Football Star and Pop Singer☑️

Chapter 4: The Spotlight Grows

The next few days passed in a blur for Jax. Between practice, team meetings, and classes, his life felt like one continuous cycle of football and studies. But no matter how busy he got, he found his thoughts drifting back to Luna. Her laugh, the way she'd talk with her hands when she got excited, the way she'd opened up to him like they'd known each other forever—he couldn't shake the feeling that he was in uncharted territory.

Every now and then, his phone would light up with a text from her. Little messages that made him smile: Hope practice went well! or Found a new song today that I think you'd like. They were small, innocent exchanges, but each one added fuel to the spark between them.

Meanwhile, Luna was trying to balance her career obligations with her own thoughts of Jax. She was back in the studio, prepping for a high-profile interview, and managing rehearsals for her upcoming tour, but she couldn't stop replaying moments from their coffee shop conversation in her head. There was something real about him—something she hadn't felt in a long time. Even as she handled the endless calls and decisions that came with her career, her mind would wander back to that quiet, unassuming coffee shop and the boy who made her feel like just Luna.

But not everyone was thrilled about the budding connection between them.

It was the day of Luna's big interview with PopBuzz, a major entertainment show with a massive audience. She and her publicist, Izzy, were backstage, preparing for the segment. Izzy was adjusting Luna's outfit, going over last-minute details and potential questions the host might ask.

"Just a reminder," Izzy said as she fluffed up Luna's hair, her voice slightly tense. "They're going to ask about your new single and the tour, obviously. But they may also ask about the guy you were seen with."

Luna's heart skipped a beat. "The guy I was seen with? What are you talking about?"

Izzy sighed, handing Luna her phone. On the screen was a blurry photo taken from a distance, but it was unmistakably Luna and Jax in the coffee shop. The picture had gone viral online, with fans and gossip blogs buzzing about the "mystery man" she'd been spotted with.

"How did they even...?" Luna's voice trailed off, her face showing a mixture of surprise and frustration.

Izzy gave her a sympathetic look. "Luna, you know how it is. You're one of the biggest pop stars in the world. Someone's always watching, always looking for a story. And, well, a college football star and an international pop sensation is definitely a story."

Luna swallowed, feeling her cheeks flush. The last thing she wanted was for her connection with Jax to be turned into another headline. But before she could respond, the stage manager called out that it was time.

Izzy gave her a reassuring smile and squeezed her hand. "Just stay calm, and remember—you don't owe them any details you don't want to share. Keep it light. They'll move on."

Luna nodded, took a deep breath, and stepped onto the set, pasting a bright smile on her face as she walked out to the applause of the audience.

Meanwhile, Jax was at the gym with Connor, who'd noticed his friend's unusual distraction. Jax hadn't said much about Luna, but Connor could tell something—or rather, someone—was on his mind.

"Alright, spill it," Connor said, leaning against the bench press as Jax wiped his face with a towel. "Who's the girl?"

Jax froze, then shot his best friend a sheepish grin. "What are you talking about?"

"Dude, I know you. You've been smiling at your phone for days and going off into these little daydreams. I haven't seen you like this since, I don't know, high school maybe? Just tell me who it is."

Jax hesitated. He hadn't told anyone about Luna, not even Connor. Part of him wanted to keep this to himself a little longer, to let it be something private before the rest of the world inevitably found out. But Connor was his best friend, his brother on and off the field.

"Alright, fine," Jax finally said, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "It's... it's Luna Blake."

Connor's eyes widened, and he let out a low whistle. "Wait, as in the Luna Blake? The singer? Dude, are you serious?"

"Yeah," Jax said, scratching the back of his neck, feeling both embarrassed and oddly proud. "We, uh, met a couple of weeks ago. It was just random, you know? But she's... different. Down-to-earth. We just clicked."

Connor laughed, shaking his head. "Man, you're gonna be front-page news if this gets out. You're really serious about her?"

Jax thought about it, his expression growing thoughtful. "I don't know, honestly. We're just talking, getting to know each other. But yeah, I like her."

Connor clapped him on the shoulder. "Well, I'm happy for you, bro. Just... be careful. You know how this kind of thing goes. You've got your career to think about, and she's got hers. Don't let it mess with your head."

Jax nodded, appreciating the advice. But before he could respond, his phone buzzed with a notification. He checked it, and his heart sank. It was a news alert, showing the photo of him and Luna in the coffee shop, along with a headline that screamed, Pop Star Luna Blake's Mystery Man Revealed! College Football Star Jax Knightley Spotted with International Sensation.

"Oh, no..." he muttered, his face going pale.

Connor glanced at the phone and let out a low whistle. "Looks like your little secret is out."

Back at the studio, the interview was winding down when the host finally dropped the question that Luna had been dreading.

"So, Luna, the internet's been buzzing about that mystery man you were seen with in a coffee shop. Can you tell us anything about him?"

Luna felt her stomach twist, but she forced a smile, reminding herself of Izzy's advice to keep it light. "Oh, him? He's just a friend. A very... unexpected friend."

The host raised an eyebrow, clearly fishing for more. "A friend? Not a new romance, then?"

Luna chuckled, shaking her head. "You know, it's funny. People always assume that if a guy and a girl are talking, there must be something romantic going on. Sometimes, people just connect on a different level. He's a great guy, and I'm glad we met, but I think everyone's reading a bit too much into it."

The host nodded, clearly not entirely convinced but willing to move on. "Fair enough. Well, whoever he is, it looks like he's got the whole world talking."

As soon as the interview ended, Luna rushed backstage, where Izzy was waiting with a sympathetic expression.

"That was rough," Luna muttered, sinking into a chair. "How did they even get that picture?"

"Probably a fan with a phone camera. It's unavoidable," Izzy replied, her tone gentle. "Look, Luna, I know you wanted to keep this private, but now that it's out, we need to think about how to handle it. The press is going to ask questions. They'll be following both of you, looking for any hint of a romance."

Luna nodded, feeling a mixture of frustration and sadness. All she'd wanted was to get to know Jax without the world interfering. But it seemed like even that was too much to ask.

Later that evening, Jax's phone buzzed with a message from Luna.

Hey... I saw the news. I'm so sorry. I didn't want it to come out like this.

He replied quickly, hoping to reassure her. It's not your fault. We knew this might happen. I just... didn't expect it to be so soon.

After a pause, she replied. Me neither. But hey, maybe this is just a bump in the road? We'll figure it out.

Jax smiled at her optimism, even as he felt a flicker of worry in his gut. He liked Luna—a lot. But as he looked at the growing pile of messages, news articles, and social media posts, he wondered if their connection would survive the pressure of public scrutiny.

For now, though, he'd do his best to hold on to the spark between them and hope that maybe, just maybe, it would be enough