Chantel enjoyed hanging around at Marble Cafe whenever she felt stressed out, especially if it came with work and the band. The small cafe around town is hangout hub for college students, high school students, business people, and anyone who is a bit of a coffee addict. It is also where many of the local musicians even got their first start here.

The cafe had a little performance area in the middle of the room where local artists performs every Friday night. In the room's corner, Chantel sat in a brown booth where she sips her cup of green tea, flipping through a pamphlet. The smell of coffee and baked goods filled her nose as she wished she would've ordered some chocolate chip cookies on the side. She stopped flipping through the pamphlet and gazed around the mocha-colored wall cafe. It seemed to be just a normal day. Customers visiting and chatting with each other, excited about the first night of the festival.

Once again, Chantel then opened up the pamphlet again to read through it. Roland gave her the pamphlet earlier to help her learn more about the Rise of Light. As she skimmed through, there were pictures of members volunteering around the community. The group had done school drives for homeless students or creating community gardens. The Rise of Light seemed to do a lot for the community. To Chantel's eyes, they seemed like normal people and didn't know why Darren would be so cautious about them.

Her interest interrupted until she heard the scream of some young girls in the cafe. Chantel puts down the pamphlet to see a tall, tanned skinned man who entered the cafe. He had raven black long hair as he wore a white shirt with black ripped jeans and brown boots. Chantel glared at the man as instant hate raged up in her body. The man gave her smirk, and he came over to the booth where she sat.

"Great... Hello, Mr. Narcissist, or should I say, Mark The Narcissist." Chantel took another sip of her tea and tried to ignore this man's existence.

"Hello, J-ia. It is so nice to see you here. You look lovely today. What’s your secret on being so good looking?" Mark sat at the opposite side of the booth which made Chantel scoff at his friendly attempts.

"Flattery will not get you anywhere. What do you want?" Chantel said.

"Where's my little bro, Darren? I wanna meet up with him. I need to do some catching up with him." Mark asked, which Chantel took another sip, but this sip is loud enough for Mark's eyebrow to twitch in irritation . She hoped that that loud sip would get him to take a hint and leave her be.

"Really? Well, I don't know where he is. I'm not his keeper and why don't you I know.... Just call him to ask where he is." Chantel answered him callously as Mark leaned forward to her in his seat.

"You know?  I hoped that you would be a little nicer to me. You don't want to cause a scene here in front of all my adoring fans." Mark lowered his voice to her, looking around the room, making sure that no one hears them.

"Why would I be nice to you when you don't even give a damn about your brother to begin with? You're a two-faced asshole and I can see through your act! Now leave me alone." Chantel put her stuff in her black purse bag. She didn't have time to deal with this fake jackass when she had a gig tonight.

Mark noticed the pamphlet that Chantel had on the table, "So you're joining the Rise of Light?"

"Why is that any of your business?" Chantel spat back at him, grabbing the pamphlet and packs it in her bag.

"Nothing. Just as you know, the Rise of Light is a wonderful group. I'm glad you are giving them the chance." Mark smirked, then patted Chantel on the head.

That pat on her head felt insulting! Chantel hold her tongue so she grabbed her bags and green tea together. She got up to leave Mark behind and headed to the door. Chantel pushed through the giggling fangirls, who huddled over to Mark. She rolled her eyes at Mark as he flirted to his fans who surrounded all around him.

Chantel walked out of the cafe and thought to herself, "Should've pour the rest of my green tea on him to shut him up."

Chantel hated Mark in every fiber being in her bone. When Chantel was a child, she recalled the times Mark and well Darren’s older sister, Olive, bullied Darren. Chantel remembered one time that Darren was playing chess with Jesse at the small playground in her condominium community. A fight happened between Mark and Darren, which she didn't know what set it off. Chantel ran over to push Mark away from Darren while even Jesse even try to stop it.

Chantel could never forget the river of blood that stained Darren's face that time and the horrid words that Mark called Darren, "  You're Pathetic for hanging out with him!" which Chantel saw Mark pointed at Jesse when he said that. That was when the first moment she hated Mark. That incident didn't stop there. Chantel saw Darren being bullied by both his older brother, Mark, and sister, Olive often for years.  When Mark left Clare Point View for a chance to expand his music career, it was the most greatest thing  to happen to Chantel, Darren, and Jesse.

Outside of the cafe, the summer heat hit into her face in full force. She blends herself into a background with people as she headed out to the festival. As Chantel was walking, she almost fell forward when she felt nauseous. Her head hurt, which prompted her eyes to search for some place to sit.

"Not this crap again..." Chantel whispered to herself when her walking became staggered.

She knew what it was happening. It was Chantel's mystery illness. This illness has been a problem for her for years. She has considered putting herself on hiatus with the band, maybe end her music career completely. This sickness killed her dream of becoming a K-Pop Idol in a girl group. Chantel tried everything from going to doctor to doctor to see if she could get stronger medication or more surgery on her device.

All the doctors just shake their heads and claimed, "The device is working as it should. The best we could do is increase your medication dosage."

How she hated that answer. Chantel never believed in those doctors as there is something more to her illness.

She finally found a beach at a restaurant nearby where the Crystal Park is. Chantel plopped herself down on the bed and lean her head back. She gave herself about a few minutes to get herself together. Chantel can't ditch this gig at the last minute. She also didn't want to hear Jesse and Darren's constant worries over her.

"Chantel?"

She heard a voice before her eyes closed shut. She lifted her head up to see a middle-aged tall man. The man had brown hair and eyes wearing a casual cobalt professional outfit, standing in front of her. Chantel knew who this person is her band manager's Robert Mills. She turned his attention to him and replied, "Hi, Robert."

"Are you alright?" Robert sat next to Chantel in an empty spot on the bench.

"It's just a little headache. Nothing serious. Don't worry about me." Chantel waved her hand at Robert, not wanting to cause him to worry.

"You know? Chantel, if you are having any problems, you know you can come to me." Robert's face looked serious when Chantel stared at him.

"I'm fine." Chantel gets up from the branch, feeling better after the headache faded away a little.

Robert follows Chantel off the bench and offered his hand to Chantel. "Come on, let's head to the festival and meet up with the rest of the band." Robert smiled at her.

Chantel returned his smile with a nod in reply. She grabbed Robert's hand as they trekked over to Crystal Park.

~~~

Crystal Park seemed to get crowded with long lines of people waiting to enter the festival. Thankfully, Robert and Chantel could go through the back way of the festival grounds.  The festival organizers only allowed personnel people and performers to enter this area. After escaping the crowds, the two of them met with the band where Darren and Jesse are waiting at the big green artist's lounge near the backstage. Chantel looked over at her band leader, Linda, who had unnatural blond dyed hair. Linda's outfit had a similar outfit that Chantel is wearing. Her outfit comprises a turquoise tank top and jean jacket with ripped sleeves. Her black half high heels matched up with her ripped denim jeans. Chantel had to prepare herself mentally for Linda to throw her a bunch of questions.

"Chantel! I was so worried that you wouldn't show up with Jesse and Darren!" She fretted and grabbed Chantel's shoulders in concern. Linda even switched to speaking to her in Korean with the same questions, which almost annoyed her.

Chantel took a deep breath before she would answer any of her questions, before she replied, "I'm fine."

As much as Linda can be a tough leader, Chantel and Linda have a somewhat sister like relationship with each other which borderline overprotective. They bonded over their Korean heritage with Linda being American while Chantel with French background. While these questions were annoying, it is fair to let Linda know that she is okay. Linda never got over how Chantel almost passed out during their band practice a week ago.   Chantel hated how this illness screwing her up band practice and making everyone dramatic about her health. When Chantel finished talking with Linda, she grabbed a water bottle from the cooler and went to meet back up with Darren and Jesse.

Chantel then headed to her keyboard set to get herself ready, not wanting to dwell on the fact on the problem of her health. The artist lounge is full of many loud and annoying noises from today's performers and some of their fans trying to sneak in backstage without a pass. Chantel overheard the usual diva tantrum to the band drama, which she tried to ignore half of it. One voice she couldn't turn off is hearing a familiar whiny voice that sounded so loud enough which made Chantel cringe.

"My boot heel broke! I can't go out on the stage like this!" The annoying voice cried.

Chantel took a glance over her shoulder to see tanned skinned brunette haired Latina girl. She instantly recognized the girl as Leticia Hernandez-Santiago, the leader from a band called The Apple Queens. If Chantel had to describe Leticia in one word: Shallow.

Chantel had to endure overhearing Leticia is fussing over one of her broken boots. She couldn't stand this girl. Chantel met Leticia at summer camp along with Darren and Jesse when she was eleven. She had the most unfortunate occasion rooming a cabin with Leticia. Leticia's constant rude comments about Chantel's outfits and attention seeking behavior throughout the summer. The only thing made the cabin rooming situation tolerable was Leticia's best friend, Dakota was nice to her.

Chantel continued to listen to Leticia's whiny complaints while working on preparing her keyboard.

"Just wear your backup slip on shoes. It's not a big deal, Leticia." Chantel heard Leticia's band mate, Dakota's suggestion.

"Are you fucking kidding me? And have those ugly shoes mismatch my cute outfit!? Oh, hell no! I'm going to get some glue to fix it!," Leticia complained, which brought so much pain to Chantel's ears.

Chantel thought, "God, please kill me now from hearing this annoying and vain girl."

She never wanted to slap a girl so hard and tell her to get over herself. Again,  Chantel wondered why this whiny attention seeking woman is fronting and leading a band, anyway?

Chantel observed the lounge more and continued she watched other performers. She saw an attractive young man who she knew back from high school. The man had long wavy brown hair and is wearing a fine dressed casual white suit. Chantel at least knew him from walking around the hallways and seeing him sing a lot in her high school's show choir. The man's name was Lance Crow, known as a popular show-off choir boy back in school. She remembered watching him in talent shows and singing competitions. He always won, or at least finished in second place at those competitions and shows.

It was odd to see him here since Lance didn't want to make a career in singing. He wanted to become a doctor; he rejected the limelight even though the limelight wanted him. How did she know all this? Jesse told her this. Jesse was one of the popular kids when they were in high school. If there is any person who wants to know about Lance more, it's Jesse.

Chantel glanced over to Jesse who is sitting beside her, while he is tuning his guitar.

She waved at Jesse to get his attention, “Hey Jess." Jesse’s head turned to Chantel while she continued to speak, " Lance is here. Didn't he go to college? I thought that was his plan after high school?"

Jesse looked over to where Lance is. Lance was chatting to a bunch of different musicans and responded, " Yeah, I mean I thought the guy went to some Ivy League college but somehow he changed a music career under Darren’s older bro's label for mainstream artists.... " Jesse shrugged and finished tuning his guitar then continued, "I tried talking to him and he sounded kind of strange when he talked... He sounded like almost a robot. It kinda creepy if you ask me."

After listening to Jesse, this whole thing did sounded strange. Then again, a lot of weird stuff had been happening to her over the course of the day. From her illness, meeting Mark, Lance being here, and the whole Rise of Light thing. Chantel had a feeling in her gut that something is off. Maybe she is just exaggerating or just being dramatic. Chantel had to shake off these feelings since she had a gig to complete.

There was no time for dramatics tonight.