“There’s almost three and a half million views?”
“And that’s only on this platform.”
“Let me see that,” Mom says, clearly shocked. She looks at it, her eyes wide. “Why do this many people care?”
A good question.
Remy explains, in my direction. “Before you two put out your statement, there was a bunch of online debate interpreting the video. Like whether you were actually together?”
“Okay…”
“And then once you confirmed you were yesterday, another wave of views was to break down the video again. To find those micro-tells that you two are inlovveeee.”
If I wasn’t so stunned, I would tell her to cut it out. We had a lot of fun hanging out at UConn this year, but I swear she reverts to her twelve-year-old self when she has an opening to tease me in front of our family.
Iamdistracted by the substance of her revelations though. “I can’t believe it’s reached this level.”
“You’re both already well-known, and the sum is bigger than the parts in a story like this.” Remy’s a marketing major, so she’s definitely the best equipped of the four of us to understand.
“He’s a good guy?” Dad asks me. “That’s more important to us.”
“Right.” Mom nods, playing along like she doesn’t know the truth.
All of a sudden this conversation feels very messy, and I try to get it back under control.
“Yes, Dad, he treats me well.” True, so far. “And Remy, you know better than to bring this up in a public place.”
“Yeah, let’s table this conversation for now,” Mom says. “Your sister will catch you up in private,ifshe wants.”
“You better,” Remy says in a low voice.
“Stop being a pain in the ass then,” I retort, also trying to keep quiet. Apparently, Remy acting twelve has brought me back to my fourteen-year-old self.
“Girls.”
As Mom directs the conversation to new subjects, I digest everything Remy shared about the fact that my “relationship” with Rawley is much bigger internet fodder than I knew.
Nothing you can’t handle, I try to reassure myself.And exactly what we planned.
I can’t shake that this may be more than I bargained for, however.
And when we’re about to leave, the server returns with two pieces of paper and a marker.
“Avery, would you mind signing these for me and my best friend Melanie?”
“Sure.”
“My name is Dana,” she says. “We’re both big Avley fans.”
I’m confused. Did she mean Avery? I sign the papers and hand them back, giving her a smile.
But Remy explains after she leaves.
“Have you heard? That’s your ship-name.”
WTF.
Back at the team hotel, I crash on the bed as soon as I take off my sneakers. Trying not to let my mind wander through all the info my sister just dropped on me.
