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...
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karianah hayes.
It's been a couple of days since I came back home, and for the first time in what feels like forever, I can finally breathe again. The familiar scent of the ocean breeze and the quiet calm of Long Island bring me a sense of peace I haven't felt in months. My injury's healing well—better than I expected—and though the pain isn't completely gone, I'm able to move without feeling like I'll collapse.
I needed this break. I needed to be far away from the chaos, from Lucian, from Joey, from the paparazzi. From everything.
I've been staying at my parents' house, visiting and just trying to recharge. Mom's been doting on me as usual, making sure I'm eating enough and resting, while Dad keeps dropping hints about how much he misses me living closer. It's been good to be around them, to just be their little girl for a while.
And then there's Jordan.
I exhale as I roll up my pilates mat, trying to shake off the thoughts of him that have been lingering in the back of my mind. We're finally back on speaking terms, and I know I should be grateful for that. I messed up, hurt him in ways I didn't fully realize at the time. But now that the dust has settled, I can see it clearly. I broke his trust.
He's forgiven me—at least, he says he has. And while there's still a part of me that wants to believe we can go back to the way things were, I know better now. Sophia is in his life, and I can't pretend that doesn't matter. Even if I still have feelings for him—and I do, more than I'd care to admit—I won't disrespect what he has with her. Not again.
So, I'm keeping it to myself, locking those feelings up tight and throwing away the key. For now, I'll settle for being his friend, even if it stings every time I think about what we could've been.
I finish my stretches, feeling the satisfying pull of my muscles as I slowly stand up. The pilates class was exactly what I needed to clear my mind. Being active again feels good, like I'm getting some control back over my life after everything spiraled so wildly out of it.
I glance at my phone, checking the time. A text from Jordan pops up on the screen.
JP🤓 How's Long Island treating you? Hope you're not freezing out there.
I can't help but smile as I read it. His little check-ins have been the highlight of my days recently, even though I'm trying to keep things strictly friendly.
Kari It's good. Just finished my pilates class. Not freezing, but I won't lie—I miss that Cali weather.
I send the message and tuck my phone back into my bag. As I head out of the studio, I take a deep breath of the crisp autumn air, pulling my hoodie tighter around me. Long Island might not have the constant sunshine of California, but there's something comforting about the changing seasons here, something that reminds me of simpler times.
