บท 13: 'Falsification'
"Ugh! My head," Amber groaned while sitting on the couch in Summer's living room and was massaging her forehead.
She just got woken up from a twelve-hour sleep.
Summer was preparing a cup of coffee while toasting some bread. She was wearing a white loose, off-shoulder crop top paired with high-waist, fitted jeans.
"Where are you going?" Amber asked as she noticed Summer's outfit.
"I have a taping," she responded, then walked towards Amber. "Here."
Summer laid down a tray with a plate of toasted bread and a cup of coffee.
"Thanks," Amber thanked, still massaging her forehead.
"So... Why did you drown your ass last night? Did you fight with Reign again?"
"No. It's mom this time. Uh, well. I think it's a bit yes, 'cause we actually fought first before mom. She was the reason why I argued with mom because, as usual, she's siding on her again!" Amber answered, rolling her eyes.
"And, hey! I'm not that drunk. I can even remember what I did here last night," she added.
"Ahuh? Really? Then, what did you do last night?"
"Mhm. I literally seduced your guest?" Amber blushed while shyly looking at Summer.
Summer held back her laugh and tried to look serious. "Oh, yeah? And who was my guest?"
"I don't know. I didn't recognize him. But, he was extremely handsome!!!"
Summer snorted, then burst into laughter. She gave up on Amber's dumbness.
"Oh, ghad, Amber. HAHAHAH! You're funny!"
"What?" Amber confusedly stared at her. "Why are you laughing?"
"You're not drunk huh? Then, why did you still think that you've been flirting with some handsome guy when it was actually Trish?" Summer giggled.
Amber's eyes widened. "NO WAY! Are you serious?!"
"Of course! Like hell, I would bring a guy here with me alone!"
"Ihhh! You're kidding, right?"
"I'm not!" Summer chuckled at Amber's disappointed face.
"Such a waste! Tsk!" she pouted.
"HAHAHAHA!! You really should not get drunk with that habit of yours! Do you remember how you slapped that guy who was drinking with your boyfriend? And you scandalously accused him of flirting and cheating. Lol, Girl! That was so embarrassing! I can still clearly remember it hahahah!!"
"Oh, shut up! I was just not in the right mind that time!"
"You always were! Hahahaha!"
"Tss. Go die laughing, you brat! And FYI! That guy was transgender. He was technically still a girl!" Amber said irritatedly.
'Annoying! He was honestly handsome and really my type', Amber thought.
"But, seriously. You should control yourself before you hooked up with a real lesbian this time. You can't reason out that you were subconsciously gender-baffled when drunk if they're really into you," Summer teased, then chuckled playfully.
"Ugh! Cut it out! Anyway. Did she get mad? Should I apologize to her?"
"I don't think Trish is the type of making things a big deal. But, you should try. I don't also think she's mad and she's definitely kind."
"Mhm." Amber took a sip of coffee, then spat it out immediately.
"Sis, your coffee sucks!"
Summer rolled her eyes.
"Why don't you just appreciate it and drink it all at once?"
"Seriously? Every sip of this is equivalent to a step forward towards death!"
"Don't worry. Coffins are good these days."
"Cool! Make a reservation for two persons, then," Amber snapped.
Summer just clicked her tongue at her, then stood up and started to fix her things.
Amber sighed, then flopped back to the sofa.
"I'm really annoyed! I like that guy. I can still clearly imagine his face. Are you sure it was Trish?"
"Of course. Don't question me like I was the drunk one."
"Mhmm. Well, maybe because I saw a glimpse of Trish on him."
"It's not a 'Maybe' crackhead. It's truly her."
"Aisst! I couldn't shake him off my mind!!!!" Amber whinged, messing her hair.
"Yeah. You have really gone crazy. I wonder how many bottles you emptied."
"I'm serious!" Amber unamusedly stared at the ceiling.
"Actually. Trish has a brother that I never met. He was mentioned in her family background, but he'd been anonymous. Oh! want me to ask her about him?" Summer asked while doing her hair.
"Eh? Of course not! I will look like a pathetic, desperate woman!"
"Ooooh. You described yourself well."
"Tss! Can't you just leave?!" Amber coarsely said.
Summer's jaw hung, then unbelievably looked at Amber.
"Wow! Whose house is this again?"
"Mine. Why?" she smirked.
"No doubt. Alcohol really dissolved your brain."
Amber just raised her thumb at Summer, without looking at her.
'Brother, huh? Interesting'
.
.
.
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"Woah. Even the concealer gave up on those dark circles," Tanya teased Tristan while watching the make-up artist doing his base make-up.
Tristan just clicked his tongue. His eyes were closed that's why he couldn't glare at her.
He was preparing for the endorsement shoot of Kyla Scent.
"Trish. Someone is looking for you." Tristan turned his head to look at Whifler. He blinked and wondered when he saw Amber beside him.
"Hi!" she greeted him.
Tristan looked at Whifler; the look of asking if he should talk to her or not. Whifler glanced at his watch.
"Five minutes," he told Tristan and looked at Amber.
"Thank you," she smiled and then turned her gaze to Tristan.
"Uh, can we talk privately?" Amber asked Tristan.
He nodded his head, then wrapped himself in a silk night robe.
They went to the corner of the venue. Just enough distance from everyone for them to talk privately and quietly.
"Uhm. I wasn't expecting you to come here."
"Yeah. I came here to apologize for last night. Uhm. How should I put it? Uh... Actually... I have a bad habit when drunk? You know, uhm. I have trouble differentiating genders. Like switching them. I guess you understand what I'm saying since I literally did it to you... Last night?" Amber stammered while fidgeting her thumb at the sling of her bag.
She couldn't look him straight in the eyes because of the embarrassment she felt.
'Now that you mentioned it. If you only knew how I stayed all night vexed about it. Hays.', Tristan thought.
He sighed then smiled.
"It's okay. I understand. No need to worry. It's not a big deal, actually, but I appreciate your apology. Uhm. We all had drunk habits and that's normal."
'But, I almost died with that habit, for heaven's sake!', he thought.
Amber felt relieved and sighed. "Thank you."
"Excuse me. I'm sorry to interfere, but, we really need to fix you now, Ms. Trish," one of the staff politely said.
"Yes, I'll be there in a second," Tristan answered back, then looked at Amber.
"I'm sorry, but If you have anything else to say, Can you—"
"No. no. It's fine. That's just all I wanted to say." Amber stared at Tristan with those unexplainable, overflowing emotions in her eyes.
"Summer's right," she smiled.
Tristan got confused at Amber's last statement, but he just shrugged his thoughts off and parted his ways with Amber.
After she left, Tristan started preparing and then proceeded to the shoot.
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.
.
It was around four in the afternoon. Trish was sitting on her bed with a blanket covering half of her body. She was silently staring at the doctor in front of her, flipping a folder and reading all that was written on it. She was fidgeting her fingers while nervously waiting for the doctor's statement.
"Mhmm. You're improving. Looking at this result, just a bit more rest and continuous medication, you will surely recover soon."
Trish was stunned as the doctor said those words with a congratulatory smile plastered on his face.
"I-Improving? I'm r-recovering?"
"Yes. Ms. Fuentavilla."
"Oh. T-That's good to hear,", Trish lowly said.
The doctor hid the folder he was holding into his black case, then smiled at Trish as he handed some papers to her.
"I'll leave those copies of test results to you, Ms. Fuentavilla." The doctor glanced at his watch.
"I have to go now. I have other appointments today."
"Alright. Thank you, doctor. Be careful on your way."
"I will. Thank you," The doctor smiled, then opened the door of Trish's room.
Whifler was standing outside her room and was waiting for them to finish talking. He bowed and sent the doctor through the gate. After he left, Whifler went back to Trish's room.
His brows knitted as he looked at Trish's frown.
"I am certain that what the doctor said was good news. But, why does your face longer than Rapunzel's hair?"
Whifler calmly asked which made Trish bow and grip her blanket.
"D-Don't tell mom."
Whifler paused. "Pardon?"
"Don't tell mom. About.. The result," Trish jolted her head up to look at Whifler.
He could not understand the expression that Trish was showing him. Her eyes seemed to be begging as she stared into his eyes.
"What?" he confusedly asked. "Why?"
"Just don't."
He awkwardly chuckled.
"Are you sick? What would I tell her if she asked me?"
"Anything. If possible, lie to her."
Whifler's eyes widened at what she said.
"Are you possessed?"
"I'm not, Manager Whifler. I'm serious."
They all looked at the door when someone knocked. Trish became more worried when she saw the woman in her mid-40s (her mother), wearing a beige office skirt and white office blouse, opening her room. Trish's aqua-optics swiftly looked down.
"I'm sorry I was late. I finished the work at the office first. So, how was it? What did the doctor say?" Mrs. Fuentavilla asked as she walked into the room.
Trish bowed her head and gripped her blanket even more. Whifler's brows furrowed and tried to analyze what was going on. But, even though he tried so much, he just couldn't.
Mrs. Fuentavilla was confusedly staring at them. "What's with the silence?"
"Uh. I'm sorry Mrs. Fuentavilla. Ahm. The doctor said that... That her condition hadn't changed at all!" Whifler responded.
"WHAT?!" Mrs. Fuentavilla exclaimed.
Trish surprisedly looked at Whifler. She couldn't believe that he would really lie to her mother.
"Trish! What happened? Why aren't you improving yet? Is your doctor not that good at treating?! Should we replace him and find a better doctor?!"
"N-No. It's... It's not the doctor's fault. It's mine mom."
Sharrie's forehead wrinkled. "What are you talking about?"
"I-I felt so isolated here, so, I got bored and unintentionally stressed my knee from exercising and walking around my room."
Her mother's eyes widened at what she said.
"ARE YOU CRAZY?! Do you want to be CRIPPLED for the rest of your life!?"
Her mother was undeniably infuriated at her. Whifler quickly calmed Mrs. Fuentavilla but, she just exasperatedly massaged her forehead and stopped him from calming her.
"Mom. I'm sorry, but, the doctor scolded me already. Please don't add more."
Her mother snorted.
"Let me tell you, young lady! You should be rebuked for your stubbornness—YOU OBSTINATE WOMAN!!"
"Now. Now. Mrs. Fuentavilla. Please, calm down. Don't stress yourself over this. I will talk to her. I am partly at fault, too, because I overlooked Miss Trish. I apologize," Whifler interrupted, calming the raging atmosphere in the room.
"Did you say you just came from work? Uhm. Not to be rude ma'am, but it is better to take a rest first. I am worried you'll get sick, Mrs. Fuentavilla. Just leave this to me."
Mrs. Fuentavilla took a deep sigh and looked at Whifler.
"Please do Manager Whifler. Make her understand the situation she was in!"
"I will ma'am."
"Alright," she responded, then turned her head to Trish. "I'm leaving. Behave yourself!"
Her mother snarled, then left without waiting for her reply.
They were both silents after Mrs. Fuentavilla left the room.
"U-Uhm. Where's Tristan?" Trish asked, breaking the silence. Whifler looked at her.
"At Summer's place," he seriously answered.
"Ahh. T-They got closer than I expected. Hehe," she said awkwardly.
Whifler just stared at her. She averted her eyes and bit her lower lip while fidgeting her thumbs.
"A-uh. Anyway. T-Thank you for covering me up. S-Sorry I've made you lie to her."
"Yeah? Now. Mind explaining why on Earth you wanted to hide this from your mother?"
Trish became silent. Obviously didn't want to talk and explain anything. Whifler just sighed in frustration.
"Okay. I won't force you to explain now. I'll wait when will you open up. But, I hope it will justify my falsehood to your mother." Whifler said, then scanned his cell phone.
"T-thanks." Trish noticed Whifler's serious face while rummaging his phone. "What are you doing?"
Whifler paused and looked at her.
"Of course, I will talk to your doctor. We can't pull off this deception without him, right?"
Trish was stunned at what he said. She definitely felt so glee about it.
"And I know you very well, Trish. You won't do anything without a valid reason," he added.
Trish was overwhelmed by his words. She moved her body to reach him and hugged him tightly.
Whifler was startled and felt a rapid beat on his chest.
"I... I'm so grateful to have you, Manager Whifler. Thank you so much!" she softly said.
Whifler blushed and gently removed Trish's arms around him.
"Y-You're welcome."
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