Love on Air

Prologue: Me and Lexa

PHOTO OF NICK ON THE SIDE

Prologue: Me and Lexa

     "Guess who's the birthday girl here?" Nick muttered as he tries to entertain the listeners. He's been working with me as my partner since we took this job together when I was fifteen. I know. Too young for a radio host.

      "Stop it, Nick. They already know it's my birthday. You've told them a thousand times for the past few weeks.", I told him while giving a small smirk. I just turned nineteen today and I can't believe I'll be in college after this month. 

     I received a lot of messages from my fans. One rich fan even told me that he'll be sending me dozens of roses when I get back in the studio next Sunday afternoon. He was pretty sweet though. It takes nearly everything for a man to confess something like that to a woman he adores a lot. I think I felt him blush when he heard me tell that, considering the fact that we are talking in a live radio show. On air.

      "Looks like the celebrant got a new lover to take home.", he teases with sarcasm in his voice.

     I then gave him a confused look, rapidly blinking my eyes at him. He immediately closed his mouth as a sign of not interrupting like that again.

     "First of all, Nick, I am not in the mood of having lovers these days, because this is Chicago, not Paris. Secondly," I paused, softening my tone, "I am actually not going home tonight." I mentioned , giving him my own satisfying smile.

     I really don't care if people are listening to our worthless conversation. I'm used to it anyway. It's my job to amuse the listeners, right? So, every now and then, we usually have our friendly cat fights, to add up a little comedy. And since we are the only broadcasters to bewilder the whole Chicago every Sunday, we have a lot of weekly tuners. This includes Joana Quibble, a former actress who I think resides here in Chicago. She actually texts me a lot of times instead of saying it loud on air. I guess she have a point. If you know what I mean.

     “Why, Lexa?”, his fearful expression changing into a compassionate one, staring me in his eyes of concern.

     Yup, you heard it. It’s Lexa. But it’s just a screen name so I can be safe with my own identity. You’ll know my real name later.

     “Well . . . since I’m gonna be college next school year, I decided to study here in Chicago.”

       “And?”, Nick said. I know he knew the answer to it. He’s just being impatient.

     I rolled my eyes and said, “Nick, I think that already points to the answer. It’s practically obvious.” I paused another time. “And if you’re asking me where I’ll be staying, of course I won’t tell that.”

     He was speechless for a moment but he was also the one who broke the awkward silence. “Is it because the studio’s in here?”

     “Maybe. Er. I don’t know. I just felt like something is pulling me towards here.” Or somebody. I thought to myself. “And it’s truly a nice place, right?”

     “Hmmm . . . you’re right.”, Nick nodded in agreement.

     We ended the show with some songs, as we often do. I actually dedicated ‘True Love’ by Ke$ha to that sweet, romantic fan I was talking about a while ago. And I skipped my way to the exit, waving goodbye to my fellow employees. But when I got outside, everything turns different.

     I dug into my bag to look for my reading glasses. As I took it, I shooked it into my eyes to add a little disguise. In case someone recognizes me as the celebrity radio host.

     The glasses works all the time, obviously because they don’t even know what I look like. Or should I say, what ‘Lexa’ really looks like. Every one of my fans convinces me to meet them somewhere so they could take a peek of me and the real Lexa. Most of them wants to know what my real name is.

     You’re lucky that I’m sharing this story with you. Hence, I’ll spill out every secret of mine.

     I have a long, wavy, light copper hair that falls on my back when I’m working as a radio host. On normal occassions, I’m being me. I tuck my hair into a messy updo and put on my reading glasses. Because surely, I really can’t read without these. For the conclusion, it has a dual purpose – disguise and reading.

     Lexa and I may also differ in attitudes and personality; her, being Chicago’s radio icon, and me , as a typical school nerd who stands out every time at class, but we will always have the same eye color. I inherited it from my father. They’re as green as the grass meadows, as light as a fresh apple, and glows like the leaves upon a shining sun. Very dramatic. If I do say so myself.

     I’m hiding those eyes with these glasses. Not that I’m humiliated with it. I’m just trying to get prepared if there ever comes a time someone take the knowledge of who I really am. I’m not fond in signing autographs or be haunted by crazy paparazzis a lot. An aweful lot, if I can imagine.

     Whenever I’m outside of my celebrity business, people will not notice if I’m walking there or not. They don’t care a bit. Which is good, because I’ve been hiding my identity for years. I sure am Lexa. But when I step my feet out of these building doors, I immediately become one of the crowd  who just blends in. I am Alex. Daughter of a politician and a journalist.

     I am Alexandria Elle Perkins.