Chapter Seven: Going Viral
735 Words
Amelia’s phone started vibrating before sunrise.
She groaned and reached for it on the nightstand.
43 missed calls.
127 unread messages.
Her eyes widened.
“What on earth…?”
A moment later, Lena called again.
The second Amelia answered, Lena exclaimed,
“Please tell me you’ve seen the internet!”
“I just woke up.”
“Well, wake up faster.”
Amelia opened social media.
The first thing she saw was a photograph.
Nathan standing beside her outside the restaurant.
His hand gently brushing a strand of hair away from her face.
She barely remembered the moment.
But the internet certainly did.
The headline read:
HOLLYWOOD’S GOLDEN BOY LOOKS AT HIS NEW GIRLFRIEND LIKE SHE HUNG THE MOON.
She blinked.
“Hung the moon?”
Another headline appeared beneath it.
IS THIS FAKE RELATIONSHIP TURNING REAL? BODY LANGUAGE EXPERTS THINK SO.
Amelia buried her face in a pillow.
“Oh, this is a nightmare.”
Across town, Nathan was having a much calmer reaction.
He sipped his coffee while Oliver paced around the office.
“Your approval rating is climbing.”
Nathan shrugged.
“Good.”
“The movie trailer reached twenty million views overnight.”
“Great.”
“The sponsors want to renew their contracts.”
Nathan looked up.
“So why do you look worried?”
Oliver placed another tablet on the desk.
Someone had started digging into Amelia’s private life.
Photos from years ago.
Her college graduation.
Old family pictures.
Even a newspaper clipping about her late parents.
Nathan’s smile disappeared.
“They’re crossing the line again.”
He stood immediately.
“Call the PR team.”
“And legal.”
Oliver nodded.
“I already have.”
Meanwhile, Amelia arrived at school.
To her surprise…
The reporters were gone.
Instead, she found flowers waiting on her desk.
There wasn’t one bouquet.
There were dozens.
Roses.
Tulips.
Lilies.
Sunflowers.
One card read:
Thank you for making Nathan smile again.
Another said:
We’re rooting for you!
Another simply read:
Protect our Mr. Perfect.
Amelia laughed.
“I think your fans like me.”
Nathan, who had just walked into the classroom carrying coffee, looked around in amazement.
“I’ve never received this many flowers.”
She grinned.
“Jealous?”
“A little.”
The children noticed him immediately.
Gasps echoed through the classroom.
“Miss Brooks!”
“Is that really Nathan Hart?”
Nathan smiled and crouched to their level.
“It is.”
One little boy frowned.
“My mom says movie stars are fake.”
Nathan chuckled.
“Sometimes.”
The boy tilted his head.
“Are you fake?”
Nathan glanced at Amelia before answering.
“I used to think I had to be.”
The classroom grew quiet.
“But someone reminded me it’s okay to be myself.”
Amelia felt her cheeks warm.
After school, Nathan and Amelia walked toward the parking lot.
A teenage girl hesitantly approached them.
She clutched a notebook to her chest.
“I’m sorry to bother you.”
Nathan smiled warmly.
“You’re not bothering me.”
The girl looked nervous.
“I’ve been a fan since I was ten.”
She paused.
“But…”
She turned to Amelia.
“I’m even happier that you’re with him.”
Amelia blinked.
“Really?”
The girl nodded.
“When he’s around you…”
“He smiles differently.”
She handed Nathan the notebook for an autograph.
“I hope whoever you’re pretending to be…”
She smiled knowingly.
“…you never stop looking at her like that.”
The girl hurried away before either of them could respond.
Nathan and Amelia stood there in silence.
Finally, Amelia spoke.
“People really think we’re in love.”
Nathan’s voice was quieter than usual.
“I’m starting to wonder if pretending is becoming the easiest part.”
She looked at him.
“What do you mean?”
Before he could answer, Oliver’s car pulled up beside them.
His expression was grim.
“Nathan.”
“We have a problem.”
He handed over a sealed envelope.
There was no stamp.
No return address.
Only one sentence typed on a plain sheet of paper.
Break up with her… or she’ll pay for your mistakes.
The smile vanished from Nathan’s face.
This wasn’t gossip anymore.
It wasn’t paparazzi.
Someone wanted Amelia gone.
And they were willing to threaten her to make it happen.
- Writer
