by LaPucelle08

FLASH!

Pink-glossed lips pulled endless smiles without feeling tired and numb. A pair of cinnamon brown eyes stood out, its twinkle never faltered and remained glistening like shiny pebbles. The voluptuous body knew exactly what to do–the right movement and angle of arms, as to how it’d appear befitting for a shot. Each pose was different from the other, there was no dull moment.

FLASH!

‘Look at me now.’ The favorite Selena Gomez’s song played repetitively in her head.

The photographer was done with his final shot and shook his head in astonishment. “Wow, I’m impressed Dane…you are undoubtedly gorgeous”

“Do you mind emailing me some of these shots? Can I use them as my profile pictures on social media?” Dane asked, pointing at the pictures she preferred to get.

“Yeah, of course, let me apply some minor polishing and I’ll email it to you, but y’know even if I don’t edit, your pictures will look just fine” A wide playful grin plastered on the photographer’s face. “Dang it, Dane, you’re killing it!” He laughed, “Plus you are making my job easier unlike some!”

Dane hit him on the shoulder lightly, a playful gesture as she chuckled. “We are helping each other succeed in our work, Eli”

The staff around them began to unroll the coverings, turn off headlights, and arrange pieces of equipment back to their packing as they finally called it a day. The backdrop in the studio was carefully taken down. Dane went to the dressing room to get changed. After putting into a comfortable white top and denim shorts, Dane sat in front of her vanity dresser and stared at herself.

“...undoubtedly gorgeous…” She repeated Eli’s words in front of the mirror. “You are gorgeous, perfect, and undisputed because you are Dane”

Danielle known as Dane for short to everyone had been working as a model at Brighter Agency, she started doing it freelance and as a supporting figure only until she got noticed and was allowed to become center stage. The magazine where she was featured had the highest sales two years ago, easily overtaking the long-time models of Brighter Agency.

Their most common insight about Dane was her power came from appearing natural and comfortable in her skin or herself. She never was stiff or uneasy, like a river flow leading to the ocean and blending in without any qualms.

Dane left the studio afterward, the excitement didn’t fade out yet because guess what? Her birthday is coming literally! She would be turning 30 tomorrow and despite nearing the end of the calendar, Dane was an irresistible wine.

“My enchantress” Standing outside at the back of the building was Seiya, Dane’s long-time boyfriend whom they first met after college. Seiya walked forward, wrapping his arms around Dane to shower her with amorous affection.

Dane looked up at his boyfriend. “And you never get tired of complimenting me, I wonder if that day will ever come” She stood on her tiptoes to peck his lips.

“Nah, I’m insatiable” Seiya was not part of the industry Dane was working in, he was more in an office set-up but he held a managerial position. The building where he worked was only a few blocks from Brighter Agency.

A vibrate from Dane’s bag momentarily drew her attention away from Seiya, she took her phone out and saw a message from an unknown number, it brought an irritating turbulence as she already had an idea what the message was.

She was right about her assumption, but the message did irk her: ‘Do you not have any plans of visiting your–’ DELETE.

“Excuse me, mate, are you a follower? Literal follower in a stalker sense or do you want Dane’s autograph?” Seiya’s question then quickly made Dane forget about the text, her boyfriend’s tone was a mix of contempt and sarcasm.

Standing a few feet from them was a man in a large gray hoodie and black pants, his charcoal black eyes barely spared Seiya an acknowledgment look. When their eyes finally met, when she finally saw him, she visibly stiffened and went pale.

Seiya glanced down at his girlfriend, concerned. “Do you know this guy, precious?”

TROY, it sprang up in her mind.“No, let’s just go, baby” Dane shook her head. She took Seiya’s hand and was ready to pull him away.

But Troy spoke and made Dane stop in mid-steps. “That is okay, we can all pretend you do not know me, totally cool with it but the question is…” He paused for a second before continuing. “...Do you know who you are?”

The look Dane shot back at him was livid, like molten lava. “Stay away from me!”

Seiya also shielded her girlfriend from the man’s view, this was no foreign situation to him–understanding Dane’s hard work as a photoshoot model would also come with strings. “Leave, mate or I will make you”

Dane clasped her hand on Seiya’s, “Let’s go please”

-*-

All thoughts about the stranger were buried and forgotten, Seiya had fun today spending the rest of the day with his girlfriend.

“Hey precious! You surprised me!” Seiya had a wide smile on as he quickened his pace in the hall to near the woman leaning against the wall near the door of his apartment. “How did you get here fast?! You said you wanted to rest already!” After their date, he brought Dane to her place.

Dane’s hair was straight but right now it was in disheveled waves, “Surprise, surprise, baby” She spoke softly, playing coy by looking so innocent.

This was driving Seiya crazy in a good way, “You are ravishing, is this part of a foreplay or something?”

“Sure, if you put it that way, I will roleplay as Dane and you as my boyfriend” Dane reached a hand out to caress Seiya’s cheek then trailed it to his neck and then collarbone.

Seiya was not complaining, if his precious wanted it he would give it to her! Let this be the appetizer before her birthday tomorrow! “Silly, you are so playful, of course, I am your boyfriend, who else can be? I’ll let no one else be your man”

-*-

Who are you?

This was what shattered Dane’s excitement that early morning; when she woke up, she was flooded with messages, tagged posts, pictures, etc from many people greeting her a happy birthday.

But this was not the kind of surprise she was expecting.

Dane dropped her phone on the carpeted floor, the words were written on the wall using a red crayon. She hurriedly wiped the writing off, scrubbing until the wall was spotless.

“What the hell, this is not funny…” Dane murmured to herself, holding a hand to her chest. She checked the door and security alarm of her condo, and nothing was altered nor were there signs of someone breaking in.

Dane proceeded to call Seiya while preparing a relaxing bathtub–putting in some bath bombs and other usual aesthetics that already became a routine, she learned it from the reels she watched online.

The bath was refreshing, being dipped in scented milky waters with her favorite scented candle lit was Dane’s favorite routine. She could feel herself succumbing slowly to sleep again.

‘…Birthday to us.’

Dane flicked her eyes open and she looked around–she was still in the bathroom, dipped in the tub, the scented candle lit. Her eyebrows furrowed as she touched her ears. Getting up, she finally rinsed and cleared the bathroom of the aesthetics. She wrapped herself in a bathrobe and checked her phone.

She frowned, “Still no reply, baby?” Dane puffed her cheeks, sending multiple chats to Seiya.

-*-

Icing first! Main course later!

“AAAHHHH!!!” The hysterical scream escaped Dane, she continued thrashing and pulling on her damp hair; the new writing on the wall of her bedroom was too large not to be noticed.

Dane ran out of the room, she needed to report this urgently! A stalker must have gone inside and was perfectly hiding themselves and enjoying her demise! She picked up the keys from the coffee table in the living room and stepped out despite only wearing a bathrobe.

“YOU!” Dane clenched her hold on the keys.

Troy stood across the hallway. “I only want to get you back, this needs to be stopped! You have a choice not to go through this hell of a life!”

“This is not hell! I love my life and you are ruining it!” Dane gritted her teeth, she was almost seeing red due to the exploding anger.

A notification loudly pinged from her phone, Dane quickly checked it and lit up seeing Seiya’s name. He sent her a photo and she clicked it to the maximum: It was a picture of the wall with words written on it ‘WHO ARE YOU?’

Dane sped up, pushing Troy away, and hurried to the lift to reach the parking lot, she wore the spare clean clothes she had inside the ride before revving the engine and driving fast to Seiya’s place. But getting there, Seiya was packing his suitcases and was leaving.

“Baby! What is the meaning of this–” Dane sobbed, hurting.

“I am flying back to Tokyo, get away from me, you liar! You’ve been deceiving me this whole time!” Seiya pointed out in anger, he walked past her.

Dane tried stopping him, “Seiya don’t leave me! I love you!” But Seiya was already out of the apartment and the door swiftly closed, she pulled it open but it wouldn’t bulge.

Sounds of dropping on the floor, Dane turned around and saw pictures that were not supposed to be there–she had torn them purposely years ago and thrown them away. In those photos Dane was younger, holding hands with another. She crawled backward from the offending objects. “Why are you doing this to me?! I just want to live my life!” She froze upon seeing a tall mirror across her, there was another red crayon writing on it.

I want to live my life too.

In the reflection, Dane saw herself in the same position but instead of crying, she had a smile on and her straight hair was wavy.

‘Happy Birthday to us, Andi.’

-*-

When Troy was little he gained a friend whom he became fond of: Andi. From platonic, he felt his feelings for Andi grew as well. But Andi never saw him that way, for so long she was only fascinated by one thing: Danielle. There was no difference between the two though because they were twins but Danielle had been referred to as the smart one.

But she was physically weak, unlike Andi.

Troy would not forget the late afternoon when they were in 3rd grade and crossing the road, Danielle was trying to keep up with Andi who was already waiting on the other side and they didn’t notice the approaching vehicle.

No one knew about the satisfied smile Andi had and the delight in her eyes during the wake.

No one knew the real reason behind Andi leaving her hometown after 12th grade.

Except Troy.

“Andi?” Troy went to Seiya’s apartment, the door was already ajar so he slowly went inside.

It was due to his love that Troy stayed shut throughout the years. A broken mirror lay on the floor with the torn pictures.

Troy called again, “Andi, we can still fix this, let’s go home and visit your family again and be yourself.”

She was standing with her back on him, slightly off-balance, there were many red writings on the wall: I am Dane.

“I am already home,” Andi spoke, turning around to him with a smile, her eyes shimmering with gaiety.

Troy saw the deep crimson marring on her wrist caused by the mirror shard she was holding with her other hand. “N-No…”

“I’ve always been Dane, deep inside, my soul is Dane not Andi” She proclaimed, still smiling as she staggered and fell. “And I will die as Dane…”