was there. “Oh boy,” I muttered. “This is going to be an interesting school year.”
Chapter 3. Real Identity
I didn’t know where Glace disappeared to. After the chaos inside the classroom died down when she left, I shoved my notebook inside my bag and got up. It was totally unbelievable. The girl I helped and had a huge crush on was super famous. To make it worse, she saw the dorky doodle on my notebook.
God. How could I show my face to her tomorrow? Please ground, swallow me whole. If not, then make her forget about it. I headed to my locker to return my stuff. Denise was waiting for me there, leaning against the wall. I groaned. If it wasn’t one thing, it was the other. I opened my locker door, pretending she wasn’t there.
“Why the cold shoulder?” she asked from behind. I arranged my stuff inside like I was alone. Her footsteps alerted me that she was getting nearer. “I’m serious babe. I really want to be your friend. Please don’t avoid me.” Her warm breath against my ear felt uncomfortable. I leaned away and glared at her.
“Denise,” I said, frustrated. “I’m not your babe. And can you please not do that again? I thought you didn’t want to be my girlfriend. Why are you still giving me mixed signals? It’s not only annoying, it throws me off-track.” There, I said it to her. Maybe she’d get the hint and leave me alone. It was bad enough that I was rejected. Did she have to go near me every chance she got? How did she expect me to move on?
She lowered her eyes and twirled a lock of her blonde hair with a finger before glancing back at me. “I’m sorry for turning you down. I know I was a bitch for being so rude, but give me a chance. Let’s be friends, please.”
I crossed my arms. “What for? Don’t tell me it’s for popularity reasons. You’re pretty popular too. You don’t need me for that.”
“Of course not.” Her eyes widened innocently. “Look, let me prove to you that I’m serious this time.”
“How?”
“Let’s go out today. Just you and me. No mixed signals. No innuendo. Just plain old friendship talk. That sounds good?”
I thought about it. From the looks of it, Denise would continue to pester me if I didn’t give in to her. Avoiding her would be hard because we moved in the same circles. Besides, having her as a friend would be better than being all awkward with her. I guess this was for the best.
“Okay Denise, let’s go out today. But don’t forget about your promise. This is for friendship and nothing else right?” She nodded sincerely. “Let me text my friends first.” I grabbed my phone from my jeans pocket and quickly sent my two best friends a message, saying that they should go home without me.
“So where do you want to go Dulce?”
“Want to hang out at my favorite coffee shop?” I slipped my phone back to my pocket.
“Sure, whatever babe.”
Since both of us brought a ride, we agreed to meet inside the café. I was the first one to arrive. As usual, the inviting smell of cream and coffee greeted me as I opened the door to the shop. It reminded me of Glace. I pushed the thought from my mind. Got to focus on the task at hand. “Hey Dulce,” said Tina, one of my favorite barista’s. Everyone knew me here since I would visit a couple of times a week. Yeah, I was addicted to coffee like that. My heart probably pumped brown liquid.
“Hi Tina, please give me the usual.”
A couple of minutes later, she handed me the Toffee-nut drink mixed with caffeine. I took a deep sniff. Mmmm. Just like I remembered it. After paying for the drink, I scanned the area for available seats. The table in the corner offered better privacy, which would be perfect if Denise was my companion. I couldn’t help but overhear two girls my age talking about Glace, Frio, whatever, as I took a seat.
“Did you hear about it?” the girl to the right asked.
“Frio enrolled in King’s Valley High. I asked my parents to switch me schools but they
didn’t want to. What a pain!” She was talking so loudly that the other customers inside the shop were staring at her in annoyance. The two friends continued to giggle and speak in high notes until the girl on the right took out a magazine with Glace’s face on it. I stole a look. Glace was staring modestly at the camera. My mouth opened slightly when I noticed what she was wearing at the cover. Not only was it familiar, it was mine. Yup, it was the grey shirt I lent her the other week.
Why did she wear that for her interview? It wasn’t cheap to begin with, but that wasn’t the point. I couldn’t believe that she’d wear something of mine and flaunt it for the entire world to see. Nobody would think that it wasn’t hers, but still. What was she thinking? She could have worn one of the outfits selected for her.
My train of thought was interrupted by the arrival of Denise. “Hey babe.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder. What a nasty habit.
“What took you so long?” I caught the word ‘babe’ that she said and chose to let it slip. It annoyed me when girls say that. How could a lesbian figure out if she was being hit on for real or people were just being friendly with her?
She smiled coyly at me. “Dulce sweetheart, girls like us should prepare first when going on a—”
I stopped her with a stare. “You promised.” There she goes with her mixed signals again.
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. Let me just get my coffee in the counter so we can talk about friendly stuff.” She made quotation marks in the air and turned around to head for the counter.
Meanwhile, the two giggling girls stood up and went on their way, taking Glace’s magazine and all her cuteness with them. I still couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that she was a celebrity. Two gorgeous women took a seat on the booth that was vacated a few seconds ago. The girl with black hair and blue eyes stared lovingly at her companion, making the other woman blush. “Stop looking at me like that Emiri,” she said with a smile.
I quickly averted my eyes, concentrating on my drink. If I wasn’t mistaken, those two were a couple. A twinge of envy settled on my stomach. I wished that I could have someone like that. Denise was the first person I ever asked out, and look how that turned out.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Speaking of the devil. Denise took a seat in front of me, placing her coffee on the table.
“So what did you want to talk about?” I asked.
She shrugged. “Normal stuff. Like what’s your ideal partner?” Denise sipped her coffee.
“That’s normal?” I raised my eyebrows.
“Whatever Dulce.” She placed her coffee cup down forcefully. Some of its contents spilled on the side. “Just answer the stupid question.”
“Okay.” I sensed another argument brewing. “When you said partner, I’m assuming that you meant a girl. I’m lesbian Denise and whether you like it or not, I’m attracted to women.” I stared pointedly at her for emphasis. She didn’t object so I continued. “I don’t really have a specific type. I used to, but I realized quickly that you don’t always get what you want, especially when it comes to love. I go with my instinct instead. If she gives me the whole butterfly in the stomach thing, then I’m good with that.”
“What about the looks?” She scrunched her nose. “Don’t tell me you’d go out with just anyone because she gave you the butterfly thingy. That’s like eww.” Denise fanned her face with her hands.
I smirked. “I’m not a hypocrite. Of course I’m attracted to beautiful people. But I also understand that it’s not the foundation of a good relationship. Only shallow-minded individuals think that. What about you Denise? It’s clear as day that you’re gay. Why hide it from me of all people?”
My question caught her off-guard. She looked uncomfortable for a moment but soon regained confidence in herself. “I’m not gay. Duh! I’m not into girls that way.” Here we go again.
“Don’t kid yourself girl. I know what you are.” I stood up abruptly. “Look, when you’re ready to accept yourself, just call me and I’d be your friend. I’m not forcing you to come out, but I don’t want you to lie to my face either. It’s really annoying. I don’t know if you’re confused, but please don’t get me caught in this.”
I took my cold drink and left her on the table, gaping at me. I didn’t need people like her in my life. Drama-free was my goal for this year. When I reached my car, the phone in my pocket vibrated, startling me. The number on the screen was not listed on my phone records. “This is Dulce,” I answered. “Who’s calling?”
“Hey stranger,” said a familiar voice. Butterflies emerged on my stomach. Unbelievably, she could do that to me even when we were apart.
“I didn’t think you’d still have my number Glace. What’s up?” Though I tried to sound casual, my high-pitched voice betrayed me. When would I stop embarrassing myself in front of this girl?
“Nothing much,” she said. “I forgot to return your shirt earlier. I had it in my bag, but school was so crazy that it slipped my mind. Want to meet up instead? I’ll give you the shirt.”
“S-sure.” I felt lightheaded. “Where do you want to meet?”
A pause on the other line. “Come to my house. I’ll text you the address. Don’t bring anyone,” she warned. “I just bought the property and don’t want the paparazzi to discover where I’m staying. You cool with that?”
“Of course. I’ll be there in a moment.” Glace disconnected the call. Meanwhile, I did a small celebratory dance inside the car. We were going to be alone in her house, I thought with satisfaction. Fine, she wasn’t lesbian, but that didn’t mean that I couldn’t enjoy her company. There was nothing wrong with that right? She wasn’t Denise.
When the address was sent to me, I drove like a maniac to her place. I was so excited to see her twice in a day that I forgot about the fact that she brought my shirt to school. Within minutes, my car was parked across the street from her house. I stood awkwardly outside her gate. Because it was surrounded by stone fences, I didn’t know what the property looked like. But I was definitely sure that the whole thing was expensive as heck. She was a celebrity, and there was no doubt that she could easily afford luxury homes like this.
I felt self-conscious as I took out the phone in my pocket and called her back. Glace answered after two rings. “Where are you?” she asked.
“I’m standing outside your gate. Mind letting me in?”
“Oh yeah, my bad. I’m on my way there.” The call ended.
I fidgeted on my feet before the gate opened a fraction. Glace’s head poked out. She smiled widely when she saw me and beckoned for me to follow inside. As soon as I stepped foot there, my eyes roamed the property. The lawn was well-manicured. A huge rectangular pool greeted us in front of the main house. The water was illuminated with lights, which was made more obvious by the darkening sky. It was beautiful. I bet Glace had lots of pool parties here with her celebrity friends.
The modern-looking house greeted us from a few feet away. It was a two-storey tall building that was predominantly white and had this huge floor-to-ceiling glass that replaced some of the walls. It was like stepping inside a celebrity home tour or magazine. My nervousness doubled. We belonged in different worlds. Even if she was a lesbian, I didn’t have a shot with her. How could I? I was normal and she was on a pedestal. Way, way up in the clouds.
Glace ushered me inside her home. Like the exterior design, the interior was pretty much modern. A bespoke chandelier in the middle of the receiving room lighted the whole place. We passed the living room which was dominated with white, grey, and black hues. The only splash of color I saw came from the contemporary art on the walls. The house screamed of luxury. What was I doing there?
Glace interrupted my thoughts. “In case you’re wondering, I didn’t have a hand in designing this house.” She smiled sheepishly, looking like she was even more anxious than I was. “Everything was done with the help of a designer. So no, I’m not a stuck up bitch like you’re thinking Dulce. I’m actually a little uncomfortable with the place.”<
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Did I give off that vibe? “No, no I wasn’t thinking that,” I said quickly before we had a misunderstanding. “Everything’s different that’s all. The design is very tasteful.”
Her expression changed to amusement. “Oh really now? Hmmm.” She turned around. “Come to my room. I left the shirt there.”
“Sure, let’s go.”
She led me to a flight of stairs. There was a comfortable silence between us as we climbed. We soon reached the end of the hall where a white double door was located. Glace opened it widely, signaling for me to go inside. I entered curiously and looked around. To my amazement, the room differed from the rest of the house. It was like a rainbow exploded inside. The first thing I noticed were the purple walls that had hand-drawn artwork of naked women hanging on a frame. My eyes met hers in surprise.
She lowered her gaze. “Yes I drew those, and yes those were real subjects. I’m a freak right?”
Somehow, I was able to find my voice. “Not at all. . . It’s really good.” I went to the artwork and carefully inspected it. When my eyes connected to the breast of the woman in the drawing, I couldn’t control my blush from surfacing. “Is this your hobby?” I asked, hiding my discomfort.
She cleared her throat. “Kind of. I guess I really like the silhouette of a woman.”
“Me too.” I nodded, though I wouldn’t go as far as drawing naked women. Plus, I wasn’t that artistic. “Let me ask you a question.”
“Okay, shoot.”
I searched her eyes. “Why did you bring me here? You don’t know me that well. For all you know, I can snap a picture of this with my phone and sell it to the media. I heard that you’re the type of person who doesn’t easily let other people in your life, so why?”
Something in her demeanor changed. I couldn’t put my finger on what exactly. Maybe it was her gaze. It hardened when the question came up. “I’m not going to say that there’s something different about you Dulce. That’s bull. I’m not in love with you or anything.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest defensively. “I don’t want to have a relationship with you either.”
