sun to me

Five

I didn't change my number

I only changed who I reply to 

Laura said I should be nicer

but not to you

Florence took a deep breath and set her phone down after hanging up with Paige. The conversation had eased some of her tension, but the relentless buzz of fame still lingered like static in her mind. She stood, pacing her small living room, trying to shake off the unease.

Her gaze drifted to her inbox, where unread messages from Universal, fans, and journalists piled up like a growing to-do list. She clicked through a few until one caught her attention—a subject line that made her pause: "Florence, we've met before."

At first, she thought it was just another fan reaching out, but as she opened the email, her curiosity grew.

"Hi Florence,
You probably don't remember me, but I feel like I need to reach out. I was at your high school concert the night you sang 'Comet.' I recognized you because we went to the same school for a short time before I moved away. I've been following your journey ever since, and I just wanted to say how proud I am of you."

It was signed, Jenna Michaels.

The name didn't immediately ring a bell, but there was something vaguely familiar about it. Florence clicked on the attached photo. It was an old yearbook scan, and there she was—a younger version of herself in the corner of the page, standing beside a girl with wild curls and a bright smile.

Florence's stomach turned slightly. She did remember Jenna, though not for the reasons Jenna might hope. They had been in the same homeroom during middle school, and while Jenna had always been nice enough, Florence hadn't forgotten how Jenna's friends had teased her for being "weird" and "too quiet."

Why was Jenna reaching out now? Florence stared at the email for a long moment before closing it. She didn't have time to process this—she had too much on her plate.

Two days later, Florence was sitting in her favorite café in Los Angeles, scribbling notes for a new song, when someone tapped her shoulder. She turned, expecting to see a fan or a barista, but instead found herself face-to-face with Jenna.

"Florence!" Jenna exclaimed, her smile wide. "I knew it was you! I just had to come say hi."

Florence blinked, caught completely off guard. "Jenna... Hi."

Jenna slid into the seat across from her uninvited, her energy almost overwhelming. "I can't believe I'm seeing you in person again after all these years. Your music is amazing. I've been telling everyone how we used to be in the same homeroom!"

Florence forced a polite smile. "Thanks. It's been a long time."

Jenna laughed. "Too long! We should really catch up properly. I've been working in PR—nothing as exciting as what you're doing, of course, but I've got connections. If you ever need someone to help manage all the craziness, I'd love to step in."

The hairs on the back of Florence's neck prickled. Something about Jenna's eagerness felt off, like she wasn't there just to reconnect but to insert herself into Florence's new life.

"I'll... think about it," Florence said, trying to end the conversation.

That night, Florence called Paige, still rattled from the encounter.

"Paige, do you remember me ever mentioning a girl named Jenna from middle school?"

Paige's voice came through steady and curious. "Doesn't ring a bell. Why?"

"She's been emailing me, and today she just... showed up at a café out of nowhere. She was acting like we were best friends."

Paige was silent for a moment before responding, her tone protective. "That's weird, Flo. Do you think she's legit, or does she have some kind of agenda?"

"I don't know," Florence admitted. "She keeps mentioning how proud she is of me, but it feels... calculated."

"Do you want me to tell your dad?" Paige asked, getting more worries Florence hesitated but then nodded, even though Paige couldn't see her. "Maybe. I just want to make sure I'm not overreacting."

As Florence prepared for her upcoming tour, Jenna seemed to fade into the background. But every so often, Florence would catch glimpses of her on social media—commenting on her posts, sharing articles about her success, always adding personal anecdotes about their "friendship."

Paige started digging looking into who was Jenna and if she was a threat to Florence. What she found wasn't alarming at first—Jenna's social media accounts showed her as a successful PR professional with a growing network. But the deeper Paige looked, the more patterns emerged: Jenna had a history of latching onto rising stars, offering her services, and then disappearing after controversies erupted.

Paige hesitated before telling Florence what she'd found. She didn't want to add to her stress, but she also couldn't let Jenna's intentions go unchecked.

"Flo, I think you need to be careful with Jenna," Paige said one evening. "She has a track record of... let's just say questionable behavior with people in the spotlight."

Florence's heart sank. "So I wasn't imagining it."

"No," Paige said firmly. "You weren't. And you don't owe her anything. Focus on your tour. You've worked too hard to let someone like her derail you."

Florence nodded, her resolve hardening. She wasn't going to let Jenna—or anyone else—dim her light.