It's Just Ann

Chapter 26 - Seducing

CHAPTER GLOSSARY

Kyudo: Japanse Archery

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        "I need to meet that Ella girl," Cece states solemnly, and I chuckle at his reaction.

I meet with Cece the day after I met with Ella and Charlie, and after I stayed the whole night reading Earthquake until I finished it because I couldn't stop. That book blew my mind and I wanted to give Terry a very deep bow when I saw her this morning. She accepted a hug, although I wanted to be more formal and respectful. She didn't let me. But I was just so mind-blown with her work and how she wrapped everything, connecting every important dot and leaving enough for us to keep dreaming and imagining what happened after the last words of that book. And as I was reading I could imagine the film and I started thinking of all the things we would need, and I would work even harder to get a bigger budget, and change the director, and I could think of the actors for the new characters.

Then I remembered that I won't produce the third film, not even the second one.

However, that didn't stop me from being excited. I'm sure my father will make an even better job and those films will be outstanding. I can't wait.

But besides all my fangirling for the book, I also told Cece about what Ella said last night when I bought the book and how I am really thinking about it. I don't even know if I'm capable of trying to get Gareth's attention, or how Cece put it: 'seduce the Ice Prince.' I have no experience and I will probably get really flustered if I try anything.

"You don't have to be that blunt," Cece says when I mentioned that I doubted my abilities for such a thing.

"You don't understand. Ella's friend, Charlie, hit on me yesterday and I was left in a blushing mess. I didn't even know where to look at. And it wasn't that big of a thing, he just hinted that he was single as to keep him in consideration if things with Gareth didn't work out. Yet still!" I tell him and he just laughs at me. Cece even ruffles my hair, cooing as if I just told him the most adorable thing ever.

"You cute little thing," my friend coos. "I am already so surprised Gareth hasn't hopelessly fallen for you. There's something so cute about you that attacks you and one just wants to wrap you and strangle you." My eyes widen in horror at his words, but he just laughs. "I mean it in the sense that I just wanna hug the living days out of you."

"It still sounds scary," I mutter, what causes Cece to pinch my cheeks in his best granny imitation.

"But really, I think if you just keep being yourself with him, showing this adorable side of you, he won't be able to resists for too long. Now, we can make it even harder for him," proposes the man next to me.

"How so? Do you, by any chance, know hypnotism or voodoo magic?"

"Although I do—" my eyes widen in shock when he says that, and Cece just smirks before continuing, "—I didn't mean that because it wouldn't be real. But you see how I make you look a bit older for your meetings? Well, I can make you look even prettier."

"Are you gonna put five kilos of makeup on me to draw all my features again?" I ask and Cece seems annoyed by my comment, his expression becomes severe and he even folds my arms.

"Five kilos would be for a complete makeup like to turn you into a monster, let's say a werewolf or some alien. And no, I don't want to re-draw your natural features because these are precious. Ann, makeup isn't to disguise yourself or a thing to be embarrassed of. Wearing makeup won't make you fake or anything, it's just your choice to enhance your natural features to build confidence." I look down, embarrassed that he has to give me this lecture when I am very aware of this. "Makeup is just like wearing a pretty outfit that suits you. If makeup makes you a fake, then so does fashion. It's okay even if you wear five kilos and re-draw all your features. It's always okay because it's your face."