Exquisite ~ Book One

Five~

I didn't fancy being out in crowd of new and unfamiliar faces, they intimidated me nearly. They way they gawked at me and smirked at my indifference. It was as if I was a different shade of black and white, a monster in a crowd of saints. It gave my chills sometimes, knowing there was always someone watching me. Kiara swore it was just the way I dressed, no one hearing me speak otherwise she'd insisted that that too, would make them gawk at me. It scared me, the idea of me not being accepted socially as me here, it sort of made me homesick.

Pushing the thoughts away, Kiara took me through numerous stores, taking us home where she went through my olden clothes, dissing them and throwing them off into a discard pile. I gaped at her but she ignored it, insisting it was for the best. When the next day arrived, however, I felt bare, naked in this uncomfortable clothing. It was all new to me, my reflection unfamiliar to even myself.

"Anna, lets go!" Kiara complains from outside my door. With one last chance at my reflection, I frown and tighten the ties scarf around my neck. Semi-myself, I exit the room, Kiara disapproving me yet. "There is still something off about this," she groans.

"I think this is nice, it's the best I could conjure." I say in a bitter but pleasant tone. She just shakes her head, lips pursed before she tugs my scarf away, unbuttoning a few buttons of my blouse. I gasp and cover my chest, yanking my scarf from her hands in the making. "What are you doing? That's as good as a violation to my own personal self. I'd like you to respect me for me. You mustn't change me as I'm not here to change but to learn new ways." I knew it was quite contradicting yet, but I was in shock, mouth still dropped.

"Sorry," she responds bashfully. "I'm just trying to offer you my help to remove any risk of anymore embarrassment to yourself." She laughs and turns away. "Now lets go."

-

No doubt is America more strict and grim then back home, people taking in my speech and assessing it in minimal time, choosing to judge me by my cover, all it was I had to tell. Normally people enjoy a short story of my journeys but the people here simply scoffed my way and trailed further on. It was rather vigilant, anxiety stirring as my stomach often sank and my tainted attention withering. I wish I wasn't so skeptical of things, my opinions and thoughts left to be swallowed down and ignored as I go on-

"Annabella! We have a visitor here to see you!" Kiara calls out to me from beyond the staircase. Me being curiosity driven, I stand and make my way down the spiraling staircase to run into a form chest, peering up to see a young man smiling down at me with gratitude. I make an arch of my questioning eyebrow as he settles me and steps back to an appropriate distance from me.

"Hello, Bella, my name is Andrew and I'm here to talk to you about your letter you'd sent away." I choke over thin air, leaning over to lower my head nearer to my knees, opening my wind pipes, allowing air to pass by through it. "Are you alright ma'am?" Andrew says, nearing me, unsure of what to do. He gentle places a hand on my upper back, holding my neck in a gentle, warming manner.

"No, pardon me. I hadn't known you'd read it." Something sudden sparks within me and I clench and unclench a fist, breathing deeply till I relax.

"Yes, it's permitted by us when letters are being shipped far from America." I nod my head, recognition slowly easing my mind as something like that only seems fair. "I'd come to offer you a job, a job as a journalist." I raise an eyebrow once more, tipping my chin upwards to hold his gaze firmer than I had been doing before. "You're writing technique is exquisite and I must give you credit. I'd also come to learn that you've traveled a lot? Am I correct?" I simply nod my head. "Well, this job will involve traveling throughout the states of America and taking notes of all you see and feel, sort of like something you'd read in the news."

"May I ask why you'd chose to come to me?" I slip in before he can continue forth.

"As I'd said before, you have enough to be a true writer which is rare to find lately, your work practical art to anyone's imagination, it's as if you've painted a picture!" He gives me an even greater grin.

"Would I be left to journey on my own if I were to efficiently take this job?" He takes a moment to think before shaking his head in a small manner, barely noticeable.

"No, in fact, I would take you throughout the places just to read your work over and possibly suggest things to you." I nod my head. "Is this job still an interest to you?"

"I think it suits me well and I'm flattered you'd come to me with this. I'd love to take an acceptant role into it if you'd be willing to take me as an acquaintance of your own." I give him moment of thought as I was testing his partnership right to start.

"Challenge accepted," he says in a light tone, the teasing also within his deep of voice. I smile and shake the rough of his hand. With that, he turn to leave, looking back over his shoulder for a split second before exiting for good that night. After Kiara closed the door, she ignites in a small yet loud squeal. I jump slightly and bring my hands to my head, cupping my ears as I wince briefly.

"Would you mind toning it down? I'm not use to such noise." She stops abruptly and I sigh pleasingly. "May I ask what that could have all been about?" She smirks and waits for me to go on, insisting practically.

"You honestly don't know?" She asks dumbfounded. I pinch my lips shut and shake my head, embarrassed with question.

"He's obviously hitting on you!" She says in a high pitched voice.

"But he's not hit me?" I say confused.

"No silly, he likes you." She says and my face feels as if it's ignited into a small burst of flames. I blink and look at her as if she's grown mad.

"That can't be, he's only come to offer me a job, nonetheless, I'm with Dennis, he's owned to my heart." She rolls her eyes and starts to walk past me, leaving me to turn in the way she's left walking.

"We'll see, just know I'm right." I open my mouth, before I can respond she's gone from sight and I head off to my room, smiling at the thought of it before falling asleep.