Zack Williams squinted at the flashing neon sign overhead, wishing for the third time tonight that he hadn't let Sam drag him into this mess.

The club's name—"Lux"—was a blazing, tacky beacon, attracting the kind of crowd that Zack actively avoided.

"Come on, man. One drink. You need it!" Sam's voice boomed over the pounding bass of the music, his arm slung around Zack's shoulders as he guided him toward the entrance.

"I don't even like these places," Zack muttered, shoving his hands deeper into his hoodie pockets. "Why do I let you talk me into this stuff?"

Sam grinned, flashing his usual mischievous smile. "Because deep down, you love having fun. You just refuse to admit it."

Zack rolled his eyes but said nothing. Sam was his best friend—had been since high school—and as annoying as he could be, Zack trusted him.

Even if his idea of a fun Friday night involved loud music, overpriced drinks, and far too many people crammed into a small space.

They approached the bouncer, who barely glanced at them before letting Sam through. Zack hesitated for a second before following, already feeling a headache forming. He wasn't built for the club scene.

Inside, the atmosphere was chaotic. Lights flickered in sync with the music, illuminating the throngs of people dancing and laughing.

Zack stuck close to Sam, determined not to get lost in the mass of bodies.

As they made their way to the bar, Sam pointed out someone in the crowd. "Hey, isn't that the actor dude you like? The one from that movie?"

Zack glanced in the direction Sam was pointing. Sure enough, there he was—**Kieran Knight**. The Kieran Knight.

He was leaning casually against a railing, chatting with someone. The dim lighting didn't hide how ridiculously good-looking he was, even more so than on the big screen.

"Uh, yeah, that's him," Zack said, turning away quickly. He didn't need a celebrity sighting to add to his already overwhelming night.

He grabbed the drink Sam handed him and gulped it down, hoping the alcohol would make things more bearable.

But as fate would have it, Sam wasn't about to let the moment pass.

"Let's go say hi," Sam suggested, already moving toward Kieran before Zack could object.

"Sam, no—"

Too late. Sam was already weaving through the crowd, and Zack had no choice but to follow, muttering curses under his breath. This wasn't how he'd imagined his Friday night.

When they reached Kieran, Sam was all smiles, his arm extended in greeting. "Hey, man! Big fan! Can we grab a quick photo?"

Kieran glanced at them, his expression unreadable for a split second before he smiled—clearly used to this kind of attention. "Sure, why not."

Zack stood awkwardly to the side, half-hoping the ground would swallow him whole. He had no idea what to say to a celebrity, especially one as famous as Kieran.

Sam pulled out his phone and, before Zack could object, dragged him into the frame. "Come on, Zack! Get in here!"

Zack barely managed a weak smile before the flash went off, and then it was over. Kieran gave them both a polite nod before turning back to his conversation.

Sam pocketed his phone, grinning from ear to ear. "That was awesome. We're posting that later."

Zack groaned. "Please don't."

"Oh, I'm totally posting it."

This is ridiculous. Who even cares about some random photo with an actor? Sam's overhyping the whole thing. No one's going to see it.

I mean, what are the chances of it going viral? Zero. Exactly zero.

But still... there was something about Kieran's smile—way too confident, like he knew he could charm the world with just one look. Who the hell looks that good in real life?

Ugh. I need another drink.

The night ended in typical fashion: Sam getting more drinks, Zack watching from the sidelines, and eventually dragging his drunken best friend home. Nothing out of the ordinary.

At least, until the next morning.

Zack woke to the sound of his phone buzzing incessantly on his nightstand. He groaned, reaching for it with half-closed eyes.

What the hell is going on?

As soon as he unlocked the screen, his heart sank. His notifications were blowing up—texts, missed calls, and an overwhelming amount of social media alerts.

"What the—"

Zack sat up, suddenly wide awake. His social media feed was flooded with reposts of the photo Sam had taken with Kieran Knight, except the comments weren't just about the photo. They were about **him**.

Oh no. Oh no no no. Why is my face on all these accounts? And why is everyone saying I'm... dating Kieran Knight?

The caption that Sam had playfully posted—"Hanging out with my boy @KieranKnight!"—had been twisted and misinterpreted by thousands of eager fans. Overnight, Zack had gone from a nobody to Kieran Knight's rumored new boyfriend.

And the internet had exploded.