In Love: Against All Odds

Wait, Why Does Jade Kason Know You?

You Need to Calm Down – Taylor Swift 😵‍💫🚗💨
"Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, you need to calm down..."

----

We had slipped back into our usual rhythm—lunch breaks together, roasting each other's old uni designs, brainstorming ideas for the next big collection at Arymeline. It was fun. It felt normal. Like, yeah, this is how things were always supposed to be.

Even with all the chaos at work—the deadlines, the pressure, Lydia being her usual tyrannical self—Adri and I somehow managed to carve out our own little space of sanity. Flynn was around too, always ready with some flirty remark that made me roll my eyes (and okay, maybe blush a little, but whatever). Life was finally starting to feel stable again.

Then, one weekend, the universe decided to throw me into the deep end of WTF is happening?

For once, we actually had a day off. No meetings, no last-minute fabric crises, no Natalie breathing down my neck about schedules. Just me and Adri, out in the city, taking in the rare moment of freedom.

"I can't believe we finally have time to breathe," I said, adjusting my bag.

"I know, right? I was starting to forget what fresh air felt like," Adri joked.

We wandered through the shopping district, weaving in and out of boutiques, grabbing overpriced coffee, catching up on everything we never had time to talk about between work and, well, life. The city was loud, but in that familiar, background-noise way, blending into our conversation like a comforting hum.

Then we saw the crowd.

"Let's check it out," I said, already moving toward the commotion.

I figured it was some street performer or influencer, some local buzz. But the second I caught a glimpse of the person at the center of it all, I swear, my brain fully short-circuited.

Jade Kason.

THE Jade Kason. The global pop icon. The Adri's-literal-religion Jade Kason. The one whose music had gotten her through everything.

I turned to her, expecting a full-blown freakout. Squealing, jumping, possibly fainting. But she just... stood there.

Not moving. Not breathing.

"Adri?" I asked, completely thrown by her reaction.

"We need to leave," she muttered, already backing away.

Okay. What?

"What? Are you—Adri, what is going on?"

She didn't answer. Just grabbed my wrist, practically dragging me away.

And then.

Then I saw it.

Jade's gaze sweeping over the crowd, pausing, and landing right on Adri.

His expression shifted—just for a second—but I saw it. Recognition.

The oh-shit-I-know-you kind.

Kat.exe has stopped working.

"Wait." My brain finally caught up. "WAIT. Why is he looking at you like that?"

Adri just yanked me harder.

We ducked into a nearby café, and the second we were inside, I ripped my hand free.

"Adri, STOP!" I hissed. "What the hell was that? Why are you acting weird? And why does Jade freaking Kason—literal global superstar—look like he knows you?"