Page 39 of sWitch

Fauna gasped. “Turnip, Pinecone, and Waffles…they’re with you?” She hugged me tight and buried her face in my chest, sniffling through tears. “Thank you, Remy.”

I ran my fingers through her hair and kissed the top of her head. “I called and had Trevor email you. Why’d you go dark, princess?”

“When I came home that night and my place was ransacked and the kittens were gone, it felt like I’d lost you, my pets, and everything I care about. So, I came to stay with Gamma while I figure out what to do next.”

“Wait, Prue broke into your apartment?”

“I think she still had a key. We used to be best friends.”

“What the fuck happened, Fauna? Be for real, right now. I won’t judge you. I’m just trying to understand.”

With a sigh, she leaned against the pebbled wall. Two residents walked by, and she waved and said hello before sucking in another breath. “Prue was my first friend when I started college. On my first day of class, she asked where I found a strawberry soda. The next day, I brought her one. The day after that, she brought me one. It became our thing, I guess, and we became close. She gamed, I gamed; we connected on that too. I dyed my hair pink, she dyed hers purple to match. I started V for Valin, she started V for Valin. I liked the snacks and people watching at soccer games, she camped out in the same spot on my hill with me.”

“Were you two ever…you know, more?”

With a groan she looked to the ceiling. “I don’t know. It was ambiguous. We never did anything—well, except the one night I regret.”

“What happened?”

“We went to some frat party?—“

“First mistake,” I interrupted with a grumble. My skin crawled at the idea of Fauna being around drunk, idiot fraternity dudes.

“I know, I know,” she answered. “Making friends has always been hard for me, so when she invited me and told me the whole soccer team partied with them…I felt like I should go.”

An elderly woman scooted past, the tennis balls on her walker squeaking against the tile. Fauna smiled at her before continuing. “I’m a lightweight. I had a little too much to drink, and before I knew it, me and Prue were in a bed upstairs…”

“I really fucking hate where this is going.”

“Long, stupid story short, Prue sort of got me to, you know, do stuff on myself, and she filmed it. I was too drunk to really care. But once I confronted her afterward, telling her I didn’t feel very safe in our friendship after that interaction and asking to take a break—she lost it.”

“Lost it how?”

“Started posting shit about me online, saying I was trying to sleep with everyone, that I led her on and lied to her—but the worst part is, she put the video up on V for Valin. The winners board is a free for all, and hundreds of thousands ofpeople have been inching closer to it day by day. I’m sure it’ll be flagged and taken down eventually, but not before half the world and university see it and save it first. That’s why I’ve been so obsessively playing. If I can get to the end of the game and report it…”

“How did Prue even make it to the end of the hardest RPG of the decade? And how fucking devious can a person be?” Anger roiled in my chest.

Fauna looked down at her shoes. “Chet helped. Once Trevor saw they were terrorizing me, he offered to hang around and keep me safe. If I was dating the star of the soccer team, Chet and the team would leave me alone. And with Chet reining Prue in…it bought me some time. But I haven’t gotten nearly far enough in the game, and Prue keeps taunting me. I really didn’t mean to lie to you, Remy, or hide this—I’ve just been so embarrassed.”

Lifting her chin with my thumb and forefinger, I forced her to look in my eyes. “You did nothing wrong. You trusted a shitty person who took advantage of you and decided to punish you for breaking ties. Having a kind heart and trusting people is nothing to apologize for.”

She shrugged a shoulder. “Well, I’m glad you think so. But you might not want to be associated with me. My inebriated personal moments are about to be plastered across the internet. I’m too late, too far behind. I couldn’t beat the game alone.”

I hadn’t realized my smirk as I bent to kiss her. She pulled back and raised a questioning eyebrow. “Like my Gamma would say, you look like the cat who got the canary right now. What’s up?”

“Let’s say bye to Gamma. You’re coming with me.”

“What? No, I can’t.”

“Can and will.” I ushered her through our goodbyes, and we promised to visit again soon. I pulled Fauna out the door and into Len’s car, back to my apartment. Fauna’s bewilderment intensified when I opened the front door and she took in the chaotic scene before us.

I’d gone after her despite thinking she was with my twin brother. I’d given up on my gig mid-set and stolen her kittens back, broke into a nursing home, and organized the most intense gaming night of my life—all for her. Yet somehow, it felt like nothing. It felt like less than nothing. Fauna deserved the world; no, she deserved a world that was a lot less cruel to her gentle and kind spirit. Maybe I was an impulsive, self-centered idiot, but I’d vowed within myself to give her a glimpse a world less harsh. I could be her respite, her reason for laughing, for breathing a little easier—at least, I knew I’d always try. I’d try forever for her.

LEVEL 14

PLAYER TWO: FAUNA

My life had always been prettyboring and predictable—wake up, feed the cats, get to class, clock in at the animal shelter, video-game until my eyelids were heavy, sleep, repeat.

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