The stream had been underway for a while, but Zoey hadn't been particularly successful at pretending the upcoming collaboration wasn't occupying most of her brain.
They were supposed to be playing. Technically, they still were. Hannah seemed perfectly capable of doing that and holding a conversation at the same time. Zoey's attention had been wandering often enough that even her chat had stopped pretending not to notice.
"Collab is soon," Hannah said. "Are you ready?"
On her own stream, Zoey whipped around toward the camera, sending a few strands of orange-red hair across her face.
"Ready?! Ready?! Hello?"
She threw both hands into the air. Whatever concentration she'd still been giving the game disappeared with them.
"It's for a skincare promo!"
Zoey continued before she could say anything.
"There's, like, a whole product drop. They sent me samples and everything."
Mentioning the package brought the excitement straight back to her face. Having the products physically sitting there seemed to make the upcoming collaboration more real, which wasn't doing much for Zoey's ability to act normal about it.
"I opened the box and I swear it smelled like money and royalty."
She covered her face with both hands and squealed into the sleeves of her hoodie.
Hannah got the full performance through voice chat even without seeing any of it.
"Cool."
Her voice was completely flat.
"So you're gonna sit next to a living Pinterest board while your camera autofocus gives up in
shame."
Zoey immediately uncovered her face.
"IT'S NOT MY FAULT SHE LOOKS LIKE-"
She stopped herself.
"...like she belongs in a fragrance commercial where nobody blinks."
Hannah's lips twitched.
The chat, however, had no intention of letting Zoey recover.
CHAT:
LAYLA COLLAB LET'S GOOOO
she's gonna get vaporized on cam
HOW DID YOU PULL THAT
ZOEY'S FINISHED
Zoey looked at the scrolling messages.
"I DON'T KNOW HOW I GOT THIS, OKAY?!"
She pointed accusingly at the camera.
"I'm just gonna be there like-"
She straightened her posture and put on her most awkwardly professional expression.
"'Hi. I have... skin.'"
Hannah stared at her through her screen.
"You should open with that."
Zoey blinked.
"Really?"
"Very relatable."
Zoey seemed to consider it.
"But now that you mention it..."
Hannah leaned back in her chair, pushing a section of black hair away from her face.
"Why would a skincare brand contact you?"
Zoey's expression dropped.
"Wow."
She placed a hand dramatically over her chest.
"Thanks, Hannah!"
Hannah shrugged.
"But I see what you mean..."
Zoey looked toward the camera, suddenly thoughtful.
"I don't really fit the editorial line."
She frowned.
"Maybe it's because I have skin?"
Zoey managed to sound genuinely hopeful about this theory. It wasn't a particularly strong theory, but that had never stopped her from committing to one before. She sounded like a puppy waiting to be praised.
On the other stream, Hannah nodded solemnly at her own camera.
"Right."
"It's precisely on that point that you differentiate yourself from hundreds of other streamers."
Zoey's eyes narrowed.
"You have skin..."
Hannah's voice cracked slightly as she struggled to hold back a laugh.
"...and they don't."
Hannah's attempt to hold back her laughter lasted about as long as Zoey's patience.
"I'M TRYING TO BE PROFESSIONAL!"
Her voice practically shook the microphone.
"This is a business opportunity, not a meltdown!"
She pointed at the chat.
"Stop typing 'meltdown' in the chat!"
The scrolling messages only accelerated.
Hannah didn't even bother hiding her amusement.
"Too late."
"You blinked, screamed, and insulted your own epidermis in the same breath."
Zoey slowly sank into her chair.
"...I'm gonna need five different filters."
The chat immediately responded.
CHAT:
RIP ZOEY
SKINCARE COLLAB AND EMOTIONAL DAMAGE
LAYLA'S GONNA MAKE HER GLOW JUST BY EXISTING NEAR HER
ZOEY YOU GOT THIS
she absolutely does not got this.
Zoey pulled the hood of her oversized hoodie over her head until most of her orange-red hair disappeared beneath it.
She mumbled into the fabric.
"Why is everyone funnier than me?"
She peeked out from underneath it.
"I'm the streamer."
Hannah hadn't said anything, but Zoey could hear what sounded suspiciously like restrained
laughter through the call.
"Shut up."
Hannah smiled.
"Are you prepping your skin or your will?"
Zoey slowly turned her head toward the screen.
Her expression was completely dead inside.
"Shut."
She took a breath.
"Up."
"Hannah."
The chat erupted once again.
CHAT:
CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS TRAINWRECK🔥🔥🔥
THIS COLLAB IS GOING TO BE LEGENDARY
ZOEY VS. SKINCARE
ROUND ONE: EMOTIONAL DAMAGE
Zoey read the messages scrolling past on her monitor, apparently searching for even one person willing to take her side.
Finding none…
"...I hate all of you."
Hannah took a sip of her drink.
"No, you don't."
Zoey sighed.
"No."
She pulled her hood farther over her face.
"I really don't."