The Supernova Effect

Part two: The First Light

"After the core collapses it
sends a shock wave out.
the shock compresses and heats
producing a very bright flash
of light from the inside of the star."

Nova

I spent most of the morning pretending not to look at my phone.

Which was stupid.
Because every time it lit up, my chest tightened anyway.

Daisuke:
Can we talk?

Daisuke:
Please answer.

Daisuke:
Nova.

I flipped the phone face down against my bed for the fourth time and stared harder at the ceiling instead.

Outside my window, sunlight spilled across the backyard while somebody nearby cut grass loud enough to be annoying.

Everything around me felt painfully normal considering my life had basically imploded twelve hours ago.

I still smelled faintly like Daisuke's from the clothes I forgot to give back.

That somehow made everything worse.

My phone buzzed again.

Before I could spiral any harder, Nahmari's FaceTime request lit up across the screen.

I answered immediately.

She squinted at me for half a second before speaking.

"Oh, you're spiraling bad."

"I am not spiraling."

"Yes you are." She adjusted herself against her pillow. "Now tell me why you haven't let him explain himself yet?"

"What is there to explain? His mom pretty much said everything."

"You love him, don't you?"

The question hit harder than I expected.

I looked away immediately.

"We're not doing this."

"That's not a no."

I sighed dramatically and dropped back against my mattress.

"But he has a fiancée."

"Allegedly," Nahmari shrugged.

I frowned.

"How is that your takeaway?"

"Nova, wealthy families set their kids up all the time. Half them people date for networking opportunities."

Despite myself, I laughed a little.

"I'm serious," she continued. "That doesn't automatically mean he was playing you."

I stared quietly at the ceiling again.

Because honestly?