Stars Dancing [Dreams-To-Lovers Romance]

I wish I could have been there.

When your worlds collided.

Collected Unpublished Lyrics

- Sibsil Creed, Stories of Shurwinn (2778)

When Peydran Madrano wanted to get things done, he did. Open before me was a meticulous business plan outlining everything needed to launch Living Foods from Shurwinn with Dr. Ryst Nova. I had asked Lirin about the business name, and she had approved without hesitation.

Peydran's plan included every single detail I could think of and more. Launch dates, projected viewers, collaboration with Jasen and Alen (their animation studio's name) and with Produced by Peydran, his company. There were details on launching all three businesses at once because the crossover viewership would promote all of us. He listed every launch event: stream site dates, new video transmits, the projected viewership increases from co-launching.

The only thing that was vague was "Shurwinn promotion," and I thought that referenced what Lirin had told me about how they promote all Shurwinn businesses to help people succeed.

The stream site was— well, it was perfect. It was artistic, and very simple. Almost rustic, but with a finished look that wasn't overly casual. At the top were vines in a deep, saturated green, with little pale lilac costamelons. The melons had that washed-out-Shurwinn-sun look to them. There were tabs for articles where he had already added the content I had sent him. I had only three items so far, but that was a good start: two recipes and an article on my basic philosophy for changing nutrition plans.

There were images holding space for two videos—a curry recipe demonstration to be filmed at Media Monastery kitchen, and a placeholder for Jasen and Alen's animation. He had already contracted them, and it was in the works. He expected that having an off sphere co-launch a business—even if it was health-related and unlike their usual projects— would help Jasen and Alen get the viewership from outside Shurwinn they were wanting to draw in.

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My launch was scheduled in 12 days. Jasen and Alen were launching in 3 weeks. Twelve days was right around the time I expected to know more about my citizenship. My Work Acceptance would expire in ten days, but I hadn't heard anything more about the process of applying for citizenship. I looked over Peydran's proposal and was amazed and also frightened.

It was a lot, and it was fast. Only a few days. Somehow, the projected numbers totaled to millions of views. It wasn't simply me putting some recipes out there. It was circulating intentionally to the entire Known Cosmos. Everyone I knew back on my home world could see it. The hospital staff, my friends—Neal, and Skyla— my family. Darwin. Would he see it? That turned my stomach. I got up and started pacing around the room.

Was I really ready for this? Was I ready to come out from behind the curtain onto such a big stage? After the injury, I had retreated. I hadn't wanted to be around people. I had just—faded. Faded away from everyone I knew on my home world, and I hadn't kept in touch when I moved to Shurwinn.

Was I ready to change that? Was I ready for the attention? I had done a lot of public things— published papers, presentations. I wasn't shy, but I had an introverted side. I liked time to myself, and that had only grown in the nine months since the injury.

I heard an incoming transmit buzz on my pad. It was from the Shurwinn Guild of Travel. My citizenship! It outlined the next steps. First, if I wanted to proceed with the application with Denten Moreland as my Guarantor, then approve this document. Next, accept the meeting invitation in five days time. If the meeting was successful, I would walk out a Shurwinn citizen. Five days! Five days!

Everything happened all at once; everything changed all at the same time. Becoming a citizen. Launching a new career. I accepted the citizenship meeting.

And then what? If I didn't want to move forward with Peydran's launch schedule, what was I expecting to do? Create my own stream site and just write some recipe and articles? Not promote anything? Keep hiding?

No, I couldn't do that to myself. It felt like something was brewing, and I needed to keep the kettle on. If I pulled back, it would mean I was running away from something really good. Maybe I wasn't ready. But would I ever really ready for dramatic change? Did I just need to take a plunge?

I approved and accepted everything and dove into my new life.

Dream Journal

I was light. It was pouring out of me. Glorious! Streaming. Flowing. Radiating. I was light, and it was so bright. So bright! I couldn't stop it. Just pouring out of me. Pouring and pouring. And I was expanding and expanding. I reached out. And out. And out.

He was there. Crashing into me.

We were stars.

We were stars.

We were stars!