[Book 1] M. L. M. I. (My lover, My Idol)

CH25 - New Normal

It was supposed to be just a regular day. Ellie decided to go to the mall to possibly buy some stuff and do some groceries.

Being simple, she just went out with her normal attire for malling; wearing one of her favorite Voltes V shirts (which she came to love because Lea's an avid fan of the anime as well), shorts, and sneakers. This is how El normally looks like when she goes outside. And as always, she just brought her phone and her wallet and then nothing else. Not even a bag.

Her first stop was at a bookstore. She checked if there were any new releases from her favorite author Robin Cook. Seeing as there was none, she took her sweet time to check if there are anything that might interest her.

It took about thirty minutes going around inside the shop before El actually went out from it. Nothing caught her eye so she came out empty handed.

And since it was a Saturday afternoon, a lot of people were visiting the mall just like her.

"Ahh. I don't want to get caught up in long lines later on." She thought, so Ellie decided to go straight to the supermarket.

As she took the escalator going down, El seemed to notice that the people at the back keeps on murmuring.
She couldn't hear what they're exactly talking about so she decided to just disregard it.
She kept on walking but loud whispers keep on following her. She's about to speed up her steps when suddenly she heard somebody call her name.

"Uhm. Excuse me, El?"

Surprised that someone called her name, she turned back to see who it was.

It was a woman around her age together with a group of women who had called her. She doesn't know who that woman is nor the people with her. But they all seem to be no harm.

"Yes? Can I help you?" She answered smiling as the woman's eyes rounded up when she turned to face her.

"You're El from The Voice right? Can we have a picture with you?" The woman shyly asked. She and her friends were not sure if their request would be granted.

"Ahh. So they recognized me from the show." Ellie though to herself. As she thinks about it, within the last month and a half the show's episodes have already progressed and finished the knockout rounds so for the next week, what the viewers will be seeing will now be the contestants' live performances.

At this moment, all remaining artists' fandom have widen up and grown from hundreds to thousands of supporters. And that includes El's.
But she doesn't let it get to her as the promising lad does not have any intention to proceed with the competition.

But as kind as she is, she granted the fan's request and still gave a genuine smile to be captured by their smartphones.

Not long after, other bunch of people had requested to take a photo with her. This went on even when she was inside the supermarket doing her grocery.

She hasn't really expected that she will be popular enough for mall goers to want to have a picture with her.

She would never get used to this kind of thing.

-----

The next day, she got a text message for the schedule of their taped coaching session for The Voice in two days. Ellie just stared blankly on her phone screen.

She doesn't really want to proceed with the competition but she could not just skip out the show and leave her coach hanging. She then thinks of a deliberate plan that will serve her easy way out.

Two days later.

It has been a while since the contestants last went to Studio A to have their personal coaching and group sessions. As others are very excited about it, Ellie is not. She finds herself being hesitant in coming over but she's got no choice.

When she arrived on the set, she was greeted by the staff and her other competitors.

As the group rehearsal began, all Familea artists were told by their coach that for the group number they would be singing Girls like you by Maroon 5.

So all of them practiced their blocking and their own parts to finish of the group session before heading to the solo coaching.

Spent 24 hours
I need more hours with you
You spent the weekend
Getting even, ooh ooh
We spent the late nights
Making things right, between us
But now it's all good baby
Roll that Backwood baby
And play me close

'Cause girls like you
Run around with guys like me
'Til sundown, when I come through
I need a girl like you, yeah yeah

Girls like you
Love fun, yeah me too
What I want when I come through
I need a girl like you, yeah yeah

Yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah
I need a girl like you, yeah yeah

Yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah
I need a girl like you, yeah yeah

I spent last night
On the last flight to you
Took a whole day up
Trying to get way up, ooh ooh
We spent the daylight
Trying to make things right between us
And now it's all good baby
Roll that Backwood baby
And play me close

'Cause girls like you
Run around with guys like me
'Til sundown, when I come through
I need a girl like you, yeah yeah

Girls like you
Love fun, yeah me too
What I want when I come through
I need a girl like you, yeah yeah

Yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah
I need a girl like you, yeah yeah

Yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah
I need a girl like you, yeah yeah

I need a girl like you, yeah yeah

I need a girl like you

Maybe it's 6:45
Maybe I'm barely alive
Maybe you've taken my shit for the last time, yeah
Maybe I know that I'm drunk
Maybe I know you're the one
Maybe I'm thinking it's better if you drive

'Cause girls like you
Run around with guys like me
'Til sundown, when I come through
I need a girl like you, yeah yeah

'Cause girls like you
Run around with guys like me
'Til sundown, when I come through
I need a girl like you, yeah yeah

Girls like you
Love fun, yeah me too
What I want when I come through
I need a girl like you, yeah yeah

Yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah
I need a girl like you, yeah yeah

Yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah
I need a girl like you

(Song title: Girls like you by Maroon 5)