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5: Cool Girl

"Ah, thank you, Ate! Ang ganda po talaga ng Belladonna!"

"Thank you as well for coming and reading my stories. I hope to see you next time!" Ganyan ang linyahan ko na natutunan lang din sa mga kasama ko. Nang si Lea na ang nasa harap ko, pabiro akong sumimangot. Nakakapagod rin kasing ngumiti lang ng ngumiti.

"I have something for you," wika nito at iniabot ang isang paper bag na panigurado ay pagkain ang laman. Bahagya ko itong sinipat ay tunay ngang pagkain. She is our mom, indeed.

"Wow, thank you! Nag-abala ka pa!" Sabi ko sa kanya. I wasn't sarcastic this time when I said it because I really appreciate Lea's effort. I'm just worried because little Rian can't spend more time with her. Her hands are full of managing her business, plus trabaho pa namin at nanay pa ng bata. Siningit niya pa ang event na 'to para sa akin.

"Thank you ulit. Don't forget about lunch." Paalala ko rito bago pagkatapos ay umalis na siya sa harapan ko.

Nakalayo na si Lea ng biglang nagsalita ang aking katabi.

"She's always present whenever we have an event; do you know each other?" tanong nito sa akin. Isa ito sa tinutukoy ni Ole kahapon na may nilulutong plano. She must be referring to Lea. "Dinadalhan ka rin niya lagi ng pagkain. She must know you so well!"

"Ah, she's my sister and the founder of my fan group on iBook." I briefly explained. Hindi na rin ito nagsalita pa at tumango-tango na lang sa sinabi ko.

We were on a 10-minute break, and Lea was the last person in the line. I excused myself from my seatmate, then took the small bag Lea gave me. Ole's not watching me right now, so I have to be very careful. Who knows, if I leave this bag here, my seatmate will inject poison, especially since she's one of the trio Ole mentioned last night. 

Better safe than sorry...

I made my way to the comfort room near the stage, kaso puno ito. I didn't have a choice but to walk myself downstairs. Hindi ko na kayang pigilan pa kasi kanina pa ako naiihi. There are few people coming from the CR na nakasalubong ko. Some of them bothered to wave and smile at me, some are just meh.

I felt relieved after I finished my business. Saktong itutulak ko na sana ang pinto ng cubicle para lumabas, I heard people coming in and the voices are quite familiar.

"I really hate her guts! She's so snob tapos siya pa ang nakatabi ko," maarteng paghihimutok nito. "Tapos alam mo ba kanina tinanong ko siya about sa isang fan niya, she sounds so mayabang! Like she said, ah, she's the founder of blah blah..."

"Same here, nayabangan din ako sa kanya kanina noong tinanong niya ang mga fans niya about sa kung anong gusto nilang next story. At saka pa-special pa siya kanina 'di ba, hindi siya sumabay sa atin kanina sa sasakyan. Narinig ko, nagpakuha daw talaga siya mula sa bahay niya hanggang dito sa location kaya jam-packed tayo kanina! "

I hate to admit it, but I was insulted by what I heard. I'm not that dumb to not know that I am whom they are talking about. So I guess it is safe to say I am now their target?

So aside from the request sent to Ole about me being the bully, I am also the target of these rumored bullies?

I really wanted to stay longer and listen to whatever they said about me but I decided not to. I just wash my hands and walk myself out while rummaging the little bag Lea brought.

It's good that she always brings me this food every time we have an event. It is definitely a mood booster!

Pagbalik ko sa aking pwesto ay nakita kong nakabukas ang bag na naiwan ng katabi ko. It's too open for me not to see what's inside. I am not dumb enough to not know what the bottle is. 

Ngumisi lang ako at umupo na sa pwesto ko. Hindi ko na makita ang bag niya at laman nito. Pero kumuha sa pansin ko ang maliit na papel sa paanan ng upuan ko. So much curiosity, pinulot ko ito, and I found out it was a bank receipt. I took a picture of it and forwarded it to Ole na ngayon ay busy sa pagbi-video paniguradong para sa kanyang content. 

But what is she doing up there when the line is just downstairs?

My phone rang and I immediately answered it when I saw it was Ole.

"Hey *bzz*, I sent you *bzz*---"

"Hey bizh, just listen. You are bugged!" She cut me off. "I received a photo from the requestor and I am still trying to identify which area this has been taken, though I am sure it'll be hard. But for now, just act normally. We can't just ask someone to guard you or stay beside you because obviously no one should know about this. But Lea and I will keep an eye on you. I cannot yet check this photo you sent to me but beware."

"Okay, *bzzz* thank you *bzzz*!" I said and ended the call. So she was not recording a video; instead, she's checking on the photo she received. Whoever is making this effort must've got a huge grudge against me.

And say what? Bugged?

I received a link from Ole, and I immediately clicked and ran it on my phone. It's an app that can locate the bug by using the camera.

I tap the camera button and check myself from there. Usually, it will show the red button once it can detect it, but so far, it's not showing up in my collar.

So I stood up so I could check my full body, and there I found it on my right jacket's sleeve.

Umupo ako ulit at sakto namang lumapit na ang usherette na naka-assign sa akin na may bitbit na isang burger ay tubig. Siya na ring pagdating ng seatmate ko. I hesitated to eat and drink the water. Kahit na nauhaw ako sa kinain ko.

Nagsimula na ulit ang book signing. Bumalik na rin si Ole sa pwesto niya kanina at patuloy na nagre-record ng video.

Hindi rin nagtagal, huminto ulit ang book signing para makapag lunch muna ang lahat. I'd say the food was safe, dahil kararating lang nung nagdeliver ng pagkain namin galing sa isang fast food chain. I don't like soda, kaya hindi ko na lang din ito ininom tulad sa tubig na binigay kanina. I still have no clue who wants me dead, but there are definitely two parties who are plotting something tragic for me.

I texted Lea, asking for something to drink. She replied that she will send one and I saw her handling something to Ole.

Patapos na akong kumain when Ole took advantage of being a content creator. She walked upstairs at bahagya pang hinarangan ng usherettes kasi hindi pa ako tapos but I signaled that it was okay. I need something to quench my thirst right now and I can't just drink these two liquids at my table. Who knows someone put something in the water and again, I hate soda.

"Hi Yuri, I'd like to know if ayos lang ba sa'yo na i-video kita with your book para ma-promote rin kita mismo at ang bago mong book?" she asked when she finally was able to take a seat in front of me.

"Yeah, not a problem. It's my pleasure," sagot ko dito. Nag-video nga kami introducing myself and the book. We're almost done and she's about to go ahead but she turned her head and handed me 2 mogu-mogu drinks.

She then bid her goodbye again after I tossed the drink. At the same time, I felt much better after drinking something...

The event went smoothly until it ended. I am so tired that I can't wait to go home and sleep. Right after the event, they invited me to eat with them but I have to excuse myself.

"I really have to go, someone's waiting for me at home..." I reasoned out. The others understood and Miss Bea too, the director who's in-charge of this event.

Though we walked altogether to the parking lot, I made myself visible to my seatmate and the other friend of hers that I am riding my own motorcycle unlike them.

Wearing the same pink leather suit, topped with a leather jacket and a black undershirt, then paired with a black boots— well, indeed I felt like the cool girl Ole mentioned earlier. I then gracefully bun my hair before wearing my black and pink coloured helmet, hell yeah it feels so cool.

Bago ko sila iwan, bumusina muna ako sa kanila and I saw Miss Bea, my editor waved at me. Just like that, I left them all astounded.

Choke with your own words, seatmate!

x,

igabyouuu