A Life of Lies
Chapter 2: Game of Questions
"Mikan turn slightly, yes, and then tilt your head to the right, perfect!" The photographer, who was currently kneeling on the floor snapping pictures said.
"Now, turn your back on me and give me the most seductive smile there is!" He exclaimed, his voice full of energy and inspiration.
I turned just like he had told me, then without moving my head too much; I glanced sideways toward the camera. I lifted my head slightly, exposing my neck, and then let a smiled slowly grace my lips. With half lids eyes, and natural blush I caused the effect he had wanted: the most seductive smile.
And just to proved it, the staffs that had been working on the lights and holding the fan had all but blushed with hearts in their eyes.
"Excellent!" The photographer stated, with a small tint of red on his cheeks. It wasn't like I had practiced a million times with a mirror, no, in fact I had practiced it in front of males just to see if it caused any type of lust. It was one of my weapons when dealing with guys.
"Ten minutes break people." With that said, the photographer moved toward the computer to see how the pictures had come out. The staff had gone for refreshments or to prepare clothes for the next shooting.
I walked toward my seat with elegance, not at all hinting that I had difficulty walking on extremely high heels. I have been working as a model for two years; therefore it was obvious that six inch high heels couldn't affect me. Or so I appeared.
I have been taking lessons in acting since I was small; it was a piece of cake fooling people.
Once seating on the chair, the make-up artist came and applied more make-up. While one of the staff members came bursting through the doors.
She was just your average female, with short hair and short height. She walked toward me, her breaths were deep and fast like she had just ran up the stairs instead of using the elevator. After evening her breaths, she began:
"Miss Mikan I have the medium coffee, half and half, with two sugar and your chocolate chip cookies."
I barely spared her a glance, before fixing my gaze back on the mirror, like studying my features were more important than her.
"They aren't from Starbucks." I finally said after checking all the make-up was done right.
"But it takes twenty five minutes to get there by walking, and even driving there through all that traffic—"
"I specifically said 'it had to be from Starbucks' which part did you not understand?" I stared at her from the mirror, instead of directly forming eye contact. I tapped the chair's arm, waiting as she formed more excuses.
"I'm sorry, it's just that I am needed with the staff and—"
"What's your name?" I interrupted her, watching as she lifted her gaze and stared at the mirror. As I met her dark colored eyes, I saw her face pale. The blush that had been decorating her face before had left, leaving a sick face in place.
"A-Amaya Mizuki." Her voice shook as she held her hands together, stopping them from trembling.
"You are fired." I announced, leaning on my chair as I kept staring at her through the mirror. Pathetic, she couldn't even do such a simple task.
"Y-you can't fire me!" She shrieked instead, her eyes narrowing as she turned her gaze toward me, instead of the mirror were our eyes had been connected. Weakness, the one that breaks the eye contact first: loses.
"I can, I'm part of the Sakura family a share holder and one of the founder of Moi Magazine. Although if you still don't believe me, I could just call Ryo." I stated, before turning my gaze to her instead of the mirror. My eyes had darkened into a muddy brown, and threatening to turn a few shades darker.
Saying Ryo's name was enough to freak that pathetic staff, after all it was Shigeno Ryo the owner of Moi Magazine or her boss in other words. Well Ryo wasn't just Moi's owner; he had also started his own clothing line known as Sr. Sieurs. Sr. came from Shigeno Ryo and Sieurs came from Messieurs or also known as gentlemen in French. Ryo was only on his early twenties but he had already inherited the multimillion magazine company.
It wasn't a secret either that the Sakura and Shigeno family were close friends, and co founder of the magazine. Yet that pathetic staff had lost her brain, forgetting where she stands.
"Amaya leave now, or would you prefer to be escorted out?" The photographer asked, his eyes serious as he watched the staff flinch. And without due, she had left with her eyes downcast.
"I apologize for my rude staff, there won't be a next time Mikan." The photographer coaxed, his posture nearly appearing nervous.
"Good." I muttered, slightly nodding my head before returning my eyes to the mirror. The near staffs and make-up artist that had witness this commotion had moved farther away from me, but also learning not to ever question what I asked.
"Could someone go and get me my coffee and cookies from Starbucks?" I more than ordered, even though it had been put in a question format.
One of the staff stepped up, and said:
"Yes, Miss Mikan." Before disappearing through the doors.
I sighed, hopefully this time I will get my Starbucks coffee. Dismissing earlier events like it had never occurred; I fished my pink Blackberry and dialed to Sumire. I have missed school today because of the photo shoot, but that doesn't mean that I won't get report on how Mochu was doing.
After all, whoever pissed me off deserved some kind of punishment. And though it's a pity I haven't been there to witness it, I still wish to hear what that stupid jock had gone through.
"Hey Mikan, how is the shooting going?" Sumire asked cheerfully, but I bet she knew the reason why I was calling.
"Fine, nothing interesting though." I replied, my voice drawling the word 'interesting' a little longer than necessary.
"Well then, I'm sure this will interest you!" Sumire said giddily. My cat-like best friend knew me well, better than some feet kissing pleaser.
"Mochu just got thrown into the school pool, and the boys are not letting him out. Oh goodness, seems like he's drowning. You should have seen the other part where he was tied to a chair, and the girls started putting make-up on him! That one was hilarious." Sumire kept babbling on, and I admit it was better than just sitting there yelling some dumb staff.
"But the best one of all was one of his football teammate beating the crap out of him." Sumire giggled, and then Luna's voice chimed in.
"There was that other part where he got freak out when one of his teammates were about to push him off the window. Mikan I took a picture of that, let me send it and you will see how ironic it was." Luna's voice was filled with amusement, but then a deeper and huskier voice took over.
"Tell them to stop."
No need to guess, it was none other than Natsume. His voice would have given anyone the creeps, especially with that kind of deadly tone. I heard gasp from Sumire and Luna in the background, and I could probably imagine their face blushing at their closeness to Natsume.
Yet I only smiled to my reflecting self on the mirror. Ironic, of course it was. Mochu trusted his teammates, the ones that had been through hell and pain with him as they won and lost games together. Now, they were giving him the coldest wake up call.
It was either mildly bulling him or completely ignoring him, some nice teammates he got there. Humans were so easy to turn on each other.
"Why?" I asked, no longer caring to fake my voice.
"Because you told me my friends won't come into harm." His words were strangled, like he had gritted his teeth in order to avoid yelling over the phone.
I laughed, a gentle melody to anyone's ears almost like the angels singing, instead of the evil's laugher. The staff members turned their gaze toward me, before dismissing it as nothing.
"I think you misunderstood, I never guaranteed to leave your friends alone. If they ever defied me, I can do whatever I want with them. It was your problem for not warning them Natsume." I calmly said, like I was reading from a rulebook.
"Stop them or I break up with you." Came his heated answer, or a very rash decision in my opinion. On the other line I heard complete silence, instead of water splashing and muffled struggle from Mochu.
Seems like Natsume had left for a quieter place. The better, I wouldn't want anyone hearing any of this, but it wasn't like it mattered. I had the school in my hand, and even if the whole school knew I was a bitch, it wouldn't change the fact that I was ruling it like a queen.
"Very bold of you, don't think that breaking up with me will threatening me, it will only threaten you Natsume. Don't forget I could still make everyone that is dear to you suffer."
There was silence, like Natsume was considering his choices. So I continued:
"Just warn your friends not to piss me off again, because next time it won't be just your dear ones to suffer—it will be you." I declared, before hanging up and moving toward the changing rooms. Ten minutes were up.
Natsume entered the pool, just in time to hear everyone's cell phones ring. As they read the text, some stood up from the benches and others left the pool. At the end they left like it didn't matter, like they haven't just witness someone drowning and thought it was funny.
Koko and Youichi went and lifted Mochu from the pool, laid him on the tiled floor as they all watched him cough out water. Ruka stood beside Mochu as he gasped for air, and started to shiver from the cold water.
Sumire and Luna sat on the benches like spectators, both sighing in disappointment. Natsume hated those types of people who enjoyed people's suffering. Something so dark and fury entered his mind, he hated Mikan Sakura with an unbelievable amount of scorn.
The cell phone he held—which he believed it was Sumire—ringed. A text appeared, like Mikan had known what will happen.
'Mochu is a Friend'
His own cell phone ringed next.
'This was a warning, don't let it happen again.'
A warning? She went through all that just to put Mochu back into his place? She had hurt him, and put him through pain that went farther than physical but emotional as well.
Natsume's hatred for Mikan was unbelievable, so much that it hurt, like thousands of needles piercing through skin.
It was time for revenge.
"Ryo are you done?" I asked sleepily from where I laid on the white leather sofa. The shooting had been quiet long and I was dying of hunger.
Ryo's office was magnificent, at the very top of the building with beautiful decoration. The floor to ceiling window gave a full 180 degree view of Tokyo. His long oak wood desk was organized, with few folder piled up, two computer screen facing him and a keyboard before him.
On his desk there where pictures of him and his family, and one of him and I together in London. There were famous pictures that had been hanged all around the room, even one of mine were there with the collection. After all, I was currently the top model of Moi Magazine. Trophies were on one of the shelves, and books and folders on the other shelves.
A plasma T.V and a stereo was across from me, where the long L-shaped sofa was. The room was filled with darker colors such as blue, gray, and black. Only the sofa and coffee table being of white colors.
"Almost." He answered after a while, but I was already spacing off.
After another thirty minutes, the lights in the office were turned off but by then I was drifting between fully asleep and barely awake.
"Come on Mikan, you haven't had dinner yet right?" His rich and velvet voice was very close by, in fact I could feel warm breaths against my ear.
I mumbled something, but even I wasn't sure what it meant.
He chuckled, before lifting me up in bridal style and carrying me out of the office. I shifted into a more comfortable position before settling my head against his chest.
Ryo had a strong muscled body but not bulgingly so, his skin was sun kissed that it nearly glowed golden. His hair was curly and light so much that it could be mistaken as white. Yet his eyes were the contrary of his hair, being dark and mysterious, strikingly so that it was hard to tell if it was emerald or dark blue.
He was tall, like a male model and flexible like a break dancer. He was also currently the hottest bachelor, and is one of the richest young people in Japan.
"Guess dinner is out." He muttered, if my eyes had been open I will had witness one of the most beautiful smile filled with affection. But I didn't, so I never saw it, although it hardly mattered. I knew his feelings toward me, and yet, I chose to ignore it.
He was just one of my 'relationships with benefits' after all.
After reaching the front door of my family mansion, his voice finally woke me up. I stared through clouded eyes, barely keeping them open as I registered the familiar mansion.
"We are here." He told me, but I didn't budge. I was about to tell him to carry me toward my mansion, since I didn't feel like walking and maybe even better, to deliver me to my room and cover me in a soft blanket.
I heard him sigh, but after a few seconds I found smooth lips against mine. I disregarded it, and instead pressed myself against the leather seat.
"You know sleeping beauty usually wakes up after the prince's kiss."
I opened one of my eyes and eyed him, before saying, "Carry me back to my room." With that said I closed my eyes and went back to my dreamless sleep.
"You are not cute at all." He whispered, but even so he did as he was told. We have been friends since childhood, and though he's older than me by five years we both had an on and off relationship. I call it a relationship with benefits, is nothing serious, just going out and enjoying our time.
He's never with one female, always bored, and that's where I come in. I make it interesting, and so does he—at the end, we both don't want anything serious that requires a lot effort.
I found myself on my soft queen size bed, with my silky sheets reaching up to my chin, and before he left he planted another kiss on my lips.
"Sleep tight princess."
I sat on my usual table in lunch, with my clique there to make everything more interesting. It seems interesting is overrated, because I was as I bored as watching a puppet show.
"Where's Mochu?" I smiled, my eyes connecting with Natsume.
"Can't you see? He's absent." Natsume snapped coldly, sending a glare across the table.
The guys sat on one side of the circular table while the girls sat on the other. Both sides are glaring or sending nasty faces at each other. Seems like today will be a Boys vs. Girls fight.
"That's sad; I didn't know he would break so easily." I said calmly, my eyes calculating as I studied Natsume up and down. Maybe is time to heat things up.
Natsume slammed both fist on the metal table, causing a loud bang to ring across the lunchroom. His knuckles were white, and there was a dent on the table. Yet it wasn't up to the level where it could be fun.
"Emi, which color looks better the Blue Me Away or Gothic Pink?" I asked, a warning question that only Sumire and Luna knew of. It was all but a question game I had created, which Sumire and Luna had both figured out wasn't as innocent as it has seen.
There isn't a wrong answer, just opinion—yet when this question is asked by me, there's only one answer and if answered wrong will suffer.
The girl that had been painting my nails in Gothic Pink, answered truthfully.
"Blue Me Away looks better." A new girl that had managed to enter my clique, yet haven't known the safety rules.
Natsume and his friends stared in confusion at the random question, weren't they just talking about Mochu?
"Wrong." I smiled, one that was cold and deadly yet masked by a sickening sweet voice.
"Is Gothic Pink Emi." I answered, standing up glancing toward Natsume and then turning back to the timid girl. The fun part is about to begin.
Without hesitating I took the nail remover and dunked the whole contents on to her. She moved back, nearly falling as she abruptly stood.
"You know what happens when someone answers wrong?" I asked Sumire, genuinely excited. It was more fun when I was the one that starts it.
"They get punish." Sumire cheered, her famous smile playing on her lips.
"What happens if she answers right on the next question?" I pointed my question toward Luna.
"She gets a free pass from the punishment." Luna answered with just as much thrill as Sumire had done.
"What's your favorite color?" I asked Emi once again, and I wasn't disappointed when I heard her answer.
"Ye-yellow." She offered. Natsume seems to catch on faster, but never fast enough.
"Wrong."
The next punishment is always the most entertaining; at least it will last until I leave the school.
I took out a lighter, and lit the fire. Emi stared in horror as she watched the lighter come closer and closer; before stopping inches away from her.
"Well then Emi, I guess is goodbye." I sugar coaxed the last word before—
"Are you crazy?" Natsume said through gritted teeth, glaring with fiery red eyes.
"I'm serious Natsume." I uttered softly, and this time I knew he shivered. The fire neared the timid girl and then…
…nothing happened…
I laughed, like it was the funniest thing ever and without being told, Sumire and Luna joined my laugher. Yes, my best friends knew me better than anyone else. After all—keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.
"You have no sense humor at all." I pointed out, not just at Natsume but his friends as well. It was a warning, a red note to not get on my bad side.
"Emi, you are out of my clique." I stated, before sitting back on my seat. I watched as the timid girl ran from the lunchroom, somehow satisfied.
"The nail remover was actually water, so relax." I added, but my eyes told otherwise. I would have done it either way, and they knew it. I wish Mochu had been there to see it, maybe then he would think twice before saying I was a princess again.
"Naomi, didn't you say there would be a yacht party?" I moved toward a simpler topic. Naomi knew there wasn't a yacht party, but seeing what I had just done, she will have to say yes. It wouldn't hurt anyway; she was the daughter of the Kai International Cruise.
"Yes Mikan, is tomorrow at twelve p.m." The girl answered confidently, now someone that read the safety rules.
"Everyone has to go okay?" I announced. It was a great time, summer vacation was just a week away and the weather was great.
Everyone nodded or cheered but there was no objection. While I was thinking about what bikini I was going to wear, unbeknownst to me—Natsume was planning his revenge.
The revenge that will bring me to the very depth of humiliation.
To be continued…
Things are going to heat up soon! Next chapter, we will see Natsume start to put his revenge into motion…and what Luna and Sumire are planning behind their so called best friend's back.
~Lots of Luvs~
