Page 20 of I Fell for an Alien Popstar

We sat there for a moment in silence. My hands were sweaty and trembling. My face was hot. But something had shifted. The panic was still there, but it had company now—curiosity.

I didn’t know her, but I wanted to.

We were interrupted by a sharp knock at the door.

“Ms. Lumis? We’re due on the post-show stream in five. Have you finished with—”

The door opened a fraction, revealing a sleek Velan in business attire, a tablet in hand, and a very annoyed expression on her face. Her gaze flicked to me.

“Ah.”

“Sira,” Zhari beamed. “This is Vada.”

Sira gave me a glare before stepping fully inside the room. “Ah, yes. The human. Hello, Vada. I’m Sira.”

“She will be staying in my suite tonight.”

“Sorry, I’m what now?” I cut in, my voice doing a weird little octave jump. “Staying where?”

"Would you stay the night with me in my suite?"

"I uh— I mean yeah I would love that," I stuttered, my brain still obviously lagging.

Sira’s eyes widened. “Ms. Lumis.”

“It’s getting late,” Zhari said. “The city is not safe for a human alone after a show this size. You said so yourself last month about the journalist from Oris.”

“That was different.”

“It’s exactly the same, and you know it.” Zhari let out a long, weary sigh. “I just… I don’t want to do damage control for another incident. It’s tiring, you know? So, I’d really like it if she could stay with me, okay?”

They stared at each other. Something was negotiated in the silence that I was not equipped to decode, especially while I was still stuck on the part where I was apparently spending the night in her suite.

“Very well,” Sira said. “One night. Security will sweep the corridor. I will reroute her guest-pod registration. Vada I will take your bags.”

She looked at me.

“Don’t touch anything.”

“You’re the second person to tell me that tonight, and I have to say, I think I’m doing a good job of listening.” I smirked.

“As you should. Humans are curious creatures,” Sira added before leaving.

I rolled my eyes and watched her go.

“Pretty sure Sira does not like humans… or me,” I muttered.

Zhari turned back to me. “Sira is just being Sira. Someone will walk you to the suite.” She sighed. “I have to go chat with ten million people around the galaxy for a few minutes. Don’t run off on me.”

She sang the last part and winked.

“I definitely won’t,” I said, smiling.

Her smile softened as her fingers brushed my arm. “Okay. I’ll see you after.”

“Totally,” I smirked.

She fixed her robe and rolled her shoulders once, as if she were shrugging herself into character. Then she looked back at me and flashed another quick wink.