The room is quiet in that late-night way.
Dim lamp on. Phone glow lighting up your face. Hair half-done, clips scattered on your bed, some kind of leave-in treatment sitting in your hands that you definitely weren’t supposed to be doing at midnight.
You weren’t even planning to be on TikTok long.
Just scrolling.
Background noise.
Something to pass the time.
Then you see it.
LIVE — Malachi Barton
You pause.
You know him. Obviously.
Teen heartthrob, Disney-type fame, that guy everyone on your feed edits to slowed-down songs. You’ve seen edits. Interviews. Maybe a clip or two.
But you’re not a fan-fan.
Just aware.
Still, you tap.
Because you’re bored.
The live is chaotic immediately.
He’s sitting somewhere backstage-looking—probably after a show—hoodie half off his shoulder, hair still slightly styled like he just came off stage. There’s noise behind him. Crew. People laughing. Lights too bright.
“Guys I’m bored,” he says into the camera, leaning closer.
Chat explodes instantly.
“HI MALACHI” “HE’S LIVE AGAIN???” “HE LOOKS SO TIRED 😭” “HI BESTIEEEE”
He squints at the screen.
“I’m gonna start inviting people,” he says casually. “I’m bored, so—yeah.”
Chat loses it.
“NO WAY” “PLEASE PICK ME” “I’M SHAKING”
You don’t think anything of it.
You literally don’t.
You go back to your hair, tilting your head and trying not to get product in your eyes.
Then…
Your phone vibrates.
“Malachi Barton invited you to join LIVE”
You freeze.
“…what.”
You stare at it.
It vibrates again.
You accidentally tap.
And suddenly…
You’re in it.
Camera flips.
Your face appears on his screen.
Hair clip in, face slightly messy, hand mid-motion in your hair treatment.
Silence.
Then…
“OH—” you blurt. “Oh fuck!”
You immediately cover your mouth.
Chat EXPLODES.
“LMAOOOO” “HE ACTUALLY PICKED SOMEONE???” “SHE’S SO REAL FOR THAT”
Malachi bursts out laughing.
Like actually laughing.
Head thrown back a little.
“Oh my god,” he says, still laughing. “That’s the best reaction I’ve ever gotten.”
You stare at the screen like it betrayed you personally.
“This is not happening,” you mutter.
“It is happening,” he replies, still grinning. “Hi.”
You blink.
“…hi.”
There’s a beat.
He leans closer to his camera.
“What are you doing?” he asks.
You lift the bottle in your hand slightly.
“Hair treatment.”
He laughs again.
“Of course you are.”
“What does that mean?”
“It just fits,” he says casually.
Chat:
“HE’S SMILING SO HARD” “BRO IS INTERESTED 😭” “THE WAY HE LOOKED AT HER???”
You ignore them.
Mostly.
“Why did you pick me,” you ask flatly.
He shrugs.
“I’m bored.”
“That’s not a reason.”
“It is my reason.”
You squint at him.
“Fair.”
He tilts his head slightly, studying you.
And for a second…
just a second…
he doesn’t joke.
“You don’t watch lives much, do you?” he asks.
“No.”
“Yeah,” he says, like he already figured. “You look like you got dragged here.”
“I did get dragged here,” you say. “By you.”
He laughs softly.
“Accidentally.”
“Still your fault.”
“Noted.”
Chat is going insane again.
“HE’S FLIRTING” “THIS IS SO RANDOM HELP”
You glance at the comments.
“…people are weird,” you say.
Malachi smirks.
“They’re bored like me.”
You roll your eyes.
Then your hand slips slightly, hair product almost dropping onto your shirt.
“Shit—”
You catch it but not before…
“OH FUCK!” you say again, louder this time.
Dead silence for half a second.
Then Malachi loses it.
Like fully.
Hand over his mouth, laughing.
“Oh my god,” he says between laughs. “Please don’t leave, this is amazing.”
You stare at him.
“…I hate you.”
“No you don’t,” he says instantly.
Too fast.
Too confident.
You blink.
Chat notices immediately.
“OH???” “HE DID NOT HESITATE” “HE LIKES HER LOL”
You clear your throat.
“I have dignity.”
“You do,” he says, still smiling. “Just not right now.”
“Wow.”
“You should stay,” he adds casually.
You pause.
“…why.”
He shrugs again, but his voice softens just slightly.
“Because I’m still bored.”