Project: Socialize

The next day, which is the last day of the deadline, was when I hoped that Irina would finally break from the stress my presence had presented her and confront me. That is exactly what she did. Although in the morning she still remained silent, but once lunch break came, that was when she took action.

She first glanced over her shoulders at me, knowing that I will be observing her, in order to tell me that she will be leaving the classroom soon. I didn't display much of a reaction as I continued munching on the sandwich I had bought in the morning, and it would appear that Irina knows of this since she quickly looked away from me.

Just as she had informed me, about five minutes later, she got up from her seat and excused herself with a forced smile on her face as she spoke with those annoying students that crowded her. Once she left the classroom, I got up from my seat and walked out as well, ignoring the looks Loyd and Muria sent my way. This is my mission, so I can do this by myself.

Once I had left the classroom, I looked to my left and saw Irina, who was intentionally waiting for me. However, she didn't approach me to talk just yet, which I understand since there's plenty of people around us. She probably wanted more privacy, which was why she started walking down the hallway in search of a place where privacy could be offered. Since she's not familiar with the school yet, it would appear that she's struggling since everywhere she goes, she left with a dissatisfied frown. Being the good person that I am, I decided that I should offer her some help.

I coughed to gain her attention, which I did successfully. Then, with a slight turn of my head in the opposite direction she was walking in, I signaled for her to follow me. Her facial expression upon seeing that was one of a frightful shock. However, she seemed to have made up her mind and had summoned enough courage to follow me. Seeing that she's now ready to follow, I started leading the way.

During lunch break is when the students whose friends are in a different class from them socialize. There's constantly people in the hallway and the roof is a popular spot for couples to go to enjoy some time together. Therefore, the only place that has the fewest people is the secondary building.

I led Irina up the stairs to where the accessway was located, and I crossed the accessway into the secondary building. Just as I had expected, the secondary building was extremely quit when compared to the main lecture building with no one in sight. However, to be safe, I decided that we must find somewhere that is more hidden and concealed because it will be extremely awkward for both her and I if someone were to see us together at lunch in a somewhat secluded location.

"So," she said in a steady yet frightened voice. "What is it that you want?"

"What's bothering you?" I simply asked and getting directly to the point.

"Stop going in circles. Tell me, is it money?" She seemed to have misunderstood my speech. "Or is it—" she brought both hands up over her chest. "—my body?"

"I don't want money, I don't want anything," I simply said and looked coldly into her eyes. "I want to know what's bothering you? What is this thing that you might sacrifice your body for?"

"What do you mean?" Irina asked. "I got nothing to tell you."

"Yes you do," I stepped towards her until she backed up against the chalkboard at the front of the classroom. I then slammed my hand directly next to her face and onto the chalkboard. "Tell me," I whispered as I gazed into her eyes.

"I..." she whispered with her eyes wavering in either fear or uncertainty and quickly pushed me away. "I've got nothing to tell you. If you're not going to tell me what you're after, then I'll take my leave then. What a waste of time."

She then stormed out of the classroom, leaving me alone in the empty classroom. Even though I didn't acquire much information from her regarding her problem, I wasn't ready to give up. In fact, I didn't truly expect I can acquire the information through this first meeting. It's the next one that mattered.

To be honest, I did acquire an important information from her. The way her eyes looked, it is blatantly obvious to me that she's the same type of person as me. That look was one of fear and uncertainty. She's like me, suspicious of this world in its entirety and is doing whatever it takes to protect that mask of hers and whatever it was that helped sustain it. If I guessed correctly, then her problem probably involves that fear of losing whatever it was that maintains that mask of hers.

***

After school, I made my way to the same campus that Irina and that black SUV had driven to for the shoot. Once I was there, I saw Irina disembarking the same vehicle as the day before. Although I had expected this, her presence here almost guarantees my success. All I have to do is finish breaking her.

In the past three days, she probably was being tormented by the idea that someone has some knowledge of her situation. I'm pretty sure that it has been on her mind constantly, maybe even to the point that she suffers from insomnia. If that's the case, then my job will be even easier.

I observed her during the shoot for the television show, watching as she acted with other actors in front many cameras. The location of the shoot was the gym, and Irina was dressed in cheerleader clothing. From the looks of it, the genre of the show they're filming is probably a romantic comedy of some sort. I could hardly hold in my laughter as the idea that these actors had to pretend to be happy when in reality people like Irina are not truly happy and that not too long after she finishes with this scene, she will not be happy at all. That is, temporarily at least.

Once she finished with the scene, she started retreating to her resting area with her secretary and a middle-aged man that appeared to be her agent while the film crew started packing their gear to film another shot at another location on campus, I made sure to walk by right in front of her. I had brought a hooded jacket in my school bag so that once I was here, people won't be able to easily tell my identity. However, for someone whose mind has been terrorized by my presence, it was extremely easy for Irina to tell that it was me despite the hood covering most of my face as I walked with my head low. I smiled at her, taking in and admiring that terrified look in her eyes. It was as if she had just seen her living nightmare, but she concealed it to the best of her abilities.

I turned my head slightly in the direction of the gym, signaling to her that I want her to meet me in the gym. Although she didn't react, I could tell that she knew that she needed to obey my orders.

I intentionally waited for a bit before heading to the gym. One, I need to give the film crew time to pack everything and leave. It would be terrible for me if a member of the film crew was to see us in there. Another reason why I waited is for Irina to gather enough courage to face me.

After about twenty minutes and making sure that the last of the film crew had left the gym, I snuck into the vacant gym building and leaned against the wall by the door, waiting for my target to show up. It wasn't long before she did so. She entered nervously and alone, glancing around in search of me. Once she saw me, she slowly walked over towards me while grabbing onto her left arm with her right hand that crossed over her chest.

"What is it?" She didn't look me in the eye, and instead, she had her head turned to the side and looked at the hardwood floor to her side.

"Are you ready to tell me the truth now?" I asked in my usual cold voice. "What's bothering you?"

"I already told you," she responded. "I got nothing to tell you." She glanced over at me and quickly looked away.

"Yes you do," I said, taking a step towards her which caused her to back up accordingly.

"Why're you so obsessed with this?" she asked. "If it's money that you want, I'll give it to you."

"I don't want money," I whispered. "I want to help you."

"Why?!" She turned and looked at me. In her eyes were tears that must've formed from her nervousness and fear. "What do you want?"

I held up my phone, placing all the spotlight on the simple device so that she could not miss it in front of her.

"In this phone," I whispered to her. "Are pictures that I took of you while you were changing."

As I finished that sentence, her facial expression became even more helpless and frightful. Her eyes seemed to tremble as I spoke to her in my soft yet threatening voice.

"You know I can get the pictures. You know it," I continued. "Even if you just so happen to be able to take this phone from me and destroy it, I have it all backed up. Now tell me," I said, lowering the phone so that nothing was between me and her as I stared into her terrified eyes. "What is it that's been troubling you? I want to help you."

I could tell that she's the type of girl that values her own body and holds a certain fear for the entire world to see her naked. Combine that with the certain future of her career being ruined, I was absolutely sure that she will be pushed to her limit. If she doesn't break, I still have other plans up my sleeves. However, it would appear that what I did was enough since she slid to the ground and wept.

"What is it that you want?" She sobbed. "Why? Why do you want to help me that much?"

"I have my own reasons," I whispered to her while standing over her. "I originally came into this without much emotional input on my end, but seeing how desperate you are to keep whatever it was that's bothering you a secret, it peaked my interest somewhat and made me quite invested."

I waited for her to gather herself as I allowed to weep.Seeing her crying face wasn't pleasant for me, but it must be done. Therefore I, too, put on a mask and concealed my discomfort.

"Fine, I'll tell you." She finally gave in to the stress that I've been inflicting on her, ready to open up herself to me. "It's my father... He borrowed money from... not the best sources to start a business and he failed. Our family was encumbered with a heavy debt after that whole thing crashed, and my father and mother, the two of them worked long hours seven days a week just to pay off small amounts of the debt while retaining barely enough each month to make ends meet. However, we were never really cutting into the principle because the interest was way too high... Then when my mother died, my father he... he became a totally different person. He became depressed and crazed about money even more, so when one day a scout approached us on the streets asking if I had the intent of starring in a television show, my father agreed to it without even consulting me. After my appearance in a small role in the show, more and more directors and producers started noticing me. I slowly started accepting more jobs, which I wasn't against since it paid well and helped us pay off our debt. I originally thought that after paying off the debt I may stop, but my father had different plans. He became crazed by the money that I was earning and continued accepting numerous jobs for me."

She paused as tears refilled her eyes once again.

"Recently," she whispered as she sobbed. "A famous director contacted my father saying that he can make me the main heroine in his next movie as long as he can have a night with me... And my father he..."

"He agreed to it?" I finished for her seeing how difficult it was for her to finish.

She nodded and sobbed in response to my comment. "All I want is for father to become the way he was before everything fell apart. He used to be so kind and gentle before mother had died... but now..."

"I understand your problem now," I sighed.

"I've told you everything now," she looked up at my face. "Can you stop bothering me?"

"I can," I nodded. "But... are you really going to accept everything for what it is?"

I looked into her surprised eyes.

"You're just going to let your father slip down this path and become a being driven by money and allow yourself to be sold for money?" I whispered to her. "If you don't, then just tell me."

Her eyes seemed to shine with hope as she looked up and into my eyes.

"If you don't want that," I said to her. "Ask me for help."

Tears once again filled her eyes as she allowed it to climb down the side of her cheeks and fall onto the cheerleader skirt. "Please," she whispered as she grabbed onto my pant leg. "Please help me!"

See, you can be honest with yourself.