REBIRTH : Chasing The Limelight-Chapter 71: Nothing.. just rumors

Elara pushed the studio door open and stepped out. She removed the headphones from her ears, letting them rest around her neck. The session had taken longer than expected and it would be a lie to say she wasn’t tired.

The other grade four singers passed by her, not sparing her any glance. Elara noticed that most of them were not very warm towards her but she didn’t think too much about it.

After all, she was a new face amongst them, so she might not have been fully acknowledged yet.

Before she could go far, a girl stepped to her side with a bright smile. "Hi," she said while waving her hands.

Elara stopped and gave a small nod in reply. "Hi."

The girl did not say anything else after that. She simply turned and started walking beside Elara as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Elara did not complain or try to start a conversation either. She just continued walking with her gaze forward. As she turned a corner, her eyes landed on a familiar figure leaning against the wall not too far away.

Ziva was completely focused on the tablet in her hands. Her brows were drawn together and it was very obvious that whatever she’s looking at had displeased her.

The moment the girl who had been walking beside Elara noticed Ziva, she suddenly reached out and tapped Elara’s arm. "Um wait... can you please help me get Lioren’s autograph?" she asked, her voice sounding somewhat hopeful.

Elara slowed her steps and turned her head to look at the girl with a calm but puzzled expression. "You’re asking the wrong person." She said after a thought.

The girl blinked, clearly not expecting that answer. But she did not give up. Instead, she kept following her a step, her voice turning more pleading. "Please... I’m a really big fan of his. Since you’re... kind of.. close to him, I thought maybe you could help me."

Elara stopped walking completely and looked at the girl for a long time, before opening her mouth.

"I think you misunderstood something. I’m not close to him, so I won’t be able to help." She said calmly, no sign of irritation in her voice. Without waiting for a reply, Elara shifted her attention away and continued walking forward.

The girl slowed down in hesitation. "Oh... I see," she murmured awkwardly, clearly unsure of what to say next. Her steps lingered for a while before she gradually fell behind. Not following after her again.

Elara did not look back. She walked straight toward Ziva who had already noticed her but had not moved from her spot.

When Elara got to her. She stopped, and without saying anything, reached out and took the tablet from her hands.

Ziva did not protest. She only lifted her eyes to glance at Elara, then she looked down at the tab that was now in her hand.

Elara lowered her gaze to the screen. A video was playing, showing Lioren seated in an interview as he answered questions.

Perhaps the interviewer had asked if there was anyone he was interested in or would like to protect. But whatever the question was, his reply was..

"There is someone I would like to protect,"

The interviewer pressed further, asking who it was, but Lioren only gave a small smile and looked away. "She just woke up. Let her rest first."

Elara’s expression remained unchanged as she stared at the screen. After a few seconds, she lifted her thumb and paused the video.

"People are making a big deal out of it." Ziva said in a flat tone, but Elara did not immediately reply.

She handed the tablet back to Ziva and said calmly, "Well, he didn’t mention any name."

Ziva took the tablet but did not look at it. "Most people already decided it’s you."

"It could be anyone." Elara replied with a scoff while Ziva gave a dry laugh.

"Correct... But some people are quite jobless, one accident and they started writing a love story out of it. Nonsense." She said with a bored sigh...

_

That same afternoon, Elara stood on the stage in the studio. The rows of seat in front of her were mostly empty, and only one of them was occupied...by Ziva who sat with one leg crossed over the other.

Being in grade four had its own perks and small freedoms. She was now allowed to use places like this, with or even without supervision. Like now..

When Ziva saw that she’s through, she began to clap in an exaggerated way.

"Elara! I can’t breathe without you! Elara, you’re my only reason to live. If you stop singing, I’ll stop existing!"

Elara blinked dumbfoundedly, clearly not expecting that.

And then Ziva placed a hand over her chest dramatically. "Elara, if you tell me to jump, I’ll jump. If you tell me to cry, I’ll cry. My life belongs to you."

There was a small pause before Elara suddenly started to laugh uncontrollably. Then it slowly faded and she took a deep breath as if to calm herself, but the smile never left her lips.

Ziva stopped talking and stared at Elara with the corner of her lips raised a bit. She then cleared her throat and sat back properly. "I don’t think I’ve seen you laugh like that before," she said but Elara did not reply, though the trace of that smile had not fully disappeared yet.

Ziva looked at her for another moment before she added with a serious expression. "You should avoid laughing like that in public."

"Why?" Elara asked, her brows lifting in confusion. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"It might scare people away. It looks... a bit freaky, you know." Ziva replied calmly.

Elara stared at her again, then she let out a quiet breath before stepping down from the stage. She walked toward the large window at the side of the room and placed a hand on it, taking in a slow breath as she looked outside. After a moment, she glanced back at Ziva.

"Your gossipy version is more frightening." she said.

Ziva did not complain or glare at her, she only shrugged it away.

Elara turned her gaze back outside. From the third floor where she was, the view of Voice premises was very clear. Few cars moved in and out, and some people walked to and fro.

Her eyes drifted without much focus until they suddenly stopped at a man leaning against a car.

Her expression changed almost immediately. The smile that had refused to leave her lips disappeared without a trace.

Even now, even after everything, it still had not left her mind. No matter how much she tried to ignore it. No matter how much she told herself it didn’t matter. The memory still returned immediately she laid her eyes on him.

As if sensing that someone is staring at him, Adrian suddenly looked up. Directly at her.

Elara’s fingers tightened on the glass. She even wondered if he had known she was there before looking up, because he had not searched anywhere before his eyes found her.

Without a second thought, she looked away. Her gaze shifted to the road, to the passing cars, to anything else that could distract her. Then she noticed another figure.

Relanie was walking toward Adrian’s car, accompanied by another lady and followed closely by Harris. When they reached the car, Harris and the lady took the front seats while Relanie entered the back.

Adrian straightened up and walked around to the other side. Before getting in, his gaze lifted toward the building again but Elara had already looked away swiftly.

She did not care if she had been seen. Or maybe she did a little, but she was not willing to admit it.

When she turned back from the window, she froze in surprise.

Ziva was standing right behind her, arms akimbo, watching her with a raised brow. "What were you thinking? I’ve been calling your name for a while." she asked.

Elara did not reply. She only remained quiet for a moment, as if sorting through her thoughts. Then she finally spoke up. "Does the Vale family have a daughter or anyone named Aurelia?"

"Aurelia?" Ziva repeated, blinking in confusion. Then she gave Elara a strange look. "You mean the country?"

"Why do you keep mentioning Aurelia all this time. That was even what you mentioned immediately you woke up. Are you that patriotic?"

Elara said nothing.

Seeing that she is quite serious, Ziva frowned a little and thought for a moment. "I don’t know anyone with that name. As far as I know, the Vales only have a son... Adrian Vale. I’ve never heard of a daughter." She then paused and furrowed her brows, as if something had just crossed her mind.

"But..." she began, hesitating.

"But what..?" Elara asked, her eyes lifting in curiosity.

Ziva bit her lip, still thinking. "There was someone... I think I heard something like that before."

" yeah?" Elara asked.

But Ziva glanced at her, then shook her head. "It’s probably nothing. Just rumors." she said.

Elara let out a tired sigh. More confused than ever.

Had she seen that girl before? Maybe in her past life.

Was that girl just something her mind had created or was there something she was missing?