The Fifth Story Told By The Stars (Part 2)

The Fifth Story - The Game of Fame (Part 2)

After much convincing and puppy eyes from Alston and Jolin, Allison finally gave in. It was Saturday and the annual Festival was going on in the small town. There would be magic show, concerts and many interesting things for sale in the Festival every year. And Alston was always excited when that day arrives. Allison would always bring her brother to the Festival but she had to duty that day that she couldn't skip. Alston was not suppose to go but Jolin promised to take good care of herself and Alston and so, with Allison's permission, both of them got up a Jeep and followed Allison's colleague to the town. Alston was grinning all the time and Jolin smiled at him too. Jolin liked Alston. He was always so innocent and pure in heart. Jolin never had to be afraid or anxious of anything when she's with him.

They strolled, hand in hand, on the streets. The dull little town came to life on that day. People crowded the streets and brightly coloured tents and caravans lined up by the road side. A big stage was being set up. Jolin stopped and stared at the big lights and huge metal bars used to support the stage. Alston took a glance at them and pulled Jolin away from that place. Jolin became immersed in her thoughts, she used to be singing on those stages. She started recalling on one of her performance.

She danced and sang on the stage, making sure her fans were entertained all the time. He sight fell upon a young man. He smiled and waved at her. "He made it," she thought to herself. She waved back and continued singing, but she felt way more happier than she was before.
Jolin was nudged back to reality. Alston seemed anxious. He pointed at something behind Jolin's back. She looked at where he was pointing and saw a man with a hat, a mask covering his face, staring at her. He broke into a run towards her. Alston grabbed hold of Jolin's hand even tighter and began running. They ran through the gathering crowd by the stage. Constantly bumping into people and trying to evade them. Someone was singing on the stage so nobody minded them. But the masked man continued pursuing. They stopped for a moment to catch they're breath and began running again. They stopped and hid themselves behind a van. Jolin felt her chest rising up and down rapidly. Alston loosen his grip and searched around the place anxiously. For that one moment, Jolin saw a man in him, not a boy. "Nobody around, we safe," he said with heavy breath.

A hand grabbed Jolin's by surprise and she screamed. She was pulled out into the streets by the strong hand. The man who was chasing them took off the mask with one hand and Jolin recognized him. He is the man in her concert. "Jolin? Baby? You're alive?" and he hugged her. It came back to her again. It's him, Federer, her boyfriend. Jolin began crying as she hung unto him tightly. Alston just stood there, staring at what happened. He didn't say anything and remained silent, unsure of what he should do. He felt that it was hard to breath, as if something is in his chest. Alston hated that feeling but it kept growing as he stared at Jolin and the man hugging. He closed his eyes and turned his head to look at something else. He had never felt that feeling before, but it won't go away and he couldn't get rid of it.

The man, known as Federer, according to Jolin, was her boyfriend and sent Alston and her to the cabin house. Alston stomped his foot on the wooden floor as he entered the house. Federer looked at Jolin in the eyes, "I'll come back again tomorrow, maybe in the morning. I have to handle a concert in the Festival, Jen's singing, the company finally officiated her debut, she'll love to meet you, you guys are the best of friends," Jolin just smiled and she waved him goodbye as he left the forest in the car. Allison came out of the cabin. "Alston's really grumpy, wonder what's wrong. So, that's your boyfriend huh?" "Yeah, I remembered him now," "Are you ready to go back home then?" Allison asked. Jolin looked at the star studded night sky, "I don't know," and they entered the warm cabin together to escape from the cold wind outside.

Jolin was trying to get Alston to finish his breakfast, when the car arrived. Alston was giving Allison and Jolin a hard time with his grumpiness. And the sight of the car didn't make it any better. Jolin put on a coat and went outside. Federer got out of the car and so did a girl with shoulder length hair. She seemed tearful and immediately hugged Jolin when she got down from the car. "I can't believe it, you're still alive," and she took a step backwards and took a good look at Jolin, "I missed you so much, we must talk of what happened, Federer told me you lose your memory, do you still remember me? I'm Jen, your best friend, we trained together remember?" And memories came flooding back into her head.

Both of them were really tired from dancing. They sat side by side leaning against the wall in the dance practice room. "I hope we could debut as a group, Jen, like a duo, it'll be so cool," said Jolin. "I know, we could go on tours and have concerts, and you know what's the best thing?" "What?" "We're in this together, silly," replied Jen and the sweaty girls laughed together. Jolin phone rang. She stood up and went outside the room to answer the call. "Jolin, congratulations," it was her manager, "he company agreed to let you debut," Jolin was so excited, "Really?" she asked in disbelief, "how about Jen? Is she debuting too?" The voice from the other side of the phone fell quiet. "Well, the company thinks that, it's not the best time for her yet, so just be happy and sleep early, you'll have your first photoshoot tomorrow morning," and the call was ended. Jolin put her phone in her pocket and stared at the door. She stood there for a while before entering the room again.

Jen. Jolin remembered now. Three of them went inside the car and left the cabin site. Alston looked longingly through the window at the sight of the leaving car. His best friend is leaving him again. Will he leave her and never come back?

The car drove on to a graveled road, up to a hill and stopped near it peak. There was a long bench overlooking the forest below. They sat there together and talked. Jolin felt strange. The place looks really familiar. The trees, the hill, even the gravel road. But she couldn't remember why. "Jolin, we need to go now, I have to go sing in the Festival, it's the last night," Jolin smiled and they all went up the car. Before leaving the place, Jen asked her, "When do you plan to go back, everyone in the company is missing you, especially your fans?" Jolin couldn't answer her. "Let's meet here tomorrow, if you want to go, we'll bring you along and leave this town and forest together, tomorrow," said Federer with a convincing tone. Jolin looked at him and nodded. Federer and Jen smiled at each other. He started the engine and they went down the hill.

Jolin carried her backpack and hugged Allison. Alston locked himself up in the room. "He never liked goodbyes," explained Allison. "It's okay, I'll come back and visit you guys often, you guys saved me after all, tell Alston that I love him very much and take a good care of himself, you too Allison, thanks for everything," said Jolin. Allison smiled and hugged her again. Jolin climbed up the jeep. "Why do they want to meet you there? It's easier to fetch you here," said Allison. "I don't know, but I promised, bye Allison," she waved one last goodbye to Allison and at the cabin, hoping that Alston would notice and left the lovely wood cabin in the forest.

The driver left Jolin alone on top of the hill. She sat on the bench with her backpack on her lap and waited. The sun would be down in half an hour. She looked all around her, the trees, she remembered these trees...

Jolin looked into the car. Federer was driving and Jen was sitting beside him. Jen had been plotting to finish her up all along, but Jolin never thought she would dare to do anything. She ran and ran as the car accelerated even faster. Jen had always been jealous of her for debuting alone before she did. "So, that b*t*h had an affair with my boyfriend all these while," she thought to herself. "I'll make them pay..."

The sound of the incoming car woke Jolin up. She started to run. It's repeating, as she ran her memories came back to her. It's getting even clearer now. Jolin ran and reached a sign. 'DANGEROUS, BEWARE OF ROCKS'. Jolin ignored and continued running. The car was approaching, and Jolin would soon meet her end. The caught up and was behind her, inching closer and closer every second. None of them realized as a huge rock came rolling down from the higher ground of the hill. It hit the car. The car came to a halt. Jolin stopped and carefully looked into the car. Federer's face was red with blood. He seemed to have fainted, or was he dead? Jen crawled out of the car. Jolin wanted to help her but Jen thought otherwise. There was a long knife in her hand. She shouted Jolin's name and started chasing her. Jolin slid down from the side of the road into the forest. Jen slid down too, still on the hunt for Jolin.

Jolin continued running when she reached the leveled ground of the forest. It's getting dark in the forest. With limited visibility, Jolin found herself groping around and tripping over large tree roots and stones. But she kept on. She reached a large tree and rested for a while. Her strength were all drained. Jolin couldn't even felt her legs anymore. Someone kicked her on the side and Jolin fell to the ground. Jen found her. "I hate you Jolin, why can't you just die from the first 'accident'? Everyone was so sad that they're favourite little singing star went missing. But I was so happy, the company actually debuted me when you're gone, it was my opportunity, no more backstage dancer, no more nobody, I was finally, somebody. Do you think I'll let you go back alive and take the spotlight away from me again? No, Jolin, you'll die here, I'll end your pitiful life. You don't have to take it as a bad thing, just think of it as helping your best friend to succeed in her life," and she raised up the long knife above Jolin's body, ready to dig it deep into her flesh. "Bye bye Jolin, any last words?"