Mask of A Legend (20 page)

S
tephen sat firmly in his first-class seat, his eyes on Legend’s face and her sitting directly across from him. He panned over at Dina, and saw her sleeping face turn away from him as she faced the window. He looked back at Legend again, and knew she was uncomfortable for some reason. Away from her beauty, he turned to the window and stared out at the night stars above. Stephen didn’t know what to say to her, he knew his lips touched hers three days ago, but he still didn’t know how to talk to her about it. He felt she was still uncomfortable for that situation that happened, but something inside of him forced his thoughts to turn into words. “You know, by now, you and me usually are arguing or disputing something, or else just showing our own perspectives on a certain issue,” he said. Legend’s face didn’t show a smile. “Legend, what’s wrong? If it’s about what happened three days ago, then–”

“What happened three days ago was an accident. I was very emotional and so were you, and for that, it caused your lips to touch mine,” she defended.

“What are you talking about? You’re the one who kissed me.” He still had a grin on his young face.

“No, you kissed me!”

“I don’t think so, we both kissed at the same time.” Stephen’s voice was begging to grow to a higher note.

“No,” she said.

“Yes!”

“No!”

“Yes we did,” he said. She gave out a loud breath of air and turned away from him. He smiled as he joked, “You see, we’re arguing, so I guess everything’s back to normal!”

She turned to face him. “Listen to me, Stephen, I’m with Mark, and you’re with Dina, that’s how it is. . . . I care for Mark a lot, and I don’t want him to know about that . . . that kiss.”

“What do you see in Mark anyway? What is it that he has, that I don’t?” Dina turned her sleeping head away from the window and faced Stephen.

Legend saw the way Dina was facing, so she lowered her voice and said, “He doesn’t look for beauty on the outside, he’s not a pig like you. He has a great character. With you, you’re handsome and funny, but your character sucks when it comes to looking at girls like you do in your piggish way. . . . For example, take Dina, the first month into your relationship, you had sex with her. Most gentlemen would wait till marriage, but with you, you had to be an animal.” She was angry, yet her voice still stayed quiet.

“Marriage? I had sex with Dina because I care, and still do care for her. I like her character, her inner beauty, just as well as her outer.” Dina turned away from him and faced the window again.

“Yeah, whatever, Stephen. Listen to me, I know that me and Dina are good friends now, but there’s a lot of things that you don’t know about her. Things that she did in the past that would label her character as a ‘bitch’.”

Stephen’s eyes jolted. “Well, there’s a lot of things that you don’t know about Mark either. As a matter of fact, if you knew half the things that I know about his character, then you wouldn’t be with him still, you wouldn’t be in love with him.”

“First of all, I don’t love him,” she said.

“You do, too, you said that to me three days ago.”

“No, you idiot, I said for you to tell him that you think I love him, and then I wanted to hear his reaction from you. I never said I loved him. Furthermore, Mark’s character is known to me, and you’re just jealous that he has a character that I like.”

“Oh yeah? Well, I know Dina more than you, and I got her character down pat. But you’re just jealous of her because she has a greater character than yours,” he said. Legend developed a sad look on her face and Stephen saw her sadness. “Alright, I’m sorry for that: you, too, have a great way about you. But still, you’re upset about something, Legend.”

“Let’s just drop it, alright? I mean, this is so stupid to be arguing over who kissed who first, and which one of us has a greater view and knowing over our relationships with Mark and Dina,” she said. Legend smiled and Stephen grinned also. “Plus, it’s stupid, and very corny to be arguing over inner and outer beauty. I mean, it’s just not normal for people like us to be arguing about such a subject. . . .”

“You’re right,” he said.

Legend widened her eyes. “Oh my God, did you just say I’m right?” Stephen started grinning more. “No way, I can’t believe that you actually agreed with me,” Legend said.

“Well, don’t get too used to it.” His cellphone started to ring. He reached into his black, sports coat and pulled out his phone, still staring at Legend’s smiling face. “You know, I like arguing with you, because we always make up at the end,” he said, pressing the power button on his phone. “Hello, Stephen Drakson speaking, who’s calling?”

He heard a loud yell coming from the other side of the line. “Stephen, where the hell are you?” William asked, stressing. He drove in his limousine that passed a sign reading ‘Welcome to Beverly Hills’.

“Father, calm down, I could explain.”

Legend looked at his nervous face.

“Well, you better get started. Did you know that I got a call from John Fisher, saying that Legend never showed up for the photo shoot? I had to make up some bullshit story, and then make another appointment for tomorrow,” William yelled.

Stephen looked at Legend, and then turned away from her beauty.

“Listen, Dina and Legend went out last night to some night club, and Dina got wasted out of her mind. When I woke up this morning, Legend was all packed and ready to go, while Dina’s clothes were still in her dresser drawers and she was still in bed. So, that’s why–”

“Why didn’t you call me?”

Stephen replied, “Because I had too many things on my mind, and we had to catch a plane. But we should be in LA in less than thirty minutes.”

“Why didn’t you take our private jet? You would have made it here in no time at all.”

“Because, when you left for California three months ago, you took it.” Stephen’s voice was that of a smart aleck and Legend stared at him with dread. She started to see the true Stephen, the Stephen that always wants to make his father happy. She noticed, for the first time, his hidden character, his true character. But that was only a little piece to the puzzle his inner self withheld, and Legend put it into place.

“Oh that’s right. Well still, that’s no excuse for you being late. I trust you, boy, with everything that my business holds, and for that, I’m not accepting any excuses.” William’s limo entered a big driveway that led up to a luxurious mansion.

“Father, I’m only eighteen years old, and I have a modeling career, and this career that’s really yours. I can’t do it all!” Legend saw a shield of tears beginning to form in Stephen’s eyes. Frustration? Or unbearable hurt that his father isn’t seeing his hard work? They were undefined for now.

“Alright, but you still shouldn’t have been late. Anyway, once you get here, I have to discuss with you about a job I got for Legend, it involves her giving a short presentation at a charity event.”

Stephen looked at Legend again, and then turned his watery eyes away from her with embarrassment. “Alright, I’ll see ya soon, bye.” Stephen hung up the phone and quickly rubbed his eyes. “You asshole,” he added to the phone.

“What happened?” Legend asked. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Stephen turned toward her. “No, I just want to get some sleep. Wake me up in about thirty minutes when we land.”

Legend discovered another part to his character. The part that she found was Stephen could get hurt very easily: she found out when she saw tears in his eyes, and sadness in his words when he spoke to his father. It was another part to the puzzle she fit into place, and his true character was beginning to show more to her. Good or bad, Legend was relieved she found a breakthrough with him.

“Alright.” Legend then turned to face the window and saw her reflection. “I’ll wake you up when we get there,” she added, pulling down the slot over the window and causing her reflection to be no more. She turned to Stephen and saw his sleeping face. “Sweet dreams. . . .”

A
n old woman, with a maid ensemble on, raced down a vast hallway, carrying silken blankets under her wrinkly arms. She showed nervousness on her face, sweat forming and her wrinkles were getting even more wrinkled as her nervousness showed more. She shot down a long, widened staircase and a single, huge, crystal chandelier shined her way. She followed the patters of the staircase, red, white, red, white, so she wouldn’t trip or fall, due to the chandelier’s lights being so dim. She finally came down the stairs and placed her tired feet on the marble floor and turned around to face the staircase she just exited from. She looked up it, the sweat dripping down her wrinkly face and sliding through each wrinkle, and her eyes caught the glare of another woman who was standing at the top of the landing. “Come on, Relinda, hurry up,” she said. Relinda ran down the staircase toward her, carrying silken blankets also. “Hurry up, they’ll be here any minute now,” she added. Relinda finally placed her feet on the marble floor and looked up at the staircase also.

Relinda then looked at the old woman and said, “Alright, Sylvia, I already changed the beds for the guest bedroom, and given them fresh sheets.” She then walked closer to Sylvia. “What next?” Sylvia walked over to the foyer and looked out the window of the enormous front door. She looked out it with suspicion and nervousness as Relinda walked up to her and asked again, “What next?”

“Now we wait for them to come,” Sylvia replied. She still gazed out the window and placed her eyes on the long driveway that formed into a circle, and a huge water fountain that stood in the middle of the front yard. She turned toward Relinda and stared at her young face, saying, “I just hope you set those beds up right, because you know damn well that those girls are going to complain!”

“Don’t worry, I put the clean sheets on, and a rose on each of their beds, everything’s perfect. . . . Besides, we don’t know if these girls are going to be like the ones Stephen brought home in the past,” Relinda said. She threw the old sheets in a clothes closet that was directly to the side of her, and then walked back to Sylvia. “I heard that Legend girl was pretty nice, I read in
Glam
magazine, there was a whole article about her. But, I don’t know about that Dina character!”

“Would you listen to yourself, you sound like a fan, for crying out loud. You know damn well that those articles or magazines lie about these models’ lives, and just say what the public wants to hear,” Sylvia said, wiping a piece of sweat out of the crevice of one of her wrinkles. “Every single girl that boy has brought home in the past was either a bitch . . . or a bitch!”

“Don’t you think you’re overreacting just a little bit?” Relinda asked. A limo pulled up to the circular-formed driveway and pulsated its lights against the window.

Sylvia looked out again: the lights shined into her cataracts and a pulsating pain followed. “No, I don’t think I’m overreacting whatsoever,” replied Sylvia, rubbing her eyes and facing toward Relinda. She turned her face back at the window and saw the limo parking. “Every girl who Stephen brought home called me either old bag or old geezer. Then, when they ask me how they look, they bitch at me if I reply, ‘Well, I’m too old to answer a question like that’, and they keep on bitching about it.”

The limousine doors opened and out walked three figures.

“That’s because you answered them with a smart-alecky reply. Listen, I’m sure these girls won’t call you, or even me, any names, just wait and see. Maybe these girls aren’t bitches,” Relinda explained. Sylvia looked out the window again and saw the three figures talking and standing by the limo.

“Relinda, every girl Stephen brings home he wants to have sex with. Therefore, he doesn’t care about the way they act, and for that, they are considered a bitch, whore, slut.” The three figures began to walk toward the doorway. “Alright, they’re coming.”

Relinda ran to the staircase and inhaled a quick breath, then gave out a huge yell, “Alright, troops line up, they’re coming.” Suddenly, three other maids came running down the stairs. A man, holding a chef’s hat, ran out of the kitchen, and two men with tuxedos on came running out of another room that was directly by the kitchen door. “Alright, everyone line up.” They all ran on the first step and stood in a single line. Relinda then walked over to Sylvia and said, “Alright, whether they’re bitches or not, just remember to put that great mask on that you always have when there’s guests in the house!”

“Listen, I have been their maid for eighteen years, ever since Stephen was born, I know the drill,” Sylvia reminded. She put on an anchor’s smile that lifted her wrinkles, and showed her false teeth. “See, now is this a face of an old bag who hates every single girl Stephen brings home?”

Relinda started laughing and the others followed.

Meanwhile, Stephen, Dina and Legend walked up to the front door. Legend ogled at this massive sight. She stared at the large white door, and the long, massive structure that was called ‘home’ to Stephen. “Now, Legend and Dina, I know you’re going to like Sylvia, but just remember what I told you . . . She’s very old, and she’s kind of grumpy once I leave the picture. She’ll act nice while I’m there, but once I leave, you’re going to see her true colors, but don’t be alarmed, she’s harmless,” Stephen explained. Dina leaned against the doorway, waiting impatiently for him to find his keys.

“Listen, Stephen, if she’s mean to me, I’m going to let her know,” Legend said. Dina began to smile unnoticeably.

“Well, I’m going to treat her with dignity and the utmost respect, don’t worry, Stephen. I just love old people,” Dina said. Her mental mask was growing stronger.

“Yeah well, I love old people, too, but if they act mean to me, I’m going to let them know,” Legend said. Dina began smiling more. Dina’s mental mask excelled toward Stephen, just as she wanted it to.

“You know, Legend, I wish you would have the same morality as Dina, it would help. Sylvia is like my mother, so please be kind to her.” Stephen then opened the door and caught Dina from falling into the foyer.

“I will be kind to–”

Sylvia and Relinda walked up to them and caused Legend to stifle her words. They walked into the foyer, Sylvia holding out her arms and giving Stephen a tight hug.

“How’s my honey doing?” Sylvia asked. Stephen released his hug from her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“I’m doing fine. I would like you to meet Legend and Dina. Dina and Legend, this is Sylvia.”

Legend held out her hand toward Sylvia and shook it gently.

“Pleased to meet you,” Legend said.

Dina walked in front of her and held out her hand also toward Sylvia.

Dina wanted to go a step more into showing Stephen that her inner character was better than Legend’s. So she gave Sylvia a huge hug, and said, “You are more beautiful than Stephen said you were!”

“Why thank you,” said Sylvia. Legend gave a jumbled look toward Dina. She was confused as to why Dina put on that dramatic scene and gave Sylvia a tight hug. The games she plays.

“Listen, Stephen, I’m going to get some sleep now, I’m really tired. So, it was nice meeting you, Sylvia,” Dina said, fake smile and everything. She started to walk up the stairs and turned around, with a smile. “Oh, oops, I’m sorry, I don’t know where my room is!”

“Oh, it’s alright, honey, I’ll show you,” Sylvia said. She walked toward Dina and up the staircase with her, while all the other workers spread out and went in different directions.

Meanwhile, as Dina and Sylvia walked up the stairs, Stephen turned to Legend and said, “Now, my father is probably upstairs in his den, so follow me!” He walked up the stairs and Legend slowly faced toward him, without moving a bit. “What’s wrong?”

Legend wasn’t moving.

“No, nothing, I was just admiring your beautiful house as all,” she replied.

“Thank you, but you could admire it later, because my father really wants to talk to you about something important.”

“Boy, you’re really pushy when it comes to business. What is it your father wants to talk to me about?” Legend then followed Stephen up the massive staircase, looking about and admiring this vast sight.

“I don’t know, all I know is it’s about something important. It’s probably another contract.” They came up to the second floor and walked on a blue carpet that stretched down an enormous hallway, with paintings at either end of it.

They came up to a door that read ‘OFFICE’, and Stephen opened it. Once opened, a voice came out of nowhere and said, “Well, it’s about time you guys got here.” His father got up from a brown, leather seat and headed across his book-filled room with a smile on his face. He came up to them, adding, “Welcome, Legend, welcome to my home!”

“Thank you, Mr. Drakson, it’s a very nice home indeed.”

Mr. Drakson guided her into his den and offered her some coffee.

“Please, you’ve been with us for a while now, call me William,” he said with a laugh. Legend grinned and grabbed her cup of coffee. “Now, I have a project for you specifically, it’s going to be in three days, and this is something that only comes once in a lifetime. Are you up for it?”

Stephen sat down on a leather couch, but she still stood. “Well, what is it first?” she asked. She gaped toward Stephen, and then back at William.

“I like this girl,” William said. He smiled at Stephen, then turned to Legend.

Meanwhile, as William explained the project to Legend, Dina and Sylvia finally reached the guest bedroom on the fourth floor. They talked and laughed while they entered it, as Sylvia said, “You’re a very nice young woman!”

“Thank you,” said Dina. She lay down on the bed, right away, and massaged her neck. As she lay down, she rolled her head toward her pillow, and poked the back of her head with the rose that was placed on it by Relinda. She gave out a loud yell. “What the hell is this?”

“Oh, I’m truly sorry, I forgot that Relinda placed it there,” Sylvia replied in sincerity. Her old body went over to the rose and picked it up.

The pain from the rose shocked Dina’s mental mask and made it vanish from sight. Dina said, “Well, that’s just great. Thanks to your stupidity, I got a small hole in the back of my head!” Dina’s sarcasm caused Sylvia to laugh, because Sylvia thought she was a nice, gentle girl. Sylvia thought Dina was only joking, or kidding around about such a small cut, that was only an accident. “What the hell are you laughing at, you old shit? I’m bleeding here, and you find it funny.”

Sylvia looked down at the floor, like a timid lamb, scared and muddled as to why Dina said that so cruelly. She then realized Dina was an evil girl, or her term that she so often uses, ‘a bitch’. Sylvia stared at her suspiciously, trying to figure out Dina’s true evil character, her true colors that make her a bitch. But suddenly she gave up the search, and just smiled to Dina, like she did for all the girls whom Stephen brought home in the past. Nevertheless, even though Dina took off her mental mask toward Sylvia, she still kept on hers when she said, “I’m sorry, Dina.” She then walked up to Dina. “I am sorry, Dina, I forget that the–”

“First of all, you call me ma’am, and secondly, get me a cold, damp rag, so I don’t bleed to death,” said Dina.

Sylvia gave her a ticked-off face expression.

But, even though Sylvia’s mind was angered toward Dina, she still kept on her mask. “Yes, ma’am, I’ll be right back.” Sylvia pivoted her body toward the doorway and exited Dina’s room, saying under her breath, “What a bitch. Another silver spoon thinking she’s gold. One down, and one more to go. . . .”

While Sylvia went to get Dina a damp rag, Legend was sitting next to Stephen on the leather couch, and hearing William finish with, “So, will you do it?”

“Well, I’m kind of, sort of, well, I’m not good at giving speeches. I mean, these are abused women, and it’s a charity event, I don’t know if it’s such a good idea to have me giving a short speech up there, and then saying at the end that I’m wearing a ‘Jack Fronter’ ensemble. Why do I even have to mention that I’m wearing his clothes?” she asked.

“Well, like I explained to you before, he’s doing you a favor by giving the public a chance to see the real Legend. After all, no money is changing hands, the only thing he wants from you is to have you say you’re wearing his clothes. I mean, that’s a small favor as to having you up on the podium, saying a speech, and getting even more media attention, and more famous than you already are.

“Other than that, you just have to say a simple speech, and then walk off the podium, while waving your hands to the TV camera, that’s going to have millions of viewers to it, and then waving your hands to all the women who are going to be there. In three days, Legend, you are going to go beyond a simple supermodel, you’re going to be beyond famous, you’re going to be a goddess,” William explained with excitement. “I already had some of my employees write out your speech, and so far they wrote everything that the public wants to hear.”

Legend turned toward Stephen, and gave a simple smile, and then faced William again. She got up from the couch, placed her coffee on a coffee table, and said, “Alright, if it’s going to help abused women, then I’ll do it. But, just as long as no money is switching hands, I’m there.”

William gave her a tight hug and kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you.” William’s office door opened up and in came Sylvia. “Why hello, Sylvia, what can I do for you?” he asked. Sylvia stared at Legend with vicious eyes, and then turned to William.