Fallin' for the Fame - Chapter 5

There’s no room left to breathe.

Previously: Sam tried to play it cool in a house full of chaos, but one unexpected message from Legend threatened to unravel the calm she’s always clung to.

5

Another hour passes before dinner is ready.

Simone tramps into the dining room, her lace-up riding boots squishing across the handmade Oriental rug. “Sheesh! It’s raining sewage and fish guts outside.” She’s just returning from covering her bike.

I, on the other hand, have no clue how to handle the poop storm headed for me. I honestly can’t believe Legend would suggest such a thing. There’s no way this could ever work.

Simone plops down next to me, her soggy curls dripping all over a white dining chair. Our mother frowns, and Simone flings out her hands. “What, Mom?!”

“Let’s not start our evening like this, okay?” says Mom, struggling to hide the pout forming on her lips.

Simone grabs a dinner roll from the center of the table. “It’s not like I’m the one with my thong twisted up tight.”

Trey drops his spoon. “Simone, please. That’s enough.”

She’s actually cut back significantly on her f-bombs in recent months.

My sister snorts. “Trey, I’m twenty-two. I didn’t listen to you at sixteen. I’m certainly not gonna start now.”

To me, our stepdad is sort of like a persistent bill collector—always checking up, pretending to care, probing with questions no one wants to answer. But to Simone, the man may as well be Hitler. She and my mom have been butting heads since the day he walked into our lives.

Mom exhales deeply. “Come on, Simmy. Don’t talk to him that way.”

“You’re right.” Simone leans black, her champagne in hand. She gives Trey a curt nod. “I’m sorry for bringing up the obvious.”

Down at the other end of the table, Talia and Tatiana are sketching soupy landscapes on their salad plates, using their bread as paintbrushes.

“Girls,” Mom chides with weary eyes. “Please don’t play with your food.”

The crystal chandelier, dangling over our heads, casts shadows on sheer white curtains. Outside, raindrops plunk against the windows like rogue pebbles.

“So, Sam, I was talking with some of the guys at the office, and they suggested that we get a little more exposure before we release this new app next year.” Trey flashes a smile, fishing a lump of shrimp from his chowder. “How about you and your boss help us out? We could put together one of those press packages or something.”

Trey’s travel app has taken off in recent years, and now he has over fifty employees. They’re currently developing a companion app that’s kind of like TikTok for travelers. It’s too bad they can’t design an app that’ll help your stepdad take a hike—figuratively, of course.

“My boss won’t be around next year, or next month,” I say. “She’s moving back to London.”

Mom gasps, eyes bulging. “Professor Natalie? You’re kidding!”

It’s only been an hour since I told her this.

Trey leans on his elbow, his brow wrinkling in concern. “That’s really too bad. So you’ll be looking for another job soon?”

“Guess so.” I gaze at the table as I take a sip of my champagne.

Justin squeezes my knee with a reassuring glance—the way he always does when I need to chill out. There’s a rhythm to us I don’t have to think about. Sometimes I wish I did. I take a deep breath to steady myself.

Trey clears his throat. “So Justin, any update on that interview?”

Interview? What interview?

Justin exchanges a look with me and sits up straight. “Uh, yeah. Thanks for hooking me up, T.”

“It’s no problem.”

Hooking him up? What the heck is Teddy talking about? I stare at him, puzzled.

Justin wipes his mouth with a napkin and gives me a tense grin. “So, I have an announcement, everyone. I’ve received an opportunity. A job opportunity.”

Trey chuckles, pointing as if he’s in on some inside joke. “You serious?”

Justin nods. “You’re looking at Apple’s next potential senior software engineer.”

Mom is thrilled. “Justin, that’s wonderful!”

“Congratulations, man,” says Trey.

“And here I thought you were getting a vasectomy,” says Simone. Mom whacks her on the arm.

“So will you be managing your current colleagues?” asks Trey, excitement dancing in his eyes.

“No,” says Justin. “Actually, the job isn’t in the same building, or the same state.” He looks my way. “It’s in Silicon Valley.”

My heart deflates and slumps into my abdomen. A sharp chill races down my back.

The entire table is silent until Simone busts out laughing.

“But Justin, that’s so far away,” says Mom.

Over thirteen hours away. At least two hours by plane. And I hate planes.

“I think it’s great,” says Trey. “He’ll be at the headquarters—right in the thick of it.”

Justin studies me with a wavering smile, hesitating to respond.

Silicon Valley? He wants to move to Silicon Valley? Like it’s that simple?

“But what about Sam?” says Mom.

“Yeah,” says Simmy, her tone taking on a sarcastic bite. “We know her schedule is jam-packed.”

“Sam is about to graduate,” says Trey. “I bet she’d love working in California. Besides,”—he smiles my way—“a little change would do her good.”

Talia and Tatiana giggle, throwing bread at one another.

“Trey, she’s happy here,” says Mom, nodding at me. “Aren’t you, honey?”

“No, she’s not!” shouts Simone, a mouth full of bread.

Mom turns back to Trey. “That’s asking a lot of someone to simply walk away from everything they’ve ever known in the last twenty-three years.”

“It isn’t like they’re moving to Australia, honey. They’ll visit over the summer and during the holidays.” Trey nods at Justin and me. “Won’t you, guys?”

I give him a look as warm as an arctic breeze.

“I say, screw Justin.” Simone tosses an arm across my shoulders. “Come with me, Sam, and I’ll introduce you to a fine variety of charming, ravenous men.”

Teddy leans back, casting a stern look at my sister on the opposite side of me.

“Simone, don’t be crude,” says Mom.

“I’m just being honest.”

“That’s not who Sam is,” Mom says. “She’s slow and steady. You’re wild and… loose.”

Simone chokes and nearly spits out her drink.

“Is anyone thinking about Justin, right now?” says Trey. “This is a major opportunity for him.”

But Justin’s eyes are back on me. “Actually, I’ve got something else to say.” Teddy stands and pulls out a little black box… then gets down on one knee.

Simone’s spoon clanks into her bowl, splattering chowder across the table. Mom gasps and her hands go over her mouth. Even Talia and Tatiana have settled down.

I’m boxed in—by the chandelier light, by their expectant faces. By the way Justin’s hand shakes just enough for me to see it. There’s no room left to breathe.

He’s brought up the conversation so many times before. And I’ve deflected time and time again. “After I finish school,” I’d tell him. “Once things calm down.” Anything to put off that next major step.

Justin opens the box, revealing a gold solitaire diamond ring. The exact ring I pointed out years ago at a jeweler downtown. One day, I’d said with a smile. But today? Of all days?

Of course he remembered the ring.

The part of me that used to fantasize about this moment—about this proposal—feels numb.

He gently takes me by the hand. “Sam I Am, we’ve been thick as thieves for more than half our lives now. Back in second grade, I spotted you alone in the cafeteria, and I knew I had to be your friend. I decided that day to be the one to make you smile. And if you’ll let me, I’ll do that for the rest of our lives.”

“This is so incredibly cheesy,” says Simone.

Mom swats the air. “Shhh!”

Chewing on his lip, Justin gently traces his thumb across the back of my hand. “Samara Allen, will you marry me?”

I gape at him, my lungs about to explode.

How could he do this to me… in front of everyone?

Mom starts whimpering, and Trey rubs her shoulder.

“Why are you crying right now?” asks Simone. “She hasn’t even answered!”

“It’s just… my baby…” Mom waves her hand and grabs a napkin to blow her nose. “I’m sorry. Go on.”

Justin’s too nervous to laugh. “What do you say? You ready to make this thing official?”

My mom, Simone, and Trey lean in, waiting for my answer. Even the girls are holding their breath.

Who am I kidding? This was inevitable. It’s everything I’ve worked for. Everything I’m supposed to want.

Justin stares at me lovingly, his charming eyes locked on mine.

So I let out a heavy breath and say, “No.”

The late spring rain is pouring down in heavy sheets as the two of us drive off into the night. The SUV is silent, and all that can be heard is the thump, thump, thump of rain droplets, threatening to plop on our heads.

Justin’s not speaking. And neither am I.

He shouldn’t have asked me. He had to know what my answer would be.

I stare out the window at the thick grey clouds. Streaks of lightning flash overhead. “I’m sorry. Okay?”

He scoffs. Then he shakes his head, chuckling. “I knew you’d do this. You always do this.”

My muscles tense as I look at him. “I always do what?”

“This!” He punches a button, and the windshield wipers pick up speed. The blades swipe back and forth, squeaking and thumping, pounding against the glass. “Anytime a new opportunity presents itself, you shrink away—like it’s some sorta curse.”

An opportunity? Is that how he sees his proposal? Like some offer I could never refuse? He is not the only bachelor in Seattle. And I am not some desperate maid, who couldn’t survive without him. At least, I don’t think. “I’m not shrinking away, I’m just—not ready. That’s all.”

“Seven years, Sam. Seven years, and you still aren’t sure?”

I roll my eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me about the interview?”

“I didn’t wanna get you worked up if I didn’t get the job.”

“You know how I am, Justin. You shouldn’t have put me in that position—especially in front of everyone!”

“Yeah, I know that now.” His jaw tenses beneath the passing streetlights. “It’s just… ever since my dad—” He stops and looks at me. “I just thought marriage would bring you around to the idea. That’s all.”

I don’t know what he wants me to say.

He sighs, staring out at the road. “Look, I know change freaks you out, but I couldn’t pass this up.”

“Wait… you took the job?”

He glances my way with a shrug that splinters my heart.

So not only did Justin receive this job offer… He accepted it? It’s as if he doesn’t care about how I feel at all. I blink and turn away. Droplets of rain cling to the passenger window, gingerly rolling down its surface. My eyes burn as I cross my arms.

When Justin places a hand on my knee, I brush it away.

“Sam, I— I just wanna go for something. For once,” he says.

I gaze at the crescent moon peeking through ominous clouds, wondering when it stopped being us and started being him. He would only make such a drastic decision if he were okay with the chance that I’d say no.

I wipe away the tears. “It’s fine. You should totally go for it.”

I’m sure there are plenty of less boring people in Silicon Valley.

He reaches over and takes me by the hand. Against all my pain and doubt, I slip from his grasp.

Lighting streaks across the sky. Thunder booms and crackles.

Justin stares at me as he pulls up to a red light. “Come on, Sam. What am I supposed to do—go on without you?”

Two days later, he’s moving out. He plans to room with one of his colleagues from work until his new job starts in two weeks.

Justin tapes up the final box and lifts it on his shoulder. I remember how much he grumbled about lugging our things up to the loft when we moved in, carrying our bed up the ladder, one piece at a time. But the location was perfect—not too far from school, just the right distance from Mom’s. And even though he wanted a house at twenty-frickin’-years old, he was willing to wait… for me. But he could only wait for so long.

Justin flashes his signature-charming smile as we meet in the living room. “We’re good, right?”

“Best friends forever,” I say.

He nods, sighing through his nose, his hopeful brown eyes scanning the apartment. “Then I guess this is it.” He extends an arm, and we exchange an awkward hug.

For a moment, the two of us stand in silence, neither of us saying a word.

Justin rubs a palm on his jeans, clearing his throat. “You gonna be good with the lease and all that?”

“Yeah. I’ll get out of here soon. Mom says I can stay at her place until I figure things out.”

“Okay. Well, here goes nothing.” His voice quivers and cracks. He swallows and heads for the door.

“Bye, Teddy.”

“See you later, Sam I Am.” He opens the door and stops. Then he sets the box down on the floor and turns back with glistening eyes. In three giant steps, Justin’s back at my side. He swallows me up in his arms and holds me for what seems like forever.

He hasn’t held me like this since that day in the hospital… when he learned that his father would never wake up again.

“Sam…” He whispers through broken sobs. “If… you want me to stay…”

I close my eyes, letting his words settle heavy in the air. My chest tightens as everything inside me shifts—toward him, away from him. Part of me wants to nod, tell him we’ll work this out. That’s what we do. That’s how it’s always been. But I can’t hold him back anymore.

“No,” I whisper, the words coming out more certain than I feel. “This is your chance. You gotta go after your dream.”

His eyes shine with unshed tears. “But I can’t—”

“Yes, you can.”

We lock eyes, the silence thick with everything we can’t say.

Finally, he takes a step back, dabbing at his face with the back of his hand. “Promise you’ll take my calls?”

“Of course. And hey, this is the twenty-first century—email, text, whatever.” I’m chuckling as my heart wrenches in my chest, forcing tears to my eyes.

Justin nods and heads out. And this time, he doesn’t look back.

As the door shuts behind him, a heavy breath escapes me.

How the heck am I gonna do this?

Simone hops off the loft ladder. She slowly applauds as she steps my way. “You two should audition for a soap opera or something. That was some sappy stuff.” My sister decided to hang around for a few days and be my support system. As expected, she’s doing a horrible job. She slaps me on the back as tears roll down my cheeks.

“Simmy, not right now, okay?” I rush over to the kitchen to grab some paper towel. Simone chuckles as I wipe my face.

“Okay, okay. I know it’s sad. But don’t act like this isn’t an answer to prayer.”

I frown at her. “Simone, what are you talking about?”

She leans against the island with her arms crossed, the REBEL logo on her tank top peeking out. “How many years now have you been stringing that poor guy along, when you clearly had eyes for somebody else?”

I shake my head and blow my nose. “That’s not what this is about.”

“That’s exactly what this is about. Honey, I know it sucks the way it played out, but Mr. Cuddles is handing you the opportunity of a lifetime on a silver frickin’ platter right now.”

Oh no. I’d recognize that devilish smirk anywhere. “I’m not hitting the road with you.”

“And why not?” Simone crosses the kitchen and throws an arm around my shoulders. “Just imagine: You and me, two hot girls—who may as well be twins—traveling from coast to coast on our sexy bikes, wreaking havoc and stomping on men’s hearts.”

“I’m pretty sure that movie’s been done before.”

“Come on, Sam!” She juts out her bottom lip like a toddler. “You act like you can’t have any fun unless it’s planned twelve weeks ahead with an itinerary!”

I pinch her cheek. “You remind me of when you were little, whining like that.”

“Both of us were little, Sam.”

“The answer is no.” I ball up what’s left of my damp paper towel and toss it in the trash. “Besides, I have enough on my plate right now.”

“What do you mean?” Simone follows me across the kitchen. “Your boss just announced she’s leaving the country. Clearly, you’re out of a job.”

“Yeah, but…” I take out my phone, staring at Legend’s message.

LEGEND: I’m still waiting…

“Wait a minute,” Simone frowns at the screen. “Is that—? Seriously?! You’re still talking to that guy?”

I turn to her with a wince. “Almost every single day for the past three years.”

Her lips curl in a dubious smirk. “You mean to tell me this hot celebrity wants to talk to my Saltine-cracker sister?” She snatches the phone from my hand and begins scrolling. “Wow. Empire State Building? Sounds like somebody’s horny for you.”

“Would you—Wait. What? You think so?”

“Well, he’s an R&B singer—those guys are always in heat.” She spins around, her curls smacking me in the face. “‘Let’s meet?’ What does he mean, ‘Let’s meet?’”

“That’s what I said. Apparently, he plans to stop in town on his way to Vancouver. And he wants to meet me for dinner.”

Simone’s jaw drops. “Dinner?”

I nod.

“I am so incredibly proud of you. Of course, you said yes.”

“Actually…” I rub the back of my neck. “I told him I’d think about it.”

“Think about it?” Simone frowns. “What the hell is there to think about? Legend Blake is finally offering to get between your legs and you’re choosing now to think things through?”

Heat rushes up my neck. “Simmy, it isn’t like that.”

“And how the hell do you know?” She’s scrolling again. “From the looks of things, the two of you have been dancing around the idea for months. Clearly, you were giving the man digital blue balls.”

I snatch back my phone. “You don’t know anything about our relationship.”

“Uh-huh.” Simone grabs a bottle of apple juice from the fridge and takes a seat on the arm of the sofa. “So, did Mr. Cuddles have any clue about your little computer love?”

I gently shake my head.

“I knew you were tired of His Royal Dullness.” She swallows a chuckle with a nice long gulp of my juice.

“Honestly…” I cross the room and sink next to her on the sofa. “I’m starting to think the dull one is me.”

Simone surveys me with sober eyes. “So why don’t you do something about it?”

I glance at my phone and throw my head back on the sofa.

How did I get myself mixed up in this mess?

“Look,” says Simone. “Though you and Justin are as bland as unseasoned chicken, you’re clearly letting go of a good thing.”

“You think so?”

She nods. “If you’re gonna walk away, may as well make it worth the heartache.”

Simone has never been much for relationships. The closest she’s ever gotten to a committed boyfriend is Kyle, this guy she met at a bar in L.A. He said he liked her bike. He was a thrill-seeker just like her. The two connected and have been on and off for two years now. But lately, he wants to be exclusive, which Simone says is the easiest way to turn her off.

My copy of Keanu rests on the table—a hilarious movie with the comedians, Key and Peele, racing against time to rescue some kingpin’s cat. Justin and I must’ve watched it thirty times.

“Just a few days ago, everything was fine.” I shrug. “Then I made a wish on this… stupid chain letter, and everything fell apart.”

Simmy nods. “Well, that’s some superstitious bullcrap, but I can’t say the Hollywood stars aren’t aligning.” Simone sinks into the sofa, pushing me over with her hip.

“Ow! You don’t have to sit on me!”

She laughs, giving my shoulder a nudge. “Just give it a shot. What have you got to lose?”

Copyright © 2025 Kimberly R. Vargas. All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission from the author.

Author’s Note:

Hey y’all! 💕

Thanks so much for checking out this chapter of Fallin' for the Fame! I hope you’re loving Sam’s journey as much as I’ve loved writing it.

New chapters drop every Wednesday, so be sure to stay tuned! And if you're enjoying the drama, romance, and all the twists in between, don’t keep it to yourself—hit that subscribe button and share with a friend who loves a good love story.

I’ll see you next Wednesday!

Kimberly R. Vargas
Romance Author | Storyteller of Healing & Love

Catching up on the series? START HERE

---

My debut novel The Dance is coming October 2025!