He Was My Stand-In Crush

It started with a viral TikTok, a campus heartthrob’s cryptic profile pic, and a single snarky comment from the school’s infamous bad boy. Autumn never expected her hunt for a ‘couple’s profile’ would spiral into real-life meet-cutes, basketball drama, and a tangled web of rivalry, rumor, and unspoken feelings. As her crush on golden boy Lucas fades into heartbreak, Carter—the boy she thought she’d never trust—keeps showing up, holding umbrellas, carrying her when she falls, and daring her to look his way. But when a birthday wish exposes Carter’s true heart, Autumn must decide if she’s ready to let go of old dreams and fall for the guy who’s been there all along. Can love grow from rivalry, rumors, and one viral misunderstanding—or is she just someone’s stand-in?