The young woman cringed. “Aria?” She made a sound, like she was about to throw up. “Sounds too fancy. Just call me Nova.” Then, she said:

A) “Also, sorry if it was unclear, but I’m going to have to decline your offer. I’m curious about your case, yes, but I’m already working with someone.” She motioned at herself. “Me, myself, and I. So!” Nova began walking away with a smug grin spread across her features. “I guess I’ll see you around sometime, Leith. Or not.” She shrugged. “I don’t really care, I just want to enjoy this life while I still can.”

B) “Maybe we should, yeah.” Nova pursed her lips together and looked up to the sky. As the stream of droplets ran down her face and the strange neon signs around us reflected colors of yellow and red onto her skin, for some reason, I couldn’t help but think that she was beautiful in her own way. “But I’m hungry.” She huffed. “So it might have to be food first, or else I can’t promise I’ll be able to help you.”

C) “By the way…” Nova smirked and walked towards me. She watched as I took a few steps away from her, until my back was now inches away from the railing that led to a fall which would surely be enough to kill a man. Her palm found its place against my chest. “Isn’t it a shame,” she said, “that my name will be the last syllables you’ll ever speak?” And then, she pushed me. This time, I wasn’t see-through. Perhaps because I hadn’t seen it coming. Perhaps because it was only a one-time deal. I couldn’t tell, all I knew in this moment was that I was falling, fast.