My little brother is the internet’s most hated pop star. So when we signed up for a family reality show together, he tiptoed around like he was walking on eggshells, while I was out there raising hell. I’d pick a fight with a stray dog just for looking at me wrong.
My brother, Liam, would whisper, “Aria, for the love of God, just tone it down. I’m begging you.”
But his fans? They were eating it up. “This is awesome! Keep going, we live for this!”
1
I’d just gotten back to the States after studying abroad when my brother, Liam, landed a gig on a new family–centric reality show.
He asked Mom to join him. She just sipped her tea and said, cool as a cucumber, “Absolutely not. I wouldn’t be caught dead on that kind of thing.”
He asked Dad. Without even looking up from a mountain of paperwork, Dad grunted, “A million a day, and I’ll think about it.”
Liam was speechless.
Defeated, he turned his pleading, puppy–dog eyes on me.
I threw my hands up with a grin. “It’s just a reality show, right? Don’t worry, big sis has got your back.”
I saw Mom give me a look, one that screamed, Are you sure about this?
10
Liam, on the other hand, was practically weeping with gratitude. He threw his arms around me. “Aria, you’re the best. Seriously, I’m so lucky to have you.”
I patted his head, feeling a swell of pride. “Hey, look at you, little bro. You’re a huge star now. I’m so proud to have a brother like you.”
He shifted awkwardly, a blush creeping up his neck. “Aria… maybe you should, uh… check the internet first?”
I’d been in such a rush coming home that I hadn’t had time to catch up on the latest gossip. Puzzled but still smiling, I pulled out my phone and opened up Chirper.
And then my smile froze.
He was famous, all right. Just in a completely different way.
From the moment he’d debuted two years ago, the internet had been a cesspool of vitriol directed at him. His singing and dancing were decent, but he’d landed a top spot on a competitive reality show, and the consensus was that he’d only gotten there by crying his way through it. They’d even compiled clips of his dancing into a viral montage titled “Senior Citizen Rehab Exercises.”
In that moment, I deeply regretted saying, “I’m so proud of you.”
And I knew, with absolute certainty, that he was about to deeply regret saying, “I’m so lucky to have you.”
