Elara stepped out of the cab and entered the restaurant with a deep sigh. She had stopped coming here on legs. She only walked when she was going ho at night because the streets would have already beco quiet at that ti.
Even when she took a cab I’m the day, so drivers would recognize her. Once they did, they would start asking questions and try to talk with her.
Elara did not like that at all. She even missed the days when she used to walk to the restaurant without caring about who was watching her.
But reaching the restaurant was not much better either. Many of the custors have now started paying attention to her. Elara did not mind if they looked at her. She did not even mind if they took pictures, though they never really did. But they always asked questions, and she could not just ignore them. So she had to answer.
Sotis she wondered if she should quit this part-ti job and focus completely on singing, but she was afraid things might not go the way she hoped.
When Elara entered the restaurant today, the custors were there as usual. Their numbers had increased significantly compared to last month.
She had barely taken three steps inside when soone suddenly shouted,
"Frostiebun!"
Elara imdiately turned her head toward the voice and her eyes landed on soone sitting near the window.
It’s Tonio. He was sitting there with a group of his friends.
After the day they had eaten together in that restaurant, Tonio had rarely co here again. In fact, Elara had not seen him here even once this month.
Tonio waved at her quickly when their eyes t. Elara nodded in greeting, signaling that she would co over in a few minutes. Then she walked to greet Mia, Jeni, and the other staff mbers before starting her work for the day.
She was usually the last person to arrive for work. All thanks to Mr. Kain. Mia and Jeni were always there before her. But no one complained. Even though Elara arrived last, she never co late.
Tonio and his friends had already ordered their food and they were now sitting there patiently, clearly waiting for Elara. After a while, when Elara finally had a free mont, she walked over to their table.
"Hi," she said calmly.
They all smiled and waved. "Hi, Elara."
Tonio gestured toward the empty seat beside them. "Sit down. Let’s talk."
Elara hesitated but she still sat down. After sitting, she looked at them quietly, waiting for them to speak.
"Congratulations, Elara," Tonio said, barely hiding his excitent.
Elara nodded, already knowing what he ant. The others also congratulated her and Elara nodded in response.
Luckily, their table was a little far from the others, so people nearby could not hear everything clearly. They could only guess what was being said.
"Don’t be angry. I’ve been quite busy these days due to training and other stuffs. I didn’t have ti to co congratulate you earlier." Tonio said scratching his hair. Then he raised his brows. "But why didn’t you tell you were a singer at Voice?"
"That wasn’t necessary." Elara replied simply.
Tonio did not seem to mind, he only continued. "I saw the posts about you. At first I didn’t believe it was the sa Frostiebun working here."
Elara did not reply. She had already gotten used to the weird nicknas always coming from his mouth.
"I thought you were just a cool, quiet girl working in a restaurant. Turns out you’re famous now." he added.
Suddenly, one of his friends, the tallest amongst them kicked him under the table. Tonio glared at him.
"It’s nothing, not really." Elara said.
Tonio turned back to her again. "Since we didn’t congratulate you earlier, let’s celebrate now." he said, then quickly turned to look at his friends one after the other. "Right?"
His friends looked a little stunned at first, but they quickly nodded.
"Yes, that’s true."
"It deserves a celebration."
"Sorry, I’m not into that." Elara said.
"Then what if we go out sowhere.. Together?" Tonio asked.
Elara shook her head again.
Tonio leaned back in his chair like soone who had been greatly wronged."Why do you hate ?" he suddenly asked.
Elara was stunned. She could not believe that he could act like a child who had just been told he could not have candy.
The tall friend beside him could not hold back anymore. "Just stop the act," he said to Tonio. The others also stared at him with strange expressions.
When did their role model, who used to change girlfriends as easily as a three year old kid changes their mind about what they want to eat for lunch, beco like this?
At first they had thought he was only interested in this restaurant girl because she was different from the other girls who chased after him. They believed he would get bored soon.
But days had turned into weeks. And weeks had turned into months. If this continued... wouldn’t the months turn into years?
Tonio looked at Elara for a mont, then he suddenly smiled. "Just kidding, I knew you didn’t hate ." he said quickly. "You’re just trying to get comfortable around first, right?"
Elara sighed again. This man was really shaless.
"Next ti don’t be shy, If you have another show, tell ." he continued. "I’ll bring my own people and we’ll occupy the first three rows."
–
The night was eerily cold. A chilling wind blew from the river and brushed against Elara’s skin. She slowly looked around. The river not far from her looked strangely familiar.
She raised her hands in front of her and stared at them. They looked very pale and almost lifeless.
Her heart suddenly began to beat wildly in her chest. The sight of the river made a suffocating feeling rise in her throat.
She did not know how she ended up here. She tried to rember, but nothing ca to mind. It was as if she had simply... appeared.
Elara looked around again. Everywhere was too quiet and no one was in sight.
Fear crept into her chest. She took a step back and shook her head, trying to calm herself. That was when she noticed a figure in the distance.
Soone was standing near the river. It looked like a woman. The woman was walking slowly toward the water. Step by step.
Elara’s heart jumped. Without knowing why, she suddenly ran toward the figure. Her mouth opened as if to shout, but no sound ca out. It felt as if she had gone dumb.
When Elara finally reached the woman, she quickly grabbed her arm and spun her around. But the mont she saw the face before her, her breath got caught in her throat.
It was her own face staring back at her. The sa features. But the face was extrely pale. And the eyes...They had no pupils. Only empty white.
Elara quickly let go and stumbled back. The figure in front of her smiled widely. A cold chill ran down Elara’s spine. The figure took one step forward.
Elara’s legs almost gave out and she stepped back imdiately. The figure took another step.
Elara turned her head to the back, the river was right behind her now. She looked back at the approaching figure again. After a mont of hesitation, she made up her mind.
Elara suddenly turned and jumped toward the river. But instead of falling into water, her back slamd against sothing solid.
She gasped and quickly sat up. The surroundings had changed. The river was completely gone. She was now inside what seems like a large hall.
Paintings covered the walls around her. Each painting showed a figure, but the figures were dark and unclear.
Then the sound of footsteps ca from above her. Elara lifted her head.
In front of her is a long staircase and standing on it is a young girl wearing a white dress. She looked completely normal and she was even smiling. But sothing about her seems off.
"Long ti no see."
A voice sounded. It seed to belong to the little girl but the girl’s lips hadn’t moved at all.
Elara’s eyes widened slightly. She quickly looked around. There was nobody else. When she looked back at the staircase, the girl was gone.
Elara’s heart began to pound uncontrollably. Suddenly she felt soone touch her hair from behind.
"You’re also quite pitiful."
Elara quickly turned around but there was no one there. Only empty air.
"Do you think he ant to do it?"
The girl’s soft gentle voice sounded again. Almost like a whisper in Elara’s ears.
"You might think so too..." sighs "But he didn’t."
Elara could no longer see the girl. She could only hear the voice.
"I’ve watched him silently for years. He’s quite pitiful, just like you. But what of , I can see him, but I can’t reach him."
Everywhere then beca quiet, and the voice seem to have disappeared. Not until Elara heard it again. But this ti, it was as if it’s is in her head.
"But you can."
After that was the sound of footsteps slowly walking away, still in Elara’s head. Step. Step. Step. Then silence
—
Elara suddenly woke up, her body covered in sweat.
The morning light shone through the curtains, making her eyes blur for a mont. Her heart was still beating rapidly in her chest.
Then, she heard the series of knocks sounding on her door...
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