Page 32 of Fake Game

“Hey,” I chirp.

“Oh my God, where are you?” Lee’s exasperated voice fills my ear.

“Sightseeing in Barcelona.”

“Deer.”

I roll my eyes. “You know where I am. You have my location.”

“I do. The question is, why are you there?”

I groan, which is the wrong response because it just spurs her on.

“Oh God, what happened? Should I come over? I’m coming over. I can reschedule my stream.” I can hear a bunch of rustling through the speaker.

“No. It’s nothing.” I wander out of the kitchen and flop down on the big couch. “Seriously.”

“Deer. You can’t lie to me.”

Sigh.

“Okay, fine. I had another swat scare last night. Nothing happened, but it freaked me out a little.” I turn my head and stare at the trophies lining the wall, outlining their shapes with my eyes. The System really are an impressive bunch of gamers.

“That’s it. You’re moving out. I’ll pay to break the contract at your apartment if I have to.”

I smile. Lee really is my ride-or-die. There is no doubt in my mind that if I murdered someone, she would be the one rocking up to the crime scene with a bucket of bleach and latex gloves. She also has some of the best knowledge to get away with murder; we don’t watch all those crime shows without absorbing some tips and tricks.

“Thanks, but apparently English has it handled.”

“Oh?”

“Mmm, he says he’s setting me up with a place.”

“Stop. At his apartment complex?”

“Yup”

“I’m so jelly! Are you getting a discount?”

I bolt upright. “That’s what I asked, and Shield laughed at me!”

Lee begins to giggle, and I find myself joining in. The laughter bubbles out of me, lightening the weight that’s been pressing on my shoulders like a backpack filled with bricks.

“Are you sure I shouldn’t come over?”

“I’m totally fine, Lee.”

“Okay, okay. Look, I have to set up for my stream later, but keep me posted and I love you.”

“I love you, too. Bye.”

“Bye.”

I hang up and fall back on the couch again, staring up at the white ceiling. The easy air Lee had created slowly starts to fade away and I’m left looking at my life—at that kernel of unease that is still festering in my gut.

I need to get my shit together.

I just have to figure out how.

---