Chapter 3: Welcome to Silver Harbor, Drama Included

When Autumn and I rolled up to the six SUVs, everyone else was already there.

The parking lot was a beehive of activity. Crew members zipped around, wires everywhere, the smell of sunscreen and burnt coffee thick in the air. I clutched my camera bag like a lifeline, nerves jangling.

There he was: Mason Price, reigning movie king.

He looked just as good in jeans and a plain tee as he did in a tux. He flashed Autumn a grin that could melt a glacier. Unreal.

And then there was Caleb Ford, e-sports legend.

Tall, lean, hoodie zipped to his chin even though it was eighty degrees, baseball cap shadowing his face. His hands never left his phone, but he had that chill, unbothered vibe that made people want to know more.

Host: Jasmine Lee.

All flawless hair and megawatt smile, already working the cameras. Her voice carried over the parking lot, every word perfectly rehearsed, dripping with that influencer charm.

My stomach did a weird little flip.

Just seeing Jasmine again made my insides twist. Old drama, old wounds. I looked away, hoping nobody caught the tiny flicker of panic.

Jasmine Lee zeroed in on me, smiling wide. "Nina Carter, long time no see!"

She said it extra loud for the mics, her voice all sticky-sweet. She went in for a hug; I gave her the world's quickest pat on the back and stepped away.

Livestream comments were already popping off—

[Whoa! First time seeing my guy Caleb on a reality show! Can’t stop staring...]

[LOL! Nina, how does it feel to see an old acquaintance? Feeling awkward yet?]

[Poor Autumn, why is she still hanging out with someone like Nina? Even on a reality show, she has to tag along for clout. No shame!]

I could practically hear the snark coming through the screen. Some things really never change.

...

I clamped my lips together, jaw tight, but forced a smile anyway. No way was I letting Jasmine or the internet see me sweat.

Back when Jasmine was just a small-time influencer—barely a hundred thousand followers—she hunted me down for an interview. After that, she started spinning drama, hijacking the narrative, and blew up into a social media star. I became her favorite target for online hate.

She twisted my words, edited clips to make me look jealous or petty, and watched her follower count skyrocket while my reputation tanked. It still stung, but I was determined not to let her get under my skin this time. Not today, Satan.

"Ugh! Why is she here?" Autumn muttered under her breath, glaring. "The production team is so shady. I asked for a four-person trip! Why’d they add her last minute? Are they treating us like we’re on some trashy reality show?"

Autumn's voice was low but loaded. She shot daggers at the nearest producer, who just shrugged and hustled off. The whole setup screamed 'manufactured drama.'

I poked her, whispering, "We’re live! Don’t give them a viral moment already. Let’s not hand them the drama clip before we even unpack."

This is exactly the kind of mess the show wants.

I could see the headlines already: 'Celebrity Catfight Erupts On Set!' The producers must be drooling. I took a breath and tried to chill.

Honestly, I’m already a nobody, so it’s not like I can get any less popular at this point.

My reputation was already in the dumpster. All I could do was keep my head down and hope for minimal internet humiliation.

But I was mostly worried Jasmine would pull something and drag Autumn into the mud with her…

I shot Autumn a look, silently promising myself I’d do whatever it took to protect her. She didn’t deserve this circus.

"Autumn, long time no see. I’ve missed you."

Jasmine’s words were all syrup, but her eyes had that sharp, sizing-you-up glint. She moved in for another hug, but Autumn sidestepped, keeping it smooth.

Autumn dodged, flashing her PR-perfect smile. "Yeah, long time no see."

Her voice was friendly enough, but the edge was there. Autumn knew how to play the game, but I could see she was just as on guard as I was.

Once all the luggage was loaded, Mason tossed the keys in the air. "Shotgun, anyone?" His easy grin made the crew laugh, and for a second, it almost felt like a normal road trip.

Autumn was about to sit with me in the second row, but Jasmine swooped in.

Jasmine latched onto Autumn’s arm like they were besties, her perfectly manicured nails making a point. She was all smiles, but her grip was iron.

Jasmine winked. "Autumn, you sit up front. I’ll take the second row."

"You can tell me all about your romantic history on the way."

"You wouldn’t take away my chance to ship you two live, would you?"

She rattled it all off in one breath, just loud enough for the cameras. It was obvious she wanted a headline before we even hit the highway.

Autumn had no choice but to take the front seat.

She shot me an apologetic glance, then slid into the passenger seat with her best PR smile locked in place.

Jasmine claimed the row behind her, and I took the very back.

I slid into the third row, hugging my camera bag. The leather seats were cold, and I suddenly felt like a kid on the school bus, left out and boxed in.

Caleb Ford, cap pulled low, lifted his head just long enough to make eye contact, then climbed in next to me without a word.

He gave me a single nod, barely acknowledging me, then slouched down, headphones in. I tried not to stare, but the guy had that mysterious, quietly cool thing going on.

I kept sneaking glances, just about to say hi when Jasmine pounced from the middle row.

Jasmine called out, "Caleb, why not sit in the second row?"

"You just won the national e-sports championship last week—I’d love to interview you."

Her tone was all syrup, but Caleb didn’t even twitch. He pulled his cap lower, clearly not in the mood for chit-chat.

Caleb shrank back in his seat, chin tucked into his jacket, slender fingers pressing his cap down like a shield. His body language screamed, 'Please, no.'

Honestly, I almost felt bad for him—but mostly, I was relieved someone else was taking the heat for once.

"No thanks. I’m tired."

His voice was flat, barely above a whisper. Jasmine blinked, caught off guard for the first time all day.

Jasmine’s face froze for a split second, clearly not used to being shut down.

She recovered fast, but I caught that little flash of annoyance in her eyes. I almost felt bad for her. Almost.

I had to bite my lip to keep from grinning. I ducked my head, hiding my smile behind my hand. Caleb might just be my new favorite person here.

Jasmine threw me a look, eyebrows arched. "Nina, this trip is supposed to be light and easy—everyone only brought one suitcase. Why are you carrying so many big bags? The trunk almost couldn’t fit them."

She leaned over, tone just sharp enough to sting. The cameras zoomed in, waiting for me to flinch.

I hugged my camera bag tighter. "I brought my camera. Lots of gear."

I tried to sound casual, but my cheeks burned. No way was I letting Jasmine shame me for being the most prepared person in the car.

"Doesn’t the production team have professional cameras? Why bring your own? It’s heavy and takes up space." Jasmine’s frown was pure annoyance.

She crossed her arms, voice dripping with judgment. The tension in the car was thick enough to slice.

The internet wasted no time—

[Nina brought the most stuff! Not even a big star, but sure acts like one... heh...]

[Same old question—when will Autumn finally cut ties with this leech friend?]

[Side note, did anyone notice Caleb in the corner? Even with his face covered, those pale, slender fingers are gorgeous...]

Comments rolled in fast—some mean, some just plain weird. I scrolled through, trying not to let it get under my skin. Easier said than done.

...

Sensing things were about to go off the rails, Autumn spun around in her seat, all sunshine for the cameras:

She twisted around, voice bright and clear for the livestream. "Of course it’s for taking pictures of me! Most of my photos are by Nina—she’s amazing with a camera!"

Mason chimed in from the driver’s seat, "I can vouch for that!"

He caught my eye in the rearview and gave me a wink. Weirdly reassuring, honestly.

I thumped my chest, grinning. "Don’t worry, Autumn, I’ll get you more gorgeous shots this time!"

I flashed a peace sign, trying to lighten the mood. "We’re gonna break Instagram with these."

“Then maybe you can take a few cute shots of me too, Nina.” Jasmine’s smile was all sugar.

Her voice was sweet, but her eyes dared me to say no. I forced a smile, biting back the urge to roll my eyes.

...

I gave her a tight nod, pretending to be cool. I could already tell this trip was going to be a patience marathon.