GLIMPSE OF ME​​ † Though I've tried, I can't pretend that I don't sit around and think about you. When all I ever do is think about you.

THIS IS NOT A LOVE STORY. As far as Maia Lopes was concerned, it was the opposite; a story of hatred, resentment and vengeance. Christopher Sturniolo isn't worthy of anything better.

Chris Sturniolo is, by all accounts, an asshole. The kind of guy who could charm his way out of any situation, either with a wink or by showcasing his pearly-white smile. He knew exactly what to say—and how to say it. Chris is a charmer, with kind eyes and a head full of hair. But so are sheep, right up until they unzip their fleece and reveal the six-foot wolf lurking underneath.

That's what Chris was: a wolf in sheep's clothing, always hunting, always plotting. He played the role of the sensitive man so well, the sweet girls didn't notice they were being led to slaughter until their hearts were crushed. It was his modus operandi, his signature move—whispering sweet nothings before snatching it all away and blocking them on all social media. Every girl fell for it, Avery Prichard being no exception.

Avery Prichard, the girl Maia saw as an extension of herself. Her heart outside of her own body. Her best friend. When Chris broke Avery's heart, a part of Maia's heart cracked too. Seeing the girl she viewed as her other half be resorted to baggy sweatpants, tear-stained cheeks, and reruns of One Tree Hill was torturous. The pain was personal, visceral even, and the worst part? Avery still couldn't see the real Chris Sturniolo. She still lingered in the pathetic in-between of hurting and hoping—all while Maia raged.

The general dislike for the much-talked-about-but-never-seen man became a vendetta. Maia knew what she had to do—and it wasn't to confront him. No, that was too predictable, too simple for her liking. Instead, she'd do what any resourceful woman with a grudge would do: play the long game. Charm him. Woo him. Love him. Rip his heart out. She'd be everything he'd ever wanted in his dream girl—irresistible, yet just out of reach to make him want more.

Maia would be the girl who didn't chase, the girl who didn't need Chris Sturniolo to wink at her. He'd chase her. It wasn't just revenge—it was poetic justice. To make him feel the kind of despair he so easily inflicted on those before her. To watch him fall off his playboy pedestal and drink from the fountain of her affection, only for it to be an act.

And when Maia was done? Chris would be the one drowning in a sea of old text messages, wondering where he went wrong. He'd be the one haunted by memories of her laughter, her smile, her presence—just as Avery'd been haunted by his. Chris would be left with nothing but a glimpse of Maia—the girl he thought he knew, the girl who never truly existed.

There was just one problem. Or many, depending on how you look at it. Chris wasn't supposed to be... real. He wasn't supposed to make her laugh when she least expected it. He wasn't supposed to have heart-to-hearts about insecurities. He wasn't supposed to look at her as if she, personally, hung every star in the universe. And he damn sure wasn't supposed to make her forget what her plan was in the first place.

But wolves are tricky like that, aren't they? And maybe, just maybe, Maia Lopes wasn't the hunter she thought she was.

MAIA LOPES      𓏵       Cristina Alé
( TwentyOne. Libra. Model. )

How   am   I   supposed   to   put that   gently?   And   down   the   road,   you   will   love   me   'til   you resent   me.

&&&
Samantha Yve as Avery Prichard
Dustin Vuong as Noah Hsiao
Yesly Dimate as Fiona Garrett
Everyone Else as Themselves

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𖦹 WARNINGS
This story will contain some slightly problematic themes. There will be the usual conflicts / incidents of a young adult in the current age: manipulation, situationship evilness, angst, etc. I'd personally rate this book TV-14 / PG-13, but to each their own!

𖦹 DISCLAIMER
This is an AU. When I say that, I mean that there will be minor / major differences to real life. There will be few references to their YouTube channel, but they are still popular because of it. It's somewhat difficult to put a celebrity fanfic into character terms, but there will be some OOC activity. We all know irl Chris is not an asshole, just have fun! If by the grace of Satan, you're reading this and your last name is Sturniolo... kill me now.

𖦹 TAGS
I wanted to tag some of the people who've inspired me to write this and whatever else I have in my drafts. louis-core starsturns MEANMUGGIN_ URMYDR3AMGIRL sparklydeaths lvrbte NUTONMYDRACO -thinklater andromqda inablkdress mzzystars

author's note,
y'all i pulled this plot directly out my ass 😭. think canon divergent john tucker must die. maia is so gracie abrams & olivia o'brien coded like why is she lowkey the problem?? love her for it though idc! but let's get this show on the road. if you're here thank you for reading 💋