Although she didn't have to be, Leafy was in her company's studio practicing.
This wasn't how she had wanted to spend her days after a show but Four convinced her to come because they had something to tell her.
Four was in their office filling out some papers as Leafy attempted some new choreography that she had seen from another Idol's live show, an overall pleasant atmosphere.
Four walked into the hall with a smile on their face and a piece of paper in their hand.
"You ready to hear some great news?" they asked.
"Yep, this practice is getting boring," she whined.
"Well,you'll need to double it this week, because..." Four paused, using the wall to create a makeshift drumroll.
"You've been offered a chance to preform a solo show!"
Leafy's heart skipped a beat as the news sank in.
After all this time, a solo show!
"Oh my God, that's amazing! How did this happen?" she questioned excitedly.
"Well, there's an Idol event being run by a small stadium, each day of the week an Idol preforms to raise money for a charity and it just so happens that the person in charge of it all was at the show last night," Four announced.
"Woah, small world isn't it?" Leafy joked.
"She thought you performed incredibly well and she got in contact with me, I told her that you stood in last minute and it basically sealed the deal," they said.
"She told me she always felt bad for you, she thinks the video was taken out of context and she's always been on your side," Four added.
"Really? Thank God one person actually saw it like that, I was totally set up!" Leafy's tone began to become angrier.
"Don't focus on that, you have a show to prepare for, this could be big!" Four encouraged.
"I'm so happy Four, thank you so much," Leafy squealed as she hugged Four.
"It was only a matter of time really, things are starting to look up in terms of your image and career," they noted.
"But you've helped me keep on track, if it weren't for your skills I would have given up the day it all went to hell," Leafy laughed.
"I just gave you advice, you didn't have to take it but I will take credit for most of it," Four smiled.
Leafy worked extremely hard for the rest of the afternoon, imagining herself on the stage with hundreds maybe thousands of people watching her and she felt elated.
When she finished up for the day and went on her way home she decided to treat herself to an caramel iced-latte, to celebrate her new solo concert.
As she waited for her drink to be made she spotted someone she recognised in a corner of the coffee shop.
It was Firey.
She grabbed her order and walked over to him.
"Hey, fancy seeing you here," she beamed.
His expression turned sour as he realised she was there and she watched him outwardly cringe.
"Hello Leafy, why are you at my table?" he asked with fake enthusiasm.
"Well, I spotted you and wanted to come say hi!" she smiled.
"You've done that now, so you can leave," he huffed.
"That's a bit rude, I just wanted to be friendly," she pouted.
"I thought we agreed that I don't think you're friendly and that we wouldn't engage with each other outside of work?" he sighed.
"Hm, I don't remember that and besides I have some great news!" she grinned as she sat in the chair in front of him.
She cleared her throat as she prepared to tell him.
"I've been given a chance to preform my own solo concert!"
Firey stayed unimpressed and looked at her in a way that read "is-that-all-you-had-to say? "
"You could at least pretend to care," she grumbled.
"That would be a lie, and I hate liars," he said accusingly.
"Then you're working in the wrong industry," she said under her breath.
"I'm not in any industry, I'm just paid to basically babysit you," he scoffed.
"Well, we'll see how good you are at your job at this show. People will be clamouring for me and I'm expecting you to keep them away," she said haughtily.
"Yeah, yeah whatever. Can you just leave now?" Firey asked.
"Jeez, you're so rude. I'm starting to rethink trying to be nice to you," she sighed.
"That would be a blessing," he smiled with fake sweetness.
Leafy glared at him as she stood up, grabbing her coffee and stuck her tongue out and turned to walk away, just like a bratty child
"Goodbye, Pom-Pom,"
"What did you just call me?"
Leafy looked over her shoulder with a sneaky smile.
"Oh, I called you Pom-Pom, that's my nickname for you!" she beamed, her smirk becoming a smile.
"How the hell did you come to that of all things?"
She turned to face him completely, with a big grin on her face and a twinkle in her eyes as she put her index finger up to her lips.
"That's for me to know and you to find out," she giggled.
She walked out of the coffee shop with a happy look on her face because she knew she had won, he had been caught totally off guard.
From that interaction, she knew how to piss Firey off and that could come in very useful.
...
Firey watched her leave, he was frustrated and embarrassed.
Why didn't he say anything as a comeback? He was usually so quick with his words, what the hell happened?
It was definitely that stupid smile on her face, it was stupid, she was stupid.
It wasn't cute or contagious or anything, it was stupid.
It definitely wasn't her eyes, he didn't even look at them, no way did he miss a breath when they met his.
No, she was stupid, her whole look was stupid, especially when her eyes shimmered.
He sighed as he went back to drinking his coffee, a small, stupid smile playing on his lips for some stupid reason.
It was all stupid.
He took out his phone and scrolled through social media to take his mind off things but something caught his attention.
It was an advertisement for an Idol concert next week.
And Leafy was front and center, with her stupid, stupid smile and her stupid eyes that just seemed to shine.
Even as a small, digital photo she still had this aura about her that demanded his attention, undivided and hers.
It was like a stupid charm only she held.
He scoffed, still with a small smile on his face as he reposted the ad.
"A solo performance, huh?" he finished his coffee and walked out of the café.
"Good for her," he thought as the bright sunlight hit his face, he looked up to the sky, shielding his eyes from the light.
He put his headphones on, connecting them to his phone as he played a song that always seemed to fit days like these, might even have been one of his favourites when he was in the mood.
Now playing: Sky High Love!
By: Leafy Verte.
It was a stupid song.
Yeah, he totally believed that.
...
Leafy lounged on her bed, totally bored and totally unimpressed by everything she saw on her social media feeds.
"I'm way prettier and way nicer than her," she grumbled as she scrolled past a random model she had never heard of.
She was better than all of these girls, they couldn't hold a candle to her, not when she was on stage.
She sighed deeply before an advert caught her eye.
Her advert, for her show.
Her heart soared as she admired it, she looked great, right in the middle where she would get loads of attention, right where she was meant to be.
The feedback was positive too, the comments were all really excited for the event and loads of them mentioned her.
There were tons of reposts too but one repost from a particular account caught her eye.
Reposted by Burnin_Hot, 10 hours ago.
She clicked into the account and was delighted to find that she knew who it's owner was.
She followed the account and scrolled through its posts, commenting on the latest one which was over a year old.
Looking good Pom-pom! <3
She laughed slightly to herself and she imagined how shocked he would be once he saw those notifications.
She examined the post she had commented on, it was a selfie, he sported a pair of aviator sunglasses that had slipped just below his eyes, revealing them in a handsome way and had a lop-sided smile on his face, he was missing a shirt though.
"Hm, not bad," she sniffed.
She had meant the comment as a joke but the more she stared at him, the more it became the truth.
"It's a shame we're so different, he's actually cute," she giggled to herself.
She said it with high spirits but a part of her did feel something similar to a twinge of disappointment.
It really was a shame he didn't like her.
He may make her feel human but he would never see her as such.
He'll only see what he wants to see, just like everyone else.
Truly, a shame.
================================
The pagodas and the palaces, dressed in gold leaf, hide the damages.
Spot the Geisha, as she balances, life's a cake-walk, full of challenges.
Hope you enjoyed that chapter!
XOXO
LeafCake