Eden couldn’t move. She couldn’t think. Exiting Instagram, she went to call log and FaceTimed Cheryl. As the phone rang, she realised her friend was probably too busy banging an old man to pick up, but then Cheryl appeared. She was sitting in a huge white bed, wearing an ugly man’s shirt and even with make up smeared around her eyes, she looked beautiful. “George? What’s wrong?”

“Bernie, Francis DM’d me! He wants to talk tours.”

Cheryl jumped to her feet and shrieked, the camera jolting as she ran from the room.

“Where you going?” a man called.

Cheryl didn’t even look back. “I need to talk to my friend in private!”

“Sure, sure.”

The man’s tone was indulgent. ‘You girls have fun with your little girl things.’ But Eden didn’t have time to be grossed out. She picked up her foundation and gobbed it onto the back of her wrist. “Francis heard that I hooked up with Willow. That’s why he DM’d. He’s jealous. Or at least intrigued.”

Cheryl cackled. “Of course, he is. Holy shit, this is amazing. What did he say exactly?”

Eden re-read her messages as she dabbed her face with a make up sponge. When she was done, Cheryl screamed. “This is so cool! This is our future.”

Eden dipped her finger into her Urban Decay palette, coating the tip with silver eyeshadow. “If Francis follows through. He might not actually want to sit down and talk about the tour?”

“Then keep making him jealous. You’re seeing Willow tonight, right?”

“Yeah, but I don’t want to be tacky about it.”

“George, this isn’t time to play dumb.”

Eden dragged her silvery fingertip across her eyelid. “I’m not, I’m just not… horny for clout.”

“You should be horny for clout! One post from Sloan Williams has gotten you three thousand followers and a meeting with Francis. Imagine what a real date could do.”

Eden frowned at herself in the mirror. “Don’t say that. I’ve spent all day thinking about how bad me and Willow are for each other.”

“Why? You’re gorgeous, he’s whatever, he loves your music and it’s making Francis jealous. There are no downsides.”

“He’s not my type. He’s so wholesome, you know? He’s—”

“Boring,” Cheryl agreed. “But, so what? Just go out with him. Teach him how to have fun.”

“He is not boring!”

“Then why are you complaining?”

Eden picked up her Nars blush. “So, we go out and I get clout and impress Francis. What’s Willow getting out of this?”

“Um, who cares?”

“Mmm.” Eden dusted her cheeks with blush. “I dunno, Bern. I’m okay with on stage drama, but I don’t want to use anyone.”

“Who says you’re using him? He’s the one who tagged you in a post. Maybe he wants to help you out?”