Chapter 1

I was making up my bed on move-in day when a voice came from behind me.

"Hi, everyone. I'm Maxine James. We've got four years together, so let's all look out for each other."

The girl in the top bunk lit up.

"I know you! You're the daughter from that My Little Maxi Growing Up account, aren't you? I can't believe we're in the same dorm!"

I'd never watched a single one of Maxine's videos.

My roommate was kind enough to fill me in.

"You've never seen Maxine's videos? Is your phone still stuck on 2G or something?"

"They run a family account. They've been documenting Maxine's whole childhood, and it's huge. Tens of millions of followers!"

"And her parents are basically the best parents on the internet. They've spoiled her like a princess!"

She was still going strong when a couple appeared in the doorway.

"Maxi, so this is your dorm? Let us help you make the bed."

I glanced over, and I froze on the spot.

Because the couple standing there, Maxine's parents, were my own mom and dad, the ones who had been missing for years.

...

Maxine checked the bunk assignment chart from the school and directed her parents.

"The one by the window is mine. Go ahead and make that one up for me."

"Thanks so much, Mom, Dad. Once the bed's done I'll take you to eat at the campus dining hall, my treat."

My dad ruffled Maxine's hair, doting.

"You'll be eating in that dining hall for who knows how long. Your mom and I will take you out to eat later."

My roommate's voice was thick with envy.

"That's my internet mom and dad for you. Your family's vibe is just too good."

My mom looked up at the roommate, and then at me beside her.

"This is Maxi's first time living in a dorm. If she does anything wrong, I hope you'll all be patient with her."

As she spoke, she pulled two sets of high-end skincare products out of her bag and handed them to us.

"Just a little something from me. Please take them. I hope you'll all become good friends with Maxi."

My roommate agreed at once.

"Don't worry, ma'am. I'll definitely be good friends with Maxine. I feel like I watched her grow up, in a way."

My mom smiled and held the other set of skincare out to me.

"What's your name? I noticed you've barely said a word."

I looked at my mom, fists clenched to keep myself under control, terrified I'd lose it right there.

So they hadn't recognized me.

That made sense. Grandma always said my parents left home not long after I was born and never came back.

Twenty years had gone by. Of course they couldn't tell who I was.

The only reason I could recognize them was that Grandma had given me a photo from their wedding and told me to remember their faces.

But how had the parents who'd been missing all those years become Maxine's mom and dad?

And turned into influencers the whole internet knew?

My hand shook as I reached out and took the skincare from my mom.

"My name's Gail Mason. Thank you... ma'am."

The word ma'am came out stiff.

My mom didn't catch anything off about me. She just assumed I was that shy by nature.

"No need to thank me. You seem pretty shy. When you've got time, you should hang out with Maxi more. Let her bring you out of your shell."

I didn't say anything. I just watched Maxine out of the corner of my eye.

She was pretty, the corners of her mouth always turned up, confident and easy with herself.

And if you looked closely, she and I actually looked a lot alike.

But only when she smiled.

And I didn't like to smile.

Once she'd handed out the skincare to me and my roommate, my parents got to work making up Maxine's bed.

Maxine stood off to the side filming it on her phone. This, apparently, was material for their next episode.