The Alien and the Cursed Star

Sabrina opened the door, heart pounding.

It was Nathaniel.

He stood there, eyes searching.

"Is Sabrina here?" he asked, voice low, urgent.

Her throat tightened.

She had forgotten. Forgotten she was still in the older form. She forced herself to breathe, to speak.

"I'm… her aunt." She said, the lie scraping her throat on the way out. "Sabrina isn't home right now. Who are you?" She needs to act like she does not know him.

"I thought she said she lives alone here."

Nathaniel's eyes narrowed, just slightly. He didn't move.

"Uhm, I just came here just now. And Sabrina is outside." Sabrina closes the door immediately as Nathaniel is examining her face.

Nathaniel stepped back. Said nothing.

It was that same evening when Sabrina craved ice cream. And since it was past eight, she had already at her older version. Sabrina grabbed her jacket and peeked into the hallway before stepping outside her door.

The store was just a few minutes away from her condo. She immediately ran as she does not want to be outside for a long time with her night version. She entered the store and go straightly to the location of her favorite ice cream. She stood in line to pay. Ice cream was her comfort food, after all. After everything that happened with Julia and her effort to make a comeback, the management itself seemed indifferent to her.

Who do they think they are?

For now, she was trying to live a normal life. And what did she do for a living? She worked as an author. She continues producing books. Out of all the talents she had, being a writer was what she loved the most. That was when she felt her mother's love and her father's care… before.

The line moved quickly. She did not need to wait much longer. As she was paying, a man entered the store. Her eyes widened, and the guy also looked at her. She quickly covered her face with the hoodie of her jacket.

"Your payment, Ma'am." The cashier spoke after punching the ice cream. The cashier is asking for her payment.

"Your payment, Ma'am." The cashier repeats with a higher tone.

Sabrina fumbled for coins in her pocket and handed them to the cashier, still covering her face.

Why is he here?

As she glanced around, she saw Nathaniel looking at her. Their gazes met. Sabrina quickly covered her face again and hurried out the door.

"What's wrong with that old lady?" The cashier wondered to herself, confused by Sabrina's strange behavior.

On her way back to her condo, Sabrina received a call from Haein, her best friend.

"Hello, Sab! Where are you? I've been knocking on your door here at your condo. I'm back! Let's hang out!"

Despite being her best friend, Haein did not know Sabrina's secret—that she aged at night. It was not that she did not trust him, but she did not want anyone to know about her condition—not even her closest friend.

"Hae! I was not at my condo today. I am traveling right now, gathering ideas for my books. You should have told me you were back in Korea!"

"Alright, alright. Wrong timing. This was supposed to be a surprise. Let me know when you want to meet up. Keep safe, Sab."

She ended the call. That was a lie. Yes, she had to lie—a white lie.

She headed to the park; there were not many people as it was already late. She decided to eat her ice cream there, not wanting to go back to the condo in case Haein was still there.

She looked up at the sky. No signs of stars. It might rain. She glanced at the children still playing in the park. They looked so happy. She could not help but remember her family, when she still felt loved by her parents.

A moment of silence for herself.

She lived alone now, despite having a mother. Her father wanted her gone. Her career had sunk. And she had this unexplainable condition, where she transformed into another version of herself at night. It was a hindrance. The truth is she does not even know why she must be the one who has this curse. Her mother might be right, she does not need anyone after all. People cannot be trusted. People only love you when they can receive benefits from you. When they did not need you anymore, they can easily throw you.

She had been loved by people before. Just like this night, she was the star that is being covered by the darkness and clouds.

--

Sabrina not doing anything and no schedule at all, realizes how cruel the environment is, decided to go into a fancy restaurant today.

Why would she need to be dramatic at all? Sabrina is here. S.A.B.R.I.N.A.

Ordering a beef, slicing it into thin cuts. She again became the no care with anyone. Why would she be weak? If situation is not in her favor, she can turn it the other way around. She cannot be seen as weak. She is Sabrina. The shiniest star after all.

"By any chance, are you Author, Ms. Sabrina?" A little girl with her mom, notices Sabrina eating in the next table.

"Yes." Sabrina says coldly.

"See, I told you mom." The little girl excitedly held her mom hand.

"My daughter is a big fan of yours. I am sorry to ask this, but can we please get your autograph?" the mother says as she places Sabrina's latest issued book on the table.

Sabrina who is eating peacefully, set aside her food, get the book. Smile forcedly.

"Your name?" she asked without looking the little girl. Opening the first blank page.

"Mary Mae." The little girl said smiling.

"She is really beautiful in real life, isn't she?" the mother telling it to her daughter and the little girl nodded looking to Sabrina who she finds her very gorgeous.

"She is like a princess from a fairy tale." Which makes it Sabrina to stop her signature.

"Why do you think so?" She asked the little girl.

"Because you are pretty. My mom always calls me princess because I am pretty. "

"How about a photo?" Sabrina insisted for a free photo with the child.

"My goodness, thank you." The mother of the child gets her phone as she instructed her daughter to sit on the lap of Sabrina.

"You are not my fan, are you?" Sabrina telling it to the little girl as the mother of the child is preparing to take a photo.

The child confusedly looks to her idol. Sabrina is not smiling at her.

"In all my fairy tales, the witch is always the one that's pretty. Who told you all princesses are kind and pretty? Did your mom tell you that?"

"Mary Mae, look over here." The mother instructed as she focuses on taking the pictures.

"If you really want to be that pretty, I want you to say this."

"One… Two…" the mother started to count.

"Mom, I'm going to be..."

"Three…"

"a pretty witch."

And the little girl cry.

Click!

Capturing of the photo.