Standing on My Own

Once the livestream ended, the studio erupted into wild cheers.

"We just hit seventy million followers!"

"Happy third anniversary, Jeline!"

Staff members wheeled in a massive celebration cake, topped with photos of Julian and Evangeline, flanked by their official ship name, Jeline.

Evangeline laughed softly, throwing her head back in delight.

Julian stood close beside her, instinctively stepping in to block the party poppers before the falling confetti could stain her dress. "Take it easy, guys. Don't ruin her outfit."

His voice wasn't sharp, but the action was so effortless that it was clear he’d shielded her like this a thousand times before.

I sat behind the control panel, my headset still resting around my neck.

The monitor was frozen on the final frame of the broadcast: Julian looking down at Evangeline, and Evangeline looking up at him with a glowing smile. The studio lights fell across their faces just right, like the picture-perfect climax of a long-planned romance.

Someone walked past and clapped me on the shoulder. "Willow, that eye contact at the end was insane! If we chop that up into clips tonight, it’s going to break the internet."

I gave a quiet nod. "Got it."

Over the past three years, that seemed to be the only word I ever said.

"Got it, I’ll write the script."

"Got it, I’ll edit out the bloopers."

"Got it, I’ll make them look like they’re deeply in love."

When it came time to cut the cake, the crowd started chanting for Julian and Evangeline to do it together.

Evangeline looked over at Julian with a smile. "Is that okay?"

Without hesitation, Julian reached out, placing his hand gently over hers as they held the knife handle together. The room exploded in cheers and applause.

I lowered my head to wrap up the cables. A sharp piece of the connector sliced into my fingertip, leaving a stinging red line.

Though it hurt a little, that tiny prick of pain was instantly swallowed by the dull, suffocating ache spreading through my chest.

When this account first started, it wasn't called Jeline, but Jillow—a space created by Julian and me.

Back then, he still got nervous in front of the lens. He’d butcher a simple opening line a dozen times in a row while I’d sit behind the camera, gently prompting him again and again.

"Julian, look at the camera and smile. Soften your tone a little on this line."

He would mess up his hair, embarrassed. "Willow, am I that hopeless?"

I’d raise the camera and laugh. "No way. You’re the handsome one here."

He would then stare straight into the lens, looking through it as if he were looking directly at me.

"Once this account takes off, you’re appearing on camera with me. I want everyone to know that you’re my real leading lady."

And I believed him.

So for three whole years, while fans flooded the comments asking who the girl behind the camera was, I never rushed him. I genuinely believed that one day he’d take my hand and pull me into the spotlight.

That was until the day we hit thirty million followers.

Julian looked at me, dressed up and ready to finally go on camera, and said, "Willow, let's have Evangeline do it instead. She's just more camera-ready."

Honestly, it wasn't just Julian. Ever since I met Evangeline, I’d been living entirely in her shadow.

Back in school, our classmates used to say, "Evangeline lights up the whole room, while Willow is so quiet."

Even my own mom once sighed with a smile after meeting her, "She's such a gorgeous girl. I wish Evangeline were my daughter."

Evangeline had immediately hooked her arm through mine, laughing it off. "Mrs. Foster, don't say that! Willow is a hundred times better than me. She's so sweet and devoted. I’m actually jealous of you!"

My mother laughed, and I just lowered my head, smiling awkwardly.

At the time, I truly considered Evangeline my best friend. Because whenever people compared us, she was always the only one who stepped up to defend me.

Later, I told Julian about all of it. He had held me tight, his brow furrowed in frustration. "Willow, don't listen to them. You're not anyone's sidekick. To me, you'll always be the best."

I really believed him then. I believed Julian would be the one person who would always see me for who I was.

In the end, he was the one who decided Evangeline looked better on camera.

He knew better than anyone how much I hated being compared to Evangeline. Yet, he was the very person who pushed me right back into her shadow.