Chapter 25 : Asking for a Friend

That mantra was totally useless.

Elara was unable to concentrate at all during class. She didn't even care to notice that Selene was nowhere to be seen.

Her mind was preoccupied by the thoughts of a certain someone who had refused to reply to her for almost sixteen hours.

School was already over and without Damian and Selene within sight, she didn't want to really bother if they were planning something or not.

"Elara!" Someone called loudly while tapping her.

"Ouch!" She turned, ready to lash out on the person. But she calmed when she saw it was Nova.

"Girl, are you fine?" She asked with a worried expression.

Elara sighed then tugged her friend.

"Can I ask you something, Nova?... For a friend." She quickly added.

"Okayyyy?"

Nova raised a brow, wondering what was so serious to keep her friend so edgy.

They walked together to the quiet area around the fountain, settling on a bench.

Elara had second thoughts on if she should go on or not.

The more the silence drew on, the more anxious Nova got.

"Come on, say it already."

Elara sighed.

"Remember, I'm just asking for a friend."

She made sure to emphasize.

Nova urged her to continue.

"My friend said she was chatting with this guy she kinda has interest in, but then she said something to him and he told her to go to bed and hasn't replied to her ever since. What should she do?"

Elara said it all in one breath that Nova struggled to keep up.

"Slow down," Nova tried to remember all she said. "So you said something to a guy and he's not responding anymore?"

Elara nodded subconsciously then shook her head as soon as she realized.

"No no, not me"

Nova smirked. "Is it Damian?"

Elara stamped her Coach loafers on the ground nervously.

"I said it's not me!!" She drawled.

Nova raised her hand in surrender, struggling to hold her laugh.

"Okay okay. So, what did this FRIEND say?" She deliberately emphasised on the word.

Elara rolled her eyes but she still spoke.

"They were chatting peacefully at first but then…then she kinda called him ancient because he didn't know what emojis are and that's it."

Nova's mouth rounded as she tried to understand.

"She was only teasing him." Elara added.

Nova was quite confused for a few seconds. She thought this 'friend' Elara was talking about was herself but, it couldn't be. Damian was in every way as modern as he could be.

Since Elara wasn't saying anything, it could really be for a friend.

"Hmmm," Nova stroked her chin thoughtfully.

"Well, it could mean different things."

Elara inched closer, very interested.

"It could mean he's offended…."

Elara slumped her shoulders.

"Orrrr," Nova drawled.

"Or what?" Elara shook her friend frantically when she wasn't saying anything.

"Or anything." Nova shrugged, dashing Elara's hopes to the ground once more.

Seeing her friend so deflated, Nova sighed.

She swung her hand across Elara's shoulder and drew her closer.

"It could be that he is busy or nothing serious that your 'friend' should be so worried about."

Elara nodded.

"But first things first."

"What?" Elara asked.

"Does this guy like your friend or maybe he just sees her as a friend or sister…I mean you said she called him ancient, so it means he's older, right?"

Elara sat up, suddenly realising she didn't even see from that angle.

She felt worse than before.

Elara sat on the bench for more than thirty minutes, even after Nova had gone.

'Does he see me as a sister?'

She couldn't believe the possibility and felt herself genuinely going crazy.

She heard a little voice in her head.

'No surprise if he does tho. Be for real, he's like six or seven years older than you. Besides didn't you ever think things were going too fast?'

"Arghhh" Elara groaned in frustration, almost tearing her hair apart.

If other students saw her, they wouldn't be able to relate her to the elegant person they knew.

With a final sigh, she grabbed her bag.

Drinking out of the straw of the nice cup of boba tea was enough to stabilise her mood a little.

She had told her driver not to come and walked to the boba shop next to school to get herself a nice cup instead.

Elara decided she wasn't going to think about Cassian anymore. She'd focus on those two villains and her revenge,while taking a walk.

As she walked on, she had the feeling of being followed. But when she turned back, she didn't see anyone so she kept walking.

But the feeling didn't go away.

So she turned around and did a full scan of the area and that was when she noticed a black SUV parked on the opposite side of the road, like two streetlights away.

Her heart dropped.

So it wasn't her imagination?

Was this a part of Damian and Selene's plan?

But she didn't remember this ever happening.

She tried to remain calm as she walked faster, dialing her driver with shaky fingers.

I shouldn't have sent him back.

Why won't this call go through?!!

She didn't realize she had stopped moving until she saw the shadow the SUV cast on her. She slowly looked the other side and it was just an alley.

She broke out in sweat.

She threw everything she had in her hand, except her phone as she turned to run, but she was grabbed by someone before she could take a step.

Is this how I'm going to die…again??

She shrieked with her eyes closed, thrashing as hard as she could.