The Bracelet

Chapter Three

I mentally cursed at my perfectly annoying alarm clock that troubled my escape from the terrible memories that I was sure would claw at my mind immediately after my eyes opened. I was optimistic about sleeping the whole morning, well, at least until Haneul would arrive.

It was Saturday and I had a wedding to - though I'd rather not - attend. As I opened my eyes to a brightly lit room, compliments to the sun transparently hidden by the curtains which made me shut my eyes as I rolled off the bed and strolled into the kitchen to quench my sudden thirst. Last night's episode replayed in my mind as I drank the refrigerated water which, tasted bitter on my tongue when I remembered the taste of tears.

The sudden play of my phone's ringing tune synchronized with my thoughts like a customized soundtrack, which if I must agree was awesome. Still drinking, I looked at the caller by the left side of my eyes, it was Hana. Of course, I knew the wedding had already started, by the way, who goes to weddings early? Well in Nigeria, the party is always during the end part of the wedding. Hana was yet to pick me as promised, so not my fault, and with this courage I decided to answer and was about to reply but Hana being - well - Hana; she beat me to it.

"Hey, I'm on my way, are you ready?" she screamed into my precious innocent ears with her voice porous as expectation laced through. "No, but I'll be when you're here," I answered tiredly as I flinched from the sudden scream. "Hurry up, we are late already!" she screamed tirelessly again this time to my discomfort which made me angrily roll my invisible eyes still I answered weakly, "Ok".
"And Viv..." She called with a tone that made me once believe she owned the Cheshire cat that always grinned so evilly in his every photo.

"Yeah...?" I answered with a suspicious feeling knowing what was to come next was one of her nasty requests, Luciferess! "You know you always dress gorgeously and I love you, right? but could you sprinkle a little bit of sexy to it?... Like Nicki Minaj and Beyonce..." I could hear Haneul's voice cut in making them both sound mischievously caring. I asked "Why?" not surprised at all.

"Well.... There's a dude that's gonna be there and..." she cooed and sweetly responded but I wasn't buying it this time "And...?" I said sarcastically un-interested, "You know since you're still single and..." Her voice lowered when she realized I knew what she was about to say, I didn't even allow her to finish before asking, "Yah!? Do both of you have a death wish?" jokingly. "Haha, I'll be there just be ready, gorgeously sexily hotly ready, chalga..." As they both laughed, I overheard Hana screaming that Haneul was way over the speed limit and that she didn't want to die yet before the light went dead, I answered,

"Alright, please take it easy Haneul..." with a big smile on my face then I hung up with a loud laugh. After all, this wasn't the first time Hana or Haneul had tried cooing me into something like this or introduced me to their male acquaintances, the friends of their spouses, or even set me up for blind dates all because they wanted me married with a handful of kids like them, plus they were kinda curious how my own would look. I was the single one among them, Hana married before we met but I attended Haneul's wedding. Oh dear, I knew those women like the back of my palm.

The problem now was, what dress should I put on? I know I denied the request but, a little bit of sexy wasn't gonna hurt anyone, especially me. Oops! I forgot to ask if our hardworking Manager of the Year would grace the occasion. Recently, he worked so hard that you might think he was the Chairman instead of that talking android, Mr Song, and I thought he might become the next General manager.

Manager Choi and Young Pil both interned and got employed together that's why I hoped that he would be in attendance, Girl... get your billies on, it's time to make a move. Ok, two options before me, a red off-shoulder, knee-length dinner gown, or my Ankara Aso-ebi (pron. Ah shor a bee) specially made for me by Queen BiBi's Empire back in Nigeria. I had refused to wear this Aso-ebi because of its sole aim of displaying every curve I needed to cover from whosoever and the fact that Queen BiBi made it obvious with a handwritten note that 'she hopes' I'd find my Mr Right wearing these which I suppose the time is now.