Delilah opened the door and stepped into the hall just in time to bump into Milton. He was staring down at a sheaf of papers in his hands and silently moving his lips. He and Delilah collided, and Milton jumped back in shock. He saw his sister and gave a shy smile. "O-Oh, hey, sis, I didn't see you there."

Delilah giggled, "I guess not," Delilah nodded to the papers, "Another screenplay?"

Milton smiled broadly and nodded, his face glowing with pride. "Yeah, my newest…and probably my best."

Milton dreamed of one day becoming a famous and beloved filmmaker on par with Coopola, Scorcese, and Kubric. He wrote screenplays and filmed no budget movies in the backyard on an old camera Mom bought him one Christmas from the second hand store in town. Delilah personally thought his movies were adorable and didn't lack in originality and oozed with the right amount of cheese. He was quite talented even at fourteen. He's in the learning stages of his craft however and needed time to hone his skills. In Delilah's opinion, he was good enough now that, if he kept working and refining his technique, he would one day be great.

Everyone's got to start somewhere, after all. There may be a few people scattered throughout history who were tremendously talented at an early age (like Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson), but most people had to work hard at improving. One day, Milton would get there…but today was not that day. The screenplay, he told Delilah, was about a gang of clowns who fight for turf with a gang of mimes. It was called Clownfellas, and was supposed to be a parody of mob and gang related cinema. It was a interesting idea she had thought.

"Well I hope you can make it big bro." Delilah said and clapped him on the shoulder in passing.

The older boy beamed and turned to a departing Sister, "Thanks little sis."

Enter the 9th Grade Video Contest.

Mrs. Layton announced it on a Friday in May. Each student would make a video and post it online. The one with the most votes after a week would win a sick trophy shaped like an old school movie camera and some film.

It was beautiful, and Milton decided that he wanted it.

Luis wearing a diving uniform covered in head to toe breath mints.

Frankie rolled up with a clipboard, "Alright by my calculations Luis is wearing the precise amount of oral fresheners for the cinematic production. Fifth oldest brother are you finish?"

Johnny dusted his hands, "Yup, we're all set. Everyone get in positions!"

Milton got into right position with his camera. He was happy his siblings were helping him with his film. Milton was more comfortable filming then doing stunts. Luckily he had talented and crazy siblings to help him out.

Johnny and Frankie had design a Rube Goldberg machine like set up for a stunt for Milton.

Luis waiting on a ramp.

"Ok everyone in position?" Milton asked.

"Yeah!" Everyone yelled.

Milton pressed record, "Hey, there! Milton Velazquest! Ever wonder what happens when 672 breath mints meet 88 gallons of diet soda? Well, you're about to find out!" Milton gave Luis a thumbs up.

Luis rides on his skateboard off a ramp onto a catapult where he is launched by Charlie and Larry into a swimming pool full of diet soda, causing the soda and mints to shoot out like a geyser.

Milton gets drenched in soda, "That was amazing! I hope everyone votes for this."

Only it didn't go down like that.

They did not.

No one liked it. He honestly couldn't understand why.

After, a while after uploading to the school's website's contest page, the video doesn't have any votes at all. He sat on the family couch with his laptop in his lap, he stared at the screen for three hours, on the edge of his seat, waiting for dem likes to come in.

Milton put his hands to his face, "Why isn't anybody voting for this?"

David walked into room from the front door he was carrying a pair of boxing gloves. He just came back from the garage. The garage was transformed it into a makeshift gym. He noticed his little bro was upset, "Hey baby bro, what's wrong?"

Milton sighed, "My video isn't getting any votes what wrong with it?"

David walked up to Milton looked at the video, "Maybe you should check out the competition?"

Milton rose a eyebrow and did that he found out where all those likes were going.

Hampsta-Cam, a 24 hour live feed of a hamster in its cage.

Milton's jaw dropped, "They're all voting for this Hampsta-Cam video.."

Someone uploaded a video of what is simply a hamster just running around in his wheel like any other hamster.

Seriously, he was getting his butt kicked by a rodent.

It wasn't even interesting! Look, Mr. Fluffums was cute and all, but that can only get you so far. If he did tricks or wore a silly hat, Milton would understand and (begrudgingly) concede defeat. Welp, guess I have to win somewhere else. But all Mr. F. did was eat, poop, and run in circles in his hamster wheel. Like seriously? People are voting for this? Oh, come on! He could take losing, but at least let it be to a person and not a glorified plague rat.

Milton notices the vote total, "50 votes?! What's so great about some dumb hamster?"

David points towards the screen, "Hey! You got a vote! No, wait, it's a comment."

Your video sucks, U shld give up making videos loser.

"And now we delete the comment." David said before clicking the delete button.

Milton facepalmed, "Well I'm not winning the contest."

David patted his brother's shoulder, "Don't worry bro I'm sure you'll get tons of views one day like Luan."

Milton had a idea It hit him like David hitting someone on the football field, "Luan!" He totally forgot. With her help, he'd make the best video ever. His girlfriend's site. LUAN OUT LOUD'S COMEDY CHANNEL had 50,000 followers.

Milton jumped, "David you're brilliant!" Milton hugged his big brother and grabbed his lap top and left to make his way to the Loud House.

He was heading to the Loud House right across the street. The oak tree in the front yard screened its grimy facade and its pitched roof thrust into the sky like a hand hailing a cab. Larry decided to join him they crossed the street, cut across the lawn, and went up the steps. Milton knocked, and a few minutes later, Lana opened the door. She looked from Milton to Larry, then blushed deeply, her white skin turning dark red. Lana and Larry were girlfriend and boyfriend.

Milton rubbed the back of his neck and nervously ducked his head, "Hey, Lana is Luan here?" Larry gave a friendly wave to his girlfriend.

Lana smiled, "Uh...yeah, come in." She let two brothers inside and Milton made his way upstairs while Larry stayed downstairs to play in the mud with Lana.

He found Luan in hers and Luna's room. She perched on the edge of the dresser with her legs crossed and her dummy Mr. Coconuts in her lap. "And that's when I said...boy, you sure know how to hold them!"

She broke out laughing and waved her hand (stop, stop, you're killing me). Milton let out a dreamy sigh and almost melted into a puddle. Luan, she of the sweet, lisping angel song, big brown eyes, and kissable lips. His eyes rolled back into his head and his mouth turned into a hazy, love-struck squiggle. The musical sound of her laughter wrapped itself around him like a warm hug and a vision of her face formed in his mind's eye.

When Luan turned her big brown eyes on him, however, his mind blanked. "Hey Milton, what'cha up to?"

What was he up to?

Oh, right.

"I-I need help with my video can you help me please?" Milton said.

Luan jumped down from the dresser and tossed Mr. Coconuts onto her bed. "A video?! Sure!"

Luan is looking over Milton's video while she sat in her director chair, "Mm-hmm..."

Milton sat in Luna's beanbag, "P-Pretty awesome, right?"

Luan closed her boyfriend's lap, "Yeah, not in this case."

Milton was shocked, "What?!"

Luan shrugged, "Sorry, Milton. Stunts are so last year. If you want to win the contest, you have to make funny videos."

Milton rubbed his chin, "Well you are the one with 50,000 followers on your comedy channel. How do I make those?"

Luan handed Milton his laptop, "Don't worry, Milton It's easy. You just follow my one simple rule. Keep your camera on at all times, because you never know when you'll strike comedy gold."

"Well wanna help me find some gold?" Milton asked.

Luan swept past him and went to the closet, "Let me get my camera and we can get started." She opened the door, and Milton was surprised to see stacks and stacks of video tapes crammed into the space.

One had his name on it.

He blinked. "Uh...Luan?"

"Yeah, Milton?"

"Why is there a video tape labeled Milton in your closet?"

"Because I take videos of you sometimes. You're hilarious." She picked the video up, went to her desk, and shoved it into the VCR. Milton gave Luan a bemused glance, then turned to the TV. Onscreen, Milton walked across his front yard...then stepped on a rake. It swung up and hit him in the face. "Ow," he moaned.

The scene jumped to him sitting in a bubble bath full of toys and rubber duckies. Milton's jaw hit his chest and Luan burst into laughter. Bath-Milton slicked his hair back with soap and tossed his head from side-to-side, "My bologna had a first name his name was M.I.L.T.O.N my Bologna had a second name It's V.E.L.A.Z.Q.U.E.S.T."

Milton sprang at the TV and hit the OFF button. Luan was laughing hysterically and Milton's face burned with shame. "You're a laugh riot, you can win that trophy for sure." Luan said.

He started to scold her, "Why do you even have this video?"

"Luan!" Leni called from down the hall, "I need help. I'm stuck in baby jail again."

Throwing her head back, Luan let out a deep sigh and got to her feet. "I'll be right back."

She got to her feet and went out into the hall. When she was gone, Milton pressed the EJECT button and grabbed the tape. "What does she even have you?" Milton asked.

But an idea struck him. Milton opened his mouth, then closed it again. Was he really going to do this? Was he really going to embarrass himself in front of the entire school...the entire world...just to wind a trophy? Was he really that desperate to win?

He imagined the flush of victory as Mrs. Layton handed him his prize. The other kids all clapped and cheered his name. Every eye beheld him...and you know what they saw?

A winner.

"Okay, I'm back." Luan said as she came back into the room, "I'm ready to-what are you doing?"

"I was gonna use this tape," Milton said and jammed it into his chest.

Luan's face fell. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, no, you can't do that."

"But you said I was funny and with this I can win that trophy." Milton said.

Luan grabbed him and brought him around to face her. "Milton, put it back."

"No way this is just what I need to win that contest." Milton said.

"Humiliating yourself?" Luan demanded.

Milton was about to answer but Luan beat him to it.

"Before you upload it I think you should watch the rest of the video...some of the stuff in there is really embarrassing. Like reaaaaally embarrassing."

After Luan and Milton watched the full thing, Luan turned to him and fixed him with a challenging gaze, "You still wanna post this? Cause this is social suicide."

A mad light gleamed in Milton's eye, "I don't care. I need to win.

Luan gave a nervous look, "You sure last chance?"

Milton nodded keeping his a mad look.

Luan uploaded the video after that Milton left.

As Milton left the house and walked home to clear his head. By the time he got home, his madness had gone and sickly dread had taken its place. Images from the video flickered mockingly across his mind, and his stomach flipped. Jeez, did Milton really post that thing? Was he insane? Everyone was going to see all of his most...compromising moments...and then laugh him into the Stone Age.

Was he really that determined to win?

Why?

Milton could be competitive just like any of his siblings, but he was never a psycho about it. A deep frown touched his lips. He resolved to talk to his mother as soon as he got back. At home after talking to his mother Milton found out he just passionate about his talent, Milton decided to check on his page after a bit he sat behind his laptop in their room and gaped at the screen, his body thrumming. He was floored by what he saw.

His's little video?

It had 59 likes and 21 comments.

Milton's mouth fell open.

I'm gonna win

Milton may have been desperate to win, but he wasn't so desperate that he didn't edit out ten minutes of the most embarrassing footage. From the way some of those comments sounded, people wanted more.

Posting that video was his best idea ever.

Or so he thought.

The next day when he and fellow high schooler siblings walked into Royal County High school, every face in the crowded hall turned toward them...and everyone, everyone, exploded into mocking laughter. The principal held her stomach and jabbed her finger at Milton, and the school bully yelled, "Look everyone, It's bath boy!"

Leo didn't care what others thought of him, but he was worried for his brother Milton. Milton however, didn't seem fazed. He went to his locker with a dreamy little smile and a spring in his step. Kids called out taunts and insults, but they were the wind beneath Milton's cape. Someone threw a balled up piece of paper at the back of his head, and someone else screeched, "I sing like a girl!" in a very Milton-ish falsetto. Luan, whose locker was next to his, saw him coming and gave a shy wave.

Luan played with her ponytail, "Tough morning huh? You doing ok?"

Milton sighed, "Maybe posting that video wasn't such a good idea."

His phone pinged and he took it out.

Another like.

Milton smile, "Actually, no, it was a good idea."

All that day, Milton divided his attention between his studies and his phone, obsessively checking his video. It stood at seventy-five likes. Hampsta-Cam had 150. There were three days of the contest left. Milton's video was currently in third place. If they could get it past Hampsta-Cam, they'd win.

Luan and Milton walked home together on the way home, passing motorists honked their horns, and passengers stuck their heads out the window. "It's Bath Boy!" At first, Milton was unaffected, but as they got closer to home, he started to sag like a wilting flower. A block from their driveway, Flip passed in a truck so old it collected social security. The sides were rushed, the tires bald, and thick black smoke belched from the exhaust. "Nice video, Velazquest," he called. He chucked something out the window and it hit Milton in the head, knocking him down.

A rubber ducky.

Luan helped him to his feet.

"I'm starting to get tired of this on the plus side my video's in second place now." Milton said.

Luan frowned, "Yeah, but your miserable. Is this stupid trophy worth it?"

Milton waved her off, "Relax Luan once the contest is over the misery will go with it."

Ping.

Milton checked his phone.

Another five likes.

He grinned, "I've got this, Luan." Milton said.

Luan pouted, "You know Milton as a actor I've learned about how to tell what people feel and I think your just hiding your true feels."

Milton wanted to say something, but he couldn't come up with a good reply so he kept his mouth shut.

Luan then placed her hands on her boyfriend's face, "Milton, I just want to see your sweet smile again."

Milton blushed, "Don't worry Luan everything will work out."

The next day at lunch, Milton was waiting in line, Luan was right behind him. "Hey Velazquest," a firm voice said. "Nice video."

"Thanks." Milton replied.

"You looked really good messing yourself."

Luan twisted around. Jeff Wolfgang, fat, red faced, and panting, stood over Milton's shoulder, a mocking light in his eyes.

Oh boy bully.

"It happens," Milton said in a what-are-you-going-to-do tone.

"Yeah, to you," Jeff said.

Milton shrugged.

"You're a joke, Velazquest. You pooped yourself like a little baby. You're such a loser, I'm LMAOing at your life."

Then he did it.

He shoved Milton.

Luan glared at Jeff, "Hey leave him it alone."

Jeff laughed, "Or what clown girl gonna tell me bad jokes?"

Luan then used her squirting flower on Jeff.

Jeff got mad and grabbed Luan's wrist in his hand and growled at her. "Let go! You're hurting me!"

Un-uh.

Milton strolled over. Jeff looked him up and down, and before he could react, Milton swept him into a front facing headlock just like the guys on Dynamite. Jeff screamed, and everyone backed cautiously away. "Don't touch my girlfriend." Milton hissed.

"Please, let me go!" Jeff wailed. He thrashed and flailed his arms, then broke down crying. "I'm so sorry."

Milton was debating with himself whether or not to give the bully a DDT when someone tapped him on the shoulder. "Man, what?" he asked and turned.

Luan gave him a sad look.

Uh-oh.

After school Milton and Luan walked home Milton was having mixed feelings if there was one thing he hated seeing was Luan sad. The poor comedian of the loud family was rarely ever upset and hours ago he was the one that caused her to be upset he knew he had to make things right and there's only one way to do it he had to delete the video once the video was gone go back to normal right?

Milton then entered his room with Luan following. Luan sat on his bed while Milton picked up his laptop. Once turning it on he went to the site.

Ping.

Another five more likes. He was two away from beating Hampsta-Cam. Milton's heart bounced into his throat and a heady rush of triumpth came over him. He was going to do it. He was actually going to win this thing. However if he pressed the delete option and the video would be wiped from the site and the contest, he had internal struggle, but he knew doing this would make Luan feel better.

With a shaky finger he pressed on his mouse and click the delete option. A breath of heat broke over Milton like the angry puff of dragon breath, and then it was all over.

Luan looked at her phone to check the video, "It's gone."

Milton let out a loud groan before laying on his bed.

Luan looked at her boyfriend before she lied down just like Milton was, they cuddled for a moment Luan was gonna make joke, but she decided to be serious.

Slowly he placed a gentle hand onto the boys knee, giving him some form of physical comfort, "You gonna be alright?"

The snow haired teen breathed in slowly before letting it rush out of his nose, "I guess, I'm sorry for being crazy during this whole video contest thing."

"It's ok I'm just glad this is behind us. Do you wanna watch some movies to feel better?" Luan suggested.

"I guess that could make me feel better." Milton sprung up from his spot on the bed managing to get to his feet faster then Luan did.

Luan and Milton watched a couple of movies to lift Milton's mood. The next day Milton dragged himself into class and sank into his seat. Today, Mrs. Layton would announce the winner of the video contest, not that it mattered. Milton's video was deleted and he was out.

Sigh.

Presently, Mrs. Layton stood at the head of the room, and Milton hung his head. "Alright, class, it's time to announce the winner of the 9th grade video contest."

A murmur went through the room and Milton took a deep breath. Oh well. Nothing wrong with being a hack, right? Kim Kardashian had no talent and everyone loved her.

"And the winner is…"

At least he love ones and friends.

"Milton Velazquest."

Milton was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that it took Mrs. Layton words a moment to sink in. When they did, Milton sat up straight. "Me?"

"Yes, you," Mrs. Layton said.

"But how? My video got deleted."

"It still got the most likes," she said.

That didn't make sense. It got more like than Hamsta-Cam only moments before it was deleted.

Then he remembered. It was directly linked to the school server and every like was automatically registered in the system.

Mrs. Layton picked up a trophy from her desk and told him to come to the front of the room. Milton's eyes fixed on the golden idol and his heartbeat sped up. He did it...he really did it, he won something. He got to his feet and walked to the head of the class like a man on clouds. A shaft of light fell through the ceiling and bathed the trophy and a chorus of angels struck up. He took it in his hands and a smattering of kids clapped half-heartedly but to him it was thunderous applause. He held the award over his head and let out a victory screech that some say is still echoing through the halls of RWE even to this day.

The End.