Chapter 8 – Lucky Stars
The fest's second day began differently. Veronica woke up unusually early, heart fluttering, a small smile playing on her lips. Her phone lit up just as she was brushing her hair.
Vance:So you're definitely coming today, right?
She grinned and typed quickly.
Veronica:Yeah, of course! I wouldn't miss it for anything.
His reply came almost instantly, but it wasn't the one she expected.
Vance:Thing is... my entire gang ditched. For some dumb reasons.Guess you won't be coming either now?
She frowned.
Veronica:Hmm... so you won't come either?
Vance:I want to come. But I thought you'd bail.
Veronica:Are you kidding? I'm coming. You better show up too.But you won't have your friends there.
Vance:Well, I'll have you, won't I?
she didn't reply for a second. Then:
Vance:Fair enough, mr.batman.
Veronica reached early, roaming the fest grounds with Vinnie, who was obsessed with winning every game. They played and lost—again and again. Veronica laughed it off but secretly sighed at her hopeless luck. Eventually, Vinnie had to leave, and Veronica found herself near the stage, watching the performers and recording the music.
That's when she felt a tap on her shoulder.
"Guess who finally decided to show up?" Vance said, that subtle smirk on his face.
Veronica turned, eyes lighting up. "You made it!"
"Of course I did. I said I'd be here, didn't I?"
They roamed the fest together, side by side. The air buzzed with music, laughter, and food smells. Veronica kept dragging him to game stalls, cursing her 'rotten luck' every time she lost.
"I swear the universe has a personal grudge against me," she muttered after losing at the dart game.
"Oh yeah?" he teased. "Let's see if I can beat the universe for you."
That's when they spotted it: a glowing pack of neon stars hanging at a far stall—glow-in-the-dark, dreamlike, just like the ones Veronica had once seen in a childhood book. Her eyes sparkled.
"I need those stars," she declared.
She tried. And failed. Twice.
Then Vance stepped up, casually aimed... and won.
He turned around and tossed the stars into her hands like it was nothing. "There. Your luck's just a proxy through me."
Veronica's face broke into the widest grin. "No way—Batman saves the day again!"
They laughed and walked on. Later, another stall had the same star prize. Veronica wanted a second chance. It was a ridiculously hard ball-aim game, the type nobody had won yet. She tried—twice. Missed.
"One more go," she muttered, determined.
"Try a little lower," Vance said quietly, watching the pattern. "You're aiming too high."
She adjusted her hand, heart pounding. The ball flew—thunk. Dead center.
"I won!" she squealed, disbelief on her face. "I actually won!"
She turned to him, breathless. "Okay, this one's yours."
Vance shook his head. "Nah. Keep them both. Now your ceiling's going to look like a galaxy."
Veronica clutched the twin packs to her chest, feeling strangely... warm. Not just from the win. From him.
From this whole stupid, beautiful night.