OUT OF REACH

 

Unbelievable. It's that one word that keeps repeating itself inside Alex's head since 1 o'clock PM. What made her do it? What changed her mind? Why did she say yes? It's wrong. It's absurd. It's...! Clint's going to know about it soon and what would he say? That Alex was out of her mind, that she's obsessing again, and worse, that she's not that girlfriend he once knew! 

 

Aaaaaaaaahhhhh! What's happening?!

 

Alex tried to recall her conversation with the arrogant Mr. Rapper Kris in the CF venue. 

 

'I'm still saying no,' she said firmly, folding her arms to her chest. She and Kris had a minute of eye-to-eye contact after that, both determined to win.

 

'What should I do to make you say yes?' Kris asked.

 

God knows how much Alex wanted for that proposal to end and just disappear. But that moment, one thing got into her mind and she knew that Kris wouldn't do it and he'd finally give up. 'Okay. Questions.' She said, pointing a finger. 'You see those people?' Alex pointed to the area where Flix and the rest of her work mates are seated eating and talking. 'All of them knows about my relationship with Clint.' She noticed Kris hadn't understand so she added, 'That's my boyfriend's name.' She saw Kris nods. 'So all of them knows I do have a boyfriend. And they too know that I'm about to get married next year. What do you think they'll say if they see me on TV with another man? Most especially, what would my boyfriend say? Can you explain everything to them? Let them in into this whole joke of yours? Can you handle that? Because basically, I couldn't.'

 

She waited for the rapper to answer. But next thing she remembers was standing there, with all eyes on her and Kris and his talent manager and Kris was telling everyone. Telling everyone that it was he who planned everything and that he alone would be accountable if anything bad happens to Alex or her engagement. That he, well, he, Kris Wufan, will stay true to his words and make sure that it'll only take 30days. He even said sorry for having such a crazy idea and admitted that he could have invited someone else whose ring finger's empty but ended up bothering Alex instead. 

 

Flix didn't, at all, like the idea. No sane person does. But Kris gave her his word and eventhough it was their first time meeting each other, Flix said she felt like she could trust the guy. Honestly? What made her say that? The guy looks cold and self-centered! But who was Alex kidding? Isn't he the same guy she used to scream and fantasize about? 

 

'Thank you,' Kris was giving his phone to Alex. 

 

'I have my own phone,' Alex stressed to which Kris only smiles. She had misunderstood the gesture as a gift for saying yes. 

 

'I'm not giving you mine. I just need you to type-in your number. In case I need you for a date.' The rapper cleared. This man, really. And all my workmates! What's got into them? Alex typed-in her number, saved it with the name Fake GF so Kris wouldn't be able to find it right away and handed back his phone. 

 

What would I tell Clint? Should I tell him now? Alex didn't quite realize that Clint hasn't contacted her since her arrival back in Seoul. No calls or txt messages. Alex reached for her phone under her other pillow (she intentionally left it there) and tried dialing Clint's number. 

 

Out of reach.

 

Another try...

 

Out of reach.

 

And another...

 

Still out of reach. 

 

It never said that when she calls him. It's slowly pissing her off. Was something wrong? Maybe Clint's mobile was out of battery. Or maybe he just turned it off temporarily because it was too busy in the restaurant. 

 

Alex wonders. He still hasn't said anything about Kris to her boyfriend. And Cheska still wasn't informed. She dialed once more.

 

When she got the same response, she hit the speaker icon and recorded her own voice to send to her boyfriend. 'Hi Chef. How's it going? Is there something wrong with your phone? It keeps saying out of reach, I've already dialed four times. I miss you. Everything's...'

 

How to describe it? Alex searched for the right word. '...crazy at the moment. I feel so stressed out. Tell Mac and Pee I said hello. Call me. I love you!'

 

It only took seconds to make that voice mail. It only took seconds for Alex to feel alone and miss everyone back in Canada. She lost her parents when she was twenty. Ever since she and Clint got together, she called his parents Mac and Pee. Because his Mom loves macarons and his Dad pizzas. She misses Clint's cooking. Those days in Canada when Alex would watch Clint move-about in the kitchen and that enticing smell only his nachos could bring. Every time they go out, Clint would choose which clothes she'd wear, picking the not-too-short, not-too-tight, not-too-y ones. 

 

Alex found herself smiling. She misses her boyfriend so much. She put the phone down to the side and stared at the ceiling for hours. She couldn't sleep. It was already past midnight. Unbelievable. She had been feeling tired and sleepy the whole day. They did lots of games at the Ladys Beach event and after the ramp for Li Jae's collection they even had a drink or two. It was unbelievable that on the drive home Alex was feeling all-sleepy and when she finally had her back to her bed she couldn't make herself go to sleep anymore. It was just too much. That day was too much. 

 

She raised her left arm and stare at the ring in her finger. 

 

'You have to remove it when you're with me.' Kris mentioned earlier. 

 

That made Alex frown. Unbelievable. 

 

Kris also said: 'A day only counts when you're with me. Literally. If I texted you today but didn't see you personally, you don't count that.' 

 

30days. 30days of seeing Kris Wufan personally. But surely, Kris wouldn't contact her if he doesn't need to see her personally, right? That rule doesn't make sense. 

 

Her phone rings.

 

Alex almost dived to her side to grab her phone. Without looking at the caller's name, she pressed the answer button. 'Hello?'

 

'Hey Fake GF! I'll see you tomorrow. Bye!'

 

Alex heard the person on the other line laughed before the call was off. KRIS! How dare him calls me at this time of the night? Why didn't I look who's calling before answering it? 

 

30days. Now Alex knows why that previous rule mattered. She badly wanted to label this day as Day 1! But Kris said not to count the days unless they see each other personally. Tomorrow Alex would revise the rules. Tomorrow she'll appear in front of the singer and say Hi and Bye and then go. And that would be a valid Day 1. Yes, definitely.

 

Alex put her phone into silent mode. Unbelievable.