Chapter 36: Ice and Fire
Linda was so aggressive that she wouldn't let me touch her or even get near her. Every time I would try to approach her, she would make a loud annoying sound and would hostilely kick her feet like a baby throwing tantrums. Even the owner was struggling to tame her— a horse I found worse than a cat.
"Don't we have another horse on standby?" Jackson, the director of this shoot, asked his staff. "We are wasting so much time here. Lady Nathalia looked bored now. Come on!"
Everyone was frantic because of a damn horse.
I wasn't bored, maybe annoyed that my prop for this shoot was acting up. But then, it was not the first time this had happened to me. Back in the Mansion, I had a horse, a gift by my brother Oscar, which took me a week just to tame. What could I do? They were intimidated by me. We were never on good terms until now.
"I will do the work!" I exhaled, taking off my cowgirl hat and loosening the bandana around my neck.
We were shooting a commercial for fine wine, and with the director being extra, instead of just sitting in a cold room and casually faking sipping the drink, he wanted me to ride a horse on a ranch while drinking it in a red cowgirl attire.
Linda was calmer now with the owner. Pero nung lumapit ako ay nagsimula na naman siyang mag-inarte. I knew she could smell the fine wine blood in me, but did she really think I would dare to drink her blood?
"I don't know what's happening to her," the owner said, looking embarrassed. "Linda has always been gentle and calm around people. This is not the first time she had a photo shoot."
Right. Around people.
"I think I can tame her," I smiled, caressing her body, causing her to act up even more. "Can you leave us alone first, please? I want her to get comfortable with me."
"Are you sure?" he asked, hesitant.
"I got this."
He sighed and left.
Nung kami na lang ni Linda ay hinawakan ko ang kanyang ulo. She was resisting at first, but when I locked my burning eyes with her, she finally stopped moving.
"Good girl, Linda," I whispered, gently stroking her head.
"Finally!" Jackson exclaimed when she noticed me with a tamed horse. "I didn't know you are also good with animals, Miss Nathalia. You are really exceptional."
I just smiled at him. A recycled compliment wouldn't eliminate the fact that this shoot was taking too long, and my patience was stretching over the limit.
"We will start in five minutes!"
The make up artists approached me for the final touch before the shoot. Saka niya maingat na sinuot sa ulo ko ang cowgirl hat. Pinahawak niya sa akin ang salamin para ma-check ko ang sarili.
Inayos niya ang necklace ko na nakatago sa bandana. Ilang beses niya akong pinilit na hubarin 'yon dahil baka mahagip sa camera, pero ang hindi niya alam ay walang makukuha ang camera kung huhubarin ko ito.
"Faith. Is she ready?" tanong ni Jackson sa nag-aayos sa akin. Unlike to his other staff, he was gentle to her. Halos masigawan na nga niya lahat ng staff niya pero lang kay Faith.
Faith nodded. "She's good now."
"Nathalia!" Lumapit sa akin si Hestia na yakap si Lilly. She was wearing red polka dot clothes I customized for her. "I almost lost her again. She's so fast!"
I arched a brow. "Don't even, Hestia."
"I know!" she rolled her eyes. "I have my eyes on her. I didn't know taking care of a cat was much more challenging than posing on camera. Tapos wala pa akong sahod."
