The silver pendant lay heavy in Luiz's palm. Its smooth surface gleamed, even in the dim light of the dorm room.He wanted to throw it away, pretend it was a coincidence, a mistake. But he couldn't. He'd seen it before. On her.The superstar. The woman whose songs filled radios, whose face graced billboards, whose life felt galaxies away from his.
Now a piece of her world sat in his trembling hand."Could it really be her?" Luiz whispered to himself.A voice stirred from the other bed. "Could what be who?"Kevin's groggy tone made Luiz's heart slam against his ribs. He shoved the pendant under his blanket."N-Nothing. Just revising."
Kevin sat up, rubbing his eyes. "At two in the morning? Bro, come on. You've been acting shady for days. What's going on?"Luiz forced a chuckle. "I told you, nothing."But Kevin wasn't buying it. His sharp gaze lingered, suspicious, calculating.Luiz turned away, clutching the pendant as if it might vanish.
When Kevin finally lay back down, Luiz let out a shaky breath. He slipped on his earphones, trying to drown his thoughts in music.
That's when the phone buzzed.A new message.Unknown Number:I see you received my gift. Keep it safe. It means more than you know.Luiz's pulse raced. His fingers hovered over the screen. He wanted to ask why, how, what do you want from me?But before he could type, another message appeared.
Unknown Number:One day, Luiz. One day we will meet. But not yet.
The phone dimmed, leaving him staring at his reflection in the black screen.
And for the first time, Luiz wondered if this secret wasn't just dangerous—It was already consuming him.