Chapter 4: The Cost of Fame

The following morning, Berry woke up to a strange sensation—his wristband buzzing incessantly with notifications. Squinting at the holographic display hovering above his bed, he saw dozens of messages pouring in.

“Congrats, Berry!”
“Dude, how did you pull that off?!”
“Rusty’s a legend!”

Berry groaned, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. Fame was not something he’d ever expected—let alone wanted.

“Analysis: Subject is receiving increased social attention. Current response level: inadequate,” Rusty said, sitting at the foot of the bed.

Berry glared at the robot. “Thanks for the update, Rusty. I’d never have figured that out on my own.”

Rusty’s tail wagged with a metallic clink. “Sarcasm detected. Counter-response unnecessary.”

When Berry arrived at Crescent High, the halls were abuzz with chatter. He noticed more people looking his way, whispering, and even offering nods of acknowledgment. It was unsettling. For years, Berry had perfected the art of blending into the background, and now, it felt like everyone had him under a microscope.

Tim caught up with him near the lockers, his face split into a grin. “Dude, you’re like a celebrity now.”

Berry groaned, slamming his locker shut. “I didn’t ask for this.”

“Yeah, well, it’s happening whether you like it or not.” Tim slung an arm over Berry’s shoulders. “And hey, you beat Jason. That’s, like, legendary. No one does that.”

Rusty trotted beside them, his mismatched legs clanking softly on the polished floor. “Legendary status confirmed. Suggestion: capitalize on newfound popularity.”

Berry shot Rusty a look. “You sound like Tim now. That’s not a compliment.”

Tim laughed. “Listen, man. If I were you, I’d milk this for all it’s worth. People actually know your name now. Even Lyla.”

At the mention of Lyla, Berry felt his stomach twist. He had noticed her cheering during the race, and though he didn’t want to admit it, the thought of her noticing him had been a major motivator.

“She’s coming this way,” Tim whispered, nudging Berry.

Berry’s pulse quickened as Lyla approached, her KN-9 walking obediently at her side. The robot, sleek and pristine, was a stark contrast to Rusty, whose patched-up frame and flickering eyes gave him a scrappy charm.

“Hey, Berry,” Lyla said, her voice warm. “That race yesterday was incredible. I didn’t know you were into drone racing.”

Berry scratched the back of his neck, suddenly hyper-aware of every word he was about to say. “Uh, yeah. It’s, um, kind of a new thing.”

Lyla smiled, glancing down at Rusty. “And Rusty—he’s… unique. You’ve done a great job with him.”

Rusty, as if on cue, wagged his tail. “Gratitude acknowledged. Compliment logged.”

Berry wanted to crawl into a hole.

Lyla giggled. “I’ve never seen a KN-9 like him before. Did you program his responses yourself?”

Berry hesitated, debating whether to reveal the truth. Before he could decide, Rusty answered for him.

“Origin: salvaged from a junkyard. Current state: repaired and operational. Emotional bonds forming.”

Berry’s face turned scarlet. “Rusty!”

Lyla tilted her head, clearly intrigued. “A junkyard, huh? That’s… resourceful. Most people wouldn’t even bother with something so broken.”

There was no malice in her tone—only curiosity. Berry relaxed, just a little. “Yeah, well, he’s not perfect, but he’s got character.”

“I can see that,” Lyla said, her smile widening. “Hey, I’ve been working on a robotics project for the tech fair next month. Maybe you and Rusty could join?”

Berry blinked, caught off guard. “Uh, yeah. Sure. That sounds… cool.”

“Great!” Lyla said, beaming. “I’ll send you the details.”

As she walked away, Tim leaned closer, a smug grin on his face. “Dude. She totally likes you.”

Berry shoved him lightly. “Shut up.”

By lunchtime, the initial glow of Lyla’s invitation had faded, replaced by the uncomfortable weight of unwanted attention. Jason and his crew, clearly still bitter about losing the race, sat at a nearby table, their whispered comments cutting through the cafeteria noise.

“Lucky break, that’s all,” Jason said loudly enough for Berry to hear. “No way he could pull that off twice.”

Berry tried to ignore them, focusing instead on the sandwich he was eating. Tim, however, wasn’t as restrained.

“Hey, why don’t you say that to his face?” Tim called, his voice dripping with mockery.

Jason smirked, standing up and sauntering over. His KN-9 followed, its movements smooth and precise.

“Look, Berry,” Jason said, leaning over the table. “Enjoy your little moment while it lasts. Everyone knows you’re just a fluke.”

Berry clenched his fists under the table. He hated confrontation, but Jason’s smug face was testing his patience.

Rusty, however, had no such reservations. “Statement inaccurate. Probability of success in future races: 76.2%.”

Jason blinked, clearly not expecting a comeback from the robot. “What’s wrong with your KN-9? It’s like… defective or something.”

Rusty’s eyes glowed brighter. “Defective implies lack of functionality. Current functionality exceeds expectations. Additionally, your tone suggests insecurity.”

Tim burst out laughing. “Oh man, Rusty just roasted you!”

Jason’s face turned red, and he pointed a finger at Rusty. “Let’s see how ‘functional’ it is after I report it to the school admin. Bet they’ll love knowing it doesn’t meet regulations.”

Berry’s stomach dropped. If the school got involved, there was a chance Rusty could be confiscated—or worse. He stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor.

“Leave him alone, Jason,” Berry said, surprising even himself with the firmness in his voice.

Jason sneered. “Or what?”

Before Berry could respond, Lyla appeared beside him, her expression calm but resolute. “Or you’ll have to explain to the admin why you’re harassing a student and his KN-9. Pretty sure that’s against the rules.”

Jason hesitated, clearly weighing his options. After a moment, he scoffed and walked away, muttering under his breath. His KN-9 followed, its tail flicking in irritation.

Berry exhaled, his heart pounding. “Thanks,” he said to Lyla, his voice quieter now.

She smiled. “Don’t let him get to you. He’s just mad you beat him fair and square.”

Berry nodded, feeling a flicker of something unfamiliar—confidence. Maybe he wasn’t as invisible as he thought.

That evening, as Berry sat in his room tinkering with Rusty’s circuits, he couldn’t shake the events of the day. For once, standing up for himself hadn’t ended in disaster. And Lyla… she had stood up for him too.

Rusty’s glowing eyes watched him intently. “Today’s events indicate progress in social interactions. Confidence level: increasing.”

Berry smirked, tightening a screw on Rusty’s chassis. “Don’t let it go to your head, Rusty.”

Rusty’s tail wagged. “Acknowledged. Ego modulation enabled.”

Berry laughed softly, feeling, for the first time in a long while, like things might actually be looking up.