The Raw Footage

Summer

The production trailer smelled like stale coffee and ozone when I walked in on Thursday afternoon.

Sarah Sterling was sitting behind her desk, the room dark except for the harsh, blue glow of her editing monitors.

She didn't look up when the door clicked shut.

Her expression wasn't her usual manic, ratings-driven smile; it was cold, clinical, and completely devoid of humanity.

"You wanted to see me, Sarah?" I asked, a cold prickle of unease starting to form at the base of my neck.

“Chloe said it was urgent regarding the pre-championship package."

"Sit down, Summer," Sarah said, her voice flat.

I took a seat on the leather stool, my muscles tightening.

"You've done a wonderful job this season," Sarah said, finally turning her chair to face me.

@The audience loves you. The redemption arc is a triumph. But as I told you before... stability is a plateau. And a plateau is death for a network finale."

"The season is almost over, Sarah," I said, my voice steady despite the rising panic in my chest. "The championship is in three days. Jaxson is cleared. The show is a hit. What more do you want?"

"I want an ending they’ll talk about for a decade," Sarah whispered. She turned back to her monitor and hit the spacebar.

A video clip began to play.

It wasn't a finished, color corrected segment from the show.

It was raw, unedited footage from Day Two—the interview in Professor Harrison's studio before the contract had even been finalized.

On the screen, my own face looked back at me, sharp, cynical, and full of bitterness.

"Jaxson Reed is a violent liability," the on-screen version of me said, the audio crisp and loud in the small trailer. "I won't be used as a prop to clean up his mess. He’s a privileged, reckless jock who thinks he’s untouchable... I’m only doing this because the university pulled my funding and I need the money. It's a business transaction. Nothing more."

The room went entirely black around the edges. My breath caught in my throat.

"Where did you get that?" I whispered, my hands gripping the edge of the stool so hard the metal bit into my palms.

“That was a private departmental file. Professor Harrison promised—"

"Professor Harrison works for a university that relies on our broadcasting f*e, sweetie," Sarah said, her smile returning like a razor blade.

“This clip is going live on the HypeTV streaming platform tomorrow morning at eight a.m. As the official preview package for the championship special."

"You can't do that," I gasped, standing up, my chest heaving. "The contract has a clause! I have editorial control over my personal video diaries—"

"This isn't a video diary, Summer. This is raw b-roll footage acquired from a university source,"

“Sarah countered smoothly, standing up to face me. "It’s completely legal. And the narrative is spectacular: The Ultimate Betrayal. The star defenseman discovers his saving angel was just a paid actress working for a degree."

"It’s a lie!" I screamed, tears of pure rage finally spilling over my lashes.

“I love him! We are together for real, Sarah! I’m not acting anymore!"

"Then it’s a shame you said those things on tape, isn't it?" Sarah said, her eyes completely dead as she looked at my tears.

“Because when Jaxson sees this tomorrow morning... do you really think he's going to believe you?"