Prada, Louboutin, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Chanel, Tiffany, and Versace. I would rather die than not having these amazing friends of mine. They were the only one who never hurt me besides my best friends Amex, Master, and Visa.
Right, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Joy Richards. My dad, Charles Richards worked as the founder and the head director of a newspaper agency, “The Los Angeles Straits Times”. He works so hard that we barely meet each other on weekdays. He’s too busy with his things, and I am busier than him that makes us impossible to see face to face every day. People around me always said that I have my mother’s magical golden hair and oceanic blue eyes from my dad. He always reminds me that she was as beautiful as the stars that are shining among the night skies, believing that she was truly his true love ever. But, several weeks after I lived in this world, my mom died in a tragic car accident. However, my father and I saved. Since then, I couldn’t feel the hug and kiss from my mom anymore. I missed her so much but I could not see her forever. My father knew that I sometimes missed her, so he showed me nostalgic photographs that my dad always reminisced during leisure. That hurtful past made me think that I wouldn’t be fabulous and pretty as now without her. Indeed, I was so grateful to have such mother like her, although I had never seen her forever.
I had just graduated from UCLA this summer. Others might say that the works were hard there. But for me, nothing was hard when you’re the queen of anything. “Give them Ralph Lauren, and everything will be fine.” Yes, I never actually did study anything during classes. There’s not even one single man that fit in the criteria book. Every man that I saw were nerds and geeks those cravings to read books every day. Trust me books are lame but nail polishes are smart. Girls are not girls if they can’t polish their own nails or apply shadows to their eyes. Life is easy people, just face it.
“Joy, Joy, wake up, don’t forget to call Sarah and Natalie back. They called yesterday when you were asleep. I will be home around 9 pm, so be home before it, okay. Love you, Joy”
“Yes, daddy, whatever.”
It was Saturday early morning and I supposed to wake up at 9 am, not 8. I always hated it when he did that. Sarah is my so-called-best friend. She is just a bimbo like me. It took me long enough to think that I’m part in one of Paris Hilton’s clan, and short enough for her. She is like the most stupid person I’ve ever known in this whole world. Why, because she can’t even spell the word “miscellaneous” correctly. She always missed one “l” or forgot about the “e”. Thus, she is popular, and most of all, rich. Everybody who owned something that I’ve known for sure, will be a part of the clique. But so far, nobody acted as one.
“Joy, I think it’s better for us going to Rodeo Drive today. There’s a huge Ferragamos sales there. You don’t want to miss any one of those flats, aren’t you?
“Oh, Sarah, my dad just bought me the red and purple ones that add me to a total of 5 pairs on the same model, which means it’s not worth it to buy more of them. Besides, Captive the Cartier has just been released today, which means it’s much more worth it to buy it than the flats. Would you mind stop biting your nails, because it is so gross, and please get ready soon. I’ll pick you up at 11.”
“11 seem fine, and my nails are weird this day. Why does the thing grow more in the middle than the other sides?” said Sarah with her made weird accent.
“First thing is please do me a great favor to get ready, and secondly that’s how nails, dumb.”
***
I was so frustrated if asked to go shopping with her. She always asks about the same old questions that even a six grader could answer it. But, at least I got her bought me a limited edition of Captive the Cartier and an invitation to the MTV Movie Awards to walk on the red carpet. See, being in life is so simple yet extraordinary. Just put a little effort unto it, and it will react to you in return, just as a Cartier in return.
***
“Joy, Joy, wake up honeybunch.” said someone with a slow and sweet sound that I knew it was daddy. Since his last back therapy, we were more likely to meet each other and doing everything together. It made us to bond more, and to tell personal stories with each other. He lessens his daily work and left everything to Ann. Ann was one of the most trustworthy he could get help from. She worked really hard for the company, as if giving all her body and soul to “The Los Angeles Straits Time”. Whenever I saw her, there’s always that bluetooth thing; a pen, and piece of paper around her. I hated her when she worked, but I adored her when she went shopping. Saturday, 7:00 p.m., Giorgio Armani where was always our meeting point. She always picked things that I didn’t expect to buy, and it always fit her perfectly. And that’s why I was so jealous of her.
But today was quite different. My best shopping pal isn’t Sarah, Ann, or any others that I would have expected. It was Daddy. I was shocked and puzzled at first, but it was true. It was real. And it was a nightmare.
“Joy, you shouldn’t buy that too much. You haven’t even worn the shirt you bought last month.”
“Dad, everything old-fashioned will not be worn unless it trends again. You never want me to look ugly, right?”
“Joy, people will never judge you from your appearance. You should stop doing this, or I will block your cards immediately.” said dad while holding both of my cheeks.
The words were fixed and well mean enough for me. It was hurting my feeling. It hurt deeply more than I would die to lose my stilettos. I was speechless for a while, tears falling from my eyes, and I began to run into the car. I didn’t care if anybody see or made fun of me, all I want was to get into my bed and cry all day long. I still couldn’t believe that my dad was the one who would stop me from doing something that I adore. I always thought that he understood me, but he’s not and he never did.
***
“Joy, Joy, let me in, kiddo.”
It was never been any sweet sounds of him anymore. I had almost 12 hours ignoring my dad’s knocking and still couldn’t believe that he had done that to his one and only daughter.
“Joy, please open this door. I’m sorry for what I’ve said this morning.” Still feeling betrayed by my own father, my only parent, I ignored him again.
“If you open this door, I swear I won’t suspend your cards. Joy, Joy, Joy…”
His voice became hoarse, and the sound that he used to say my name was extremely different than he used to. Is he crying? Is he leaving the door? Tears stop flowing down from my eyes, and the sound of his voice suddenly disappeared for a long time. Everything was still; I didn’t have any courage to step to the door. It took me long enough until my nanny screamed and everything changed, drastically.
I immediately ran out from my bed to see what was happening exactly. He’s not crying, yet leaving the door. He lied there, just in front of my door, with eyes close and still. I thought and cried too much that time. My legs were shaking hardly, which made me impossible to take a step from my place. Tears kept flowing down through my cheeks, and unto the floor. The nanny quickly brought me a phone, and the name of Ann was written in the call sign.
***
The process was done much longer than I thought. I was there, with Ann holding my shoulder all the time while whispering “Everything will be alright” to me several times. I knew that I have to face something like this someday, yet I was not ready for it, especially to lose someone I loved and relied on the most in my life. I hadn’t passed my 23rd birthday yet and not even ready to lead a big company.
It had been decided that I would be the one who filled in my father’s position in the company. Ann tried hard to teach me in a very short time. She taught me so many things about leadership and also about the company status so far. Thus, I couldn’t even understand a single sentence on what she was saying. All I think was about shopping and shopping all day long.
“Keep on managing the business carefully Joy. You will have meetings every day with several customers, and I will inform you the dates and times. Understand?” said Ann.
“Yes, I think so. I hate being here. Why won’t you be the one sitting here? I don’t belong here. I belong to the malls and shops.”
“You have to understand several things that your dad had done for you all this time. He has given you everything you want, and you’re acting like this in return? He has worked really hard to make this company successful. And without his money, you can not even buy that dress, shoes, and bag”, said Ann while pointing out the dress, shoes, and bag that I wore.
I deeply understood her points, but I didn’t think it belong to me. “This is not who I am. I am not dad, and I’m not Ann. I am Joy Richards who loves nothing except fashion world”, those words kept repeating again and again in my head. However, I had no choice. I had to run my dad’s company and tried not to ruin everything he left.
“Okay, I will work, but after I have done everything here, you have to bring me directly to the mall.” And she shook her head, agreed with what I’m saying.
The next day, I came to the office in the morning and Ann had arranged the things that I had to do. While the working hour was done, she took me to nearest mall, and it became our routine every day. I got used to it and loved the situation even I had to reduce any expense that I had used to when my father was still alive. It didn’t matter to me, at least, I could afford a Michael Kors shell watch.
I had always had problem to wake up in the morning. Usually, my father woke me up before he went to the office, but since his death, nobody woke me up anymore. Everyday, I tried to change my habit by waking up earlier, but it never worked, I woke up at 11a.m. As the result, Ann was always mad at me in the morning because I had missed several important meetings on that day. Mr. Fujikawa who was one of our main strength in sponsorship had been waiting for so long. He was so sensitive and always complained about everything, even every little detail.
“I cannot deal with this kind of time anymore If Joy herself acts out like this. Do you know that I have more and more meetings after this? You should be lucky I still provide you with some amount of money.” Said Mr. Fujikawa angrily.
“I am so sorry Mr. Fujikawa if we disappoint you, but I beg you to stay for a little while longer, Joy will definitely come in a short period of time. Just take a seat and relax for a while.” Said Ann.
“I beg your pardon? Do you think by relaxing I will get profit? Time is money, miss. I apologize to say this, but from now on, I will sadly have to cut the flow of funds I usually give to this company every month. Mr. Justin will immediately contact you for more information. Goodbye, Miss Ann. I am so sorry.” Said Mr. Fujikawa while rushing out of the meeting room.
“Wait, wait, wait Mr Fujikawa. Please, please give us another chance, I promised Joy will be here soon.”
“I am so sorry Miss Ann, but time is money. Every minute counts on me. I apologize once again.”
***
After rushing through showers and streets, I finally arrived to the office. I saw the meeting room was dark, and no one was sitting there. The usual Mr. Fujikawa was nowhere to be seen around the table, and no one was sitting there except Ann.
Before going to the station, she quickly went to my side. She was angrily showing her fierce face at me saying, “Thanks for successfully closing down this company. You happy now?”
***
Another worse nightmare happened again. I had lost so many things, my dresses, my mother, my father, and now the company?
“Am I that awful in leading the company?”
“Why was Ann still mad at me until now?”
I had done everything I had to do for the company according to her. It wasn’t my fault if the company closed down. The thing was that the company had experienced bankruptcy, there’s no money left, and where the hell can I get any money for me to live and shop?
I tried to call Sarah several times, but she turned it off every time I called. I knew she was using me from all this time. She wasn’t a real and true friend that I could rely on. She even did not care that I lost everything. She only needed me when I had lots and lots of money so that her popularity was increasing.
“I must be calm down. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale… I just lost everything …. exhale.”
***
“No,no,no. Please, don’t don’t take that. Just take everything except everything in this room, please!”
“We have been ordered to take everything out of this house, miss. Just admit it that you’re poor now. Live your own life, and get the hell out of here, we have so much work to do here!”
Awful. I had lost my house, and my father’s best friend, Ann, who was the only help I got left. She’s still mad at me for making the mess in the company, and made her losing the job. For me, my problem is that I have no idea where to live now. I hate my life, I hate everything, I’d rather die than living my life this way. It is horrible, and I am too scared to see the future of Joy Richards. After thinking for so long, a brilliant idea came right through my mind saying that there is still one way to be happy and live a good life.
***
It was in the midst of the night. Everything was dark near here. I could not see anything as I entered the building. It was so gross that I had to take the stairs to the 5th floor. It was a long way to walk, and spooky as it was in the darkness. I saw nothing rather than the brightness of my torch lighting my way in front of me. It finally brought me to that box. I was sneaking while entering the yellow line, thinking that it had closed down, and finally got through everything. Taking a deep breath, standing in front of it, I was spinning around the 3 numbers of “24,30,16” and it cracked opened. $30,000 was lying there. Bonjour, Paris!
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