DEAR MY LOVE, LILI

CHAPTER 9 - CHICAGO CONCERT, 1993

Is Lilianna here yet?

Has Dave found her?

What if he brought the wrong girl? 

Those questions lingered in Rosie's mind as she was showering. She was worried about having a stranger in the changing room—a fan who also wore a yellow shirt? And if that was the case, she wasn't the only one who would leave the building with a broken heart, the fan would too. It would be awkward for Rosie, and it would be embarrassing for the fan to find out that the superstar's manager had taken the wrong person.

"I am so sorry, I thought you were someone else." She sighed, her arms were up against the shower wall as water flew down from her neck. "Thank you so much for coming to my concert. Can I give you a hug?"

Rosie had dialogues and apologies in her mind ready, just to be safe. She rehearsed and prepared herself too much in meeting the fan until she forgot to focus on another possibility; what if it's really Lilianna? 

Rosie had heard the door of the changing room multiple times, some noises and chatting too, so she knew that Dave had fetched her someone, as instructed. The staff had also played some of her hit songs on all the speakers to fill in the entire concert hall, while fans were exiting the building. It was loud enough for her to listen from the inside of the shower room, making her heart race from the suspense and curiosity. If only the music didn't interrupt the surrounding, she thought she could have listened to the chatting in the room better. She could have recognised the owner of the voice without having to breathe in those unanswered questions.

As much as the thoughts of reuniting with Lilianna had troubled her peace, Rosie had a bigger concern. What if their friendship and love that used to bound them together back then were now lost in their memories? Five years had passed since boarding school, Lilianna could be a different person than Rosie last remembered, considering she had changed as a person as well. She was not the same girl from Maple Hills anymore. But Rosie would love to believe that nothing about her beautiful bond with Lilianna had changed.

Running a little, Rosie left the shower room and went behind a bamboo partition at the side of the toilet door, where she would get dried off and ready as Dave walked toward her.

"Rosie?" He called, placing his hand on top of the divider.

"Did you get her?" She responded with a direct question since that was her main priority.

"Yeah, she's waiting for you. But who is she?"

"Why do you want to know, hmm?" She pushed herself up and widened her eyes at the man, being playful.

"Because I'm your manager, and I arrange who you're going to meet." He kept his gaze through the upper spaces of the partition, which gave him a view of the singer's forehead. "She's not in your meeting list, that's for sure."

"Honey, would you be so kind as to fetch my hand lotion on the dressing table?"

"Sure."

Rosie put a simple black turtle-neck dress on her clean body since the night was particularly windy. She cared more about protecting her skin since she didn't want to risk catching cold stress, so it didn't matter to her at that time to dress up. And she also had kept her wavy-styled hair dry so she wouldn't need to do her hair again after the shower, hoping that she at least looked presentable to meet Lilianna.

"So, who is she?" Dave repeated his question earlier when he had returned and passed the lotion to Rosie.

"Why didn't you ask her earlier?"

"I did, but she doesn't talk at all. Maybe she's mute."

"Or she's just nervous."

"Who is she, Rosie?"