24

He took it again, now holding a pastel pink tube top. He looked at it then his eyes shifted at me, scanning my body.. then looked again at the tube top. He nodded to himself like he agreed to what he said in his mind.

I let him do what he was doing. I rolled my eyes and looked at the shoes on display.

Everything looks pretty with their intricate designs but one caught my attention. It is a pink rubbershoes with a flower and leaves emroided covering the right side while on the other is a thick black line that has red in the middle. It’s not covering the left side so that the pastel color can still be seen.

I remembered my broken shoes, I bought them at the mall in Bicol before, because that’s where I studied junior high, it was mom’s first salary from her job as a maid. Because he was busy working, I bought it alone.

Four years. That’s how long mom has been at that job.

I looked at my phone, checking if she called or texted me.. but no there is none.

Maybe I need to replace it with a new one because I’ve been using it for almost four years, from junior high to college I still use it, fortunately it lasted four years for me.

I looked at the price of the shoes. I look away. Maybe my old shoes will last another year, I’ll just put them in rugby so they don’t break forever.

“Fertine.. come here.” Wilder called me and I attended immediately.

The sales lady was already next to her but I didn’t look at her for a long time.. but on the clothes she was holding. His face was almost covered.

“Miss, put it down.” Wilder promised. Another sales lady arranged the clothes.

“W-what are you doing, Wilder?” I will ask. “Picking up clothes for you.” I frowned at what he said.

“Huh?” I asked wonderingly and maybe I’m just deaf. “You heard me. Didn’t I tell you that I will help you change?” He turned to me.

“Where’s the manager in here?” He asked the sales lady.

I don’t understand Wilder but.. I don’t know. Even I was confused too.

The sales ladies moved quickly and called it. “Wilder, shark.” I turned back when I heard that, an elderly woman passed me. It looks sophisticated because of wearing formal clothes. After all, he doesn’t look like a manager. He looks like an owner.

“Aunt Herma.” Wilder greeted and kissed her.

The two know each other.

“What brought you here huh?” She asked smiling.. then she noticed me. She stared at me from head to toe.

Here it is again.

“Who is she?” She turned to Wilder.

“My classmate, Tita Herma.. and I’m here to help her dress up, you can actually tell she doesn’t have a good fashion sense so I came to the expert.. can you help me aunt?” He asked smiling at her. “Oh sure.” It was a laughable answer.

“So I gathered some clothes and it’s up to you to match Tita.” It showed what the sales lady arranged.

I gently pulled the end of Wilder’s shirt. “What are you doing? Let’s go home.” I asked here, even though his focus was not on me but on his aunt who was thinking about imamatch with something.

She looked at me for a second and got some clothes.. she whispered at the sales lady and after that she handed her a pair of heels.

“No. I’m paying for your time, remember? You have to be with me..” he looked at me in the eyes. “You need to trust me, okay?”

“Come with me, baby.” Before I could even answer what he said, he made me follow his aunt to the fitting room.

I saw him smiling at me when I turned around.

“Get inside.” I entered the fitting room at her aunt’s command.

I looked at her. Even with her old age, you can still see her beauty.

She has a fair skin.. and kind of looks like she has a foreign blood because of her features, thick eyebrows, her eyes are somehow look like spanish eyes, she has a pointed nose and thin red lips.

I’m guessing she has a spanish blood?

She cut my thoughts. “So.. put these on. It’s your size don’t worry. I’ll be right here and if you need my help just call me okay?” Then she closed the curtain.

I looked at what he handed me. It’s different from what I wear. Will it suit me?

“You need to trust me, okay?” His voice kind of echoed in my mind.

I looked at it again.

It is a maroon long sleeve crop top with a long neck line in front paired with a short high waist skirt.

“I will trust you.”

“Ma’am, it’s okay.” I said from the fitting room. “Okay get outside.” It’s a promise.

I went out a few times, but I had to go out. The clothes are tight on me or I’m not used to fitted clothes. Maybe that’s why I’m different, how about the short skirt and the long sleeve that I’m wearing even though my arm is covered, the neck line is low, it’s almost close to my chest, causing it to be worn.

I saw Wilder sitting in a sofa looking at the other clothes while drinking a juice.

He seems busy because he can’t even notice my presence not until her Tita speaks. “Iha, why aren’t you wearing the heels?” She asked.

Then I saw Wilder turned to look at me.

His eyes widened while staring at me from head to toe.

“Because it’s high..then I’m not good at it.” I said even though Wilder’s gaze was a little off.

“Where are the heels?” She asked. “A-it’s over there—” I was about to bend down to take the shoes from the bottom when he stopped me.

“Iha, no. Don’t just bow down. Your behavior doesn’t match the clothes you’re wearing.

“Thesa, get the heels.” He ordered the sales lady.

I was left alone. Yes, it’s also a bit difficult to act in this dress.