Page 46 of I Fell for an Alien Popstar

Her life and mine would be tied together in a way that didn’t care about distance or careers or the fact that she had grown up beneath alien suns while I was just a human living below minimum wage in a gloomy apartment.

But part of me wanted that so badly it hurt—to be the person whose name her whole world narrowed down to. To be seen all the way through and chosen anyway.

And part of me was terrified that if I let it happen, I’d find out I wasn’t enough.

Good grief, I sounded like I was in some sappy rom-com. But the truth was that it was real, and it felt like standing on the edge of something huge and irreversible, trying to decide if I was brave enough to step forward.

“You’re very wise for someone currently dual-wielding a Space Dog and Nebs,” I said. “Her world and mine are so different. I’m not sure I can give her what she needs. I just… need to sort out my thoughts.”

“Humans really are such finicky creatures,” she teased.

“Yeah, yeah. We can’t all be little nymphomaniacs like Velans,” I shot back.

“I, for one, think this could be a good thing for Zhari,” Yuki said without looking up from his phone. “She needs someone. She has been spicy lately, and I think she just needs to—”

Yuki gestured with two fingers in front of his lips, then slowly licked between them.

Lyn scoffed.

“Ew. You’re giving background NPC.”

Yuki let out a groan. “You know it’s true, Lyn. Since Vada has been here, she has mellowed out a bit.”

He winked at me.

I nervously laughed because I was sure he knew we’d been fooling around.

“What are you doing on your phone, anyway? Talking to a babe yourself?” I teased.

“If you must know, no. Not that I don’t get babes. I totally do.” He turned his phone toward me. “But I’m playing NebulaPets. I just earned enough StarCoin to finally buy my Earth Dragon the Shiny Pet House 3000. I even had some left over and got him a lava outfit.”

He beamed. He looked very pleased with himself as he smiled and continued pressing buttons on his phone.

“Oh, I didn’t know you played NebulaPets. I have a Cosmic Hamster named Sidney that I’ve been trying to level up. I’m only level twenty-one, and it’s been such slow progress just getting there.”

I let out a sigh and leaned forward slightly to watch him play.

“You guys are lame,” Lyn butted in. “I’m going to pester the sound guys. There is this totally hot blonde who I know has been checking me out.”

Lyn smirked and left the table.

“Have fun,” I teased.

I tapped my wrist comm and opened the NebulaPets app. I brought up my Comet Hamster and flashed the holo toward Yuki.

“Here, open your hologram, and let’s be friends. I think making new friends gives you, like, one hundred StarCoin.”

“Oh, that’s totally high-frequency. I know they did that a while back for new players. Thanks for letting me know. I’m going to make the sound guys join up.”

Yuki flashed his holo toward mine. We let them sit there for a moment until we heard a soft zzziiipp, then they broke apart.

Yuki closed his phone and stood up.

“Well, enjoy the rest of your time before the show tonight. I’m going to get me some more StarCoin.”

He winked and walked away, picking up Nova from one of the tables.

The show that night was at a midsize venue carved into the side of a cliff. It had a glass roof where you could see the stars.