The wind in New York is cold, even colder than San Francisco. The minute Shira got out of the hour-long subway ride, she was immediately attracted by the bustling energy of the city. The streets buzzed with life, cars honking and people rushing by. Shira took a deep breath, feeling the excitement in the air. Just as Shira was taking in the towering skyscrapers, a commotion caught her eye. An angry man, face red with fury, stormed into the middle of the road. He yanked open a taxi door and started kicking the driver, who was frantically trying to shield himself.

Shira's jaw dropped. She expected people to rush in, to help, to do something. But to her shock, New Yorkers just kept walking without turning their heads.

Shira blinked, trying to process it all. She fumbled for her phone, wondering if she should call the cops or film it for her followers. But by the time she looked up, the angry man was gone, the taxi was driving away, and life on the street continued as if nothing had happened.

"What a weird city," Shira thought. She gripped her suitcase tighter.

The first person she met was Nicole, who is a part time model who has 200k followers in a chic coffee shop in Dumbo. She was a tall and skinny brunette, wearing a chunky oversized sweater in a dark green color, a trendy long brown leather coat, paired with dark skinny jeans tucked into knee-high leather boots.

"Wow, I love your outfit!" Shira exclaimed.

Nicole grinned, "Thanks! Love those booties too."

They ordered coffee and chatted about New York fashion. After a few sips, Nicole said.

"So, your latest posts are killing it! I love those lingeries. You look amazing."

Shira said. "Oh, thank you. You know, I think I just got lucky with the algorithm."

Nicole's eyes lit up. "How did you know it's the algorithm?"

Shira shrugged, "I guess I found the right category. You gotta know where to fit in. There weren't a lot of supplies of those sexy but healthy underwear posts."

"That's it?"

"Well, there might be a few other tricks. I'm still researching to understand what matters. " Shira said, "How about I let you know when I figure it out?".

Nicole leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "So, you've really cracked the code, huh? That's amazing!"

Shira smiled coyly. "Well, I'm still figuring things out. But I'd be happy to share what I learn."

"Oh my gosh, that'd be incredible!" Nicole gushed. "Hey, you know what? I'm part of this group chat with other influencers. Want me to add you?"

"Sure, that'd be great," Shira replied, trying to hide her excitement.

As they finished their coffees, Shira had an idea. "Hey, let's take a selfie together!"

Nicole nodded eagerly. "Totally!"

They huddled close, smiling brightly as Shira snapped the photo.

"I'll post this and tag you," Shira said casually. "You gonna post it too?"

Nicole hesitated for a second, then shrugged. "Yeah, why not?"

Shira grinned inwardly. Another win.

By the time Shira had met with her tenth influencer over the next couple of days, her follower count had soared once again. Getting featured on these big accounts was like striking gold - suddenly, she was popping up on everyone's radar. Every influencer wanted to know her secret to cracking the algorithm, for which they all traded resources with Shira.

Even Zack was surprised, he texted: Wow, didn't expect the photoshots would do this well. It's really amazing.

She leaned back in her hotel bed. The city that never sleeps had welcomed her with open arms, as her phone notification buzzed non-stop.

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