My Star's Light is Overrated |✓

23|| What About you is Real, Anyway?

I quickly brushed my tears away that had tried to escape. No, this was awful. I couldn't believe I'd gotten myself into this mess.

Why hadn't I just said the truth earlier? Now I couldn't tell everyone I was Starlight. That would be really awkward and I wouldn't know how to address the situation.

But I had to.

I picked up my phone and changed my mom's contact to Starlight. I knew for a fact that she was at a meeting right now and wouldn't pick up even if I wanted her to. I could clearly tell everyone that Starlight was probably busy and hope the situation died down.

Dylan and Jase gave me a huge grin as I came down, with a huge, fake smile plastering my features. "Here's the phone!" I said, showing them Starlight's contact. My mom and I talked a bit on the phone, so my call logs looked like Starlight and I were best buddies.

"You're so rude," groaned Dylan, still grinning. "How come we never get to talk to her?"

Because you are right now, stupid.

I shrugged instead. I pressed the call button, and allowed it to ring a bit. I was just about to turn off the call, put on a sad face and tell everyone that Starlight was busy, when my mum decided to answer.

"Hello?" she asked. Since the two of them had never heard Starlight or my mom speak, this would only seem natural. Plus, my mom's voice wasn't the deepest.

"Hi!" I chirped, feeling the redness settle on my face.

"How come you called?" she asked, sounding amused by my excitement.

"Why, has there got to be a reason to why I'd called?" I replied smartly, praying and hoping that she wouldn't blow my cover.

"No, it's just that I'm not accustomed to have my teenage daughter call for no apparent reason." She was laughing, but I felt like doing anything but.

Oh.

No.

Dylan and Jase's jaws were hanging, and they looked so betrayed.

"Um I need to go bye!" I said, hanging up before she could say anything else.

Dylan wore an expression of disbelief. "Why did you call your mom?" he asked.

I fumbled for a reply. "Well, you see..." I began. "My phone is like super dumb and it keeps jumbling up my contacts, so I must've accidently called up my mom."

I could feel my hands become clammy as I continued spinning my lie.

Day, now would be a good time to tell them the truth.

"That's not even possible. I have an iPhone too," Jase said, motioning to my phone.

I laughed, trying to sound upbeat and not like I was practically drowning. "Yeah, but I had a dog by the countryside and y'know it dumped my phone in the lake by our house by accident."

Jase shook his head once more. "The iPhone 6S hadn't even released when you still lived in the countryside."

I shook my head emphatically, feeling my lie fizzing out like a sprite bottle that had stayed out for too long without a cap.

"Um, I used the same SIM card, so it's probably a bit waterlogged."

"Waterlogged?" Dylan echoed, looking so betrayed it hurt. "Seriously, Day? What do you think we are, idiots?"

I shut my eyes tight, trying to come up with something else.

But Dylan continued.

"Nat was right, for the first time in her life. What about you is real anyway?" Dylan asked, and the two of them walked away, not looking back.