Fever Dream

Kalena

The air felt lighter now that Tahlia was gone.

Someone had queued up CUFF IT and all the girls were vibing — champagne in hand, bare feet kicked up, robes slipping off shoulders, faces still glowing under leftover highlighter. Billie was pressed into my back on the couch, arms loosely around my waist, making smug little comments every time someone hyped us up again.

"She really sat on your lap like it was her throne," Armani said, laughing so hard she had to dab under her eyes.

"Because I am her throne," Billie said without hesitation.

"Oh my God," I groaned, reaching back to swat at her. "You need to be stopped."

Ivana raised her glass. "Tahlia never stood a chance."

"She's been weird since Miami," said one of the newer girls — Nia, I think — tossing grapes into her mouth like popcorn. "Like, always in everyone's space. And she lies about knowing celebrities."

"She once told me she used to date Lewis Hamilton," another model snorted.

"Nooo," Armani howled. "She told me she was best friends with Bella Hadid. Girl can't even get invited to a popup."

We were all laughing again when Billie's phone buzzed in her lap. I didn't think anything of it until I felt her stiffen slightly behind me.

"What is it?" I asked, craning my neck.

She didn't answer right away. Just opened the message — a screenshot — and stared at it. Her jaw clenched.

I reached over and plucked the phone from her hand.

The image was clear.

Me. Straddling Billie. Still in my final lingerie set. Laughing into her neck, caught in a private moment, raw and vulnerable — and completely not meant for anyone's camera.

It was taken from a low angle. From across the room. From where Tahlia had been sitting before she stormed out.

And it had already been sent to a gossip account. Not posted, yet. But the message was clear:

"Thought you might be interested 😉"

My whole body went cold, then hot. My fingers gripped Billie's phone so tightly I thought I'd crush it.

"She took a photo of us," I said aloud, eyes burning. "And sent it to a tabloid."

Silence dropped like a stone.

Armani stood. "What the fuck?"

"She took it right before she left," Billie said, voice low. "It's from her angle."

I stood without thinking, heart pounding in my throat. My robe swung open slightly, still wearing the lingerie underneath — didn't care. I could barely see straight.

"Kalena," Billie said, standing too. "Wait—"

But I was already out the door.

-

I found Tahlia near the back lot, pretending to scroll through her phone like she hadn't just committed a serious violation of my fucking life. Her smug little face twisted into a mock-innocent expression the second she saw me storming toward her.

"Wow," she said, stepping back. "That was fast."

"Are you seriously this unhinged?" I snapped. "You're stalking me now?"