Chapter 99: Letting It All Go
Night’s expression quickly turned sour after hearing El’s voice. "She’s busy now." He said as he hangs up the call without asking me. "Hey, are you okay? You’re pale." Night asked while I continue looking at the ground.
My hands are trembling due to fear even though I know there are people around me that protect me.
"Hey, Alcantara."
I looked at Night after he snapped his finger in front of me. "Are you sure you’re alright?" He continued asking but I decided to get off the box, however, I didn’t realize that my knees didn’t have the energy to catch myself landing on the ground,
Night caught me in his arms instead. "Are you sure you’ll still be able to compete in that contest?" He asked but I could feel the people’s gaze around us so I pushed him away from me.
"W-We need to talk somewhere else." It’s no use hiding it. If I tell Night about it, he’ll be able to do something although he hates helping me. Even though I wanted to find someplace where no one else are there, people are recognizing me as that princess from the beauty pageant.
"Night! There you are." I flinched after someone called Night’s name. "You have to go back to the auditorium. The talent showcase will start soon." One of the event managers said making me realize that I need to perform despite this anxiety eating me up.
The event manager pulled Night away from me. "Noelle? Are you alright?" I heard Maris’s voice behind me making me took a deep breath as I turned to her with a smile.
"Yes, I am fine."
I can do this. I just need to sing a song and finish with it.
I went back inside backstage after Maris called for me. The trembling of my hands won’t stop as I sat beside Carla while waiting for my turn to perform. ’It’ll be fine. I just need to prevent myself from making a mistake and everything will be alright.’ I thought as I shut my eyes to try to calm myself.
The more I hear loud music outside, the more my heart starts beating faster. I don’t know if it was still because of that text message, or if it was because I’ll perform in front of many people. "Are you okay? You look pale." I opened my eyes and saw Andy in front of me.
I forced a smile. "I-I’m fine." My voice cracked causing Andy to worry and immediately gave me a bottle of water.
"Don’t strain your voice since you’ll be singing."
I nodded as I drank the water he gave me. "I’ll be helping on preparing for your stage décor, so break a leg," Andy said and left. Despite drinking water, I can’t seem to calm my nerves. ’Please, calm down.’ I said as I was about to search for my phone, but I remember that Night still has it.
’Shoot!’
"You’re wearing such normal clothes? It’s funny." Francesca suddenly appeared out of nowhere wearing a costume that belly dancers wear. Is she going to dance? "Well, I guess you could make the people feel bored so that when they watch me, they’ll be filled with excitement." She said while laughing.
"What’s her problem?" I heard Carla muttering while chewing on her candy.
Being attacked like this by Francesca actually calms my nerves down. ’Is it weird? That I prefer this kind of bullying rather than being threatened to be murdered.’ That was a stupid thing to think of. Who would want to be murdered?
"Noelle, you’re up next." The backstage manager said so I stood up from my seat.
’I can do this.’
When the host called for my name, I smiled at Maris and Carla as I walked back to the stage with a smile. I heard the loud cheers and I saw banners with my name on them. Maybe it was Ace and Andy holding that banner to fully support me.
"Now let’s give it up for our contestant number 11!" The host said as I walked towards the microphone in the middle with the spotlight on me.
’Just do it as we practiced.’ I told myself as I could hear the music starting.
The moment I opened my mouth, I started singing and the audience became silent and all I could hear was my voice. Despite being watched by many people; I feel somewhat relaxed in front of them. I know this way; no one could hurt me. No one will in front of these people.
My eyes landed on Night while he stares at me with no expression on his face. As if his face sparkled, all I could see was him.
"All I can say is I was, enchanted to meet you." Our eyes met after I said that line.
’No, let’s stop looking at him.’
It’s as if I’m singing this song for Night, it doesn’t feel great. But it was indeed enchanting when I first met him.
I was in my first year back then, and it was the first day of school. I’m late for the opening ceremony because I was too excited to wear my all-pink uniform different from everybody else. Despite my driver saying that he’ll tell the guard to open the gates for me, I still forced myself to climb up the huge gates as if telling myself that I can do it because I’m athletic. But the moment I reached the top, I became afraid of jumping down.
That was when I first met him.
His hair was swayed by the wind as he gazed up at me. The way his eyes looked lonely yet stunning made me immediately interested in who he was. It wasn’t even a minute, but looking at him felt like forever that time. He raised his hand to me as if telling me that I could jump right into his arms. I could still vividly remember the words I told him that time.
"Will you catch me?"
His face didn’t have any emotion yet I could see him sparkling in my eyes. I let go of my fear and jumped, Night caught me in his arms and my heart started beating so fast as I looked at his gorgeous face.
It was magical, and it was like a scene that came out directly from a drama. I didn’t know his name back then, but he made me feel something I haven’t felt before.
It was love.
Everything about him looked good in my eyes. He was so perfect that even though he ignored me all the time, I would still follow him around.
It must have been annoying. All those times that I chased after him, those times where I let myself be dragged around by this feeling called ’love’. I’ll let all of it go, I’ll let him go now.
"I was enchanted to meet you."
I am well aware of my lingering attraction towards Night, but now I am sure. I’ll let all of it go, and become free from these shackles.
"Please don’t be in love with someone else."
I felt something warm on my cheek, I didn’t realize that tears were already coming out of my eyes.
’Why am I crying in front of these people? This is so embarrassing!’
The moment I reached the end of the song, I froze right where I was standing upon seeing a familiar masked man at the farthest end of the gymnasium near the exit.
My body trembled and I almost dropped the microphone if it wasn’t for the host’s quick reflex.
"Oh my, did our contestant number 11 became too immersed in her song?" The host said as I started backing away.
’W-Why is the masked man standing near the exit? Was he the one who texted me today? Did he come here to take what he wants?’
"Thank you for that captivating performance!" The host said and I immediately rushed back backstage after that without saying anything else.
’I feel scared, I need to inform Kaoru about it. I need to tell them.’
"Noelle? Are you alright?" I wasn’t able to answer Carla’s question after I rushed out into the hallway, trying to find where Kaoru was.
"Is there a problem?" I looked behind me and I almost screamed upon seeing a masked man. "You look pale as if you’ve seen a ghost." The masked man said as he removed his mask causing me to be on guard but Ryzen was the one behind it.
His forehead creased as he tilted his head. "Are you alright? Did something bad happen?" Ryzen asked as he was about to grab my shoulders, but Kaoru stood in between us. "Oh, I apologize. I wasn’t trying to touch Noelle carelessly, I’m just worried." He explained but my eyes were glued on the mask he was holding.
It looks exactly like the mask I saw before. It’s the mask that murderer was wearing when he shot El back then. "W-Where did you get that mask?" I asked as I pointed to it.
"Oh, this one? I made it." He said.
M-Made it? "D-Did you just made it now?"
Ryzen nodded. "Yeah. It’s one of the masks we made in our exhibition. Do you want it?" I quickly shook my head as I grabbed Kaoru from behind.
"Is there something wrong?"
"I-It’s just, I think I saw that mask before."
Ryzen looked at the mask again. "This design is famous in Italy. I saw it before when I went there to study arts and crafts." He said.
Then was it Ryzen that I saw back there near the exit?
