Page 43 of I Fell for an Alien Popstar

“Dune likes labels,” Zhari said.

“Well, at least I’ll be able to find it easily. I can’t read Velan, so this helps.”

Her mouth twitched, and she bit her lip as if she were trying not to laugh.

“So,” I said. “This is real. I feel like I’m dreaming.”

“Yes,” she said simply. “It’s real, and no, you’re not dreaming.”

For a second, we just stood there in the room, looking at each other quietly. Afternoon light filtered in through the narrow side windows.

The crew moved in the distance, loading cases and checking cables. Somewhere, an engine spun up and down, more purr than roar.

Zhari leaned back against the wall, still watching me as she smiled. My brain short-circuited like an overloaded circuit.

She broke eye contact first, her fingers lifting to toy with a loose light thread near her temple. The gesture was almost shy, which really wasn’t helping.

“So,” she said. “Come to rehearsal later? We’re trying a new transition into ‘Stellar Static.’ It sounds wrong in my head. Maybe you can listen and tell me your thoughts.”

“I’ll have to check my schedule,” I joked.

She let out a short laugh.

“Of course I’ll come,” I added quickly, heat rushing to my face. “You do realize you’re asking your most unqualified but extremely enthusiastic critic.”

“That is precisely what I want,” she said. “Someone who’s totally obsessed with me.”

She winked.

“As if.” I rolled my eyes and smiled.

She lingered in the doorway as if she didn’t actually want to go to her very important pop star things, which was ridiculous considering we were both going to end up back in this room, in this bed, later that night.

Then her wristband buzzed, and a faint line of light flashed across it.

“Okay, I should get to soundcheck,” she said, sounding as if she regretted it. “We roll out to the shuttle runway after supper. Once we launch, we can watch Vela shrink from the viewing bubble.”

Excitement punched through my ribs.

“I get a concert, a space launch, and more concerts? That’s, like… three teenage dreams for the price of one ticket.”

Her smile widened.

“You’re cute. I will come find you before we depart, and we can walk to the viewing bubble together.”

“I just can’t believe I’m here,” I gushed. “This is totally out of orbit.”

She nodded, then stepped back into the corridor.

“Do not wander too far and miss calls,” she added, pointing at me in mock warning. “Or Sira will come for you.”

She laughed as she closed her eyes and touched her belly.

“Oh, I won’t be,” I muttered under my breath.

She gave me one last quick smile, her teeth white and perfectly straight, then turned away. Her footsteps faded toward the front of the bus.

I sat on the bed. For a moment, I just stayed there, my hands resting against the sheets as the mattress dipped beneath me.