Between the gleaming and blinking of various calming color lights, the illuminated building stood high and grand, exposing its exquisite outlook, attracting gazes miles away. Fancy cars were stopping in front of the entrance, the people who left them were either becoming a part of the long lines or showing their VIP passes to get an immediate entry, becoming the envy of people waiting for their turn. Their bodies were adorned in dresses that could be seen in the top designers' shops but still had to stand in lines to wait for their turns to enter the club. Yet their expressions of all zeal and enthusiasm were not effected, bustling with voices filled with anticipation.

The Z'nA, the lights that ornamented around the name were enough to enhance the richness it represented. Whoever passed through the doors of the Z'nA was pictured by the paparazzi scattered around the corners. They didn't have to struggle to get any clear shot as whoever entered those doors haughtily looked toward their cameras, not wanting to lose the chance of prideful-boasting to the ones who failed to get their hands on the passes.

In between all the vibrance and liveliness that filled the air, a black Bentley Continental halted right before the entrance, with an SVU following behind it also stopped. People who were to witness this scene, this was not new for them, but still, their eyes were trained on the scene in front of them, curious to know who'll step out of the car.

The front door opened, at the same time, from the SUV two security sturdy guards also stepped down, and came to stand on the right side of the car. The driver, in his typical uniform, came to open the right door of the backseat, first came in sight the stilettos heels followed by the tall figure of the girl who gracefully stepped outside in her black dress. Dressed elegantly, between the people beautified with sensuous and bright colors, her dress, posture, and stance emitted grace and distinction.

Everyone noticed how her eyes didn't even move toward the people standing in the lines or corners and directly walked toward the tall & muscular bouncers checking the people, to allow them to enter the club. The driver left, but the guards followed her until they halted in front of the security, the girl didn't dismiss them. It was no hidden fact that none of the outside security was allowed inside the club except its own, the spectators were curious about how confidently she allowed her guards to follow her, even movie stars and models were not allowed to bring their guards.

Not minding the curious eyes as always, before the security could ask, Allea opened her clutch and took out the card, handed it over to the bouncers eyeing doubtfully the two men stood behind her. The moment his eyes fell on the card in Allea's hand, for the first time, his stoic face changed colors seeing the gleaming platinum seal. Taking the card from Allea's hand, he hastily opened and seeing the signature inside it, surely made him sweat a little. Not wanting to make the esteemed guest in front of him wait any further, he called the security dressed in the darker shade uniform and showed them the signature.

"Miss Ciarve, this way please."

Allea was not surprised when the guards in darker uniform knew her name, she recognized the clothes they were wearing, exactly similar to the ones she saw at Elijah's race; Aris Salvadge's security.

Nodding softly, Allea followed them, not only anyone didn't stop her guards to enter the club but also two of the darker uniformed ones walked ahead with Allea in between them, following them at her own pace. Seeing the whole ordeal, the waiting envious eyes were startled, they were questioning each other, inquisitive to know the identity of the woman. Even the paparazzi was also waiting for her to look toward them, but the face that was vaguely hidden behind her open hair not once turned in any direction.

To catch the glimpse people moved forward, to have a click of the clear view. As the crowd of cameraman changed their position, from behind them revealed a pair of amber eyes, whose line of sight was also in line with the other pairs of eyes surrounding him. His face appeared blurry from the shadow of the cap and the smoke of cigarette on his lips but the golden tint of his eyes, reflected the back of a girl dressed in black, amidst the bodyguards entering the club.

The inside of the spacious and gorgeous club stood highly contrary to the outside's organized and somewhat calm atmosphere. The blasting music and the colorful flickering lights welcome the sight of the person, with each step taken toward the crowd frenzied with energy and the joyful vibe of the club, one should be ready to lose himself in the rhythm that awaited him. People who were still to be a part of this rush chose to enjoy it with their drink or with whom they were there to waste-away the night. Once in a while, their roaming gaze would move toward the entrance and they would see people becoming a part of the flow and some familiar faces which they are used to be seeing on magazines or their screens, going toward the upper floors private lounges. Such gazes caught the sight of a petite figure, walking amid guards, under the lights of the club her face was difficult to recognize but they could assume her to be someone of high status from the security that guarded her movements and made her stand separate from the vigorous crowd.

As the security in front of her took a turn away from the ground floor of people dancing in the beat of the night, Allea's steps paused.

Till now she hardly let her gaze wander, and when she did, it was toward the place her past-self always seated herself. From her emotionless face, it made it unlikely to see through her thoughts, but the eyes that were just moments ago sparkling suddenly turned cold, as a foreign feeling filled them.

Without turning her head toward the security now at her side, her eyes still raised toward the far-away spot. She simply took a step toward them, so, they could hear her clearly over the loud music in the background, and stated her dismissing words, "I'll find my way from here, no need to guide me any further."

The security hesitated to respond but before they could stop her and say another, 'Mr. Salvadge's waiting,' gesturing toward her guards to stand at the side, Allea was already walking in the direction her eyes were trained on. The few gazes who saw her leaving the guards lost her sight the moment she became a part of the buzzing crowd.

Walking through the sides, not wanting to stumble, Allea carefully took her each step, until passing through the people drowned in excitement, she reached the other corner of the club. There, the countless men and women drinking, sitting, or leaning against the extended bar, Allea stared at the stool she paused in front of. A soft smile appeared on her face as her mind drifted toward the times her one-self, many times leaned against it, to turn her head and eyes again & again toward the upper rooms on the opposite side. Even if that self couldn't look past that glass window, her past-self wanted to be the sight of the eyes that hid behind it.

"Wine please, the finest you have."

After saying this to the bartender who came forward to hear her order, Allea gracefully sat down on the stool, turning her back toward the rest of the world, including the one awaited and other curious pairs of eyes that were fixed on her back.

.

.

.

.

"Can I buy you a drink?"

"No."

"Hey, I'm noticing for quite a time, would mind having...a dance with me?"

"I'm fine here."

A gorgeous girl like yourself, sitting here alone, that isn't right, now is it?"

Some were given short curt answers, some were dismissed with a mere silence, through all her eyes didn't move from the redness of wine. For the past hour, various come and go, trying to start a conversation with Allea, after all, she was in a night club but seeing her utterly uninterested and getting a rude or obstinate silence, they left from where they came. Allea just sat there, her left arm placed on the counter and her face resting against the palm of her hand, the other hand's fingers moving against the rim of the wine glass, from which she didn't sip once.

Sitting there she resembled a part of the crowd that surrounded her, just one another adult here to enjoy the beautiful night in the city's most expensive club. Maybe a lot of them mistook her as one of them; among the people enjoying the joys of life and wasting away the pleasure of money or assumed her to be just another normal girl of her age. Yet, she was so distant from all of this and all of them.

Her feelings and thoughts certainly weren't near theirs, she was lost in the flow of things she has seen or been but for the first time, her face has a serene smile when her mind's sinking in the depth she dreads. For the first time, she tried to accept these depths, in a palace where once a part of her lived. She found the feeling of being surrounded by noise but the silence of her own self rather beautiful. The countless people who were just steps away yet her feeling peaceful at being alone in the place where she once craved a company, so desperately, felt good. And this good made her smile to herself.

She didn't know out of all places, this will remind her how far she has come. When she's staring at herself, for the first time, instead of her reflection she's seeing her past as a mist of smoke like her dreams, but this time instead of trying to capture it she, herself, wants it to scatter away.

Like an illusion that'll soon all scattered away in the new wind and never to be seen or remembered.