Page 95 of I Fell for an Alien Popstar

I looked down at our hands.

“This is the thing I was supposed to be doing. I know how that sounds—”

“It doesn't sound like anything. It’s true.”

“I used to keep my sketchbook half-hidden under a stack of reports like it was contraband.” I looked back up at her. “And now I get to do it with you. That’s the part I still can’t get my head around. I get the work and I get you.”

She was quiet for a moment. The glow of her aura brightened slightly around the collar of her sweater.

“I’m proud of you,” she said. “You know that.”

“You’ve mentioned it eleven or twelve times.”

“I’ll mention it again.” She leaned closer. “And now we have the whole summer. No tour. No arenas. No Sira scheduling my breathing.”

“The whole summer,” I repeated.

“Lyn left this morning. She’s staying with friends on the other side of Tessara. She sent me a photo of a lake with the caption, ‘drums,’ and no other information.”

“That tracks.”

“And Yuki leaves for Neptune in a few days.”

I sat up. “Neptune? For what?”

“The NebulaPets festival.” She said it flatly, like a woman who had been briefed on this against her will. “Apparently it’s enormous. Apparently there are panels. Apparently there’s a parade.”

“A parade?”

“He’s been talking about it for the past two weeks. There’s a limited-edition item involved. I stopped being able to follow it.”

“Okay, that’s actually huge. If Sidney gets a festival crown, I’m framing it.” I pointed at her. “Don’t tell him I said that. He’ll add me to the group chat.”

“You’re already in the group chat.”

“I’m already in the group chat,” I admitted.

She laughed.

“Still so cool,” I said, unable to hide my grin.

Zhari took another sip of her drink before setting it down and reaching for my hands again. I placed my cup on the table and gave them to her.

“Vada. I want to ask you something.”

My stomach flipped.

“Okay.”

“I’ve been looking at places,” she said. “Here in the city. Near the water district, on the quiet side, away from the arena.”

She swallowed.

“Not a hotel. Not a bus bunk. An actual place. And I don’t want to look at any of them unless you’re looking at them with me.”

I stared at her.

“Are you asking me to move in with you?”