Chapter 16: Still Human
454 Words
The studio lights felt different from stage lights.
Softer.
Warmer.
More personal.
Skye sat comfortably across from Andy Cohen on the set of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, legs crossed, relaxed—but alert.
The audience buzzed with excitement.
“Alright,” Andy leaned forward slightly, smiling. “We’ve seen the fame, the concerts, the Grammys… but I want to know—were you always this Skye? Popular, confident, center of attention?”
Skye laughed softly, shaking her head.
“Not even close.”
The audience reacted—surprised.
“No?” Andy raised a brow.
“No,” she repeated. “Back in high school? I was… honestly kind of a sucker.”
A few chuckles from the crowd.
“I got picked on a lot,” she admitted, her tone still light, but real. “Nothing crazy, but enough to make you feel small, you know?”
Andy nodded, listening closely.
“So what changed?”
Skye leaned back slightly, thinking.
“Music,” she said. “In 10th grade, I posted something—just for fun—and it kind of blew up. Like… really blew up.”
“Nationwide fame overnight?” Andy asked.
She smiled. “Pretty much.”
“Wow.”
“But the thing is…” she added, her voice softening just a little, “I’m still that same person. Just… louder now.”
The audience clapped at that.
Andy grinned. “I like that. ‘Just louder now.’ That’s going on a T-shirt.”
She laughed.
The conversation flowed from there—her music, her movie, her engagement, even a few playful rapid-fire questions that had the audience cheering and laughing along.
On the outside—
Everything felt light.
Normal.
Fun.
—
Later that night…
The city lights blurred past as Skye sat in the backseat of her car, finally winding down.
Her phone buzzed.
She barely glanced at it at first—
Then paused.
Unknown number.
Again.
Her expression tightened slightly as she opened the message.
“You don’t have to pretend with me.”
She rolled her eyes.
Another one came through.
“I know the real you. Better than anyone.”
Skye scoffed under her breath.
“Yeah… okay.”
Her fingers moved quickly.
Blocked.
Just like that.
She tossed her phone beside her and leaned back, crossing her arms.
“I’m not doing this tonight.”
Outside, the city kept moving.
Unbothered.
Unaware.
—
For a moment…
Everything felt under control again.
Like she had finally shut the door on it.
—
But somewhere—
A screen flickered.
The messages stopped.
But the attention didn’t.
It never did.
—
And blocking him?
That wasn’t going to stop anything.
Not anymore.
- Writer
