Chapter 51: The Art of Performance

The wind whipped through Mariana's hair, as they rode. Quam's words about the entertainment industry echoed in her ears, "thick skin," he'd said. She could almost feel her own skin thickening as she clung to him on the back of the electric bike. As they crossed the bridge, a wave of nostalgia washed over her. Everything looked so familiar, yet so different. The once vibrant period of her university life seemed faded now, replaced by the string of problems and challenges she had experienced recently. “I wish I could go back in time, to relive those carefree days. I’d have appreciated them better.” She muttered to herself, inaudibly. Sensing a shift in her mood, Quam tilted his head back slightly, his voice barely audible over the whirring of the motor. "Enjoying the ride, Mariana?" Shaking herself from her reverie, Mariana forced a smile. "It's… different," she admitted. "I guess I forgot how beautiful this campus is." "Different, how?" Quam pressed, his voice laced with cu