The cigarette smoke slowly rose into the air. Raven reached out, trying to grasp it. She had come to believe that she would stop smoking the very moment she grasped the smoke.
Her body went stiff when she heard approaching footsteps.
She quickly hid the cigarette behind her back, and stared at the source of the footsteps. Realizing the figures were familiar, she stuck the cigarette back between her lips.
" You are not supposed to be smoking." Will said as he squatted in front of her.
" No one will know."
" You are a singer."
Before Raven could say anything else, Will quickly snatched the cigarette from her and extinguished it on the ground.
" Will, you idiot!!!" She cursed at him in frustration. Will only smiled at her.
With a sigh, Raven glanced at the taller figure beside her.
" Jaden, isn't this harassment?"
Jaden glanced at both of them, and simply shook his head.
Raven clicked her tongue in annoyance and angrily kicked the ground. The two guys never failed to annoy her.
" Idiots." She cursed gazing in the air.
When she shifted her gaze, her eyes immediately caught sight of an annoyingly persuasive smile drawn on Will's face.
"What?!?" She yelled at him, knowing what the smile meant.
Will just waved his hand and got closer to Raven. He put his arm around her shoulder.
" My dear....." Will started with an exaggerated caring expression.
He continued. "Don't you miss the air outside ?"
Raven gave him an annoyed look.
"No." Was the flat answer.
" Oh dear, your heart knows the truth..."
" I am not going to do it." Raven cut him off.
" Do you not miss wine?" Jaden asked in a calm tone. Raven rolled her eyes impatiently.
" Ahh! Why don't you go and ask for permission yourself? I am not doing it."
Will smiled, " At this extent; you will roll your eyes out of their sockets if you continue with the rolling thing."
" Why don't you shut up?"
Will opened his mouth to continue with his argument, but a voice suddenly interrupted.
" Raven," The voice called.They all turned at the young lady who called her.
" I only called Raven." She murmured to herself with an awkward smile.
Then she awkwardly added," Madam Wang needs you."
" I will be there."
Raven pushed Will's arm off her shoulder and stood up. She glared at Will, and then at Jaden before walking off.
" Just remember!" Jaden called after her.
" Shut up!"
Madam Wang was the lady of ' White lotus pavilion '. She was a chubby businesswoman who wore heavy make up and perfume. The pavilion dwellers had the belief that Madam Wang washed herself and her clothes in perfume.
Madam Wang's room was exquisitely decorated just like herself . She was sitting in her highly decorated wooden chair, wearing her exaggerated dark green robes. Slowly, she tapped a withered black rose in her hand.
Everyone in the room was trying too hard to not cover their noses from the piercing scent in the room.
Raven stood a few meters away from Madam Wang, her head lowered. Behind her, five pretty ladies were in the same posture as her.
The tapping stopped.
" Do you think this flower is beautiful?" Madam Wang asked in a warm tone.
Avoiding to get on her bad side they all nodded.
" Do you have no tongues?"
" Yes." They all quickly replied. The answer meant for the first question.
" Yes what?"
" The flower is beautiful."
Madam Wang stared at them for a moment.
" ARE YOU RIGHT IN YOURS HEAD? WHERE IS THIS FLOWER BEAUTIFUL???"
Raven involuntary flickered her eyebrows.
" Your heads, actually." She muttered to herself.
Madam Wang became calm once more.
" Withered flowers can't be used for decoration. They are either thrown away or burnt." As she finished, she tossed the flower down.
With a sigh, she clasped her hands together.
" Today we are welcoming very important people." She dramatically threw her hand in the air.
She went on. " With your talent, your beautiful faces, graceful figures...."
" Excuse me," A girl interrupted. Raven and all other ladies looked at the girl. Raven realized it was the new girl who knew almost nothing of the pavilion. She noticed also her dull expression.
" I came to sell my talent not my body." She added nervously looking down.
The ladies raised their eyebrows at her. Madam Wang rolled her eyes.
" Hey! Hey! Hey!Does this place look like a brothel?!!! Sell your talent not your body?? Ahh! What is too good about your body?" Madam Wang gave a sigh, at the same time shaking her head.
The new girl looked down suddenly wishing to just disappear.
Madam Wang clapped her hands together for attention.
" Raven, those four are the dancers. Plus that one talent seller."
" Yes."
With a wave of her hand, she dismissed them. The other ladies went out while Raven remained there.
"What? Do you need me to put you on my back?"
" No..."
"Aha! Of course you need a permission. " Madam Wang shrugged.
"As long as you do your job well, then you are free to go."
Raven thanked her, gave a bow and headed out.
Later after the performance, the performance outfits were put in a big wooden box in the dressing room, later to be washed.
The other four ladies were practicing on a dance, while Raven tied her hair from the corner, near the clothes closet.
" Raven," One of the lady called her.
" Help us a little here." She told her showing her the moves.
Raven made simple corrections and returned to the closet. Liza who was almost harassed during the performance was staring at her, as she had saved her.
Raven at the moment took her cigarette box from her pocket, removed a cigarette, and then stuffed it back in her pocket.
She stuck the cigarette between her lips.
Liza slowly approached her. She gave her a very deep bow.
"..."
The cigarette escaped from Raven's lips and fell down on the wooden floor with a tap.
Raven gave a smile and patted Liza's shoulder.
" Next time, do not let anyone harass you. Madam Wang doesn't tolerate that."
She bent down and picked up her cigarette.
She stared at it for a moment and stuck it back between her lips.She left it unlit and went out of the room.