It was a quiet evening in East Highland, but the Howard household was anything but serene. Suze had given Lexi the unenviable task of babysitting Cassie after the Target debacle, which had not only landed her in jail but also made her a viral sensation for all the wrong reasons. Lexi, unenthused but determined, decided to take her sister to Barnes & Noble, hoping that being surrounded by books might calm her.
"Do you even read?" Lexi asked as they pulled into the bookstore parking lot.
Cassie huffed, arms crossed. "Yes, Lexi. I read."
"Sure," Lexi said, smirking. "Instagram captions don't count."
Cassie glared at her. "I don't know why you're even here. You're acting like I'm some kind of wild animal."
"Because you are," Lexi deadpanned. "And Mom doesn't want to bail you out of jail again. So, I'm here to prevent another public meltdown."
Cassie groaned. "Whatever."
The bookstore was bustling, and the sisters soon realized why. A large sign near the entrance announced a book signing event: Jennette McCurdy, author of "I'm Glad My Mom Died," will be here tonight at 6 PM!
Cassie's eyes lit up. "Oh my God, Jennette McCurdy? I love her! We have to go."
Lexi rolled her eyes. "Are you sure this is a good idea? You know how you get."
"I'll be fine," Cassie insisted, already making her way toward the line forming in the event area.
Lexi followed reluctantly, keeping a close eye on her sister like a zookeeper monitoring an unpredictable tiger.
The line moved slowly, but Cassie was buzzing with excitement. When they finally reached the front, Jennette McCurdy sat at a table, signing books with practiced ease. She looked up, offering a polite smile that barely reached her eyes.
"Hi," Jennette said, her tone neutral.
Cassie leaned in, all smiles and enthusiasm. "Hi, Jennette! Oh my God, I'm such a huge fan. I loved you on iCarly. And this book—it's just so brave, you know? Like, you're an inspiration."
Jennette blinked, her smile faltering. "Thanks," she said curtly, reaching for a copy of her book.
Cassie beamed, expecting the book to be handed to her. Instead, Jennette turned and handed it to Lexi, who was standing quietly behind her.
"Here you go," Jennette said to Lexi with a faint smile.
Cassie's smile froze. "Wait—what? That's for her? I was the one talking to you!"
Jennette gave her a tired look. "I'm just signing books. It's nothing personal."
Cassie's eyes narrowed. "Nothing personal? You just ignored me and gave my book to her!"
Lexi held up her hands. "I didn't ask for this. Don't drag me into it."
Cassie turned back to Jennette, her voice rising. "You know, for someone who wrote a whole book about being mistreated, you're not very nice!"
Jennette's expression didn't change. "I think we're done here."
"No, we're not," Cassie snapped, planting her hands on the table. "You owe me an apology. I came here to support you, and this is how you treat me?"
The murmurs in the crowd grew louder, and people began pulling out their phones, sensing another viral moment in the making.
"Cassie," Lexi hissed, tugging at her sister's arm. "Let it go."
Cassie ignored her, her voice growing louder. "This is ridiculous! I'm a loyal fan, and I deserve respect!"
Jennette leaned back in her chair, her patience clearly wearing thin. "Ma'am, you're making a scene."
"Ma'am?" Cassie echoed, her face twisting in disbelief. "Did you just 'ma'am' me?"
Before Jennette could respond, a Barnes & Noble employee approached, looking frazzled. "Miss, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
Cassie whirled around to face him. "Leave? I'm not going anywhere! I have a right to be here!"
The employee's face paled as two police officers entered the store, summoned by the escalating commotion. One of them stepped forward, his expression stern.
"Ma'am, we've received a report about a disturbance," he said. "You need to calm down and leave the premises."
Cassie pointed at Jennette. "She started it! She's the one being rude!"
The officer sighed. "Ma'am, we're not going to ask again."
Cassie crossed her arms defiantly. "This is insane. I'm not leaving until I get an apology!"
The officers exchanged a look, and before Cassie knew it, they were escorting her toward the exit. She resisted, pulling away and shouting, "This is injustice! I'm the victim here!"
The crowd was now fully engaged, phones capturing every second. Lexi stood frozen, half-embarrassed, half-resigned.
As they reached the door, one of the officers muttered to his partner, "You believe this?"
The other officer chuckled. "Honestly? This one's for Maddy Perez."
Cassie's head snapped around. "What did you just say?"
But before she could argue further, the officers guided her out of the store and into their car.
Back inside, Lexi approached the table, shaking her head. "Sorry about her."
Jennette offered a tight smile. "It's fine. That's probably not the worst thing that'll happen this week."
Lexi glanced toward the exit, where Cassie's muffled protests could still be heard. "I doubt that."
By the time they got home, the video of Cassie's meltdown was already circulating online. Titles like "Karen Strikes Again: Barnes & Noble Edition" and "When a Jennette McCurdy Fan Goes Too Far" flooded social media.
Suze greeted them at the door, her arms crossed and her face a mask of fury. "Cassie. What. Did. You. Do?"
Cassie, now thoroughly defeated, slumped onto the couch. "It wasn't my fault."
Lexi snorted. "It never is."
The phone buzzed on the coffee table, displaying a new notification. Cassie groaned, knowing it wasn't good.
Maddy Perez had posted on Instagram: " CassieHoward really said, 'Let's take this Karen tour nationwide.' I can't. "
Cassie let out a frustrated scream, burying her face in a pillow. She could already hear Lexi laughing and Suze lecturing, but all she could think was, How did my life get here?
And deep down, she knew: Maddy Perez wasn't done with her yet.
