AwakeningThe neon lights of Neon City flickered outside Jaden Cole's apartment window, casting jagged shadows across his cluttered desk. Empty energy drink cans and half-finished code on his laptop screen were the only witnesses to his late-night grind. At 24, Jaden was a freelance coder with a knack for hacking systems and a reputation for keeping it real. He wasn't rich, but he had his principles. And the first one was simple: Never be a simp.It wasn't always like this. Two years ago, Jaden had been head-over-heels for Mia, a barista with a smile that could melt glaciers. He'd spent months buying overpriced lattes, tipping generously, and even writing her a custom app to track her shifts. She'd called him "sweet" and "cute," but when push came to shove, she ghosted him for a guy with a sports car and a TikTok following. That was the day Jaden swore off simping. No more pedestals. No more chasing. He'd live for himself, not for someone else's approval.Now, Jaden leaned back in his creaky chair, scrolling through X. The platform was a battlefield of opinions, and tonight, it was buzzing about a new influencer in Neon City: Zara Voss. Her posts were everywhere—clips of her DJing at underground clubs, cryptic quotes about "living your truth," and selfies that screamed confidence. The comments were a mix of worship and thirst. "Queen Zara 😍," one user wrote. "I'd sell my kidney to meet her," said another. Jaden snorted. Simps.His phone buzzed. A message from his buddy, Theo:
Yo, you going to the Nexus rave tomorrow? Zara Voss is spinning. It's gonna be wild.Jaden typed back: Maybe. Not here to fanboy, tho.
Theo's reply was instant: Lol, chill. Just come for the vibes.Jaden tossed his phone onto the couch. A rave sounded better than debugging code all night, but he wasn't about to lose his edge over some DJ with a cult following. He'd go, but he'd keep his guard up.
Nexus was a converted warehouse, pulsing with bass and lit by strobe lights that made the crowd look like a glitchy video game. Jaden weaved through the sea of bodies, his black hoodie blending into the chaos. Theo was already there, waving him over to a corner near the bar."Yo, you made it!" Theo shouted over the music, handing Jaden a drink. "Zara's set starts in ten. You ready to see what the hype's about?"Jaden shrugged. "I'm here for the music, not the fangirling."Theo laughed. "Sure, Mr. Too-Cool-For-Love. Bet you'll be dancing by the end of the night."The lights dimmed, and the crowd erupted as Zara Voss took the stage. She was magnetic—short silver hair, leather jacket, and a smirk that said she owned the room. Her set was fire, blending glitchy techno with retro synths. Jaden couldn't deny it: she was good. Really good. But he kept his arms crossed, refusing to join the crowd's frenzy.Halfway through the set, Zara grabbed the mic. "This one's for the ones who don't bow down," she said, her voice cutting through the bass. "The ones who live for themselves. You know who you are."Jaden raised an eyebrow. Was she pandering, or did she actually mean it? He caught himself staring a bit too long and shook it off. Focus, Jaden. She's just another influencer.After the set, Theo dragged him to the VIP area, where he'd somehow scored passes. Zara was there, surrounded by a small crowd. Up close, she was less polished than her X persona—sweaty from the set, with a sharp wit as she bantered with fans. Jaden hung back, sipping his drink, until Theo shoved him forward."Yo, Zara, my boy Jaden's a coder. He's got that lone-wolf vibe you were talking about," Theo said, grinning.Zara's eyes locked onto Jaden's. "Lone wolf, huh? You don't strike me as the type to chase clout.""I don't," Jaden said flatly. "I'm here for the music, not the hype."She smirked, like she was sizing him up. "Good. The world's got enough simps."Jaden felt a spark of respect. Maybe she wasn't just another influencer milking her followers. But he wasn't about to let his guard down. "We'll see if you back that up," he said, turning back to his drink.Theo groaned. "Man, you're impossible."Zara just laughed. "I like a challe