Mask of A Legend (9 page)

“Yes, this is the one, and it is the last one for you. After this, hopefully your mission is complete,” a voice replied from the mirror. Angelica turned off the faucet and gaped at the mirror more.

“Those other girls are so mean to her, sir, that’s the way girls used to treat me before I called upon you a long time ago,” Angelica said with a deep sadness. “I just hope that she really is the last one.”

“Beautiful Angelica, she is the sixth one. After her, if she doesn’t succeed with making the right choice, your soul will go–”

“I know the consequences, I know what will happen, alright, you don’t have to tell me. You have been telling me this for a very long time.” She turned away from the mirror and walked over to the door.
This job sucks.

“You are right, I forgot how long you’ve been imprisoned in your wish, or prayer, your desire, I am truly sorry,” the voice said. Angelica turned around to face it again and walked up to the mirror, touching it delicately.

“Maybe I should choose another girl. I mean, I just started to study her about three months ago,” Angelica reminded.

“No, Angelica, we heard Legend’s pleas for a long time. We’ve heard her cries for three years, and now it’s the time to heal them. You’ve been looking over her profile for three months, and I feel that’s enough time to make judgment on her. She is the one!”

“I guess you’re right. Boy, Legend is in for the ride of her life: I could sense she is extremely beautiful from the inside.” Angelica smiled and she gazed at her beautiful image in the mirror, the reflection that also showed bright stars within it, reflections of the galaxy. “You know, I honestly think she’s gonna be the one to break me from this prison. . . . I just wish that I could tell her what she has to do, so she won’t end up like the others.”

“You know the rules, Angelica.”

“I know, and I think they’re stupid rules.”

“Well, go to her now, she’s listening by the door,” the voice warned as the light ceased from the mirror’s edges. She walked over to the door and opened it, seeing Legend in her sight.

“Who were you talking to?” Legend questioned. Angelica exited the bathroom and walked past her.

“Oh, I was just talking to myself in the mirror.” Angelica proceeded to walk to the doorway of the hotel room.

“What were you saying, ‘mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all’?”

Angelica lingered her head to face her, while holding onto the doorknob. “Well, not exactly, but something kind of like that.” She opened the door and walked out in the frigid, over-air-conditioned hallway. “I’ll see you later on, bye. . . .”

A
privately owned jet flew over Illinois with two people in its metal body: a father and son. The father goes by the name of William Drakson, a very powerful man when it comes to wealth. His son, better known as Stephen Drakson, sat next to him with a stressed-out look on his handsome, white face. The stewardess came up to them and announced that the plane will be landing very shortly in Chicago, while Stephen kept on showing stress through his black eyes. It was obvious they weren’t close to one another: both had their eyes on the morning paper, and the silence suffocated the air as an old hatred they had was still brewing. Needless to say, his father broke the air, turned to him and asked, “Stephen, what’s wrong?”

“I’m just sick of going to these model searches and doing your job. Why can’t you go alone and choose the girls whom you want to represent?” Stephen asked, almost whining like a child. A rich brat perhaps, with a silver spoon syndrome like the loving, narcissus Dina, or maybe just lost in his own path of life. Stephen was that of an enigma, even to his father. His mood was stern and his voice was somewhat spoiled-like.

“That’s not the only reason, Stephen. The other reason why you’re going to this model search is for you to make a guest appearance. There are a lot of young models there who need some words of advice from a supermodel like yourself!”

His father cared, of course, about money and only money. He breathed it, dreamt it, ate it, it was it, the ‘it’ in his life that gave meaning to his aging spirit. And if that included Stephen working for him to get more of it, then he didn’t care how he felt: no drama, just money.

“Father, why don’t you just tell me the main reason why I’m going? The real reason is that you want me to find a girlfriend there, when I already told you that it’s too soon for me to go on the hunt again. I mean, I just broke up with Viennese a month ago, I still need time.” Stephen then buckled up his seat belt. “Besides, you know, as well as I know, that the only type of girl I’m interested in is the ‘beyond beautiful’ type, and that’s your fault. You always wanted me to date those types of girls in the past, for your own reputation. These so-called models, that are going to be there, I’m almost positive, will not fit in that category. I’m sure they’ll be pretty, but not beyond beautiful!”

The brat calls me Father, still.

“Listen to me, Stephen, when we get there, you’ll see, I’m sure there’ll be a nice girl for you. Besides, you’re eighteen years old, I don’t want you to go through the trouble of being depressed over that bitch Viennese. I told you that she was a bitch and a supermodel before you saw her. But, as soon as I said ‘supermodel’, you wanted her. Now it’s time for you to find a girl who’s nice and pretty.” The plane began to descend toward Chicago.

“First of all, there is no such thing as a nice and pretty girl. Secondly, I don’t want a nice and pretty girl, I want a beautiful one and that’s it. If she’s beautiful, that’s enough for me,” said Stephen while the stewardess buckled herself into a seat that was in the front of the plane. Stephen noticed his father was looking at him strangely. “Don’t look at me like that, it’s your fault for making me like this, making me only want those types of girls.”

“Yes, I know, but there are other girls out there that don’t fit in that category, but still have that beauty on the inside,” his father said.

“Oh please, Father, don’t give me that speech again.”

“What speech…son?”

“The speech on, ‘it’s more important to see what’s on the inside, instead of the outside.’ Before you never used to give me that speech, and now, all of a sudden, you are. Why is that?”

“Because, Stephen, you’re getting older, and the girls whom you’ve dated in the past have been complete bitches to you, and to our agency. It’s time for you to stop looking at the ‘beyond beautiful’ side of women, and start being realistic. Take Viennese: she dated you, only to hurt you at the end. That’s the way it’s been for you for a long time, and I’m sick of seeing you in pain over that,” his father replied when Stephen started laughing again.

“You know, why don’t you make up your mind? If I wasn’t so picky when it came to looks, then you would be out of business. I’m the one who discovers the girls for you, and the one who brings them to you. If I wasn’t so picky, then you would probably be giving me a speech on dating girls who are beautiful only. Face it, Father, either I’m picky and you stay as the top modeling agent in the world, or I’m not picky, and you become a bum on the streets. Choose, because you can’t get your cake and eat it, too. Also, practice what you preach.” The plane began to shake, due to turbulence. Cold and numbing sensations went through Stephen’s body as he feared dying, with the plane shaking more. His father talked to him, while Stephen’s mind concentrated on every single moment the flying contraption shook.

He looked over at the window and saw the Sears Tower in his view as a little relief went through his mouth. He showed a smile. He was relieved because the ground was becoming more visible, and that meant the plane wouldn’t crash; in his mind at least. Suddenly, the plane shook vigorously for a moment as it hit a gust of wind. That’s when his smile vanished into a frozen, straight look.

“Are you alright, Stephen?” his father asked, noticing sweat dripping down Stephen’s face. His father kept on asking that, while Stephen’s hearing turned itself off and all of his senses vanished. The only sense he had was sight, turning to his father and giving out a politician smile.

“Um, yeah, I’m fine. Um, I’m just a little nervous as all.” It was like he didn’t want his father to know he was afraid of flying. He looked out at the dark city, and his face still had the fake smile engraved on it. It was a smile that Stephen hoped would trick his mind into believing everything was fine. The plane shook again and Stephen unbuckled his seat belt and ran to the bathroom door. He ran into the bathroom, and the fear of crashing went through his sight, imagining flames and blood that the crash would bring. He stared into the mirror at his handsome reflection and said, “Come on, Stephen, it’s not gonna crash!”

“Excuse me, sir, Mr. Drakson, but where is your son?” the stewardess asked while still sitting in her seat.

“I guess he had to go to the bathroom bad,” replied William. Stephen exited the bathroom and walked back to his seat, waiting for the shaky plane to land while he watched the land get closer through the window. Suddenly his fear vanished into relief as the plane hit its wheels against the runway of O’Hare Airport. The plane parked and they exited it. Hundreds of fans waited outside on the dark runway.

As Stephen walked down the stairs of the plane with his father, girls and girls were screaming out his name. “I love you, Stephen,” a girl screamed out, holding up a sign that read ‘SEXY’. He came down to the last stair and watched security guards hold back the lovestruck fans. A limousine pulled up to the airplane and Stephen finally stepped his feet on the ground of Chicago. He walked over to the limo and the girls started screaming out his name louder.

They both entered the limo and it drove off in an instant, while the girls ran after the black mansion on wheels. “My God, I’m just a supermodel, it’s not like I’m Elvis or something,” Stephen stated in a joking way before the limo pulled up to the hotel. “We’re already here?” asked Stephen. The limo parked directly in front of the entrance to the hotel.

“Yeah, the model search is gonna be here, I thought I told you that already,” replied his father. The chauffeur opened up Stephen’s door.

They both entered the hotel and walked immediately up to the check-in counter. People just stared at them as if they could smell ‘elite’, a scent that their clothes and posture gave to the environment. Stephen looked up at the face of a clock that hung over the foyer that read 2:00 a.m., and then looked at his father’s face.

“I just want to get my room and go to bed now,” Stephen said. The hotel worker handed him and his father their room keys. “I wish they would stop staring at me.” He noticed old and young people with their eyes locked on his white, chiseled face.

“Calm down, son, they just know who you are, that’s all,” his father explained with a small grin as it showed his white, beautifully kept teeth. “Now, go straight to bed, because you have to wake up very early tomorrow. This thing begins at 8:00 a.m., and they want you to begin speaking at 8:30 a.m.” They then walked to the elevator that was directly on the right side of the check-in counter.

“Do I have to stay till Sunday?” Stephen asked. He pressed the ‘up’ button on the outside of the elevator and continued to ignore the stares of strangers in the foyer of the hotel.

“Of course you do. You get to leave on Sunday after the search is over with. Please, Stephen, don’t ask any more stupid questions, you already knew this. Besides, this way it will give you a chance to chase the girls.”

“That is so corny, Father, please, don’t embarrass me while I’m here. I already told you on the plane that I know I’m not going to be interested in any of these models. I know it because none of them are going to be my type. Also, I just broke up with Viennese, and it’s too soon. So, just stop pushing me into this ‘girl hunt thing’,” urged Stephen. They entered the elevator with exhaustion and remained silent to one another; they were too tired from arguing. . . .

A
cold draft blew in through the balcony window of Legend’s hotel room while she and Angelica sat in the center room watching TV. They were watching a love story on the set for the second time, and Angelica was beginning to close her eyes. Legend got up from the red carpet and walked in a slow motion toward the balcony. She grabbed onto the window-like door and started to close it when suddenly her eyes came upon a shooting star that glided ever so slowly through the dark night. Legend stepped out onto the balcony and watched the star gliding across the heavens and then closed her eyes and smiled upwards toward it. “Are you making a wish?” Angelica asked. She appeared by the balcony door, startling Legend.

“Yeah, yeah I am.” She closed her eyes again.

“You know, wishes are like dreams, they’re real to you, but to everyone else, they’re just another dream. It takes a special wish in order for it to be real to everyone else, and to you also. . . . A friend told me that,” Angelica explained. Legend opened her eyes again and looked at her. Mysterious or insane, the subject Angelica brought up pressurized the air with hesitation. Should she ignore the subject, or amuse her with a question?

Where did this come from?

“Does this friend know how to make wishes come true?” Legend joked. She walked past Angelica and entered the hotel room. Legend’s silent moment was over.

“Well, as a matter of fact she does, I mean, she did. She said that there are many types of angels for different wishes.”

“How do you mean?” Thunder, both powerful and loud, echoed through the hotel room and a flash of lightning followed a few moments later.

“If you wish to be famous, then there’s an angel for that. If you wish to be healed from a sickness, there’s a different angel for that, too.” Angelica followed Legend back to the television while the love story was still playing.

What a curious woman.

“I thought that genies grant wishes,” Legend suggested with a smile. She sat back down on the ground and continued watching the TV.

Legend wasn’t used to talk of the occult or anything that hung from that word, especially from a woman she just met not too long ago. But, curious as a mouse, Legend listened.

“Well, that’s what human beings call them. You see, there are different methods to making a wish real. Let’s say you wish for fame, then a particular angel will appear and tell you to wish by the ‘Big Hollywood sign’ and at the same time touch it. Or, if you wish to be healed from a sickness, then an angel will tell you to wish while holding onto a doctor’s hand. But, the angels will only appear if the wish is strong enough from the wisher.”

Legend looked at her with an interesting face, her eyes so curious and her mouth so ready for questions that a shiver of goose bumps ran up and down her spine. A witch? A worshipper of the occult? Legend didn’t know for sure, but she understood that she sure did know a lot about the subject. Perhaps a story she heard as a child, or a book she read as a teenager while experimenting with witchcraft. Legend didn’t care, because it was not only fascinating, but the way the subject made Angelica act with such passion, she just had to dive into it more.

“Boy, your friend knew a lot about wishes. . . . Interesting theory, though. I know my wish will never come true. Just look at that girl on the TV.” Legend pointed to the actress on the television – she was kissing the leading man. “The girl is beautiful, every single love story that I see, the women are always beautiful. Beautiful, thin, perfect. So, that means that a lot of girls must be wishing for the same wish I want. That means that there must be a waiting list for the angel who grants wishes of beauty,” Legend laughed.

“There is.” Angelica smiled under her breath when Legend gave out a huge yawn. “So, are you good at astronomy? I mean, I heard that girl say something along the lines of you being an astronomy geek.” Legend gave another yawn, but immediately perked up when Angelica admitted to that observation.

“You mean ‘Dina’? Yeah she did say that . . . and yes it’s true. I do like astronomy, but that’s not what I want to do when I get older.” Swiftly, a strong draft blew in the opened window from the balcony.

“Are you any good at constellations?” asked Angelica. Legend got up from the ground and walked over to the window.

“Yeah, I guess so, I mean, I know the names of all the stars that are visible to us, meaning humans. You know, constellations and such. But what good is that?” Legend closed the balcony window and pondered for a moment over her last sentence, saying in her mind,
Cheer the hell up, Legend.

“Well, it’s very good to know something that many others don’t. I’m sure that Dina doesn’t know more than two constellations,” replied Angelica, smiling as Legend gave out a silent laugh.

“I guess you’re right. But anyway, I better be getting to bed now, I’m exhausted.” Legend walked over to the television and turned it off.

“Yeah, me, too, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Angelica walked to the doorway.

“I’m not going tomorrow, I’m just gonna go to it on Sunday,” Legend announced. Angelica turned around and left her hand still on the doorknob.

“Why not?”

“Because all they’re gonna do tomorrow is give a few presentations by professional models, to explain to us about the wonderful business of modeling, and then teach us how to walk on the catwalk.” Angelica chuckled at Legend’s remark. “Besides, I don’t want Dina and her friends seeing me before the big event, I know they’ll make fun of me!”

“They’re going to see you on Sunday anyway. You should go,” said Angelica. She walked out into the hallway and still stared at Legend.

“How hard could it possibly be to walk on the catwalk? Besides, the reason why I came here is to enjoy myself, and if I go tomorrow, Dina and her friends will take the enjoyment right out of my mind. You saw the way she was treating me when I first came to this hotel, and you know she’ll treat me worst if she sees me tomorrow,” Legend tried to convince, standing by her doorway and hoping Angelica would agree with her.

“I understand what you’re trying to say, trust me, I do. I’ll come over after the training for the catwalk is over with tomorrow, or actually today.” Angelica looked at the time on her watch, it read 2:10 a.m. and gave out a silent yawn of “Goodnight.”

After Legend said ‘goodnight’ back to Angelica, she timidly closed her door and walked toward the bathroom in a drawn-out motion. A cold and deathly breeze blew in again when she came to the bathroom door. She turned to her left and realized the balcony door was still open, after she closed it. Darkness. She walked over to it with hesitation in her movement, confused with the open doorway. Maybe it was the wind? But her confusion went away when she saw a shooting star in the distance. More coldness ran through her spine, entering onto the balcony and looking up at the star shooting through the sky. “If only wishes were real,” Legend whispered. She closed her eyes and faced up toward the dark sky, and smiled at the starlight blanketing her face. For what it was worth, Legend felt like a princess, if only for this night. Hope filled her, light from the star energized her. Perfect moment.