By the time Rae made it to school Monday morning, she was already viral.
It wasn't just the #Raelo hashtag anymore. No, someone had captured a photo of her and Milo — not the posed kind, not the hand-holding lunch entrance kind — but one from the hallway. That moment after lunch on Friday, when Rae stood by her locker with flushed cheeks and that napkin sketch clutched to her chest.
She looked… happy. Not acting-happy. Real-happy.
And the internet noticed.
The post was everywhere: "That look says everything. Don't tell me #Raelo isn't real."
There were edits now. Fan art. Clips from old interviews with Rae spliced together to make her look like she'd always been in love with a mystery boy. Someone had even slowed down the footage of Milo holding the cafeteria door open, layered it with sparkles and romantic music, and posted it with the caption: "Chivalry isn't dead. It's just hiding in hoodies."
Rae didn't know whether to laugh or scream.
Vivienne called before Rae even finished brushing her teeth.
"Darling, don't panic," Vivienne said in her signature breathless purr, "but this is exactly the kind of press we needed. The natural chemistry! The mystery boy! It's gold!"
"You're not mad someone leaked that photo?"
"Mad? I'm sending them flowers. This is organic content, Rae. Unfiltered emotion. You can't buy this kind of buzz!"
"I didn't even know it was taken…"
"Well, now everyone knows. You and Milo? You're trending in Brazil, sweetheart. Brazil!"
Rae flopped back on her bed, phone pressed to her ear. "This is getting out of hand."
Vivienne laughed. "Oh honey, the hand is miles behind us. The only thing to do now is run with it."
And Vivienne did run with it.
By the time Rae got to school, she was on three different pop culture blogs and at least one late-night Twitter roundup.
Then came the first wave of whispers.
"She's literally everywhere."
"Did you see that photo of them at her locker?"
"I thought she was dating that college guy."
"Oh please, this is just for clout."
And then came her — Bianca Easton.
Fake-sweet smile. Glitter eyeliner. That high-pitched voice that made everything sound like a compliment… even when it wasn't.
"Rae! You look so tired. All those fan edits must be keeping you up, huh?"
Rae forced a polite nod. "Bianca."
Bianca looped an arm through hers like they were old friends. "I was telling everyone — Rae doesn't do normal. If she's dating someone off-screen, it has to be part of her next character arc, right?"
Rae tugged her arm free. "Or maybe I just liked someone. Weird, I know."
Bianca blinked, then turned her grin up a notch. "Of course! I mean, I guess everyone has their… phases."
And just like that, she was gone — off to spill faux-concerned tea somewhere else.
Then came the second wave of trouble: Savannah Brooks.
Once Rae's biggest fan — used to run her fan page, post old audition tapes, call her "the future of Hollywood." Now? She ran an anonymous gossip account that conveniently posted the locker photo before it blew up.
Rae stared at the username: @LightsCameraMess. The bio read: Your inside scoop from someone who knows the script… and the secrets.
She felt her stomach twist.
"She's obsessed," Lena muttered at lunch, stabbing a piece of lettuce like it insulted her.
"She's bitter," Rae corrected. "And smart. She knows exactly how to get people talking."
And people were talking. Again.
Even Vivienne was spinning new angles — sending Rae mockups of magazine spreads, pitching TikTok dances with Milo, even suggesting a paparazzi-style "accidental" sighting.
Rae didn't answer any of them.
Because behind the edits and captions, the whispers and views, was one cold, annoying truth: Rae didn't feel like herself anymore. She felt like a product. A hashtag.
A brand.
And Milo?
He seemed to notice.
They sat under the big oak tree behind the gym — their unofficial hideout — Rae fiddling with the strings of her hoodie, Milo drawing in the margins of his notebook again.
"You okay?" he asked without looking up.
Rae shrugged. "Bianca gave me a pity compliment. Savannah probably sold my locker photo to BuzzFeed. I trended on Brazilian TikTok. So yeah. Totally normal day."
Milo let out a low whistle. "The glamorous life."
"I'm not even being me anymore," she admitted. "I'm being 'me with you' — and everyone's got an opinion."
He finally looked up. "Do you have an opinion?"
Rae was quiet for a beat too long. "I don't know. I think I just wanted a break from being what people expected. But now this feels worse."
Milo closed his notebook. "Then maybe we stop."
She looked at him, startled. "What?"
"We call it off. The fake thing. I don't want you to lose yourself."
Rae swallowed. "But Vivienne—"
"Vivienne can find someone else to trend with. I'm not letting them tear you down."
And then — as if summoned by drama — Jade Monroe showed up, arms crossed, perfectly manicured nails gleaming in the sunlight.
"Well well," she said, "Didn't realize this was the angst corner."
Milo stood, slowly.
Rae blinked. "Jade, not now."
Jade shrugged. "Just thought I'd say hi. And maybe drop a little warning. There's a petition going around to vote you off that school panel you were nominated for. People think you're using the spotlight to rig stuff."
Rae's stomach sank. "Are you serious?"
Jade smiled sweetly. "Just what I heard. But hey, maybe if you cry on camera, you'll trend again."
And that's when it happened.
Milo stepped forward, voice cold and calm.
"Walk away."
Jade blinked. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
"Ohhh," Jade smirked. "The boyfriend speaks."
"Fake or not," Milo said, "you don't get to talk to her like that."
The silence was electric.
Even Rae froze.
Jade backed up slowly, mock salute in place. "Well well. Maybe you are good at acting."
And she was gone.
Rae turned to Milo. "That wasn't in the script."
"Nope," he said.
She smiled softly. "Thanks."
"I meant it," he replied, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Fake dating or not — you shouldn't have to deal with this alone."
---
That night, Rae's phone buzzed at 10:14 PM.
Vivienne: Emergency. Call me. Now.
Rae groaned, pulling her blanket over her face. "If this is about another ship name, I swear..."
But she called.
Vivienne answered on the first ring. "Are you sitting?"
Rae rolled her eyes. "Yes."
"You have an audition tomorrow."
Rae blinked. "Wait, what?"
Vivienne's voice was breathless with excitement. "The director of Bits & Pieces — just called me personally."
"Wow that man's a huge deal in the industry."
"Huge and obsessed with you," Vivienne said. "He saw all the trending clips, the edits, the locker photo—everything. He said, and I quote: 'That girl's got something. People follow her. They care. She feels influential without trying.'"
Rae sat up in bed, fully awake now.
"He wants to see you read for the main role. Tomorrow. 3 PM. Don't be late. I'm sending you the script pages now."
"But—what about the campaign? The fake dating thing?"
Vivienne chuckled. "Darling. That is the campaign. You've created something people believe in. And if a little romance fantasy gets you booked as a lead on a primetime show? That's what I call a win."
Rae stared at the wall in stunned silence.
She was going to audition. For a lead. On a major show.
Because people believed in her. Or at least the version of her she showed when Milo was around.
"Tomorrow?" she repeated.
Vivienne's voice softened just slightly. "You've got this, Rae. They already want you. Now just go prove them right."
As the call ended, Rae's phone buzzed again.
Milo: Hey. You good?
She stared at the message a moment, thumbs hovering.
Then she typed back:
Rae: Big audition tomorrow. Thanks for standing up for me today. Not just for the cameras.
Three dots. Then—
Milo: Anytime.
Rae smiled. Maybe the spotlight wasn't going anywhere. But at least, for now, she wasn't standing in it alone.