CHAPTER 20

“I think this is much better.” Minerva pointed at the much-expensive unit of smartphones. “Which one do you like?”

Helene didn’t answer. Her mind is on the man that she saw outside the Pizza Parlor. He really looked like Malcolm, and he was looking at her as if he wanted to tell something important. But what’s bothering her is when Adam turned to look at him, he disappeared.

Am I seeing things that ordinary people can’t see? she asked in her mind as she brushed her shoulders. Cold flushes suddenly rushed through her. Or maybe somebody is following me?

“Hey.” Minerva nudged her in the waist that startled her. “Are you okay? You look pale.”

Helene took a deep breath and shook the thoughts out of her head. She looked at Minerva and smiled. “What did you say again? I’m sorry, I just remembered something.”

“Maybe your lover is thinking about you too much,” Minerva nudged her again. “What’s his name again? Malcolm?”

Helene felt the heat on her cheeks again. “He’s not my boyfriend. He’s my new neighbor.”

Minerva narrowed her eyes. “By the way you blushed every time I mentioned his name, it looks like that he’s not just your neighbor.”

She suppressed a smile and focused her eyes on the smartphones displayed in front of them. “He’s nice to me.”

“Is that all? He’s nice to you? How does he look like?”

Helene smiled. “He kinda looks like James,” she said and giggled. “They have the same eyes and face shape. His lips were also thin and pink. But Malcolm was a bit paler in complexion than James.”

Minerva’s eyes widened. “Wow, so you’ve found your own version of James Osburn.”

“He’s a friend,” Helene insisted, even if she also thought that her meeting with Malcolm was meant to happen because he’s her own version of James.

“But you should not forget James,” Minerva said suddenly. “You should not forget the reason why you had your job—and it’s to support James with all your heart.”

Helene felt a little comfortable with how Minerva reminded her of the reasons why she entered cyber pornography. She cringed at the thought that she actually did that. She’s still not accustomed to doing it, and she doubts that she would ever be.

“Is it clear, Helene?”

She looked at Minerva in furrowed brows. “Why are you talking to me in that way?” she asked. “It was as if you’re threatening me.”

Minerva paused, then laughed after a second. “What are you saying? Why would I threaten you?” She clung to her. “Come on, choose what phone do you want to buy.”

Helene returned her gaze to the gadgets, but her mind is still on Minerva’s odd actions. She noticed that Minerva started to react negatively every time she talked about leaving the agency. After she countered an answer, she will remind her once again why she entered a high-paying job, and it’s James.

But, since she met Malcolm, everything in Helene’s thoughts changed. It was as if Malcolm replaced James Osburn in her mind because she often thinks about him now instead of James. She wanted to get home early because she expects to see Malcolm outside her door, waiting and smiling at her like a sun in her life.

Because of what Malcolm did last night when he saw her unconscious in front of her door, Helene thought about giving up her work at the agency. But how will she do that if Minerva is against her plans? Minerva was kind to her. She’s the one that helped her overcame the loneliness that Arianne and Lexy caused her. She owed to Minerva why she’s still had her sanity now…does she? Does she really owe it to Minerva? And, not to Malcolm?

“Let’s try the camera,” Minerva said and took the phone from her. “Our first selfie on your new phone.”

After the sound of the shutter, Helene has decided. She will quit the agency whether Minerva agrees or disagree. If she gets mad at her after that, then Helene has to deal with loneliness again…But she guessed not because Malcolm was there for her.

‘And he promised that he won’t leave me,’ Helene held on to that promise that Malcolm said to her last night. ‘You will never be alone…’

On their way back to school, Helene tried to check online banking on her new phone. Minerva was also beside her while waiting for the online banking app downloaded on her phone.

“Check your account. I’m sure Madame Chona has sent your payment for yesterday’s performance,” she said and smiled at her. “I’m sure you earned big money on your first day.”

Helene laughed awkwardly. “How do you know? You were not there yesterday,” she said as she waited for the app to open. “Oh, my gosh,” she gasped on the set of figures reflected in her account. “This is huge.”

Minerva clapped her hands. “I told you,” she said and leaned closer to her and whispered. “Online job can support all our needs.”

Helene was still shocked. She received three hundred dollars with one performance. If she’ll continue to earn this amount, her mother doesn’t have to work abroad. She paused, but this kind of job is not permanent. And this is illegal.

“Minerva, can I skip tonight?” she asked.

Minerva stopped walking towards their university gate. “Why? You’re not feeling well?”

Helene nodded. It was true that she’s not feeling well today. According to Malcolm, her fever last night reached 40 degrees. And he advised her to come home early to take a rest. Malcolm also told her that he’ll cook for her if she goes home on time.

“Then, okay. But you have to tell Madame Chona that you will take off today because you feel ill,” Minerva told her and looked at her suspiciously. “Are you sure that it’s your reason?”

“Yes, I’m really not feeling well,” she said in a knotted her forehead. “Why?”

Minerva shrugged her shoulders. “Nothing. I just don’t want to have a problem,” she said and looked straight into her eyes. “And I’m sure that it’s what you wanted too.”

***