Chapter 52: Back In Miami
...
The next morning, the contestants were all set to depart from the Star Mansion. Julian had already told Von he wouldn’t be on the flight to Miami. He had business to attend to in LA, none of which he had revealed to Von.
As for Celine, Von didn’t see her at all during the morning. He didn’t know where she was flying to, and frankly, he didn’t care. Ever since the results were announced, they had avoided each other like a plague. The air between them was cold enough to freeze water.
Celine’s earlier threat about him stealing the song still lingered in the back of his mind, but he pushed it away.
He had no proof, and she had no proof either... Or he hoped she didn’t. But for now it was the least he could be bothered about. He had made it through to the Finale, and that was all that mattered.
That left only Aura and Von to head to the airport.
The airport procedures was more luxurious than Von expected. Being a finalist on Project: Star ant they were no longer ordinary passengers. As they sat in the quiet of the first-class cabin, waiting for the plane to taxi, Von noticed Aura looking at her phone with a dazed expression.
"You okay?" Von asked, buckling his seatbelt.
Aura looked up with a bright, slightly shocked smile on her face. "I just got the official notification. For finishing third place... I got fifty thousand dollars. Fifty thousand!"
"Woah," Von whistled, impressed. "That’s really a huge sum. Congratulations! You earned every cent of it."
"It’s more money than I’ve ever seen at once," she said, leaning back into her seat. "I was worried about going back to the outback and just... falling back into the old routine. But my Uncle Sam called . He’s been watching every episode. He said everyone back ho is so proud."
"So, what’s the plan? Are you heading back to Australia tomorrow?"
Aura shook her head with a newfound ambition. "Not yet. Uncle Mark actually convinced
to stay in the States for a bit longer. He wants to help
use this capital to release a single. He’s putting
in touch with so people he knows in the industry. With the prize money and his help, I think I can actually put in so serious work. I’m not ready for my voice to stop being heard."
Von felt a genuine surge of happiness for her. Aura had been one of the few real people in that mansion, and knowing she was walking away with a future made the victory feel a little less lonely.
They spent the rest of the flight talking about music, life, and the strange journey they had shared, until the plane finally began its descent into the familiar heat of Miami.
***
As Von cleared the sliding doors of the terminal, he didn’t have to look far.
"Von!"
Naomi was standing near the barrier, waving her arms frantically. Beside her was Zack, leaning against a pillar with a grin on his face.
Before Von could even get a word out, Naomi had closed the distance. She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him so tight he could barely breathe.
"I missed you so much! You’re finally back!" she cried into his shoulder.
Von wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her hair. The stress of the flight and everything all seed to evaporate in her embrace. "I missed you too, Nana. So much."
When she finally let go, Zack stepped forward. He gave Von a solid, one-ard hug and a heavy pat on the back. "Welco ho, you Superstar. I’m so proud of you!"
"Good to see you, bro," Von’s smile grew wider, returning the hug with an even firr pat.
As they walked toward the parking lot, Naomi kept her arm hooked through Von’s. She looked at him with a mix of pride and worry. "I’m so sorry, Vonnie. Your arrival was so sudden that I couldn’t arrange a proper party or invite anyone."
"Nana, it’s fine. I just wanted to see you guys," Von assured her.
Her eyes suddenly lighted up. "But your birthday is next week, so we’ll have plenty of ti to arrange sothing good then."
Von stopped walking for a second, a look of total surprise on his face. "My... birthday?"
He did the ntal math and realized that they were indeed correct m
"You’re right," Von muttered, shaking his head. "I completely forgot. Nineteen already."
"Ti flies when you’re a celebrity," Zack joked. "But we’re not letting you off that easily. We’ll be having dinner at a restaurant tonight, the bills are on ."
Von opened his mouth to offer to pay. He was a finalist on a national show, after all. But as the words ford, he felt the emptiness of his own wallet in his pocket. He bit his lip and stayed silent.
Internally, Von cursed the show. He had gone this far, yet he was returning ho with exactly as much money as he had when he left. He was still just a broke college student, while the show made millions off his face.
"Thanks, bro," Von said, forcing himself to sound grateful rather than bitter.
***
The three of them spent the evening at a quiet steakhouse near the waterfront. It was a world away from the glitz of the Star Mansion for Von.
They flooded him with questions. Naomi wanted to know about the food and the costus, while Zack was more interested in the politics of the house. Von told them all the stories and tried to make them laugh, feeling a sense of peace.
They stayed until the restaurant began to quiet down, around 8:00 pm. Naomi eventually checked her watch with a sigh.
"I have an early shift at work," she said, giving Von one last, lingering hug. "I really want to stay so more, but we’ll speak tomorrow."
"Yes, we’ll et tomorrow, Nana. I’m so happy for this eting," Von promised.
After she left, the energy at the table shifted. The warmth of the family reunion seed to go out the door with her.
Von finally turned his attention back to his plate. He picked up his knife to finish his steak, when Zack interrupted him.
"Now you’re alone, Von. I have sothing important to tell you."
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