Chapter 5 - Contact

The meeting was scheduled for 15:00.

Shade moved through the day like it wasn't happening.

The Echora group chat was already awake.

Echo had reacted to the news with exactly the amount of chaos Shade expected.

Echo: WAIT WAIT WAIT

Echo:That Blaze??

Echo: I wanna meet 😳

Echo: I'm coming.

Shade stared at her screen like it had personally betrayed her.

She'd pictured the interview differently.Private. Professional.

Not… Echo.

Echo was fun, sure. Daring. Loud in ways Shade would never allow herself to be. She teased Nova like it was a hobby and acted innocent like it wasn't obviously intentional.

Shade still didn't understand what Nova saw in her.But if Nova had started Echora with Echo, then Echo had to be more than just trouble.

Still.

Shade didn't want her there today.

She typed back anyway.

Shade: Don't be weird.

Echo: I'm never weird.

Echo: I'm a delight.

Shade: You are a liability.

Echo: ❤️

Shade locked her phone.

Of course.

That forenoon, she had a small acting job.

Not because she needed it.But because she refused to give up the dream just because she'd joined Echora. Music was one path. Acting was another. Both still belonged to her.

The shoot was close to headquarters — some small production filming a short scene outside a building with tall windows and reflective glass. The role was barely a role at all.

Background.

Atmosphere.

The mysterious girl passing the camera.

Shade could do mysterious in her sleep.

She wore a different outfit than usual — still covered up, still safe, but a little more intentional. Dark hoodie. Tightened laces. Hair arranged in a way that looked effortless but wasn't.

The director called action.

Shade walked across the frame.

She hit her mark.

Turned her head just slightly — like the world behind her mattered.

And then her heel caught on something.

A cable.

A stupid, thin, invisible cable.

Time did that weird slow thing.

Shade's balance snapped.

Her body tilted—

And then—

Arms caught her.

Strong arms.

Warm.

Steady.

Shade blinked once.

Then looked up.

Teal eyes with a grey undertone.

Blaze.

Blaze's face was calm, like catching people was a daily routine.

Of course it was.

Shade's brain stopped working.

Not externally.

Internally.

"Careful," Blaze said, smooth as a song. "Would've been a dramatic first impression."

Shade stared at her like she was buffering.

She didn't blush, she didn't show anything.

Because Shade didn't do that.

She just slowly straightened herself out of Blaze's arms, as if her pulse hadn't just slammed into her throat.

"I had it," Shade lied.

Blaze's mouth twitched.

"Sure you did."

Shade hated how Blaze made one word sound like a dare.

Behind them, the director shouted for a reset.

"Again!" someone called.

Shade nodded, walking back to her start mark like her legs weren't mildly useless now.

Blaze stayed near the set.

Watching.

Shade didn't look at her.

Not because she didn't want to.

Because she did.

That was the problem.

They did the retake. Shade nailed it.Because she had to.

Then her part was done.

The moment the set released her, Shade turned to leave.

Blaze walked beside her like it had already been decided.

"I didn't know you acted," Blaze said.

Shade kept her gaze forward. "It's not important."

Blaze hummed quietly. "Looked important."

Shade's fingers tightened around her phone.

"Are you stalking me now?" she asked coldly.

Blaze's smile widened just a fraction.

"You'd know," Blaze said. "You're the expert."

Shade's stomach did that thing again.

Heat.

Annoyance.

Something else.

"I'm recruiting you," Shade said, sharp. "Stay focused."

"I am," Blaze replied. "I'm very focused."

Shade didn't like the way Blaze said that.

Like Shade was the thing being studied.

At headquarters, Shade instinctively headed for the stairs.

Then Blaze stepped into the elevator like it belonged to her.

Blaze glanced back.

Shade paused.

Then, without fully understanding why, she followed.

The doors closed.

Shade's heartbeat instantly got louder.

Blaze leaned back against the wall, arms relaxed, posture perfect.

Silence filled the small space like pressure.

Shade stared at the floor numbers like they were fascinating.

"You hate elevators," Blaze said.

Shade's head snapped up. "Excuse me?"

Blaze's expression didn't change. "You hesitated."

Shade swallowed her response.

"I'm fine," she said.

Blaze tilted her head. "Sure."

Shade stared at her.

Blaze stared right back.

The elevator dinged.

Shade walked out too fast.

Echo was already in the lounge.

Sitting comfortably, legs crossed, looking way too entertained for someone who claimed she wasn't "weird."

Echo's eyes flicked between them.

Then she smiled.

Oh no.

"Well," Echo said brightly. "This is exciting."

Shade's jaw tightened.

Blaze looked around, calm. "So this is Echora."

Echo stood and offered a hand. "I'm Echo. I bite."

Shade glared.

Echo laughed like Shade was adorable.

Shade forced herself to regain control.

"Interview," she said. "Now."

They sat.

Shade kept the tablet in front of her like it was armor.

Blaze didn't look nervous.Of course she didn't.

Echo leaned closer to Shade, whispering like she couldn't help herself.

"You're tense," Echo murmured. "Should I be scared?"

Shade kept her voice low. "Behave."

Echo's grin widened. "Oh. She's making you behave?"

Shade's ears burned.

Blaze's gaze flicked toward Echo. Then to Shade.

Like she was collecting information.

Shade clicked into professional mode.

Name. Availability. Commitment. Stage experience. Teamwork.

Blaze answered smoothly. Calm. Short.

Nothing messy.

Everything controlled.

It was like interviewing fire and realizing it had manners.

Shade tried not to watch Blaze's mouth when she spoke.

Echo watched Shade instead.

Too much.

Always too much.

At one point, Echo leaned back and sighed dramatically.

"Okay," Echo said, hands up. "I've seen enough."

Shade glared. "This is serious."

Echo smiled. "Exactly. That's why I've seen enough."

Blaze blinked once. "Is she always like this?"

"Unfortunately," Shade said.

Echo gasped. "Rude."

Shade didn't care.

She turned back to Blaze.

"One more thing," Shade said. "Do you want this?"

Blaze held Shade's gaze.

And for a moment, the lounge felt too quiet.

Then Blaze smiled — small and sharp.

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't," Blaze said.

Shade's pulse betrayed her.

Echo clapped once. "Welcome to Echora."

Shade shot her a look, but Echo only grinned.

Blaze stood, like she'd just decided the entire room belonged to her now.

"So," Blaze said, looking at Shade. "What's next?"

Shade stared at her.

Blaze was in.

Shade should've felt relieved.

Happy.

Victorious.

Instead her heart felt like it was sprinting ahead of her, dragging her into something she wasn't sure she could control.

Shade forced her voice steady.

"Next," she said, "you start rehearsals."

Blaze's eyes sparkled slightly.

"Good," Blaze said. "I'm looking forward to it."

Shade didn't know whether that was a promise…

Or a threat.