Façade By:Elizabeth Gonzalez Jenine Bufi This is a work of fiction. Names, Characters, Places and Incidents are all created by the author's imagination. If some may have a certain resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events and business establishments or locales are purely coincidental. The authors of this book are very well-proud to work with each other. The unity and cooperation we both share are indeed the fruit of our friendship. To our beloved readers… please do continue to support us. We love you. Let a new world… begin!
facade
Façade… most people mask themselves with lies. Just to hide or run away from the truth. Two people. Two different facades. One goal: to hide the truth from each other.
Evan James is captain of the basketball team, womanizer by heart, quick-witted, funny and sexy. He has everything anyone could ever dream of. He's rich or at least his parents are.
He lives his everyday life playing girls, pulling pranks on the not-so-popular ones, and making horrible grades. Somehow he manages to keep up his grades in order to stay in the basketball team. The highest he ever gets on his grades are a C. It was always C's and D's on his grades.
The day his oh so sweet paradise life came tumbling down the hill was when Helena Cooper came in. Poor Evan, he can't wrap her up in his own middle finger. Ssssssh!
Helena Cooper is smart, hot and has the sense of humor a guy would definitely love. She's everything a guy would ever dream of having. She moves to Los Angeles, California because her mother died. Which left her everything… including all her mother's money. Yes, she's rich. But she knows how to not be snotty and just be the simple sweet girl she is.
As seconds tick by and turn into minutes, as minutes pass by and turn into hours, then converts into days, while those days turn into months. Slowly and painstakingly Evan and Helena finds themselves tangled up in each others' emotions.
Evan always made Helena contemplate… hard! By his words. Every time he sees her, he'll always exclaim the exact phrase over and over and over. "You know you're in love with me…and if you don't believe me now, you will when I get to kiss you." Even that phrase had haunted her in her dreams… even in reality.
They have that love hate relationship. But will the 'hate' part last forever?
Chapter 1
Helena Cooper had recently witnessed such a terrible sight. It haunted her dreams again. And it was just too much to bear right now. She stood up from her bed and picked up her black turtle neck sweater and threw it over herself. She walked painstakingly on the staircase and pressed her weight on the wall for she needed its support. As she reached the last two flight of stairs, she grabbed her umbrella cause she clearly didn't want to get wet in the middle of a storm.
She could see the vivid and disturbing light of the lightning quite clearly. But she didn't care, not even a bit. For the reason that her mother died was a severe car crash on her way home. Getting struck by lightning was the least of her worries.
As she went out the front door, she took her keys and locked the door. She went to the park that her mother had used to take her when she was a child. Clutching at the handle of her umbrella as memories of them together struck her again. She couldn't ignore the fact that she just can't leave this particular park behind. Because this was what she had left of her mother. They lived near the park in Los Angeles in their mansion-like home.
It was Helena's park. It was their park. And nothing could take that away from her.
It has been two years since her mother died. And it has been two years of emptiness and depression. She just couldn't think straight. Whenever memories of her mother flashes before her eyes she just gets delirious. Obviously, she lives alone in her two bedrooms, one bathroom and everything else essential to a home. Her mother died rich. And Helena is now living with her mom's money that was left behind in her will for her one and only daughter. Now that Helena has all the money she could ever imagine. But she wasn't interested in the money. She'd gladly, without any hesitation, give it to anyone who could bring back her mother. She gave an average amount to certain charities. Then kept the rest to buy a different home to replace the huge memory that she had to live in alone and lonely. She kept enough money until she had a job as waitress or cashier or something.
The sidewalk Helena always used was closed for construction so she had to go the opposite way on the sidewalk to get to the park. Minutes later, Helena reached the park. And as soon as she got there, the moment the rain got heavier and heavier. It was like the sky was holding to much burden that it just needs to let it all away.
Helena was in pain. Too much pain that it was just too much to bear. She let go of the umbrella she was holding, letting it fall to the ground carelessly. She couldn't gaze at their park and not see their memories flash before her eyes. Delusional as it seemed, she heard footsteps behind her. But immediately ignored it, just like everything else. Helena felt anger, anger for fear. She was frightened of something. Or someone. She knew someone was with her. But she was so caught up with the memories of her mother that she just wanted to believe it was all the makings of her imagination. 'Everything's fine Helena, you're just kidding yourself.'
Or so she thought.
Helena wasn't the type who gets easily afraid of anything. She had always been brave. She successfully hid her tears at her mother's funeral. But all it took to let it burst was for her to be alone in her room.
As brave as she could appear, she embraced the cold, icy droplets as it slammed her cheeks, leaving it all wet yet beautiful. She even let the icy droplets soak her clothes. She believed that she was destined to just stand and shiver under the crying sky.
"One day, I know I can be free…" she trailed off.
All Helena has ever wanted was to be free. Free from the sadness she had to go through every day. Free from the loneliness, that no one could ever fill. Free from…
What other emotion does she want to be free from? That's exactly what she has to find out for herself.
As the seconds ticked by, they turned into minutes… still the weather hasn't change. Like it was getting heavier by the minute. And Helena was still standing at the exact spot she had been since she came. She was standing still yet shivering at the sidewalk of the park. She contemplated with herself of how long she'd been standing there. But her mind just closed itself off. And all Helena could do was pick up her carelessly dropped umbrella and closed it. No use using it now. She began walking further down the sidewalk of the park as if she was never stuck-up earlier. Two joggers ran passed Helena hurrying to get home with a Labrador on their leash. Then… Helena reached the part of the park wherein another flash of memory hit her.
"Mommy, mommy, I wanna come here every day. So when I grow big and old our memories will stay here. Then I'll have to remember you forever and always." A nine year old Helena jumped up and down.
Those days… are long gone.
She was down on a swing set by the middle of the park. Wet as she was… she let the water on her clothes run dry. And let the rain do all the noise.
Step. Step. Step. Step.
There it goes again. The rhythmic step that she'd heard earlier. Helena thought nothing of it. She still thinks it was just a small figment of her imagination. She kept her eyes closed and contemplated hard. Ignoring the rhythmic steps her imagination was creating. Still it continued…
"What the—" her scream was cut off short.
She jumped off the swing, again the hard rain dripping her wet when she was almost close to being dry. She snapped her head toward the noise just to find a guy with hazel eyes, his velvet black hair dripping wet and sticking to his forehead and his clothes… was soaking wet just like hers. Helena could've had a heart attack. Let alone, because she could clearly see his eight pack beneath his v-neck white shirt.
"What the hell is wrong with you? Don't you think you're trying to end my life just a little too early?" Helena's serene voice rang through the park and her hazel eyes dilated. And Evan James vividly saw it. It was a sign that… she fancied him.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." His husky voice made everything all sound too good to be true.
"Well… your sorry doesn't help you that much." She snapped.
"Really, I'm sincerely sorry. I was just trying to—" his apology was interrupted.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Trying to end my life early. Ha-ha." Helena said with patent sarcasm.
"You have such sense of humor." Evan James laughed. A rich, husky laughter with pure masculinity poured in it. It melted Helena's insides.
"Uh-huh, whatever. You better leave it all behind. Not that we'd see each other again and you'd get to hear some of it anyways." Helena walked away as soon as she finished her statement. And Evan James followed her.
"Wait! What's your name? I didn't get to formally introduce myself. I'm Evan James." Evan tried to stop her walk by reaching for her elbow and turned her gently to face him. Then held out a hand.
"I'm… Well I am…" she stuttered but thought better that she paused and tried to regain equanimity. "I'm Helena Cooper." She said with such emotion.
And what emotion was it?
Names were exchanged. Hands were shook. Skin touched. A conversation there and here. Helena thought she was alone… not until he came. But no, she wasn't ready to admit it… yet.
Chapter 2
Helena woke up in her bed, her clothes slightly wet and a headache slowly forming and she felt very tired. She tried to get up in one swift motion but it was a blatant mistake, it only made her dizzy.
She knew something has happened but couldn't point her finger on it. She rose from her bed, for the second time, and finally succeeds. Helena walked towards the bathroom, did her old routine. Looked in the mirror, splashed some water on her face then brushed her teeth. How awkward? It was like an automatic thing. An everyday pattern. A habit. But how unlikely it was that she would have her sickness… again. Her sleep amnesia, yet again started. Triggered by something, not any doctor could uncover. It was the way of her mind protecting her from thoughts or memories that could cause pain. Aaaah, Evan James was quite a sight that even the thought of him struck a piercing pain in her head. Helena automatically placed her hand on her forehead gently. "Ugh! This pain must stop." She said through clenched teeth.
The pain finally subsided. Helena thought she could use some shower for she was covered in sweat earlier. And so she did. She stripped from her clothes, her waist-length black hair falling. Opening the shower and letting the water find its way on her body. Her smooth, healthy hair; her perfectly angled face, her alluring neck, her flawless collarbones, her bare back, all in all… Helena was forever an enticing mortal. No beauty could match hers, some may try to bring her self-esteem down, they had succeeded in making her feel isolated and worthless but in the eyes of a truly awakened gentleman or even just a person passing by… her beauty is a patent subject to their eyes. Again, the cold water eased her. Though the headache was still there, still lurking just behind every thought her mind could process.
"Who the heck is that guy I keep on thinking about?" she exclaimed out loud as though her anger could be released from her words. She grabbed her Vanilla flavored shampoo; just the aroma of it relaxed her to her very core. After rinsing and letting the water drown down her thoughts, she grabbed her towel and wrapped it on her luscious body. Waters dripping and wild on all places, what a sight she could be if someone shall see this… this vulnerability her body is depicting.
She walked in her room, quickly switching her stereo on and plugging her I-pod. She keeps on scanning until she finds the right song… The intro plays then a mesmerizing voice sings
Moment of honesty
Someone's gotta take the lead tonight
whose it gonna be?
I'm gonna sit right here
And tell you while it comes to me
If you have something to say
you should say it right now
Helena Cooper sang along. Just making the song sound more addicting.
"You give me a feeling that I never felt before
And I deserve it, I think I deserve it
Its becoming something that's impossible to ignore
And I can't take it
I was wondering maybe
Could I make you my baby
If we do the unthinkable would it make us so crazy
If you ask me I'm ready"
Again an image of a man appeared before her eyes… velvet black hair, clear emerald eyes… red luscious lips, a perfect eight pack. The piercing pain struck again. So Helena grabbed her undergarments. Both a matching red. After wearing it on, she took her plaid shorts and a sleeveless white top. Looked in the mirror and hit the stairs. On the way down, she evidently needed to take hold of the railing, pressing her weight on it. After a couple steps, she finally made it on the kitchen. Grasped the handle on the refrigerator and took out some water. She already had an Advil and a glass in hand. She successfully chugged down the water along with the Advil. Now all she has to do is wait for the pain to completely diminish. Helena slumped down on the couch and grabbed her copy of Hamlet by William Shakespeare. She'd read it for thousands of times. And she never got tired of it. Turning the book page by page, time dragged on. She was just reading about the part where Horatio tells Hamlet about the ghost of his father. Such mystery written with every word. And Helena was so caught onto it, that nothing mattered anymore.
Evan James woke by the shards of sunlight penetrating through his window. Another day has just begun. He looked up, only to be faced to face with the sun. He immediately covered his eyes with his left hand. Then hit the pillows again. It was a Sunday, so there was nothing to do but… Helena Cooper. Her image filled his mind abruptly. At first, she was standing in the middle of the park, staring blankly at nothing, and then the umbrella just dropped. Almost quite dramatically. As if it were the way she moved, the way her hand dropped gracefully. The rain soaking her, soaking her black sweater, making it clung to her body like it was her second skin. Showing every curve… Evan stopped thinking. Forced his mind to go blank. He looked down, "No shit, boner!" He laughed. A velvet rich sound, purely husky and so… enticing.
He got up from bed and went to his bathroom. Splashed some waters on his face and brushed his teeth. Then, dragged down his boxers, fully entering the shower. The icy slide of water down his body made him shiver. His thoughts drifted away instantly. And went to… Helena, again. Then, it was decided. He was going to drop by her house later on before he went to hang out with his friends. After bathing, he got out the shower. The towel just tied by his waist. His abs was the subject of his body, except for…
Waters dripping everywhere, getting all untamed every minute. A drop of water on his perfectly carved face that came from his velvet black hair, sliding all the way down on his broad, muscled shoulders, continuing downward on his clear shaped back and also his faultless eight pack, all the way down to his friend.
Evan James opened his shirt drawer and grabbed out an Alesana shirt, then pulled on his ripped blue jeans plus his black and white converse all stars. He was ready to go, but something in him felt… nervous. Well, that was the first. He never really felt that way since… Ria. She was his first love, but when she died. The compassionate heart of his died with her. Ria Silver. She was long gone from him. But Evan already moved on and became the ladies man on his school. It was different when he was with Helena. Helena reminded him of Ria in a unique way. But still… Helena was such a sight.
On the way to Helena's house, he saw the sky turning bluer. It was an amazing view. Again, he continued to pace. Step by step followed by another step until finally he reached her house. He drew one final breath then…
Helena quickly woke up and propped herself on one elbow as she heard three knocks on her door. She rubber her hands in her blurry eyes. Her headache had completely subsided, thanks to the pill she drank. Slowly and painstakingly, Helena got up from her temporary bed and walked towards her door to look at the peephole. She opened the door, almost hesitant and… it was almost like in slow motion. The wind exactly blew the hair from his face leisurely, when the door was open for full view. Helena thought a music played in the background. 'Where you from? You sexy thing?' When the music stopped, the ambience turned serious.
"Hey Helena." His sweet smile melted her heart immediately. His was familiar too. Helena was thinking if she would answer back.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?" She said not meaning to be harsh.
"You don't recognize me?" he asked, not believing what she just said.
"Sorry."
"What? How? Helene we met… in the park yesterday; I walked you home."
"Look, I'm sorry if you think you know me. I think there's something wrong with your brain or something. But please do leave my house at once?" Helena's tone represented finality.
"Helena—"
"How'd you know my name?" then she hit the floor, a slight faint took over. The piercing pain was there again. And Evan followed her to the floor and her hand tight. Both hands fit perfectly on his. Then everything turned black, images after images flashed before her eyes. His jet black hair, his emerald eyes, his eight pack… Evan James. She came back to reality the instant she remembered her name.
"Evan… I'm so sorry. My… my sleep amnesia triggered again I guess." She stuttered.
"It's okay. Sssh, I'm here." Evan hugged her tight, still on the floor. He couldn't let her go. He wouldn't let her go. He need not let her go.
Helena struggled to get up, only to be assisted by Evan to the violet couch she owned.
"I gotta go. But if you want me to stay, I'll stay."
"No you should go." But deep in her heart, she wanted him to stay.
"I'll be back at six pm… if that okay with you?" his voice filled with concern.
"Okay." She felt heat rush to her cheeks
Again, another day for them. Another secret told. Her sleep amnesia was yet to be feared, again.