“You’re saying that because you think it’s what I want to hear?” Dad asked.
“Isn’t it?” I countered.
He laughed. “No. I think there are some very positive things about modern technology. Namely, you have access to way more research options than I did as a kid. I remember encyclopedias.”
“What are those?”
“Exactly. And I couldn’t watch all the documentaries that are out there now. I had to wait until Sunday night whenNaturecame on, or someNational Geographicspecial about tribes in the Amazon.”
“I like Amazon,” I said.
“Not Amazon,theAmazon.”
“Oh.” Duh. I knew that.
“So yes,” Dad continued. “I think there is some great opportunity that your generation has outside of what I had. On the flip side, there are negative elements too. Like AI.”
My stomach did gymnastics and then landed on its head. I was going to throw up. “You don’t like AI?” Was this dad’s segue into addressing the viral videos of Brooks and I and the not-so-secret part that it had all started with AI?
“I think AI is like a lot of things. There need to be checks and balances.” Dad speared me with a look.
Yep.
He’d seen the videos.
Great. I was one tiny step away from him finding out that Brooks and I weren’t actually dating.
“An AI boyfriend, huh?” Dad just said it. Out loud. He said the words.
I bit the inside of my lip.
“Here’s the deal,” Dad twisted in his seat. He had thatdadlook you see in TV shows, where they get all serious and concerned and ready to drop some super thought-through advice on you, even though you didn’t ask for it. “Your mom has shown me the videos. I get that social media blows things out of proportion. But with the incident the other day at the school, you and Brooks skipping out in Reece’s truck, the news coming to interview you, and so on, I want you to be careful. I’m not happy about this whole viral video thing.”
“I didn’t do it!” I protested quickly.
“I know. But—when you look at modern technology and teens, this is a good case in point. Things get blown up. Made up. Things that aren’t true. I wasn’t happy to find out you and Brooks were dating without talking to me first. But I like Brooks. He seems like a good kid. But you’re both going to need to be careful. Especially you, Bri. You have standards—personal standards that I know you take seriously. Don’t let people at school make up stories about you and Brooks that aren’t true just for ‘likes.’ Like that whole AI thing.”
Wait.
Dad thought the AI boyfriend slant was made up?
I wanted to shrink into the couch.
Dad thought I was a victim of social media fiction—only I wasn’t. I was a victim of . . . prying eyes and nosy friends who liked to post anything and everything.
Like Jenessa.
I hadn’t spoken to her since the original video had been posted. She was on my list of people to avoid.
“You know I love you.”
Ugh. I was about ready to confess everything. I opened my mouth. I was going to tell Dad the AI partwastrue. I was going to tell him about Brooksand my agreement to fake date. I was going to dump my soul and accept the punishment that would guarantee I’d never date again for the rest of my life.
But Reece popped into the room like the obnoxious older brother that he is.
“Aunt Elle is here! She brought Jake and Jadon.”
Crap.
