Page 66 of Beyond The Stars

“It’s shit like that that has me running. One minute it’s us in a world where nothing or no one else matters. The next minute, I’m reminded that your world involves other people. Other people who love you that don’t seem to think I’m worthy to be in your world.”

His hands rested on her cheeks. “Shh,” he hushed her. “And that’s my fault for allowing you to think it’s just us. It’s not, mama. You have Noodle and I have Esmeray and Belinay.”

“And a whole rich and famous—judgmental ass other family, too.” Siasia’s eyes sagged. “I feel like I’m ruining you, Qamar. Everything was good until you couldn’t stop looking at my ass in a party full of girls better suited for your pursuit.”

His thumbs swiped away her tears. “I was so lost until you found me in a party.”

“Um, you found me.” She laughed, still looking in his eyes and waiting for him to fix everything like only he could. He was her Superman.

“Wrong again, mama. You found me. The version of me that sat in solitude overthinking every little detail—the version of me that felt like the weight of expectations was holding me down and holding me back. I never felt good enough until you opened your mouth and told me your name. Siasia. I don’t know what it means, but for me it means home.”

“But…” Siasia gripped her stomach.

“No buts, mama. Stop running from me. Please.”

Siasia's heart raced as she listened to Qamar's desperate plea, each word cutting through her like a knife. The tears streaming down her face were a mix of longing and fear, a silent battle raging within her. She felt an overwhelming desire to reach out to him, to bridge the gap that had grown between them, but the fear of vulnerability held her back.

Her chest tightened as she realized how deeply she cared for him, how much she wanted to step forward and embrace the love that was blossoming in her heart, but the weight of uncertainty felt suffocating. What if she admitted her feelings and it all fell apart?

As she stood there, torn between her emotions and the fear of rejection, Siasia's tears reflected the turmoil within. The love she felt for Qamar was undeniable, yet the fear of what it meant to truly let him in paralyzed her. She wanted to scream, to tell him everything, but all she could do was stand there, caught in the moment, wishing for the courage to take that leap.

“I know you’re scared but I swear I’ll love for the both of us. Just let me love you, mama.”

“Love?” her tear-smothered voice whispered. Siasia tried to look away but his hands stayed firm on her face keeping in place.

“Feel this.” Qamar placed her hand over his heart, his warm skin pulsing beneath her palm like a steady drumbeat. “This is love. You hear it?”

Swallowing back the well of tears threatening to spill over, Siasia's eyes searched his face, desperate for any sign of vulnerability, any crack in the facade he so carefully maintained. The strength in his gaze was unwavering, an impenetrable fortress that both comforted and frightened her.

“I love you,” Qamar spoke slowly, each word deliberate and heavy with meaning. “I am in love with you.” The weight of his confession hung in the air, wrapping around them like a warm embrace.

Siasia felt her heart swell, a mixture of joy and fear colliding within her. The sincerity in his voice ignited a flicker of hope, yet the walls she had built around her heart trembled at the thought of letting him in completely. As she stood there, hand resting over his heart, the rhythm of his love resonated through her, a powerful melody that called to her soul. In that moment, she realized that to let him love her was to take a leap into the unknown, to trust in a future that could be filled with both light and shadows. Though the fear lingered, the warmth of his love melted away her doubts, inviting her to step forward into the possibility of a shared life.

“I love you too,” she confessed, falling into a fit of laughter when he lifted her into his arms.

“Say it again,” he coaxed.

“I love you!” she laughed louder, her scared tears turning into joyous ones. “I love you, Qamar Moony.”

Passionately, Qamar’s lips smashed into her. His tongue explored her mouth, vowing to make that his home too. “I love you more, mama. Always more, never less.”

“Beyond the stars?”

“Hell yea,” he hyped, loving that they were finally on the same page ready to embark on the journey.

19

“Luna been out here before?” Qamar asked Jay, his voice echoing slightly in the vastness of his sprawling estate, the sun casting long shadows across the lush green lawn. The air was thick with the scent of blooming magnolias and freshly cut grass, a perfect backdrop for their conversation.

Jay scratched the back of his head, a nervous habit that revealed the weight of unspoken memories. “Nah,” he replied, glancing away as if the truth were hiding in the distance.

Qamar’s eyes shot to Jay with the quickness, a flicker of concern crossing his face. He knew that beneath Jay's casual tone lay a deeper story—one that intertwined their lives in ways that were both complicated and profound. Jay had once loved his sister, and the unfulfilled echoes of that affection lingered in the air. The revelation that Luna had never set foot on his estate felt like a crack in the surface, hinting at emotions that had yet to be fully explored.

“Damn,” Qamar surmised, the word escaping his lips like a whisper of realization.

“It wasn’t like that.” Jay laughed, a nervous chuckle that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Candi just?—”

“The one. I get it,” Qamar interjected, his gaze drifting toward the girls, who were doubled over in laughter, their joy a stark contrast to the tension that hung between the two men.

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