“Ellie,” Samar uttered as she slowly entered the room.

            “Yes, what is it?” she replied while still fixing the bag she was bringing to work.

            “What time did you arrive? And you’re leaving already?” Samar asked again as she shook her head in disapproval.

            Ellie lightly laughed. “Well, it’s work. I don’t have any right to complain.”

            “Did you even get enough sleep? Aren’t you tired? Maybe you can sleep for a few hours more. What if you suddenly become sick again?” Samar continuously said with concern.

            “I’m all right. Don’t worry. I will certainly take a rest once I get tired,” Ellie replied as she closed and placed the bag she was carrying near the door of her room.

            “Do you want me and Krizzia to come with you? She said that you told her that you wouldn’t be coming home for 3 days. Why?” Samar inquired carefully.

            Ellie sat down on her bed and faced her friend. “Well the next shooting is quite far from here. And all the staff members and the DBSK boys will be staying in a rented house so they wouldn’t have any problem getting on the location and coming home to rest. Some of the female crew said I could stay there as well. And I have analyzed their suggestion. And I think it would really be more convenient for me if I stayed there as well.”

            “What? Are you sure about what you’re doing?” Samar asked with horror written all over her face.

            Ellie looked at her friend curiously. “Why? What’s wrong if I stayed there? Why are you so afraid?”

            Samar tried to hide her nervousness. “Uhmm, it’s just that I am worried about you being near so many male staff. You know you don’t really have control of yourself once you’re already mixed up with men,” she tried to explain.

            “Oh, about that…. I am also worried about that. What do you suggest I do? I really need to stay near the new location if I want to finish all my work on time,” Ellie said with a sigh.

            Samar suddenly started to think of a solution. She was afraid of so many things. She was afraid that Ellie might suddenly have an attack while being in the company of the male crew members. Even if it was accidental or just a quick contact, she was sure that it would still have a negative effect on Ellie. Aside from that, she was also worried that Ellie might unexpectedly discover that she and Krizzia had already told the DBSK boys about her real identity and her real condition. And it was the thing she was most worried about.

            “How about we just come with you? Look we won’t be a bother. We will just be looking out for you like we usually do. While you’re on the set, Krizzia and I can go around the house… cleaning and cooking. I think the other staff members won’t mind, if you bring us along,” Samar tried to convince her friend.

            “But… “ Ellie started to utter.

            “Come on. You need us. If we suddenly find out that there is no more place for us to stay there, we can just rent a hotel room or another house near the place where they are staying. You should have told me about it much sooner so I could have searched for a place where we can all stay,” Samar said in a convincing way.

            Ellie stared at her friend again. She knew that she had a point. She really needed her friends beside her wherever she goes. “Okay. I will just call the director and inform him that I will be bringing you guys along.”

            Samar smiled then nodded. “Yes, that’s good. So I will be packing my things now. I will also tell Krizzia that we will be coming along.”

            “Yes. I think she would be totally thrilled. I know she wants to come along also judging by the way she was talking and asking me about things,” Ellie quickly replied.

            “You’re totally right about that,” a voice suddenly said.

            Ellie and Samar both turned to look at the door and saw Krizzia smiling happily at them.

            “So when are we leaving?” she asked with a grin on her face.

            Ellie laughed out loud. “See… I told you she was so interested,” she said to Samar.

            Samar laughed also. “Yes, I can see that. Well you better start packing Krizzia. We’re going as soon as possible.”

            Krizzia gave a much wider grin. “You don’t have to tell me. I already packed. All my things are already waiting near the front door.”

            “What?” Ellie asked with a shock expression on her face. “So you were really planning to come along even if I didn’t say so?”

            Krizzia nodded. “Yes. Do you really think I would allow you to go to a far place without me? You’re my baby sister. And I won’t be able to sleep if you go without me,” she said sweetly as she approached Ellie and lovingly hugged her.

            Ellie couldn’t help but smile. She was very lucky to have Samar and Krizzia with her. They have been her constant companions during the rough times of her life. And she knew she wouldn’t be able to pass all those horrible years without them. She owed them her life.

            Samar sighed. “Hey, let’s start moving. I will just arrange my things and we can leave right away.”

            Krizzia stared at Samar. “I already locked the windows and I already checked the whole apartment. And I already arranged your bag as well. It’s beside my bag outside,” she said with a giggle.

            Samar started to laugh again. “Oh, Krizzia. Sometimes I wonder if you’re a mind reader or something.”

            “Hey, we have been with each other for so many years. I can basically read your minds already. So don’t wonder…” Krizzia replied with a smile.

            “Well, if both of you are already set to go… Then let’s leave already. I don’t want to be late,” Ellie said.

            Samar and Krizzia immediately went straight to the door. “Let’s go…” they uttered cheerfully.

            Before Ellie left her room, she suddenly grabbed a small item from her drawer. She didn’t know why. But she always brought that small item with her wherever she goes. Some might say it was her lucky charm. But she knew it had a different meaning for her.

That small item had its own dark secret just like her. It is something that connects her to the past. And it is what constantly reminds her to always set her feet on the ground. That small item… just like her is already incomplete. And no matter what happens there will never be a chance for her and for that special item to be whole again.

Ellie carefully placed the mysterious item in a secret pocket of her bag.

“Ellie, come on. Hurry,” Krizzia called out.

“Coming,” she quickly replied as she hurriedly went out of her room.

While on their way to the new location, Ellie unexpectedly fell asleep. Samar who was sitting beside her just allowed her to sleep thinking that she needed more rest.

*************************

Deeper and deeper….

Ellie started to dream of something…… something quite familiar.

“Hello pretty baby… I will be taking care of you tonight. So don’t worry and just enjoy what I’m going to do with you. I will be your very first teacher,” a male voice said with a deafening laugh.

Ellie tried to set herself free from the tight grip of the men who were holding her down. The man on top of her was already moving back and forth. Her mind was already screaming for the man to stop. The pain was unbearable.

Unexpectedly, she was able to loosen her right hand. She tried to push the man on top of her with just one hand. But she was weak and small. The only thing she was able to do was grab the necklace and pendant of the man on top of her.

A small item came loose, but not the whole pendant.

One of the men held her hand tightly again. And her agony started all over. This time there was nothing she could do but cry and hold on to the other half of the pendant that was tightly locked up in her hand.

It was a part of her now… a part of her past and her future.