*Clap Clap*
Staff: Wrap up!
Ashton: Phew.
I heave a sigh of relief as soon those words leave the Staff Head's mouth. This is it. Here ends my journey with Fuchsia Publishings and my interviewer, Claire. Speaking of her... I glance at spot where she had been sitting.
Our eyes meet and she smiles slightly, I return the favor. Just as everyone starts to leave, she walks towards me while I collect my belongings.
Leah... She still didn't come with me. I know that she doesn't like- I mean, she hates Claire, but she's still my manager. That girl still has no sense of professionalism since I always go easy on her. I should do something about that.
Claire: Should we get going?
She helps me pick up the rest of my things while asking this. Ah, she must be talking about the thing we had decided; to meet up and discuss the whole "hiding our previous relationship" thing.
After a lot of deliberation, I've convinced myself to accept the truth. I always tell myself that I'll get over her, but make no effort to do so. This is... a good thing.
Dressed in my disguise, I leave the studio with her to head the appointed place.
Outside the studio...
I start walking towards my car but Claire starts going elsewhere.
Ashton: Where are you going?
She halts when I ask this and turns her head to look at me. The wind makes her short, wavy hair sway, recreating a very familiar scene from eight years ago...
Claire:You want to become an actor and I, a journalist. An actor and journalist can't be together...
Ashton: Claire, what-
She gets up from the bench and takes a hold of my hand. She places something in it and closes it. Then, she starts walking away. She takes a few steps, but then turns her head to look at me, the wind making her short, straight hair sway along with it.
Claire: And PLEASE don't come after me.
Ashton:!!!
.... That day... How can I ever forget it? Except this time, her eyes are expressionless and not full of disdain and coldness. She motions towards the road and opens her mouth.
Claire: I was going to catch a cab.
Ashton: There's no need. You can just go with me.
I know why she's trying to do this but, I don't want this scene to end up like it did in the past even though the situation isn't the same. I'm well aware that I'm still trying to compensate for the past, but... I'm a selfish person after all, aren't I?
Claire: But-
Ashton: You don't have to care about those nonsense-writing reporters. And, may be, this is something we could talk over on our way there. You're still my interviewer for today, aren't you?
Even though I'm smiling when I say this, my tone is commanding which makes her go silent. She purses her lips and ponders for a moment before nodding in agreement.
Claire: Okay then.
It still works, huh. I did this often back then; if we were both stubborn about something, I would talk to her as though I was giving her a choice while my tone suggested that I wouldn't take "no" for an answer.
If I did this that day too, would she stop? Would she have agreed to sit down and talk everything over rather breaking up with like that? For whatever reason, I couldn't bring myself to say anything back then and lost her.
All what happened to her after that could have been prevented if I had just.... However, there're no "ifs" in life, are there? I did regret it a lot, but I wouldn't be who I am today if she'd never left me. I guess it was a good thing after all.. except what all happened to her afterwards.
I walk her to my car and open the door for her. She slightly hesitates before entering. What? It's not like I'm going to kidnap her or anything. I roll my eyes and am to close the door when I suddenly feel a chill run down my spine.
Ashton:!!!
I quickly turn my head around but... How is that possible? No body seems to be there in the deserted parking lot however, I'm sure that felt someone else's presence! My heart is beating so wildly, I can hear it thumping in my ears.
This has happened so many times now, it can't really be paparazzi, it has to be a stalker. I should talk to the agency about this.
Claire: Is something wrong?
Claire, who's seated in the car, snaps me back to reality.
Ashton: Ah, no.
I give her a reassuring smile and close the door. I walk towards the other side and just as I'm about to get seated as well, I scan the area again just to be sure. I've had to deal with stalkers before but, this one is really... I don't know how to describe it..
I shake off the uneasy feeling and get seated inside. Oh, I almost forgot. I grab my bag that's keep in the backseat and rummage through it. Where's it.. Got it! I take out the ring box and slip the ring in it on my finger. Huh, it doesn't feel weird anymore, I guess... I'm getting used to it.
Just a week ago, I was treating all this as a favor that I was doing to my family, but when I really think about it, my days have been livelier with her around. I guess it was a good decision after all.
Claire looks at the ring and speaks up with a self-depreciating laugh.
Claire: I guess... We're in a similar situation after all, huh.
Ashton: What?
What's that supposed to mean? I look at her, puzzled as I place my bag back at where it was. She pulls out her pendant that was tucked in her shirt and shows it to me. It has her engagement ring on it.
Claire: I can't wear it to work, nor can you. It's funny, isn't it? Just a little thing as this can affect your reputation. Heh, but mine wasn't clean to begin with.
She looks at the ring sadly before putting it back and I feel a twinge of pain in my heart. Claire... All of this happened to her because of me, I can't let off whoever did this to her under my name. It won't change anything but, I can't let a ticking time bomb stay beside me.
I have to find out everything about that incident. Who was it? My best friends, Drake and Louis or my closest cousin, Leah? Even though their motive seems to be hidden, it must also include their grudge against her.
However, Drake and Louis were Claire's friends as well and Leah had barely seen her, let alone known her, to hold a grudge. So, who was it?