Page 69 of I Fell for an Alien Popstar

“Incredible,” I whispered.

“So why are you here?” I asked, shrugging off my hoodie. “I thought you lived in Lumara. What brings you to Tessara?”

She nudged the Neptune Academy shopping bag with her foot, making it crinkle.

“Back-to-Academy shopping,” she said proudly. “My second year at Neptune Academy starts in six weeks. Minia has the flagship store for one of our uniform lines, plus all the good stationery.”

“Paper that doesn’t disintegrate, pens that actually last through a whole exam—very important.”

“Second year,” I repeated. “So you’re basically a wise elder now.”

“Obviously.” She lifted her chin. “And since Zhari’s performing here anyway, what was I supposed to do? Not come see her again? That would be illegal.”

My chest did something stupid and fluttery.

“Speaking of Zhari and concerts,” she said, her eyes going bright, “have you seen this?”

She dug into her pocket and pulled out her chrome flip phone, flicking it open. With a few taps, a holographic compilation flickered to life above the table.

Clips floated into view. They were blurry concert footage, backstage shots, and glimpses of the bus. But you could definitely tell she was with a human woman because I was center frame in every one.

I was handing Zhari water in the viewing bubble. Standing in a corridor while she laughed at something. Walking with her to Orin’s market, holding hands.

“These videos are trending everywhere,” Pia’re said, her eyes glued to the holo.

I shook my head and let out a long sigh.

“Have you seriously not seen this? I wonder who she is. I bet they’re totally banging. Star Girlz magazine said she hasn’t had a girlfri—”

She broke off mid-sentence.

Her gaze flicked from the hologram to my face. Back to the hologram. Back to me.

“Wait a second,” she breathed.

I felt my soul exit my body and kick over a chair.

I opened my mouth to start the world’s fastest denial, but the server glided up out of nowhere, as if the universe had hit pause on our conversation.

“Two Luminal Fizz, one Frost Berry, one Deep-Water Mineral, and the Brellan Stack,” she said, sliding tall glasses onto the table.

The Frost Berry was pale blue with swirls of deep purple. The Deep-Water Mineral was a white slush with the top half of the drink blue. Both had bubbles that moved more slowly than physics seemed to allow, rising in languid trails. When I lifted one, it left little streaks of light on the glass.

The Brellan Stack was a tower of golden, slightly translucent discs topped with a drizzle that shimmered faintly. Steam curled off them, smelling like caramel and citrus and something savory I couldn’t place.

“Can I get you anything else?” the server asked.

“We’re good, thanks,” Pia’re said faintly, still looking between me and the holo.

I barely heard her. My focus had already drifted past the table and into the blue. Just beyond the server’s shoulder, large, flat, disc-shaped creatures coasted along the bottom with beautiful slowness.

I watched the ripple of their fins until the server’s uniform blurred into the background, a ghost floating away from our table.

Pia’re finally broke the spell, picking up her fork and sticking it into the stack of Brellan.

“Oh stars! Vada!” she shouted quietly, her eyes not leaving my face. “I don’t know why I didn’t see it before. Are you the woman in all the viral videos and photos? You’re the shadow girl?”

She pulled a piece of Brellan from the stack and onto her plate.