Friday, June 8, 2007

   THE WAY by =kiwiKAE=
[THESE STORIES ARE ORIGINAL... I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SHARE. COMMENT AWAY PEOPLE! ^,^]

CHAPTER ONE: I WILL MARRY HIM

It was the most ordinary day in the world until young Gabrielle fixed her brown eyes on her computer screen. “What in blazes happened to my wallpaper? Lisa!” It is said that we are born in this world with a purpose. One thing’s for sure for Gabrielle, she’s a fashion designer and it is her duty (according to her) to rule over the fashion world at 20. So far, it didn’t happen. And by the way, she’s already 23.

Gabrielle was never the flashy, flamboyant type. Maybe it was why she never did take over the fashion world at 20…we’ll never know. And instead of being born at the heart of the Capital where most artists are being praised and hailed like gods, she’s stuck in a small province where art is nothing more but a luxury people avoid. But nonetheless, she has worked with several designers who are famous and are recognized by the people…somehow (especially those who are to wed).

On her way to work, ponytails her ebony tresses…she wears her usual white linen top, blue jeans and leather sandals that match her leather laptop bag. Her image screams, “I don’t need boys.” Last she checked it caused her a year’s salary and a broken heart. Joe or whatever she used to call him, turned out to be a total jerk-off when he took her credit card and used it…sky’s the limit. She swore off boys then. She entered daily talks with women who had similar problems. She took yoga sessions to make her life meaningful.

But Gabrielle’s different now. After two years of staying away from the opposite sex, she had come to a decision… “I will marry him.” She declared to her best friend not so long ago in Pedro’s, a coffee shop just across Luzuriaga street opposite Schwartz’ Dress Shop. Patrice stared at her friend in awe. “But, who is this guy? You didn’t tell me about him much except that you love him. When did you get to know him? Does he know you’re planning to marry him?” Gabrielle just stared back and smiled. She laughed a bit and said, “No…” She took her cup of tea and sipped. She told Patrice how it all started.

She met him…saw him, rather when she was cleaning the window display one Sunday morning. She was at the second step of cleaning the window (wiping the foam off) when this annoying street kid appeared and made faces outside the store. She signaled him to back away but the boy is just too persistent. He stayed and made faces. Gabrielle, being impatient and short-tempered slammed a fist on the glass, firm but not enough to break it. “Get away.” She mouthed. But the boy didn’t move. She began throwing ugly faces at the boy and imitating the little boy’s taunts. But it didn’t work either. At last, she grew tired and decided to let the boy do whatever he wants. He’ll grow tired of it, she thought. She continued her window washing. In all those boring minutes, she always gets a glimpse of the boy while she wipes the glass with the rag with different faces every now and then. “Curse his lazy-bummed mother…” She muttered as she squeezed the wet rag and went back to wiping off the foam. But this time, she didn’t just get a glimpse of the dirty street kid. There, kneeling in front of her is a man. “No…it’s an angel,” she thought. The angel was smiling as he gave the little boy a bag overflowing with clothes. Gabrielle was there…the man of her dreams (according to her) was there…thus, it began.

Insomnia… It’s when people don’t feel like sleeping. It’s a sign that one’s brain is overloaded with certain things – things one doesn’t want to forget even for just 8 hours of decent sleep. And it’s what Gabrielle damned herself into. She would call her best friend in the wee hours of the morning just to say, “I think I love him…” The next night, “I think I love him.” The next night, “I think I love him…” It was like that for months. A friendship-testing month as what Patrice decided to call it.

†Schwartz’ Dress Shop†

“The computer crashed last week just after you left. I called the computer shop and they redid the poor thing.” Lisa, a 15 year old Goth girl with a voice like the child of Darthvader and Squidwort (she just doesn’t know it yet) said. “What’s with you and your wallpaper anyway? It’s just a crappy picture of a goofy looking man…”

“It’s none of your business.” Garielle shoved the little Goth girl.

“Well, excuse me for living…” Lisa snorted and walked to her usual spot near the door. “You know, he passed by a little earlier than usual…with a girl. Yep, they were happily chatting with each other. Holding hands too! Tsk, tsk… Well, better luck next time, Gab…”

Gabrielle’s eyebrow twitched at the sound. “You just love to make other people feel miserable, don’t you?” She punched a couple of digits on the calculator. “Besides, it doesn’t bother me at all. I mean, if he fancies another girl, then he can have her for all I care…”

“Yeah right…you don’t care…” Lisa half-snorted, half-said. “If that’s the case then I’m a retard!”

You already are, Gabrielle thought to herself. She doesn’t really know how in hell this Goth girl came to work in a prestigious designing company like this. But hell, she has her own hypotheses. One, she’s somehow related to the owner. Two, she cheated on her resume and somehow got away with it. Three, she slept with the owner. Among these, three is the most probable.

It is no secret that Mr. Schwartz is a two-timing pig. He had two wives and now even with the third, he has several mistresses. There was once a rumor that before he migrated to the Philippines, he was running away from his Swedish wife who filed a lawsuit against him. Mr. John Schwartz is a small stubby man with small eyes and…a lot of style. He was once an apprentice of one famous designer in Paris who got tired of his flirtatious acts with the models and threw him out. But Schwartz has talent. That is why he is still very influential in the fashion world despite his bad record when it comes to relationships, scandals and the like.

When Gabrielle was new, he hit on her who in turn shoved him off and threatened (with a letter opener) to call the police if he made an advance on her again. But she never quit the job. She loves designing too much and she know Schwartz has the connections. And he never did fire her too. Gabrielle thought the man may have seen a tinge of professionalism when she told him she loves designing more than life itself and that his advances will be forgotten if he leaves her alone. Her resume alone kept her rooted with the prestigious company. “Where’s the backup files? Did you tell them to put ‘em in already?” She’s feeling a little grumpy given that two weeks have passed since her last sketch. She’s in a stump. She ran out of ideas.

“It’s there. Just look for the file where you hid the picture of that goofy guy…” Lisa waved off the conversation and stared out of the window.

Gabrielle opened the files and started looking for the wallpaper. Maybe I could get some inspiration out of this… Lisa is right… it’s just a goofy picture of a guy. Why does it bother her so much? Will that guy in the picture smile back at her if she smiles at it? No. It’s been two years – two long years without inspiration. And here he is. And that’s what bothers her. This little love affair that never even started…It never was one… The picture… He’s so sad, she thought as she touched the screen of the monitor. She looked at the guy’s chocolate eyes. “Why are you…sad?” She whispered the question.

“Excuse me?”

The voice sent her back to reality where nothing is magical and everything is cause and effect… That’s what she thinks. Standing in front of her is the very image of the man in her monitor. “Wha…wha…” She looked back at her monitor and back at the man in front of the counter. “Yes, may I help you?” She smiled and calmly greeted while her fingers fumbled to change the wallpaper.

The man smiled back. “I thought I heard something… My mistake… Anyway, I’m here…here to ask a favor…” He has a deep and beautiful voice that made Gabrielle smile even wider.

“And what would that be, sir?” Gabrielle asked in a professional tone. God! Is he asking me out?! Possibilities bombarded her mind like the bombing of Nagasaki. Could-it-be’s began raining in her head.

“I have a close friend who really loves the dresses you design. You are Gabrielle De la Cruz, am I right?” He looked at Gabrielle with that question pasted on his face.

“I am.” Gabrielle smiled. She took the hand offered by the man. “I don’t believe I know you…” She added demurely. Yeah right! A voice shouted in her head. She wanted to laugh by then.

“I’m Stephen Garcia. I work in the nearby orphanage… You see, my friend wants to have a gown for her eighteenth birthday. But she can’t quite afford it…” Stephen explained. “I guess, what I’m saying is that I need your expertise to design a gown for a cheaper price…which is really rude of me but…I believe you have a kind heart… Am I getting to you?” He breathed in rather immediately. Stephen smiled waiting for the woman’s reaction.

Is he trying to ask me to design a gown for his girlfriend?! Oh my God! And he’s asking me to lower my price?! He’s out of his mind! He doesn’t even know me! I don’t even know him! What’s the matter with him?! He thinks he could control a woman just like that!? How could he?! How dare he?!

“Yes.” She didn’t hear her own answer at first and was shocked at what she said. “I’ll help you out…” What’s the matter with me?!

“Oh bless you, Mrs. De la Cruz!” Stephen looked relieved. It was really a strange encounter. And it gets stranger by the minute. Do you ever remember the feeling of happiness and then everything went upside down?

“I’m a miss, Mr. Garcia…” Gabrielle elaborated with the same smile as before. “You can call me Gabrielle…”

“Thank you, Miss Gabrielle!” Stephen continued shaking the woman’s hand. “I should go back to the seminary and tell the others.”

And that was it. It was like a powerful blow – more powerful than the time her father accidentally poured hot water on her tights. It was so powerful Gabrielle just stared blankly at Stephen. There was silence. She blinked a couple of times before regaining a perfect smile and then, “I’m sorry…did you just say…seminary?”

“Yes I did.” Stephen answered, still smiling. “Oh my! I forgot to tell you properly! I’m a seminarian in St. Paul’s Church. One of the orphans is turning eighteen and my brothers and I wanted to celebrate her birthday like any other eighteen year old girl. So, we planned it all out…”

Little did Stephen Garcia know that by the time he mentioned the word seminary, all Gabrielle could think of is a knife stabbing a human heart. Try picturing a chef piercing a tomato… It was true. There was no humming the song ‘overjoyed’ anymore. It was the inevitable. Mr. Stephen Garcia, the love of Gabrielle De la Cruz’s life is going to be a priest. The end.

To be continued.
THE WAY
written by: Weaver Sisters copyright 2007
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