Chapter 3 Episode 3

💞 TRACY 💞

It's been three days and all persuasion from Karen for me to not quit fell on deaf ears. Since I already decided to quit, I'm at the shop buying all the food I got banned from eating since I join the agency. I know it won't be easy to break from the agency because I signed to be in it for five years but after they see my body, they won't want me again.

I buy bowls of ice cream, my favorite chocolates, and snacks. Lastly, I went for cherry chocolate-chunk custard in a sugar cone. On my way to get rainbow sherbet and double fudge, I felt a hand on my shoulders and I turn to see Jean.

"Oh hey? What are you doing here?"

"I should ask you what you're busy doing here and not on set."

"He rejected all of us!" Sh states flatly.

"What! You mean?"

"He didn't like us. It's as simple as that."

"I take it that he doesn't know good things. I mean look at you?"

"No. He knows what he wants."

"I'm sorry then."

"No, it's okay. I'm so glad I saw him. He's so so hot! You should see him for yourself."

I smile and push my cart front. She follows and drops a box of frosted flakes in it. Almost everyone says he's handsome.

"I'm serious. Jake's beauty is so unreal. I could stare at him every second of my life and not get bored."

"I see." I've always wanted to see him but he's a celebrity. I only do that on TV or get a glimpse of him at his shows. That's all.

"You're packing food as if you want to quit. Tell me what it is."

"Nothing. I just wanna spoil myself then torment her later at the gym." I lie with a sweet smile.

"I get it." She laughs.

Jean insisted to pay for my things which I declined but she wouldn't take it. She paid for it with her card and runoff.

Getting a car home became a problem as none was willing to stop and the cloud is suddenly turning dark accompanied by a wind that announced proudly that it might rain.

A car which is not a taxi stops in front of me and I move away only for it to follow me. It stops right in my front and two macho men pop out and intimidatingly steps closer to me, I look around in fright as my bags fall before my feet.

"Don't be scared. Just get inside quietly and don't give us shit."

"Who says I am afraid?" I boast. The last thing I want is someone finding my weak points or knowing how much their presence affects me.

"Alright then. Get inside."

I look around hesitantly before getting inside by the door they opened. I'm cornered. If only I didn't say that I'm not scared, I will be running away for my little dear life.

One of the men sits behind the wheel while the other one sits beside him at the front. At where I sit at the back, there's another man in suits and dark shades.

"Where are you taking me?"

"I'm Jake's manager." The man beside me smiles slightly at me and that silences me and throws millions of questions in my head.

"Jake?" I'm confused. Which of the Jakes?

"That's what I said."

"But why would Jake... No. I asked you where you're taking me so answer that."

"You'll know everything soon. Don't worry. Until then, keep quiet."

I turn to the window, leaning against it. I feel nervous and anxious.

What's happening?

Before long, the car stops at an open area covered in lawns with a heavy machine sitting on it and a stairs that lead to nowhere I am aware of. It takes me a minute before I am able to figure out that it leads to a vault then as we descend, I realize that we are heading into an underground building.

Is this some kind of mafia's underground hideouts or clubs?

I stop in my tracks and the so-called manager raises his bushy eyebrows at me.

"How am I supposed to trust you?" I look at him skeptically.

He didn't talk. He gently takes his hand into his pocket, fetching a phone out, he stretches it to me. "Take this, call the police and tell them where you are then take my picture and send it to them. In case something happens or I do anything, they should come for me."

Whoa!

I turn around without a word and follow the macho men while he walks behind. I'm not a fool or a kid. When I see a criminal, I know but he doesn't look like one the slightest.

I still had my doubts but immediately fell in love with the atmosphere and the temperature when we got in.

"This way, Miss Tyler." The manager walks in front of me to enter a room and I hurry after him to ask how he knew my name.

"How did you know my name?"

"That isn't important. I give you ten minutes, put what's on the bed on, and come out. I will be outside waiting." He begins to leave.

"What if I don't?" I hate the command in his voice.

"I won't force you but trust me, you need this more than I do." With that, the tall figure strides out.

I look around the room which is almost the size of my bedroom only that the items in here look expensive. I look at what I am wearing and take it off then finding a door, I open it. I see a bathroom that has the walls shining as if made out of diamonds. My hands couldn't resist not touching the walls as I take in the modern bathtub. Just then, water from nowhere begins to rush on me. I look up, the water is coming from up. I must have pressed my a button while running my hands on the walls but how do I stop it? I'm already wet and ..oh..my hair.

I rush out, careful not to slip but I return again for a towel.

Leaving the water running, I pick what he said I should wear and it was a similar set to the lingerie I wore the other day but the expensive one which I couldn't afford.

I know there's a story behind it but there's no time to think just by how someone is pounding at the door.

"Who's there?" I shout.

"Time up!"

"Okay. Coming." Water dripping from my hair, I open the door to catch him walking away from my door in a certain direction and I follow, running. Once he opened a door and got in, I also barged in after him and lost my breath instantly with my heart drumming madly. Oh my God!

My fucking God!

My knees go weak and I feel that I might fall any minute. Out of nowhere, a cough climb up my throat and I couldn't hold it in.

Two people are making out in the room which is a studio and the lady is on the man's lap. Wait. Are they really making out? I want to look but I fear I will meet his eyes. They should be making out. That's what happens when a girl is on a man's lap right? Anyway, that is not what is shocking. It's the man.

I am in the same room with Jake, breathing the same air as him and his eyes are about moving to me. I rush out before his eyes land on me and with hands-on my chest as I am out, I take in deep breaths, still coughing.

"Have water."

I look up and it's his manager. I take the water though. He wasn't lying to me after all. Now I need to know why I am here.

"Thanks." The cough stops after taking the water. The lady walks out and for no reason, glares at me.

The hell.

"I didn't tell you to bath Miss Tyler."

"Tracy. Call me that and the shower is running. I don't know how to turn it off."

"Huh?"

"Well, I didn't know what happened and the shower started running. I didn't know how to stop it and you wouldn't stop knocking so I left it."

"Why didn't you say?"

"I wanted to but you were walking so fast. I wanted to tell you."

"Okay." He makes a short call. "Check the tap in the third room."

I hand him the bottle after his call.

"Are you okay?"

"I didn't know he's around." I say instead.

"Why did you think I brought you here? Let's go." He begins to walk back in. I hold his hand to draw him back and he stares at my hand on him. I take it off immediately.

"Any problem?"

"No. I just want to know what's happening in brief so I know how to behave."

"Yeah yeah. I've heard about your fighting skills and your.."

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing. In brief, Jake didn't get anyone so we decided to try you out."

"How? Why?"

Jean said something similar to me. How was he not able to settle for them. So far as I know, that selection is the best so far at the agency.

"This isn't the time for questions. Just follow me and let's get this over and done with."

I do as he says and before he steps inside, he looks back at me with a smirk. "Don't allow his looks to distract you. Keep it professional."

"I don't need that advice." I roll my eyes.

"We'll see." He enters and I begin to hide behind him like a kid who's hiding behind her father after getting in trouble with the school authorities.

I realized quickly what I was doing and did my best to not let his presence daunt my confidence.

I move from behind his manager with confidence then catwalks to the middle of the room, striking a pose, hands at the appropriate places but my eyes look anywhere but him. I don't dare to look at him, my demigod whom I never thought I would ever meet.

"Jake." His manager calls his attention and I feel my palms wetting as warmth spread all over me. I think he's looking at me.

Oh my goodness. This is so strange. I feel my pulses racing, my heartbeat is uncontrollable and the air is only getting thicker.

" 360!" His smooth deep American accent intrudes on my nervous thoughts.

I did the turn around for him the best I can then resume my formal posture.

"Take care of her, Liam." He simply say.

"So..you mean..?"

"She's what I want." He clarifies and my eyes unintentionally fall on him to catch him light a cigar as he nods.

"Good. Let's go miss Tyler."

"Tracy," I say under my breath and it's barely audible so I doubt if he heard at all.

"Did you hear?" I asked him when we were out.

"I did but I like to keep things professional. Adhere to that and you won't have any problems to deal with."

"I don't get you." I stand akimbo.

"Because I haven't said anything yet. Let's get to the room first then you can wear something so we get to business."

"Business?"

"Yes." We get to the room I left a while ago and he turns to me. "Congratulations Miss Tyler. You earned the deal of working with us on Jake's upcoming project."

"Wait..what am I gonna do?" It's a great news and I should be jumping to touch the sky and walking over the moon but I don't let the news carry me away.

"You're going to dance in one of Jake's singles whose video he never thought of making but his fans have demanded that for a year now and he has decided."

"Dance? I don't dance." I look for my things to wear.

"Really? Were you not a dancer before?"

"That's in the past. My past."

"So?"

"I don't wanna work with people who go digging in my past for their gain."

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing." I wear my things in hurry and brush past him but he pulls me back.

"You're so strange,Tracy. Who rejects this opportunity?"

~*~

Thanks for reading.