The Alien and the Cursed Star

Sabrina stood on the balcony, staring at the distant billboard. "Do you see that?" she asked Nathaniel, who was standing next to her.

Nathaniel followed her gaze. "I used to be on that billboard." Sabrina continued, her voice tinted with nostalgia. "There was my face up there, endorsing luxurious makeup with the quote, 'Beauty is on the inside.' But now, they have taken it down. I do not know who will be next."

Nathaniel remained silent, looking at the empty space where Sabrina's billboard once was. He handed her a cup of coffee. Sabrina took it gratefully, sipping slowly.

He is serious when he says that he doesn't care about humans anymore—except for his patients and his brother. Beyond them, why should he care? Humanity has never truly accepted him. Not when they saw who he really was.

He tried to help once. He did good things. But when they discovered his identity, they turned on him. Branded him a monster.

So now, he keeps his distance. It's easier that way. Safer.

But then there's her.

This woman—always so loud, so confident, always pretending like nothing could touch her. But beneath all that bravado was someone deeply hurt, someone barely holding it.

And no one was helping her.

Not until him.

Nathaniel glanced at Sabrina again before taking another sip of coffee.

Why is she bothering me?

Days passed. One by one, her endorsements were canceled. Event appearances, live shows, even fan meetings—gone.

Sabrina felt like the world was quietly closing its doors on her.

The pressure, the silence, the shame—it all stacked up, heavy and suffocating. She used to write stories in a day, whole worlds flowing effortlessly from her fingertips. But now, she stared at blank pages for hours, unable to write even a single sentence.

The songs wouldn't come either. Her melodies were buried beneath stress, self-doubt, and the echo of a public that no longer cheered for her.

She felt… hollow.

Sabrina goes to Nathaniel's condo every morning and stayed there until before sunset. That was their arrangement. She felt somehow safe at his place. They did not talk much because when she arrived, he was usually already gone for work. She spent most of her time playing mobile games and eating whatever food Nathaniel had in his refrigerator. But now, out of boredom and curiosity of the world outside this building, she decided to turn on the television.

"It is based on the police investigation and the autopsy that Julia took a drug, and by the effect of the drugs, she accidentally slipped, causing her death and sadly, Julia is dead with her baby inside." The headline of the morning news flashed on the screen.

Sabrina was in shock, Julia is pregnant? She sighed deeply as she watched, the weight of the report pressing down on her. This means two people just die. She is sad of what happened to Julia, and she never knew that she is pregnant.

"This time, people will contact me for sure. They will apologies to me." Sabrina said to herself, pulling out her phone. She counted, "1, 2, 3…" expecting messages of apology…

But none came, not even from her mother.

Disappointment.

People are easy to judge but so hard to apologies.

"Have they contacted you? My endorsements?" she asked, texted her manager. She knew that her cancelled endorsement would contact her manager. She knew it. She is Sabrina. The one and only. Her name is clear now. It supposed to be clear now.

Is she really clear on the suspicion?

Her manager's reply was disheartening. Companies preferred a fresh face with a good image.

"What! They chose Ysabel as my replacement on my TV show?" Sabrina was in disbelief. "Well, they will regret this." She told her manager, trying to muster bravery.

Despite the announcement of Julia's death being an accident, Sabrina's image was still ruined. She was not able to get back to the top, rather from being the famous singer and dancer, she had become just a backup artist. Yet, she tried to convince herself that not being in the spotlight might be a good thing. She still believed in herself, convinced that no one could beat her. It is new to her that people are not giving her much attention, but she knew she has a talent. She will be on the top again.

"It would be better if we changed the position here." Sabrina suggested during their rehearsal to improve their performance.

"No. I like the original blocking. Do not give suggestions now. You are a backup, Sabrina." Ysabel's voice was sharp. Ysabel is now the well-known singer and dancer after Sabrina's fall from grace. Once childhood friends, their relationship had soured.

Their eyes locked, tension crackling in the air. But Sabrina, drained of energy, decided Ysabel did not deserve her fight today.

After rehearsal, Sabrina retreated to the back room. She avoided talking to people she did not know. Why would she need to interact with them when it is obvious that they do not want her. Feeling thirsty, she stepped outside to buy a bottle of water.

As she walked out, a young lady approached her.

"Hi, Ms. Sabrina. I have been a fan of yours ever since, and I still am, despite everything. I waited for you, and I know you have been through so much. I hope this gift gives you strength."

The girl handed her a teddy bear. Sabrina felt a warmth spread through her heart. "Thank you, little lady." She said, grateful for the support. Despite everything, many people will still support her.

Back home, Sabrina placed the teddy bear on her sofa. It became her confidant; she hugged the bear tightly and whispered her sorrows to. Since she does not have anyone to talk to, the bear became her listener.

One evening, she spoke to the bear, "I am so sad about what happened to Julia. I remember finding something in her bag…"

She pulled out a flash drive from her bag. Sabrina inserted the flash drive into her laptop. As the files loaded, she discovered a video. Her heart raced as she pressed play.

On the screen, Julia appeared, sitting in a car next to James. James is the brother of Sabrina's best friend. Julia's face was lit up with excitement. Julia was secretly recording them.

"I'm pregnant!" Julia announced, her voice brimming with joy.

James smiled, but it was a bit forced. "That's wonderful news, babe. But we need to keep it to ourselves for now. There will be a right time to announce it."

"But why wait?" Julia pouted playfully. "I want everyone to know!"

James sighed, a shadow of sadness crossing his face. "I know, but it's complicated. My wife died a year ago. People might not understand."

Julia reached out and took his hand. "I understand. We will wait but promise me it won't be too long."

James nodded, squeezing her hand gently. "I promise."

The video ended, leaving Sabrina's mind swirling with new information. She hugged the teddy bear tightly.

Her thoughts raced as she tried to piece together what she had just seen. Julia's secret pregnancy and her relationship with James added a new layer of complexity to the tragedy.

The events from the last night of Julia's life replayed in her mind. She recalled seeing Julia and James in an argument before the accident happened.

There is something in her that tells her that there might something go wrong in the event. She needed to find out more, not just for her own closure, but to understand what truly happened to Julia.

Sabrina continued to examine the files, hoping to find other evidence when there was a knock at her door.