A soft music was being played through the grand piano illuminated by the moonlight. The hands pressing the keys were delicate- slender fingers that would fill anyone, watching the act, with pleasure.
The room was full of an unseen pressure which came from the girl sitting in front of the piano. Her eyes revealed nothing as she stared at the keys, seemingly without even taking them in. She was a musician, she didn't need to look at what key she was pressing. She just knew which she needed and when. Now, what she was doing was giving freedom to her thoughts, the freedom to flow unhindered.
Liliana picked up the wine glass from atop the piano and swirled it. She took a slow sip, her bottom lip drenched in the red liquid, enhanced her empyrean beauty.
She glanced out at the boundless blankness of the night sky. The city sky was rarely embedded with the dazzling stars. But she wasn't looking for that, she was letting the darkness embrace her. Carry her away from whatever cruelty this world could pronounce- but she can't ever let the darkness engulf her entirely for there still remained a glimmer of hope that she wanted to reach.
Liliana still kept someone in her heart who, she believed, would be her only solace. Someone who-
The ringing of her phone brought her back from her thoughts. She picked up the phone near the wine glass and attended to the call.
"Yes, Tara," Tara was Liliana's manager and a very close friend. She knew a lot about Liliana, a lot but not all.
"How did you like your fans?" came a sweet voice from the other side of the phone.
"They were... lovely," Lilia didn't know how to put what she felt into words.
"Hm-hm, that's good then. How did the interview go? What should I expect from the news tomorrow?" Tara asked again. She knew she would find nothing without pushing Lilia for answers.
"Yeah it went quite well. What, are you afraid I'd mess it up?" Lilia smirked.
"Yes and no. Mess- sure, with Ben Brontë anything is possible. So, details babe."
Lilia rolled her eyes and said, "fine, so it went like this-"
Lilia and Ben walked from the main stage to the small side stage which was prepared beforehand to accommodate this interview. She was in disagreement with Ben regarding this activity. A person like her wouldn't want to share anything with the world without being afraid that she might slip. They sat on the rotating chairs places on the stage, facing the clicking cameras of the reporters. This was the part of being a celebrity that she didn't like, the constant flickering lights might damage her eyes one day, she sometimes thought scornfully.
"Dear friends, you are welcome to ask any questions you may have," she nodded.
"Miss Lilia, we all know about your two years break from the industry but you never made any public announcement yourself, why is that?" a reporter asked.
"It wasn't supposed to be that long of a break. I went to my hometown for some family matters where I realized I needed a bit time for myself. I contacted no one during that time except Tara. She said my fans worry about me," she laughed, "so I asked them to make an official announcement, rather then just me saying something."
"Miss Lilia, you never mentioned your family before?"
"Well, nobody really asked me about them before but I have a younger brother." her smile never told what she was thinking. It was a skill she had picked up and honed throughout the years.
"Miss Lilia, you have never before worked with any other musician for your albums. Can we consider this change to be some kind of declaration?"
Ben and Lilia looked at each other incredulously before turning back to the media. They might have been discrete but the meaning behind it was clear as day. Ben adjusted his microphone and said, "You guys have put 'way' too much thought into this." he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Both of them had nothing in common except for their music furthermore Lilia never seemed interested in anyone. She was always busy in her own matters, so much so that she never put anyone in her eyes.
"I knew from the start that this creation, though mine, needs both the perspective of female and male. Ben's work and his catch of emotions was the exact thing I needed so here he is with me working for the greater goal." she would never let the media make such a scandal out of her. She would do everything for a clean record.
"What gave you the inspiration to write the song you just sang?"
"Told ya, this whole album together represents a story. I've, you could say, seen these people carrying on with this story myself. I thought it was time for the world to know ." she said with a raised brow while thinking to herself bitterly- 'How could I not remember what happened to me all these years age'.
"And that's how it went. They asked a few more questions to Ben and we ended the interview after that." she swirled the wine glass in her. The red liquid looked like dribblig blood under the moonlight.
"That's good then. Ben Brontë didn't make trouble, you handled it quite well. That means I have a free day!" Lilia felt slightly bad about ruining the relaxation Tara was looking forward to but she knew she had to do this.
"Not exactly," she started with hesitation, "I kind of need you to terminate my contract with the company tomorrow".
"What!! Tara was shell-shocked, 'where in the world had she gotten this idea from!'
Lilia knew it was hard to take in but she had to make Tara understand where she was coming from, "I want to leave the company. My contract has already expired and I don't plan to draw a new one."
"B-but what's the matter? You are already doing very well here. Why do you want to leave!"
The question was valid but all Lilia could provide was the half truth, "I don't like it there anymore. I have wanted to join Shooting Star for sometimes now. I don't want to leave you alone to fend for yourself before those vultures we call board members. How about you leave with me and join Shooting Star?"
"A-about that, actually_"
Tara couldn't finish her words as Lilia intervened, "Yeah yeah, I know about the job offer you got from them. I have known for weeks or you think I would arrange this so lightly?"
Tara didn't want Lilia to regret this decision later so she said,"Lilia, think again. Are you sure you want to leave everything familiar behind and start over in a new company with no allies?"
Lilia smiled a soft small smile, 'My biggest ally awaits me there, Tara. Once I have him, I won't need anyone else. Ever.' But she didn't say that to her hesitant manager, "You will be there to be the ally. That's more then enough."
Tara blushed at the compliment which was a rare sight but Lilia complimenting people was even more rare.
"Okay stop buttering me now, I'm hanging up. I need good rest before facing the board tomorrow," Tara grumbled, dreading the upcoming day even before the sun rise.
"Good night, then. See you tomorrow."
The phone beeped to show that Tara had already hung up. Lilia put the phone down and returned to gazing at the blank sky- a million thoughts in her head but only one prominent...
The doorbell rang making the small figure of a girl sprint to open it. She was expecting her father to be back from work early but what she found was a boy of nearly her height. She stared wide eyed at the unfamiliar boy, his blue eyes and dark brown hair, she found very pleasing to look at.
"Hi, I'm Edison. We just moved in next doors." she even found his voice beautiful, like cotton- soft, but keeping the boyish charm.
"I'm Dorrie. You want to come in, Edison?"
Lilia's mind wandered to another precious memory...
"Dorrie, you know you're my best friend. Don't be like that." the boy had grown taller than before. His soft features were a little mature than before as well, but right now they were screwed up in a frown.
"Then why do you talk to Tessa? I don't like it when you do that, Ed." Dorrie never knew she had this ugly jealous side of herself. Well Edison also never talked to anyone else before.
"But she is also a friend, right? I can't just ignore her."
"Fine! Then go to your friend cause you don't have to talk to me anymore." she was stomping her way back to her home when Edison grabbed her hand stoping her in her tracks.
"I'll never leave you Dorrie, I can't."
'Oh how well you kept your promise, Ed! You left me when I need you the most.' Lilia thought with her eyes reflecting all the heart-rending pain she went through...he caused.
"You forgot me Ed but I didn't forget you. I will meet you soon and this time the story will be different. This time Liliana D'crus will meet Edison George and there will be nothing coming in their way... I won't let there be."