To Be A Bold Star

Noelle got disappointed. Blake was following her on foot. He reached out, but Noelle slapped his face, hard, her palms leaving a mark on his cheek. Her bag slung out of her shoulder, but she adjusted it, scoffing in another direction, where people rushed to ride the last bus.

Blake swallowed, not surprised by her rash action. As he said before, she's too pure.

Noelle took a deep breath, asking unbelievably, "Are you seriously hearing yourself earlier?"

She was offered a job by Blake, yes, but it was discourteous. Noelle is a woman of dignity, and she won't give up her body to any stranger just to gain money. It sounded uncouth and offensive for her innocent ears.

"The job you're offering me is crude, Blake! I won't sell my body to anyone! Do you understand?" Noelle's tone horribly depicted an insolent behavior she encountered today. How can a man help her with money but ask for a boorish and dirty deed in exchange?

Blake didn't answer. It was going to be difficult. She's playing hard.

Noelle walked away again, but Blake followed her, asking in a loud voice, "Do you want to have your mother's bills a burden again?!"

He's trying to help, but Noelle kept her doors closed. She halted in her tracks.

"I paid for 6 digits, Noelle."

"But I didn't ask you for it!" Noelle shouted back.

"And where will your mother go if I didn't come, if I didn't offer my money to erase your bad record for filing promissory notes multiple times?!"

"So you did it for a bold star recruitment, right?! You approached me because you wanted me to do that dirty job, right?! You also paid for my bill, for what, for me not to say no to you?!" Noelle yelled back, approaching him again, counting all the circumstances and reasons they have met.

Somewhat, she wanted to take back the compliments she said to Blake. He stayed silent after Noelle fought back. She nodded, realizing what a good will Blake did.

"Yeah, I will say thank you for paying my mother's bill. It's too much, actually. But your job offer…"

Noelle shook her head vigorously, a mocking smirk painted in her lips.

"Thank you, but no, I'm not accepting it."

Noelle fleeted a glance to Blake before leaving. She hitched her bag to her shoulders, and walked away with a heavy heart. It isn't the ending she expected.

…

It has been a few weeks since Noelle and Blake talked. She didn't receive any news at all.

She got hired at another convenience store, and thankfully, the hours of her shifts connected to each other. Noelle had to take a bus to work on another store, and she got a fair pay. The medical bills are going well, but the debts started again.

The money kept on piling, and Noelle started to stress out again.

At midnight, Noelle found herself standing at a bulletin board, hoping to find a three hour-shift that can occupy her until midnight. While walking, she contemplated about Blake's job offer. She didn't know how much she could get, but Blake wouldn't offer some money if his salary isn't good.

Out of all the shift hours she had on a convenience store, it wouldn't reach a million even if she work 24 hours in the clock.

Noelle wanted to buy some goods at the market, and she picked the fresh vegetables out there. She needed to visit her mother for tonight, and go home at 2 o'clock. When she was about to pay, someone spoke up, "It's on me."

The voice was familiar, and Noelle's right: it's Blake.

She gawked, hitching his wrist away, and offered her cash to the vendor.

"Take my money, miss," Noelle uttered, giving a small smile. Blake got surprised.

The vendor got torn, but eventually got Noelle's money. When she turned around, Noelle glared, asking, "What are you doing here?"

"I want to visit your mother," Blake confessed.

"Ah, what we owe to you. Don't worry, I'll pay you. That must be why you're following me, right?" She sounded sarcastic. Blake creased his forehead. Noelle retrieved the fresh fruits and vegetables and walked away, leaving Blake.

She walked away with hands stuffed inside her hoodie, but Blake trailed her.

"I wanted to check on you. Something must have happened, because I was waiting for your call for the promised dinner," Blake said, turning a corner where Noelle headed.

"Forget the dinner. I owe you, yes, but I had to pay you back with money. That's it, Blake, end of conversation," Noelle dodged. She reached the empty parking lot of the hospital. Blake was still on her foot, like a dog smelling his master's soles.

"How can you pay back that huge amount of money when you have two jobs but the salary is too low?" Blake asked grossly. She suddenly stopped, and Blake turned, approaching her.

She was glaring, leering like a big lion.

"Are you stalking me? Because I think you have no right to know my personal business," Noelle said. Blake rolled his eyes, and showed his wallet disgustingly.

"I paid for your mother. It was one million. A huge amount of money withdrew from my account just to help you, Noelle."

"Did I ask you to do it?"

"You didn't, but your problems said so, Noelle! You are so sick of paying back the bills and you barely take care of yourself!"

"How dare you say that to me?! How can you say I'm so sick of the bills?!"

"Aren't you thinking of your own happiness, too? Aren't you thinking of your own freedom?"

Blake was hitting the gut. He was speaking what Noelle held back for so many years.

"We're there, Noelle. Your mother was lying on the bed, fighting for her disease, and you're here outside, surviving every day to support her bills. But, is it enough?"

Noelle scowled. It all sounded absurd.

"Are you telling me that to make me feel bad and accept your offer to become a bold star?"

Blake frowned, shaking his head. It's the truth, but Noelle wanted to swerve. She doesn't have time to talk right now.

"Stop, Blake. I will not accept it no matter what you say. I wanted to live with dignity. Please, don't make me feel bad about my decisions."

Blake didn't answer. Noelle walked away, gripping the plastic bag of the fruits.

…

It took few more days before Noelle had the confidence to contact Blake again.

She's walking towards the waiting shed, when all of a sudden, the nurse in her mother's ward called her. Noelle panicked, and instantly answered. Before she turned away, a glimpse of a man's familiar silhouette met her eyes. It must be Blake.

Running back to the hospital, she headed upstairs, tearing up as she knew that her mother's life is on edge. Noelle burst inside the room, finding out how the doctors successfully revived the patient's breath. The monitor showed her heart rate, and even her blood pressure.

Lowering her cell phone, a nurse patted her shoulder, assuring, "Your mother's fine now."

Noelle wiped her cheeks, nodding.

When they came out, she gave half of what she earned, and the balance lowered down. Still, it will pile up to one million in no time. Noelle smiled to the nurses as soon as she's done with her business. One nurse came up, checking on her, asking, "Did you get a decent job now? I heard you're doing two jobs every day."

Noelle didn't say it to anyone. Only Blake knew it.

"Ah, yes. I'm doing two. Why?" Noelle answered back.

"Nothing, I just got worried of you, Ms. Iris. You should rest, too, for your mother," the nurse reminded. Noelle kept it in mind, and walked out of the hospital. For a second, she thought how her mother was the reason of her rest.

Can it be her exhaustion, that's why she decided to lay down and sleep? Is it still her mother?

Maybe Blake was right. Noelle was sick of her ill mother and that she denies it.

She walked towards the waiting shed of the bus, sat down, and stared at the balance sheet.

It already reached 100,000 pesos, far from the amount of her salary.

Noelle laid it on her lap, close to crumbling the paper, and watched the rain pouring down.

"When will my misery end?" Noelle asked to the heavens.

Just that time around, a man appeared on her side, shedding his wet hair, unable to continue walking home since it rained. Noelle was the first to notice Blake. Why is he showing up whenever she asked for mercy? Is he the answer to her problem?

Blake sensed someone staring at him. Both of them stared into each other's eyes.

She instantly asked, "How can I get in?"