CHAPTER 3

[LOVELY's Point of View]

"I’m really sorry, Miss Ferrell. Kumpleto na kasi talaga ang batch ng model namin for this summer," the fatty agency personnel told me with her forced and plastic smile.

"What?! But why naman gano'n? I saw the poster outside saying na naghahanap pa kayo ng model. Like duh? Joke ba 'to?" reklamo ko sa kanya and rolled my eyes heavenward.

"Kumpleto na nga, e. Naiintindihan mo ba? Kumpleto na. Don't worry, aalisin na namin mamaya 'yung poster para sa ikaliligaya mo."

Hindi ko mapigilang magngitngit sa mataray n'yang sagot sa akin. She's so rude! Akala mo kung sinong maganda! E, drawing lang naman 'yung eyebrows n'ya.

"Kung gusto mo, iwan mo na lang sa akin 'yung contact number mo para masabihan kita sa mga susunod na projects. Sa Halloween season, for sure makukuha ka. Sa ngayon, p'wede ka ng umalis—"

"Wait a sec!" I cut her words off. "What do you mean by that, huh?" 

She huffed a little and arched her drawn eyebrows at me.

"Gusto mo talagang malaman? Tumingin ka sa salamin. 'Yung life-size, ha! Para makita mo kung anong problema."

"I already did that. A hundred times na nga, e. And I saw nothing wrong sa akin," taas-noo ko ring sagot sa kanya.

"Fine, mukhang hindi mo din naman nage-gets kaya sasabihin ko na lang ng direkta. Wala kang latoy. Hindi ka marunong magdala ng damit. Baduy! Summer na summer naka-boots ka. Tapos wala pang laman 'yang dibdib mo. Sinong magkaka-interes bumili ng magazine kung katulad mo ang makikita nila, aber?"

I huffed and napahawak talaga ako sa chest ko. How dare she say that to me!

"First of all, I'm not baduy. For your info, this is fashion. FASHION. Baka naman 'yang big eyes mo ang may problem? Or baka dala na ng hand drawn eyebrows mo? No wait— I think you're being hazy because you ate too much already."

Her lips parted and mas lalong namilog ang malaki n'yang mata. Serves her right, no! But honestly, I couldn't help but to get scared when she looked at me habang lumalaki ang butas ng kanyang nose. Swear! She looked so... so nakakatakot!

"Anong sinabi mo?"

"Ah— eh, masyadong marami 'yung na-say ko. Which one ba du'n?"

I saw her hands closed to a tight fist kaya nagusumot 'yung hawak n'yang papel. She looked so pissed. Why kaya?

"The big eyes ba?" I hesitantly asked pero mas lalo lang humigpit ang mga kamay n'ya. And her face was burning red like a dynamite getting ready to explode.

"Ahm, the hand drawn eyebrows?" I asked her again, baka sakaling tumama na. But she just looked at me angrily and gritted her teeth like a wild boar ready to attack me.

"Ah! You hadn't eaten—"

"GET OUT! LUMAYAS KA DITONG BADUY NA CONYONG BABAE KAAAAA!" sigaw n'ya sa akin like parang pig na kinakatay. I even had to close my eyes for a moment dahil sa pagsigaw n'ya. And I felt something na tumalsik sa face ko. Yuck?

I slowly opened my eyes and tried to remember the words she said. I heard something na hindi ko na-gets.

"Ahm, w-what's conyo?"

The next thing I knew, I was being dragged by two security guards and threw me outside the agency. Mabuti na lang talaga I managed to balance gamit ang heels ko nang ipagtulakan nila ako.

"What's wrong with you mga panget?! Don't you know what is manners?!" gigil kong sigaw sa dalawang ugly guard na naglabas sa akin. They just shook their heads before nila akong tinalikuran at sinara ang pinto.

"Argh!"

Nagpapadyak ako sa sobrang inis. My four inches heels almost sunk on the concrete floor as it made a thudding sound. Napapalingon tuloy ang 'yung mga dumadaan and kept on giving me amusing looks like ngayon lang sila nakakita ng magandang nagta-tantrums.

I just crossed my arms and whimpered instead para hindi na ako makakuha ng masyadong attention. Then suddenly, I felt my stomach growled naman. I remembered tuloy na hindi pa ako kumakain since last night for my preparation for applying to be model ng isang summer magazine. Tapos heto, they won't accept me naman pala. God! Nasayang lang ang efforts at sacrifices ko dito.

Imagine? I gave up my well-heeled life in our town tapos I'll be rejected here? That ain't fair! Pinangako ko pa naman na hindi ako babalik sa amin as long as hindi ako nagiging sikat na model at beauty queen dito sa city.

I was so confident na matatanggap agad ako. I mean, I have the qualities to be a good model— face, skin, fashion sense, posture, poise, height and everything. Overqualified pa nga kung tutuusin. No one can question that pero... WHY?! Bakit nila ako ni-reject? I thought city people have good standards? I am really super duper, ultra, mega disappointed to the highest power!

Dumagdag pa to my irritability ang sobrang banas. Wala pang five minutes since I was dumped here sa labas but para na akong sinisilaban dahil sa init. The heat exhausted the hell out of me! So nakaka-VB!

Napasapo ako sa aking forehead dahil sa sudden dizziness. The heat of this city is so nakakamatay pala talaga. But then, ano pa nga ba? I need to tiis-tiis this. From the nakakamatay na weather, screeching ng mga cars, obnoxious gas fumes, rude people sa paligid, the traffic, the emanating smell of the street and everything! Pinili ko 'to, e. Well, not really. I chose to live in the city for more real opportunities and forget my bad experiences. Pero I didn't literally chose ang maging instant tinapa.

Nevertheless, I have to see things in its bright side and accept the fact that everything has its pros and cons. Its like a marriage vow; for better, for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health. Kaya kahit I'm being unlucky dito, kailangan ko pa ding maging positive and avoid the stress para fresh looking always.

"Cheer up, Lovely! You got this. Just don't mind those uglies," bulong ko sa sarili ko.

I held my head up high and stood tall with my shoulders slightly back and put my aviator sunglasses on. Hindi isang rejection lang ang sisira sa lahat ng plans ko dito, no!