The next morning, Nova woke up groggy and completely exhausted. Her entire body ached like she'd just run a marathon — which, in her case, was just a night of scrolling endlessly through her phone.
She'd spent hours re-reading posts, comments, and praises about her, staring in awe as her account exploded with followers.
Fame. It was surreal. It felt like a drug — intoxicating, powerful.
Right now, Kalaya was like a god who could do anything for her. But Nova? She didn't see Kalaya as a savior. She saw her as a stepping stone — one she would climb to reach her destined greatness.
But then, her mind drifted to Daniel.
Daniel was... something else. That perfectly sculpted jawline. The abs. The smooth, chiseled build that looked like it came straight from a Greek myth. And that voice...
God, that voice.
Knowing Kalaya had its perks, and Daniel was one of them. A rising musician with mystery in his eyes, and maybe — just maybe — he was flirting with her. She wasn't sure. But it definitely felt like it.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Honey, wake up — it's already late!"
Nova groaned as her father's voice echoed from behind the door.
"I'm up, Dad," she muttered, rubbing her eyes and trying to clear her cloudy thoughts.
With a deep breath and one final push, she rolled out of bed and shuffled through her morning routine. After showering, she stood in front of her open wardrobe, scanning her clothes one by one.
"I seriously need to go shopping," she mumbled.
Finally, she settled on a pink cropped shirt layered over a black tank top, paired with blue jean shorts and baseball boots.
"Something's missing…"
Her eyes swept the room until they landed on a cream-colored sweater lying on the floor.
"There!"
She grabbed it and tied it around her waist, then stepped in front of the mirror for a final check. At her vanity, she applied a bit of gloss and light makeup, curled her hair into a ponytail, and let her baby hairs fall across her forehead.
Looking at her reflection, she smiled.
"Not bad."
Satisfied with her vibrant look, she picked up her bag and headed for the door.
---
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Her boots echoed down the stairs. The rest of the Lane family was already downstairs — talking, laughing, the house buzzing with casual weekend energy.
Nova paused midway down the steps, took a breath, and smiled.
"Morning, family!" she called out as she reached the last step.
Her dad was at the table, placing plates loaded with bacon and eggs.
He looked up. "It's actually afternoon, hun. You overslept. Were you up on your phone all night again?"
Nova squinted, lips pressed together in a sheepish, pleading grin. "Last night was totally worth it!"
He gave her a look but chuckled anyway. "Come eat your brunch."
Just as she moved to join them, something wrapped tightly around her waist. She looked down to find Noah, her little brother, hugging her like a koala.
"There you are, you cheeky little monkey!" Nova beamed, lifting him off the ground and spinning him slightly.
He laughed, face glowing with joy.
"I'm not cheeky! I'm naughty!" he corrected with a dramatic pout.
Nova gasped. "Even that was cheeky! Besides, they kinda mean the same thing, don't—"
"...they."
Nova's words faltered.
She felt it. That shift in energy. That strange, unwanted presence in the room.
Her mood darkened.
"We have company," she said coldly, eyes narrowing.
The talking and laughter immediately stopped.
Her dad cleared his throat and moved toward the living room, where Nova's mom stood... beside Nylah, her older sister.
And next to Nylah?
Nova's gaze sharpened.
Luke.
Nylah's boyfriend. The very reason the rift between the sisters kept widening.
Nova's face said it all: this brunch just became very awkward.
Luke was... something.
Luke was... something.
Tall, smug, always grinning like he had a secret. The kind of guy who thought charm could hide everything ugly underneath.
Nova didn't buy it.
"Hi, Nova," Luke said with that slow, fake-polite tone. "Been a while."
"Not long enough," she mumbled, but only loud enough for Noah to hear.
He giggled.
Nylah rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Really? You're doing this again?"
Nova met her sister's stare. "I'm not doing anything. Just being honest."
Their dad stepped in quickly, trying to keep the peace. "Alright, girls, not today. Can we just eat like a normal family for once?"
Their mom was quiet the whole time. Watching.
Until Nova caught her looking — the kind of look that dug under her skin. She quickly looked away, pretending to be busy buttering a slice of toast.
"Nova, did you sleep well?" her mom asked suddenly.
Nova froze for a second. The question wasn't innocent.
"Fine," she said flatly. "Thanks."
"I saw your story," her mom added, sipping tea. "You've been spending a lot of time with that girl. Kalaya?"
Her tone said more than a question — it was a warning wrapped in concern.
Nova smiled, sweet and sharp. "Yeah. She's amazing. Famous. Talented. Honest."
The last word hung there, like poison in the air.
Her mom's smile thinned.
Nylah tensed, glancing between them.
Silence.
Even Noah stayed quiet.
Nova pushed her chair back. "I'm done eating."
"Nova—" her dad started.
But she was already halfway up the stairs, her boots echoing like thunder.
---
NOVA POV
I slammed my door, dropped my bag, and fell on the bed.
My family was a mess. Nylah chose Luke over me. My mom cheated and expected us to pretend like it never happened. And my dad... he forgave too easily.
It was easier to be in Kalaya's world.
Where things were shiny and beautiful and didn't hurt as much.
But the truth?
The real truth?
I missed when my life was simple.
I just didn't want to go back.
---