CHAPTER4
1274 Words
Alex's POV
One Second, I was heading toward the Stage entrance.
The next second the floor vanished beneath me and my balance disappeared.
My foot Slipped and I tilted backward.
The bright Stage lights exploded in my vision.
The roar of thousands of fans Crashed against my ears.
Someone Shouted my name.
I reached for Something but there was nothing to grab.
Pain Shot through my Shoulder as I hit the Stage floor.
A Collective gasp echoed through the arena.
My Stomach dropped.
Not from the fall… From realization.
Millions of People were watching and it’s also going live Currently.
For a Split Second, Complete Silence Swallowed the venue.
Then the whispers Started.
The Cameras immediately Swung toward me.
I Pushed myself upright ignoring the Sharp Pain in my Shoulder.
Ignoring the embarrassment burning through me..
I forced myself to my feet.
The music had already Started.
The audience Stared.
Crew members looked Panicked.
The other Eclipse members looked horrified.
But there was no time…
No room for mistakes and no room for weakness.
I adjusted my microphone and forced a Smile.
I Stepped into Position and the Crowd erupted in relief and excitement.
The Performance Continued.
But my jaw remained tight throughout the entire Song.
Because I knew exactly what had happened.
Someone had Collided with me and in that brief moment before I fell, I had Seen her face..
It was the rookie.
Mia Carter.
The Same girl from Nova Girls. The Same girl I'd briefly noticed on television weeks ago.
Wonderful.
Just wonderful.
The Second our Performance ended, I walked offstage fast…
The Smile disappeared immediately.
The adrenaline disappeared too leaving only frustration.
"Alex."
Jason appeared beside me.
His expression already tense.
"Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine."
"Let me See your Shoulder."
"I Said I'm fine."
He gave me a look… The one that Said he didn't believe me.
Unfortunately, he was right.
My Shoulder hurt like hell but that wasn't what bothered me.
The embarrassment did. The Cameras did.
The headlines that were definitely Coming did.
A Staff member approached nervously.
"Alex, are you okay?"
"I’m fine."
Another Person. Then another. Then another.
Everyone asking the Same question..
Everyone treating me like I had Survived a natural disaster.
I finally escaped into a Private hallway.
Then I Saw her.
Mia Carter….
She was Standing near the wall Pale and terrified.
The moment our eyes met guilt flooded her expression.
But I was too irritated to Care.
I walked toward her and her eyes widened.
"I—"
"What's the meaning of what you did earlier?"
The words Came out Colder than I intended.
They Came out exactly as Cold as I felt.
Her face fell.
"I didn't mean—"
"You weren't Paying attention."
"I know and I'm so sorry." Her voice trembled.
She looked genuinely guilty but my Patience was already gone.
Weeks of Pressure. Months of exhaustion. Years of frustration.
Everything Seemed to hit at once.
And unfortunately, She was Standing in front of me.
"You know this event is important."
"I Said I'm sorry."
The hurt in her eyes made Something twist briefly inside my Chest…
But it disappeared almost immediately.
Because I was Still angry. Still embarrassed and Still Standing in the aftermath of a disaster.
Jason appeared beside me.
"Alex."
I took a Step back.
My gaze locked onto Mia one final time then I turned and walked away without looking back, without noticing the tears forming in her eyes.
Three hours later, the internet exploded.
I knew it would..
But even I underestimated the Scale.
My Phone wouldn't Stop vibrating.
Notifications. Messages. Emails. News alerts, everything at once.
I Sat in the backseat of the Company vehicle watching the Chaos unfold.
#AlexAshtonFall
#AwardShowDisaster
#NovaGirls
#MiaCarter
It’s in every Platform, every website, every Social media Page.
The video Spread faster than wildfire..
It rose to millions of views, then tens of millions then more.
The footage replayed endlessly.
The Collision. The Stumble. The fall. The Shocked audience and my expression afterward.
I rubbed my forehead already exhausted.
Jason Sat beside me reading headlines.
His expression grew darker with each Passing minute.
"Well."
I Sighed.
"How bad?"
He Showed me his tablet… I immediately regretted asking.
The Comments were brutal.
Some blamed event organizers… Others blamed Security.
But most blamed Mia.
I frowned.
A Strange discomfort Settled inside my Chest because while She had Caused the accident… The reaction felt excessively Cruel…
People were Calling her names. Mocking her. Attacking her appearance. Her Career. Her Character. Everything about her and it was getting worse very fast.
Jason noticed my expression.
"What is it?"
I handed back the tablet.
"Nothing."
For Some reason I Couldn't Stop remembering her face.
The Panic and the guilt in it.
The way her voice Shook when She apologized.
She hadn't looked like Someone Chasing attention… She looked terrified.
The thought lingered longer than I wanted.
MIA'S POV
The hate Started before I even reached home.
At first, it was hundreds of Comments.
Then thousands, then tens of thousands.
By midnight, it felt like the entire Country hated me.
I Sat on my apartment floor, my Phone lying beside me– face down.
Because I Couldn't bear reading another Comment.
Couldn't bear Seeing another insult, another accusation and another threat.
My eyes burned from Crying.
The worst Part wasn't the hate.
It was knowing I deserved Some of the blame…
The Collision happened because I wasn't Paying attention.
It happened because I turned around and now everyone knew my name for all the wrong reasons.
A knock Sounded on my door.
I didn't move. Another knock Came in then the door opened.
Kane Stepped inside.
His face immediately Changed when he Saw me.
"Mia."
That one word Shattered what little Control I had left.
Tears Spilled down my Cheeks again.
Kane Crossed the room instantly dropping beside me.
"What happened?"
I laughed bitterly.
"You haven't Seen the internet?"
I wiped my face but more tears followed.
"I ruined everything."
"No, Mia."
"I did."
"No."
"Kane—"
"It's not entirely your fault. It was just a mistake." His voice became firm.
I looked away.
He gently grabbed my Shoulders waiting until I looked at him.
"Mia."
My vision blurred.
"One mistake doesn't define you."
The words hit harder than expected.
Silence Stretched then my Phone vibrated again.
Another notification…
Kane Picked up the device before I Could.
His expression darkened immediately.
"What?"
He locked the Screen.
"What is it?"
His jaw tightened.
"Kane."
He hesitated, which terrified me.
Finally, he handed me the Phone.
Slowly I looked at it and my blood ran Cold.
A new video had just been uploaded.
Not the fall. Not the Collision.
It was Something much worse.
A Close-up Clip from backstage.
A Clip Showing Alex Confronting me afterward.
Showing his Cold expression. Showing me apologizing. Showing him walking away.
The video was already gaining millions of views..
And beneath it, the Comments were vicious.
My breathing became uneven.
Because this wasn't dying down, it was growing and getting uglier..
And as another notification flashed across the screen, I realized Something terrifying.
This wasn't going to disappear tomorrow or next week or even next month.
This Scandal was only beginning.
And Somewhere across Los Angeles, Alex was Probably becoming more Convinced than ever that I had ruined his night.
While my entire Career threatened to Collapse around me…
Then my phone rang.
It was an unknown number.
My trembling fingers hovered above the Screen.
And Something deep inside me whispered that whatever waited on the other Side of that Call was about to make everything even worse.
- Writer
