Despite what many people think, it wasn't easy being a social media influencer and content creator. There was a lot of actual work that went into it that a lot of people don't realize. Yes, you can make a website on any social media, but that doesn't mean you will instantly get followers. That doesn't mean you will go viral. There is a lot of work involved in getting your name out there. Getting your brand out there. You had to advertise constantly on many mediums. Be it Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, just to gain followers. It's not something you do just once. You have to keep advertising and and keep advertising and networking with other creators who will advertise you in exchange for you doing the same.

When posting on social medias you have to navigate algorithms which isn't easy. In addition, you have to use hash tags to get exposure. Some use hashtags completely unrelated to their work just to hopefully get exposure. This often times makes others mad because they feel it's dishonest. Others don't mind it or care. You can't please everyone. Certain sites will shadowban you over certain tags so that your post will not be seen. Certain sites will even take down your account if you get too revealing. A hypocrisy to some considering there are celebrities that reveal just as much yet never get the boot.

Then comes your actual content. Do you have a theme? Is it makeup? Is it costumes? Is it lingerie or just regular stuff? Is it explicit? Many websites welcome explicit and are known for it but that doesn't mean you have to be. It doesn't mean you have to be in order to be successful on the platform. There are fitness gurus, make up pros that give tutorials, influencers of many kinds, musicians, comedians, artists, writers, and some even have pages just for their animals. Many walks of life. Many walks of life who don't shed a single piece of clothing.

The only buyer beware is most people will expect a certain thing because the website is known for a certain thing. You don't have to. It's not required. You put on there what you want to. You set the price. You set the pace. You run it.

Another thing to consider is do you want your face out there? Do you want to be known? If not, you make a Clark Kent, a secret identity. You set up an alias. You set up a character. A sexy stage name like The Black Panther. To keep your identity hidden you block everyone in your hometown and in certain states thanks to the website settings. You make a separate accounts like on Facebook so that you accidentally don't post about it and so that people won't know it's you. You do your make up different. Your hair different just so that people who know you won't find out or find you.

But what if someone did? A hometown crush. A guy who's always had the hots for you and lusted after you but never said anything? Never said anything possibly because you hate one another. Or at least you made that known when you went to school with him that you hated him. Now you're older, you've moved on and parted ways, never to be seen again.

Shuri had to be careful. Her mother and brother would obviously disapprove at her doing such a thing. Of having such a site due to all they have heard about it. Whereas other family members, and we know the one, would most likely tell her to "Go get that money!" He would've been all about the hustle.

Thankfully for Shuri, she had her own place. She had only started the website as a side hustle to make extra money. With all the thirst going on on the Internet, why not? Why not get something out of it? That doesn't mean she was meeting anyone or seeing anyone. That's actually against the rules on many of the sites because they are not that type of "service" and high discourage any type of arranging for that behavior. Shuri was fine with that. It wasn't her intention anyway.

She was fine with with the rules. She was happy with her body. She felt she looked good, so why not? Why not be a tease? Why not be sexy? Just a side hustle. Just extra cash. She had a "real job" like many of the people who have that type of site. A common misconception is that the ones having the sites don't have real jobs or do work outside of it. Usually said by the very people who are angry that you have such a page and feel entitled to your attention, affections, pictures and what have you without that website. People who will label you certain things and make assumptions based off the website not knowing what you present and not present on it.

Shuri worked in a lab in a science department. She worked with technology. She worked with AI. It's not like she didn't have a "real job." But what is a "real job" according to the gatekeepers anyway? Wouldn't a real job be any job you get paid for, have to file taxes for and things like that? Does it have to be some office job? Some desk job to be considered a "real job?" What about fast food? What about retail? What about getting paid just to walk people's dogs? All "real jobs" and yet, some don't view it that way.

Namor remembered how everything all started.

He was scrolling his phone when he got a text from one of his buddies. The text message read , "Hey dude, I'm going to send you a link. I swear you had a crush on her growing up. Guess what? She has a website. I only know because I went to look at it myself."

Namor stared at the phone in disbelief and confusion, having no idea what his friend was talking about or who. Many girls didn't get his attention growing up despite a lot of them throwing themselves at him. He just didn't click with any of them. Many wanted to date him because he was on the football team. They wanted him as arm candy and a trophy. A lot of them didn't take the time to know him or talk to him. A lot of them didn't connect.

Before he could ponder as to who his friend could have been talking about, the link came through in a following text message. Namor clicked it and sure enough, he recognized the face instantly. Yes, the make up was different. Yes, she was wearing wigs. Yes, she was very seductive, unlike the nerd that he knew in high school. She definitely filled out. He knew exactly who it was.

Namor had a crush on her growing up and like any young boy, young and dumb, he made it known by making her high school life a living hell. He would tease her and pick on her. They would often bicker back-and-forth in heated conversations and debates. They were often paired with one another for many assignments because they had a lot of the same classes together. Working with him and being paired with him was something she was always vocal about in hating. Namor smiled because he could not believe his eyes. He thought this would be a good way to mess with her so he instantly clicked the subscribe button.

Shuri looked at her phone and got a notification. One new subscription. Username: TheWingedSerpentGod. She didn't think anything of it. Probably some gamer or role player by the looks of the handle. It was just a handle and a blank profile picture. Much like all her other subscribers, many didn't bother filling out their profiles because they were just there to look at her , not really say much about them.

Shuri ignored it and went about her day. It was what followed for months that got her attention.

This fan wasn't like any of her other fans. The silent lurkers that would just look at stuff and never respond. The ones that wouldn't like posts. The ones that wouldn't leave comments or tips or anything of the didn't matter if it were blogs, videos, pictures, polls or anything like that. All silent. Just lurking. This person was making himself known.

He was liking every post, even the old ones. He up voting every post. Sending tips and brief, encouraging feedback comments saying that he liked something or what he wanted to see more of. Whoever this person was was always in her notifications when it came to that site. She became familiar with him very quick. It was like he was her only fan despite having others listed on her site. It was as if it was just him and her and that she was just making things only for him. Him being the only one that seemed to enjoy it anyway.

Yet he didn't say anything aside from his comments or try to chat with her privately. She wondered who he was. That was only for a second. Probably some older guy that she wouldn't be attracted to. She noticed a lot of her subscribers tended to be older "colonizers" as she called them. Older men having some kind of fetish due to the color of her skin. If it worked, it worked. She wasn't going to fight it. Ebony Black Panther. Ebony Goddess Bast. It was a theme so she ran with it.

After one particular website blog post about feeling sad about her brother falling ill, she got a private message request. It was him, TheWingedSerpentGod requesting to chat. He sent the unlock price to do so, a website feature Shuri often used because it stopped unwanted messages and more importantly, pictures out of her inbox. Guys would send those messages assuming, due to the website that she'd want to see it and read certain things.

His message talked about being sorry about hearing about her brother and then talking about his own mother that passed away. He went into detail about his childhood and the things he endured. He talked about how he could relate to her grief, her struggles and how family meant a lot to them both.

It was comforting and sent a smile to her face. Shuri smiled and send him a wordy reply.

That's how they started talking.