Chapter 4My Secret Identity as the Hollywood Bot

I ran home and immediately logged into the burner account. The notifications were insane.

Nate Cross had replied to my bot comment.

“Thank you.”

Two words. That was it. And it had catapulted me to the top of the trending page. The "Nate Effect" was real. I decided to strike while the iron was hot and went through Nate’s recent posts.

Nate posted about having insomnia.

I commented: “Sleeplessness is a catalyst for anxiety, which in turn fuels sleeplessness. Please maintain a calm disposition. This state is merely transitory; balance will return.”

Nate replied: “Thank you. I actually feel better already.”

Fans: “Wait, why is this kind of cute?”

Nate posted a gallery of professional headshots.

I commented: “Wow! You are a masterpiece sculpted by the divine. From a distance, you are breathtaking; up close, you are aesthetically perfect. You have truly captivated the masses!”

Nate replied: “Haha, did I captivate you too?”

Fans lost their minds: “The Clueless Bot vs. The Flirty Movie Star. I am OBSESSED.”

Nate posted: “I think I’m falling for someone.”

I commented: “Infatuation is not a coincidence; it is the culmination of accumulated affinity. Affection cannot wait; you must declare your intentions immediately!”

Nate replied: “Haha. Can I declare them to you?”

The internet went into a meltdown.

“The NPC Queen and Nate Cross? I didn’t have this on my 2024 bingo card.”

“Why do they have more chemistry than most rom-coms?”

“I am literally screaming. Please date. Do it for me.”

A "Nate x NPC" ship tag started trending. I stared at the screen, baffled. This was just polite social media interaction, right? One person being sincere, the other being polite. Where was the romance?