He's The Unaffordable
Chapter 20 - Best Gift

Hearing Laras's resolute and indisputable speech, Reese finally kept quiet. He went towards the entrance of the hotel while grumbling. His assistant and friends followed him at a rapid pace. Laras and I exchanged glances, he sighed softly.

“You all right?” ask Baras to Wendy. My friend nodded slowly with his face still down. “It's okay. I know it's not your fault. And I'm sorry, all these drinks are wasted.”

“I also apologize for not being careful earlier,” said Wendy. He crouched down and helped his colleagues collect paper cups that fell on the grass.

“Is there still the same coffee as our order?” ask Laras expectantly.

Wendy turned her head towards her friend, the young man nodded quickly. “Still there. I'll get it now. Six glasses, right?”

“Truely,” says Laras cheerfully. “Thank you.” He turned his head towards me after Wendy left. “You know him?”

“Iya. He's my classmate at school. I'm surprised he's here. Turns out you ordered your favorite coffee from where he works.” I looked at the table where the coffee stain was. The waiter replaced it with a new tablecloth.

“Of course. This party is less lively without serving favorite food and drinks that are birthday. Moreover, I will not be seventeen years old forever.” He glanced towards his smiling parents while shaking their heads.

“Thank you for helping my friend. Otherwise, Reese will continue to search for it non-stop.” I smiled at him. Laras nodded slowly.

“I can't possibly stay silent seeing that someone is ruining my party. It's clear he's wrong, even he's angry.” Laras sighed softly. “If it wasn't for Mr. Billy asking all of us to maintain good relations with models from other agencies, I wouldn't have invited him on my show.”

“Good.” I felt Kak Hadi looking at me boredly from the corner of my eye, reminding me that it was time for us to leave. “My sister and I went home, yeah. The food was great and the party was great. Again, happy birthday to you.”

“Thank you, Dira.” Laras received my hand, then lifted my bag. “Also thank you for this wonderful gift. I really like.” He looked around us. “Luckily there's no Reese. Otherwise, he would be jealous to hear me praise a gift from you.”

I don't know what to say about me and Reese. It seems like everything I did was wrong in his eyes. Or he'll assume that I'm trying to be better than him. I don't know since when he started competing unhealthyly with me.

Vikal walked by my side as we headed for the hotel. We can't get to the exit if we don't get through the lobby. Brother Hadi walked behind us and grumbled whenever anyone approached him and asked him to speak. Me and my assistant laughed amusedly at her behavior.

“Stop! You can't run away from responsibility! Pay for my clothes and bags!” the voice that I was familiar with, came from the direction of our front right.

Again Reese walked quickly after Wendy with a reddened face in anger. Before his outstretched hand managed to grip my best friend's hair from behind, Vikal and Kak Hadi immediately stood up to protect him. Seeing Wendy not carrying a tray, I let out a sigh of relief. He can be scolded by his superiors if he throws away another drink.

“Surge! Don't block my path!” reese said fiercely to the two men who prevented her from approaching my best friend.

“You all right?” I was standing next to Wendy. My friend nodded his head and looked at the beaver girl with fear.

“Just have your fucking friend pay for the damages I've been through, Dira! Or you'll regret having helped her ruin my dress!” Reese tries to get past Vikal and Kak Hadi.

“It's enough, Reese.” A man stood beside my rival and held his hand. “You've embarrassed yourself enough tonight.”

“Humiliation?? I'm not—” said Reese in self-defense. But he did not try to get away from the man.

“But I have to do something with this shirt. This outfit is broken because of that idiotic waitress! I don't want to pay much for the damages, Sam. This shirt is so expensive!” pekik Reese panicked. Whahuh? So, this commotion he caused just because the clothes he was wearing were loans?

“I'll help you talk to the sponsor. Come on, it's time to take a break at Laras.” Mr. Sam pulled his arm, but Reese held back so that the man could not drag him along with him.

“Appointment?” sue Reese a little pushy. The man sighed softly, then nodded his head. The annoying girl stared intently at Wendy and me. It was as if to say that the matter between us had not been resolved.

Vikal approached Wendy as soon as Reese and Sam were away from us. He checked my best friend's situation. I turned towards Brother Hadi who shook his head slowly in disbelief. I smiled faintly, feeling bad already made him have to witness all that.

Wendy must return to work, but she promises to stay away and avoid Reese if it turns out that she is still attending events. The three of us continued our destination to the parking lot by exiting through the main door. The atmosphere in front of the hotel was quiet, no more journalists scrambling to take photos of the invitees.

“Colin never complains of drama whenever he accompanies you to an event like this. Why does it always happen when I come with you?” brother complained when we were in the car. “Other times you invite your other friends only. Or assistant. I'm jera.”

“I'm sorry, Brother. But I couldn't fulfill that request. I can't take Hadi because he's a minor. Before she turned seventeen, Papa and Mama would not allow her to accompany me to any event. So, for the next two years, Big Brother is my main companion.” Brother growled softly, not continuing our debate. He knows that what I said is true.

He reached into his suit pocket and placed something in my palm. When he raised his hand, I saw some business cards on top of my hand. I looked at the name on the card and laughed out loud.

“I'm glad you're happy for my suffering,” said Kak Hadi sarkas.

“Please, Brother. Don't start the drama. It's just a business card, what are you afraid of? If you don't want to be their model, just refuse. I'm sure they won't take it personally.” I put all those business cards in my bag.

“Easy for you to talk. I have to face those who plead almost to my knees so that I answer yes.” Brother is upset. “I'm not interested in being a model. Why don't they also understand?”

“Because Brother has potential. Did you never look at the mirror? Reese who is famous for being strict in selecting her dream youth is only interested in Brother.” I laughed at the look on my rival's face when I saw Brother for the first time.

“I don't feel proud in the slightest of favor with that mess-making girl. Something's wrong with his head. Wendy who was much harmed, but she who acted like a victim.”

“She has always been so, no need to be surprised.” I looked towards Brother. “By the way, what's going on between Brother and Vikal? You guys are having a fight?”

“I'm disappointed with his attitude and your boss. The accidents you experience on the set of shooting and filming are not normal. That bad thing happened more than twice, so this was no ordinary accident. Obviously someone is trying to harm you and they are not seriously investigating this. I've been on the edge of my patience until I almost complained this to Papa.” I saw Brother's hand clasping tightly onto the steering wheel.

I always thought that all bad things were just accidents. It was a common thing to happen, but I started to understand what Big Brother was saying. My fellow models did not have similar accidents. I am the only one complaining about this incident. Maybe someone planned all of this intentionally.

“But I have no enemies,” I muttered slowly.

Brother snorted loudly. “One of them just made an unimportant drama at the hotel. You have more enemies than you think, Dira. You're just too good to realize it. Even if it turns out Wendy is the enemy inside the blanket, I wouldn't be surprised.”

“Wendy won't do that, Brother,” I said firmly. “Yes, for my other friends, but not with Wendy. We've been through a lot together, he won't betray me.”

“Colin that you know and love since childhood has betrayed. Especially Wendy who you just met when you were SMU.” Big Brother's sharp words made my tears urge to come out.