Page 74 of Fake It For Glory

They saw her as the champion of a voiceless demographic, the average middle-class folks who had been pushed to the sidelines for far too long. And they loved her for it.

“Here,” Hattie said and handed Merida her tablet. “Read for yourself. You’re kind of a rock star.”

Merida’s eyes widened as she read through the overwhelming support. “Jensen, you won’t believe this,” she said, her voice filled with disbelief. “People are actually on my side. They think I did the right thing.”

I couldn’t help but smile at her. “Well, Merida, maybe you just became today’s hero. Reid Reese has had his boot on the neck of a lot of people for a long time. He’s wealthy and powerful, which he thought made him untouchable. Good job. I’m proud of you.”

She chuckled, her cheeks tinged with a rosy hue. “I never thought I’d be considered a hero, but I’ll take it.”

Meanwhile Hattie, who had been bracing herself for a PR nightmare, let out a sigh of relief. “Thank the internet gods for small miracles,” she muttered under her breath.

Merida shot her a grateful smile, and Hattie returned it with a nod, knowing that this was one crisis she wouldn’t have to mitigate. I liked that the two of them were friends. It made it easy for us to spend time together. Hattie never actually acknowledged there was anything going on between me and Merida, but she knew. She knew and she didn’t seem to mind a bit.

And then there was me. As I watched Merida’s reaction, the way her eyes sparkled with a mix of surprise and joy, I couldn’t deny the overwhelming attraction I felt for her. I admired her intelligence, her passion, and her fearlessness in the face of adversity. But now, seeing her as a champion for the underprivileged, as a force for change, I found myself drawn to her in a way I hadn’t before. She didn’t just challenge me to be a pain in my ass. She was the kind of person that stood up for what she believed. She didn’t care who she was talking to.

She was the kind of person I wished I could have been when I was younger. She didn’t take shit from anyone. Merida was a woman of principles and conviction, someone who wasn’t afraid to take a stand for what she believed in. And that, I couldn’t help but find incredibly attractive. If I didn’t have to go out and give a stupid speech, I would drag her back to the hotel and sink deep inside her and stay there forever.

“I’m going to check on things,” Hattie said and jumped to her feet. “I’ll knock when it’s time for you to go on.”

She left the room and closed the door behind her. I knew what she was doing. She was giving us a few minutes alone. I cleared my throat, trying to shake off the growing warmth in my chest. “Merida, I admire your drive and intelligence, but today, I’m even more impressed by your strength. You are not a woman to be pushed around. I hope you know how valuable you are. I think your dad will understand one day as well. Just keep fighting.”

She turned to me, her eyes locking onto mine, and for a moment, it felt like the rest of the world faded away. “Thank you, Jensen,” she said, her voice equally soft. “That means a lot to me. I hope this doesn’t blow up in your face.”

“If anything, you just earned me a lot of free publicity,” I joked. “It’s a good thing.”

As we continued to scroll through the messages of support, I couldn’t help but hope that this unexpected turn of events would bring us even closer together. There was something undeniably romantic about being on the same page. We were a team.

There was a knock on the door before Hattie stepped in. “You’re on.”

Merida gave me a quick kiss and squeezed my hand. “Kick ass,” she said, grinning.

Stepping out onto the massive stage of the tech conference, I couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement. The energy in the room was palpable, and the thousands of eager young minds in the audience seemed hungry for every bit of knowledge they could absorb. It was the perfect setting to share my passion for our product and the tech world in general. One time, not all that long ago, I was one of the faces in the crowd listening to Steve Jobs. Now, it was my turn.

As I started my talk, I could see the audience’s eyes lighting up with enthusiasm. They were here to learn, to be inspired, and I was determined to give them my best. I spoke about our product, its potential to change lives, and the endless possibilities it offered to the tech-savvy minds of the future. I didn’t technically write speeches, but I had a general idea of what I would say. Merida and I had gone over talking points. I used a lot of the stuff she contributed. As Hattie kept implying, I needed to sound more human and Merida did that for me.

The open-question segment was equally invigorating. The audience bombarded me with questions, and I did my best to answer each one, feeling a deep sense of connection with these young tech enthusiasts. It was moments like these that reminded me why I loved what I did.

Finally, as my talk came to an end, I received thunderous applause that filled the auditorium. It was a humbling experience, standing on that stage, knowing that I had shared something meaningful with these eager minds. I was pretty sure I had changed a few minds about AI. It was all about explaining how it helped rather than making it seem like the thing that was going to save the human race. People needed to be eased into it.

Backstage, as I caught my breath and wiped the sweat from my brow, I heard a familiar voice behind me. “Jensen!”

Merida was approaching, a mischievous glint in her eye. She reached out and took my hand, her touch sending a pleasant shiver down my spine. “I’ve got something planned for you,” she said, her tone filled with excitement.

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Oh? What’s this all about?” I asked, curious and a little bit surprised.

She flashed me a playful smile, her eyes dancing with anticipation. “Consider it my way of making up for the yacht drama,” she said. “I’ve realized that I should do something nice for you for a change. You’ve taken me on this whirlwind tour of the world. It’s the least I can do.”

I chuckled, touched by her gesture. “You don’t have to, Merida. You being here is enough. I dragged you away from your life and cost you your job.”

She shook her head with a coy smile. “No, Jensen, I want to do this. Trust me, you’re going to love it.”

With that, she led me away from the bustling backstage area, and I couldn’t help but wonder what surprise she had in store for me.