In the relentless spotlight of fame, Jocelyn West (rising pop princess) and Paige Bueckers' fiery romance ignites, but their struggle with toxic tendencies threatens to consume BOTH their careers, and each other. Who knows if they'll come out alive.
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Jocelyn stood by the small table in their hotel room, gently arranging the last of the candles she'd brought in. The soft glow filled the room, casting a warm, almost surreal light over everything. She took a step back, feeling her breath hitch as she looked at the tiny gift box she'd placed in the center. Inside, nestled under a bit of tissue paper, were the two pregnancy tests—the two faintly lined, impossible-to-ignore signs of what was to come.
She'd been staring at them on and off all day, barely able to process that they were real, that this was really happening. Kate would be over the moon; she could already imagine the look in her eyes, the excitement and joy that would burst to life the second she opened the box. The thought was almost enough to steady her own feelings, yet a familiar, uncertain ache lingered in her chest.
With a deep breath, Jocelyn reached out to adjust a stray petal from the flower arrangement she'd pieced together and tried to keep her focus on this moment. But, almost against her will, her thoughts drifted to the studio earlier, to seeing Paige standing there after so long. She'd looked exactly as Jocelyn remembered, with that same intensity in her eyes, the same unshakable confidence that used to light her up whenever they were together. The sight had sent her heart spiraling, if only for a second, back to those old days.
Jocelyn pressed a hand to her stomach, grounding herself, trying to shake away the memory. But it lingered, entwined with a soft, unignorable nostalgia—a reminder of the parts of herself she'd almost forgotten. For years, Paige had been the fire that drove her, the chaotic, exhilarating center of her world. She hadn't felt that same thrill, that wildness, in what felt like forever. Seeing Paige again reminded her of the person she'd been, the dreams she'd chased, and a part of her ached, wondering if she'd really left all of that behind.
But now, she was here with Kate. She was about to tell her that they were going to have a baby, that the future they'd spent so long planning was finally within reach. It felt right, it felt safe—yet, standing in the glow of their perfect little setup, Jocelyn's eyes misted over, her heart pulled in too many directions.
She let out a shaky breath, brushing a tear away. Whatever feelings she'd once had for Paige, whatever pieces of herself she'd left back in that world, they couldn't compare to this, could they? This love she shared with Kate, this life they were building—it was real. It was everything she'd wanted...or so she hoped.
In a few minutes, Kate would walk through that door, and all of this would change forever.
The door clicked open softly, and Jocelyn straightened, brushing her hands nervously down her dress. She heard Kate's familiar sigh as she stepped into the room, exhausted but holding herself tall, shoulders just a bit slumped in that end-of-the-day way. Kate closed the door behind her and turned, her tired eyes widening as she took in the room.
"Jocelyn," Kate breathed, a slow smile spreading across her face. She stepped forward, her gaze moving over the soft candlelight, the flowers, and finally landing on Jocelyn, standing there in the middle of it all. "What's all this?"
