I don’t know whether to be horrified, or angry, or to laugh. Watching Juniper do magic fingers like a magician is almost adorable, but also, why is she blowing up our spot?! She knows this could really mess up my BeautyStarz following and momentum. I’m oddly charmed by how bad she is at this, and equally panicked about how this will look to everyone. But I can’t take my eyes off Juniper as she continues.
OK, oh wow, I see lots of you are tuned it. Lemme get back on track.Juniper falters.So, right. I’m not Lyric’s real girlfriend, just her fake one. A few weeks ago, we took one photo together under a tree—I was doing her a favor really—and turns out, we had some chemistry, and when she posted that photo, it blew up and went viral. Everyone just assumed we were an item. And, well, we went along with it, because it was fun—and also both of us have dreams that needed funding, and yeah. I can see some of you are angry by your emojis, and, uh, I get it. But hear me out—and this, this is the part that I really want to get across.
I’ve had a crush on Lyric ever since the first time I saw her in class this fall. So, you see, I’d pretty much have done anything to get close to her, and so I went along with the game—dating on BeautyStarz, but just friends in real life. But who was I kidding? Of course it only made my crush more real, and then I got to know her, really know her, and that crush became something deeper.
What I’m trying to, uh, say, um, is… I’m sorry. To all of you for the deception, but most importantly to Lyric. Lyric—I’m hoping you’ll see this. I fucked up. I know I don’t deserve another chance, but if you can find it in you to forgive me, or at least—hear me out in person, let’s try again? I want something real with you, no walls, no lies. So, if you’re up for it—come find me on the ice, New Year’s Eve. I’ll wait until the ball drops.
So, uh, that’s it, I guess. I probably won’t post on here aga—
With that, the video ends.
My mind is a swarm of wings and fury and—“What just happened?!”I whisper right as Ki and Grammy come back in the room. Then, because I haven’t had my notifications turned on all day, I run to my room and grab my iPhone. When I unlock the home screen, I suck in a huge breath. I have over a hundred notifications from BeautyStarz.
I walk slowly back into Grammy’s room without opening them, and sit on her bed.
“OK, Lyric, just take a breath,” Ki says. “What are you thinking?”
I swallow. “I’m thinking my beauty career might be over before itevens starts. I’m thinking—I can’t believe Juniper just did that—and, also, I’m thinking—”
“Well, I’M THINKING you got yourself a New Year’s Eve date to be at,” Grammy cuts me off matter-of-factly. “Who cares about your beauty Tiky Tok. This is real life! But you look a hot mess, so I’d get dolled up a little if I was you before leaving.”
“Grammy!” I yell, lost for words.
Kiana sits down next to me. “Let’s look together.” She nudges me, gesturing toward my phone.
I nod and open BeautyStarz to see the damage. To my surprise, my following count has only gone down by about fifty people. I look through my messages, and see a few notes from sponsors wanting to rethink the content focus for upcoming campaigns—but no one has dropped me. The rest of the notifications are actually from people tagging me in Juniper’s recorded live, wondering if I’m going to meet her—give her another chance.
“Well,” Ki says, letting out a breath. “I’d say Juniper just made you both even more internet famous. Looks like people are really invested in your ship—even if there was an initial deception.”
I shake my head, still speechless. “This was not the plan for tonight,” I say after a beat. “We were supposed to have a moratorium on all things love and tune out the mess—and stay off the internet—and now—”
Kiana turns me to her on the bed, grabbing my shoulders so that she is looking directly into my eyes. “But she reached out—to you, Lyric. We said we wouldn’t spend any more energy on Holden or Juniper if they didn’t reciprocate. But this is a gesture, Lyric. A huge one. Did you hear what she said? She’s had a crush on you since jump. She wants something real.”
“I heard her,” I whisper.
“Goodness, y’all are so dramatic,” Grammy exclaims. “Lyric—if you don’t go on and get your little earthy afro girl, the one you been making eyes at for weeks now, that has you all hot and bothered and thrown off your game, I swear I’m going to lose my mind. Go! I’m in for the night, I’ll be fine for a few hours while you live your life.”
Kiana is still holding my shoulders. “Your call,” she urges again. “I’ll be here for you no matter what.”
I start nodding, slow at first and then faster. “OK, OK. I want to go. Uh—what time is it even?”
“It’s eleven fifteen,” Kiana says.
“Oooh, I’m not—that’s not enough time.”
“Not if you want to be all glamorous and made up,” Kiana nods, “but I don’t think Juniper cares what you wear.”
“Right, right. Let me at least throw on some jeans and a sweatshirt,” I say, running to my room.
“Wait—” Kiana calls after me. “Where are we even going? I can drive us, but she didn’t give you a location.”
“Yes she did,” I yell, pulling a hoodie over my head, adding some deodorant to my pits, then dabbing some minty fresh Topicals clear balm onto my lips.
“She said ‘come find me on the ice,’” I continue, grabbing my coat as Kiana hustles us out the door to her car. “And unfortunately, there’s only one place that can be.”
CHAPTER 30Juniper
SONG OF THE DAY:
