You Heard It Here First

YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST SEEN IN SILVERBRIDGE BOOK 1 EMERSON BLACK Copyright © 2023 by Stormhouse Publishing All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. If you stole the book or downloaded it illegally, I still hope you like it but you know, naughty naughty. CONTENTS I. Welcome To The Show Chapter 1 Luce Chapter 2 Luce Chapter 3 Huds Chapter 4 Faven Chapter 5 Huds Chapter 6 Luce Chapter 7 Huds Chapter 8 Luce Chapter 9 Huds II. The Big Opening Number Chapter 10 Luce Chapter 11 Huds Chapter 12 Faven Chapter 13 Luce Chapter 14 Huds Chapter 15 Luce Chapter 16 Huds Chapter 17 Luce Chapter 18 Faven III. Mosh Pit Chapter 19 Huds Chapter 20 Rodney Chapter 21 Luce Chapter 22 Faven Chapter 23 Huds Chapter 24 Faven Chapter 25 Huds Chapter 26 Luce Chapter 27 Huds Chapter 28 Luce IV. The Big End Number Chapter 29 Rodney Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Luce Chapter 32 Huds Chapter 33 Rodney Chapter 34 Faven Chapter 35 Huds Chapter 36 Luce Chapter 37 Faven Chapter 38 Rodney V. Encore Chapter 39 Luce Chapter 40 Faven Chapter 41 Huds Chapter 42 Rodney Chapter 43 Luce Chapter 44 Sundbyberg, Sweden Chapter 45 Rodney Acknowledgments More Silverbridge About the Author Stormhouse PART I WELCOME TO THE SHOW 1 LUCE Luce and Huds were tucked so close to each other as they hid behind the pilaster that she could feel his breath tickling her neck. “Is that her?” he whispered. She followed his gaze to a wandering student—a pretty but ordinary girl, brown hair tied back into a loose ponytail. “Nope—her letter from the July issue said she cuts her hair into a bob every summer and lets it grow out during the year. Remember? That’s why he didn’t recognize her at the mid-winter party.” Huds stared at Luce with a mixture of confusion and admiration, then peered through his camera’s viewfinder and adjusted some settings. “Do you think we could move next to the dumpling stand?” he asked. “I kinda wanna backlight them as much as possible. Make them look like angels or something. I think that would be more romantic.” Luce kept her eyes on the dozens of students milling around in the university cafeteria, talking, laughing, eating—being young and carefree, and blissfully oblivious to the multitude of injustices lying in wait for them in the outside world. In a few minutes they would witness an inspiring celebration of love, orchestrated by Luce Sharp via Seen in Silverbridge, the magazine she ran. Well, the magazine she and Huds ran. The publication had run for almost four years now, a new issue every month, and had accumulated a following of about eighteen thousand readers. While their social media presence had ballooned in previous weeks, Seen in Silverbridge’s presence was still defined largely by the printed magazine. This stunt would absolutely skyrocket Seen in Silverbridge’s popularity; Luce just knew it. Right in time for the final issue … but she didn’t want to think about that right now. “Let’s not move. It’s gonna happen soon,” Luce said. “Trust me.” She could almost hear Huds rolling his eyes, a standard response to her request for trust. “Ooh—there! That girl. She’s got a bob. Is that a bob?” Huds turned to Luce. “Okay, I’m going to be honest here and admit I don’t know what a bob is.” Luce sighed theatrically but smiled. For the whole lunch break, they had waited for two students who had been corresponding all year through the “Letters to the Editor” section of Seen. The students—known only by their non de plumes of Hagrid91 and CelineSunrise—had met during a party at the University of Silverbridge’s orientation week, but hadn’t traded social handles or last names. CelineSunrise claimed there had been an immediate spark. Hagrid91 swore they were soulmates. It was all disgustingly saccharine. Instead of putting them in direct contact as any normal person would have, Luce had drip-fed the couples’ letters into the monthly issues. What had started as a simple ‘Can you help me find this person?’ had turned into a year-long saga of the printed correspondence of long-lost lovers yearning to be reunited. They were a reader favourite, and Luce knew that she had been right to hold off their long-awaited reunion until the end of the year. She had set a time and date, and now she and Huds were prepared to document a spectacle (hopefully) worthy of the front page. “That’s not her, either,” Luce said, checking the time on her phone. “They’re late.” They watched in strained silence for a few moments. “Hey, I have an, um … a question,” Huds said. “After exams are done, do you want to come over for dinner?” “To your house?” Luce asked, surprised. Huds blinked rapidly. “Not a big deal. It’ll just be my family. Not, like, the whole crew,”—Luce relaxed; Huds came from a very loving and involved Niuean family—“just Mum and us kids.” Luce groaned. “What?” “Come on, Huds. You know what. Your mum hates me.” “She doesn’t hate you! She doesn’t hate anyone … I don’t think the capacity for hate is in her DNA.” “She has a very strong aversion toward me,” Luce clarified. Huds grimaced. “I would say you’re in a fortunate position … you have the opportunity to show her your true personality. I’m sure she’ll come around once she gets to know the real you. The ‘you’ deep down … like, subterranean deep.” Luce shoved Huds in the arm, eyes still on the cafeteria. A dull sadness tugged at her stomach, but she couldn’t pinpoint its source. “So—this will be the final issue,” Huds said. The empty feeling in her stomach intensified. “Yup,” she said. “It’s gonna be dope.” “I hope so.” “It will.”