after the split of the girl group, "aubrey's angels," rising star karianah hayes is thrust into the spotlight, navigating the challenges of becoming a solo artist. with tensions high and old friendships crumbling, karianah's world is turned upside d...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
10:02 am.
It's Monday, and I've successfully avoided any form of communication with Jordan since Saturday. I don't know if that's something to be proud of, but right now, I just need space. The texts, the missed calls—I've seen them all, but I've left them unread. Part of me feels guilty for the silent treatment, but the other part? The other part is still too angry and confused to care.
I lay in bed, staring at my phone on the nightstand. The temptation to pick it up and respond is real, but every time I even think about it, the image of Serayah's Instagram profile flashes through my mind. Her perfect life, her career, her everything. I hate that I'm comparing myself to her, but it feels like I'm standing in her shadow, wondering if Jordan still sees her when he looks at me.
I get up and drag myself to the kitchen. Maybe some coffee will snap me out of this haze. As the machine hums, I lean against the counter and stare out of the window. I haven't written a single lyric since Saturday. I've never felt this distracted by someone before, and I don't know how to handle it.
My phone buzzes again, this time it's a voicemail from Jordan. I hesitate, but curiosity wins, and I press play.
"Karianah...I don't know what's going on, but we need to talk. I miss you, and I don't want to lose you over something I'm not aware of. Please, just call me back when you're ready."
His voice is calm, sincere even, and it tugs at me, but I'm not ready. Not yet. I close my eyes, feeling the weight of my indecision settle in.
My plans for a quiet, uneventful day fly right out the window when the door swings open, and Ariel, Mariah, and Summer burst into the house, their voices filling every corner. I'm caught completely off guard. My heart skips a beat, but it's impossible not to smile seeing my friends, even if the surprise shakes me up a bit.
"Okay, spill it," Summer says, crossing her arms, her eyes narrowing in on me. "What's going on? You look like you haven't slept in days."
I force a smile, hoping to play it off, but it doesn't last long. Before I can even say a word, Mariah jumps in, eager to tell my story for me. "Oh, girl, let me tell you. It all started at Steph and Ayesha's house on Saturday night. We were playing Never Have I Ever, right? And things got real weird, real fast."
I cringe slightly as Mariah starts spilling the details I've been avoiding. Summer raises an eyebrow, looking between the two of us. "Weird how?"
Mariah, never one to waste time, launches into the whole thing. "Okay, so we're all sitting around, and Jordan's answering questions about past relationships. I notice Karianah's mood shift, like she's picking up on something I'm not. And then Jordan starts answering like... maybe he's not fully over someone from his past."
My face flushes, a mixture of embarrassment and frustration. It's easier to let Mariah tell the story, though, than to relive it out loud myself.
"After that," Mariah continues, "Kari and I sneak off to the bathroom to talk about it. We just had to figure it out, right? So, we pull up Jordan's Instagram, and what do we find? We type in 'S' and boom—his ex, Serayah, pops up. And get this—he's still following the bitch."
