Haunted Mirror Ch. 06

"I, uhh..." She started, but her steam seemed to have run out. "Well, I guess I said it."

"Well, then that's perfect! One last thing... do you mind if I get a photo for the paper? Of course, it can just be your face if you want! Or you could email me something from your Instagram. I mean..."

Poor Grant from The New School was finally starting to lose his composure.

"Grant, you're fine! Yes, you can have a picture! And more than just my face. But on one condition. You said you're doing a project on censorship, right?"

"That's correct."

"So, if you're going to do a piece protesting censorship, then protest censorship! Your paper can use my photo... provided they don't censor it. Do you think you can promise that?"

"Uhh... I really don't know. We've shown pictures of nude art pieces before, but I don't know about actual people. You know what? We can add that as a caveat to the media release form."

"That works!"

They decided to use the small lake for the background. Grant backed up and brought out his camera while Vivian thought of a pose to strike. But rather than use one of her poses from her usual glamor selfies, she grinned widely and spread her arms outward, something happy and free-spirited. Where had that come from? She had no idea.

When they were done, Grant brought out a few papers for them to go over. Vivian wrote down her conditions and signed the form. They exchanged cards, shook hands, and went on their way.

But in a minute, that wide grin was still on her face! Why? The photoshoot was done. Maybe it was because, for once, that smile hadn't been for the camera, but for herself! And why shouldn't she smile for herself right now? In addition to all the other great things that had happened to her today, when she found herself rambling on about her feelings, someone had actually told her she should keep speaking!

Now, it was the voice of her father that rang in her head. "I don't recall asking you," was the phrase he would use anytime she voiced opposition to anything. But hearing these discouraging voices from her youth was no longer pressing down on her: it was vindicating! That was because she was finally learning that she didn't need to pay those words any heed!

'If you have something important to say, don't wait for me to ask,' Grant had said. It had seemed so off the cuff. Would Grant ever know just how wonderful... how healing those simple words of his had been to her?

It was strange: whether it was a sincere show of love from a dear friend or a bit of encouragement from a passing stranger, sometimes a few kind words was all it took to make a difference in somebody's life. And so, Vivian's smile only continued to widen as she walked along.

...

Vivian looked at her phone. It was getting on toward one in the afternoon, maybe about time to head to the subway so she could arrive on time for her lunch date. But suddenly there was a voice calling out to her from behind.

"Hey, Vivs! Is that you?" came an all too familiar man's voice.

Of all the people to cross paths with on this wonderful day, why did it have to be him? Vivian sighed, stopped walking, and began to turn toward him.

"Heh! From this angle it almost looks like you're... OH!"

Jaden stopped mid-sentence as he found himself face to face with a topless Vivian. His eyes unsubtly darted up and down between her bare chest and her impatient looking face.

"Hi, Jaden. It's just about time for me to catch the subway."

"Wha... what are you doing? I mean, WOW! But, is that okay?"

"You mean having my shirt off? As a matter of fact, yes, it IS okay for me to do. It's legal. Something wrong with dressing for the weather?"

"No! No! And holy shit, you look... OH, MAN! But you're going to attract the attention of all the wrong kinds of people doing that! I'd hate to think of something happening to you! You know?"

"Nothing's going to 'happen' to me, Jaden. It's broad daylight in the middle of Central Park."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, not for a pretty girl like you all by yourself! Where are you going? I'll walk you there. You'll be safe with me!"

"Thank you, but I have things under control. Really, I do."

But Jaden wasn't defeated yet. Just then, he took a step toward her and put his hand on her shoulder. She recoiled slightly at the uninvited touch, though he took no notice.

"Come on, Vivs! You know me. Why don't you want to hang out with a good guy like me? Where are you off to?"

His strong hand tightened on her shoulder. She looked up the length of his strong, muscular arm. He could easily overpower her if he wanted to. Vivian swallowed, nervously. As she tried to think of anything to say to brush him off, a middle-aged couple gave her a curious glance as they walked past. The man was at least a head taller than Jaden, yet even this perfect stranger seemed more trustworthy than Jaden, someone she 'knew.' She took a look around the park, and was comforted by all the people she saw around her: all the eyes on her and Jaden. Yes, Central Park in broad daylight was a relatively safe place to be. If she was going to tell him off, here was probably the safest place to do it. Vivian took a deep breath, and looked him right in the eyes.

"Please take your hand off me. I don't like you touching me."

He did. "Oh, I'm sorry. But you can just ask, you know. You don't have to be rude about it."

"And I don't want you walking with me, either. Was I not 'polite' about that?"

Jaden looked hurt. "But why? Haven't I been nice to you at the gym? I'm trying to be friends! Like, what the hell's your standard for getting to spend some time with you? What does a guy have to do?"

Vivian sighed an exasperated sigh. Maybe yesterday she would have fallen for this attempt to guilt her, but today she had picked up of speaking her mind. "Okay, first off, my time is not some entitlement you earn for being on good behavior. But more importantly, no, Jaden, you haven't been 'nice' to me at the gym. You've been pushy and annoying! I don't go to the gym to meet guys, I'm literally just there to work out! Yet you interrupt my workout to talk to me, sometimes even butt in on conversations. Oh, and don't even get me started on that bullshit 'take your headphones out' gesture you do all the time: literally demanding I drop what I'm doing to pay attention to you!"

"But you talk to Olivia all the time! Didn't the two of you meet there? How come she gets your attention and I don't? I feel like you're pushing me out, when I just want to get to know you!"

"SERIOUSLY, Jaden? That's because Olivia doesn't just talk about herself all the time! With you, it's nothing but your car and your deadlift. Always about you! How much weight you can deadlift isn't a personality trait! See, when Olivia talks to me, she makes it about US!"

"That's not true! I've talked about us all the time! I keep trying to bring you out to all these places we can visit. You know, stuff we can do together! Us! I even invited you to come with on that Bahamas cruise! I OFFERED TO PAY! I'd treat you like a QUEEN!"

"I don't WANT to be treated like a queen, Jaden! I just want to be treated like a person! Like... ME! Is that so hard to grasp?"

"Oh, whatever! Says the girl with her fucking tits out! If that's not scouting around for cock, I don't know what is. Why the hell are you trying to tempt me like that if you're just going to bitch at me anyway? I don't get you!"

"And now you're even making my own tits about YOU! See, this is what I'm talking about! Have you thought that maybe, just maybe, I'm doing this for me? It's comfortable, and I like how I look. That's it! What you or any other guys would think was not a factor in the equation AT ALL! So, take your fucking judgements of me and SHOVE THEM!"

"Fine. Whatever," he said with a dismissive hand wave.

But just as Jaden turned, finally ready to give up on her, Vivian decided she wasn't done.

"Actually... I do have a question," she announced with determination.

Jaden turned back toward her.

"Why me?" Vivian asked, spreading her hands in a confused gesture.

"Cause I thought I liked you. What does it matter?"

"Because here's the thing that confuses me about you. You're strong and handsome! You're confident! You have money! Guys like you can get girls! You should have so many options! So why keep coming back to me, of all people, when I've given you almost nothing back? How come when I don't show any interest, a confident, handsome guy like you doesn't just move on to the next hot, young thing? Is your ego really so fragile that you can't take a single rejection gracefully and move on? Or is it that you don't actually have that many options, that you aren't the alpha-male you try to act like? Maybe every other girl smells a douchebag and runs the other way just like I did!"

"That's not true! You're a freaking supermodel, Vivian! How many girls like you do you think there are running around? I'd be setting for a whole lot less if I went for the next hot, young thing. Yeah, I can get girls, but I also have high standards. And you're one of the few girls that fits them."

"Ahh, there it is! The supermodel thing! See, cause here's my theory: you're not in love with me; you're in love with my Instagram profile. You look at my glamor shots in the lingerie and the latest fashions, and you want all that for yourself. But what you really want is the ego boost you'd get from being seen with me hanging off your arm! Not even me, just the... the... INSTAGRAM version of me! Just another accessory for your ego, right next to your fancy car, and your lavish vacations, and how much weight you can lift! Once again... all about YOU!"

"Oh, that is such bullshit! And you know what, I don't need your bullshit anymore!" Jaden turned and took a few steps away from her, though he continued looking back at her.

"Cool. Then are we done?"

"Yeah, we're done! At least until you have a change of heart and realize just how much of a bitch you've been to me! And what you're walking away from!"

Vivian had several spicy comebacks forming on the tip of her tongue, but she realized anything further would just draw out this increasingly pointless conversation. She had said everything she needed to say. So, Vivian took his advice and started walking away from him. She only kept the corner of her eye on him to make sure he didn't follow her. He didn't. All around her, there was a small crowd of onlookers, drawn by the spectacle, most of them too dumbstruck to say anything. Well, Vivian had never minded drawing attention to herself, anyway.

...

Barely seconds after Vivian had lost sight of Jaden, Abigail's voice rang in her head, grating as always.

"Wow, you were a bitch to him!" she observed, sounding both amused and condescending.

"And?"

"I can see why nobody likes you."

"And I can see why you like him. The two of you have a lot in common. Maybe you'd like to jump in his body instead."

"It doesn't work that way. Besides, I like your body more."

"Lucky me."

Vivian had neared the exit from the park. It was time to get going for her lunch date. She reached inside her tote bag where she had stashed her tank top, but her fingers hooked around nothing! She stopped in her tracks and looked inside, but her top was missing! She turned around and looked to see if it had fallen on the ground behind her, but there was nothing. She could practically hear her heart beating inside her chest as her face fell one shade whiter!

"Missing something?" teased Abigail.

"Abigail? Where did it go?" she asked desperately, as she was already running back along her path.

"Oh, I chucked the useless old thing into a lake!"

"SERIOUSLY? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? Never mind. Where is it? Do you mean at the bridge where we met Grant?" She was sprinting now, which she was finding out was very uncomfortable to do topless.

"Or into a trash bin... or a bush... You know, I really don't remember."

"YOU IDIOT! I NEEDED THAT!" Vivian's sprint slowed down as she realized she didn't even know where she needed to run to.

"Why? You seemed to be doing SOOOO well parading yourself around naked like a slut, I thought you'd never need it again!"

"'Like a...?' YOU'RE the one that wanted to do this! Why are you punishing me? I need that for our date! Which I have to leave for like now!"

"Why? It's perfectly legal. And I thought this was more comfortable, and you like how you look."

"I can't just walk up to Olivia and her business partner half naked out of the blue! WHERE DID YOU PUT IT?"

"I forgot. Psh! You don't need it. But whatever. Show up to your date or don't. Just enjoy the rest of your day! I'm going back to sleep."

"Abigail? ABIGAIL!!!"

But Abigail had stopped answering her. Sleep? Likely story! Abigail was probably laughing to herself inside Vivian's head, watching her almost have a panic attack. Vivian frantically retraced her steps, looking in every trash bin and behind every fence. But her top was nowhere to be seen! Never mind making it to her date; how was she even going to make it home without her shirt?

She was beginning to give up hope of finding it. She lifted her eyes up from the shrubs she had been scanning and looked at the sprawling cityscape around her. Outside the park were nothing but miles and miles of glimmering skyscrapers, dense traffic, and bustling activity that never died down, and here she was right in the center of it all.

"GOD DAMNIT, ABIGAIL!!"