Kevin stared at his phone, fingers trembling. The app buzzed with a new challenge: #DistractedBoyfriendRemix. His barista, Linda, leaned against the counter, sipping a latte like she knew something he didn’t. ‘You’re gonna trend, Kevin,’ she said, eyeing his frayed hoodie. ‘Or you’ll end up in the algorithm’s trash.’
He tried the dance—hips swiveling like a wind-up toy. The coffee machine hissed. A customer snorted. Linda’s latte art? A frowny face. Kevin’s moves: a confused raccoon. He ended the video, heart thudding. ‘What if I’m not funny?’ he whined.
Linda tossed him a napkin. ‘Try the Renegade. It’s 2015, but hey.’ He attempted it, arms flailing. A kid in line laughed so hard he dropped his croissant. Kevin’s face burned. Then—click. His phone buzzed. A notification: ‘Your video went viral! 10K likes!’
He scrolled. Comments: ‘This is the best thing I’ve seen today.’ ‘Kevin, you’re a legend.’ Linda handed him a new coffee, lid printed with ‘I Survived Kevin’s Dance.’ He sipped, bitter and sweet. Maybe being a meme wasn’t so bad. Maybe he’d start a trend. Or at least survive the next one.’,
