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2024-12-28 15:27:19
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THE KING OF THE GOLD SYSTEM GAMING YOU’RE WELCOME
“You’re welcome.” She gives my thigh a pat and then,finally, she removes them, clasping her hands in her lap. She looks at me expectantly and silence stretches between us. Her brows dip. “Are you going to put the movie on?”“Right,” I mutter. “Right.” I lean forward and grab the controller, switching out from the Pendrive to one of the streaming channels. As I mindlessly search for the movie, I attempt to gather my wits.What the fuck is going on?I hit play on the movie and relax back into the couch at the familiar opening scene. Panther curls her knees to her chest and places her chin on them.Her attention stays hooked the entire time, and, once again, I find myself stealing glances at her. I could stare at her all day and probably never get bored; I’d merely get lost in the curves and dips of her changing expressions, committing each one to memory.I hate to admit it, but I like having her around. It’s almost as if I’ve left the city for the country and looked up at the sky to rea
THE KING OF THE GOLD SYSTEM GAMING SURE?
“Because you’re touching me, you weirdo.”With what little energy I have, I shrug out of his grip and begin to crawl my way to his bathroom. My hazy mind has one clear mission: deny everything.He lets out a loud sigh. “I’ll deal with this; you head back to bed.”“You sure?” I can hear Aleks flicking his switchblade back and forth.“Yeah, no need for two babysitters.”“Rude,” I mutter.It’s only once I cross the threshold of the door and my knees hit the tiles that I force myself to stand, using the counter to support my weight. My eyes squeeze tight as I turn on the lights. When I open them, I catch Herson’s reflection in the mirror as he leans in the doorway.“Want to tell me the truth?”“Iwantto take a shower.”“Okay.”I grit my teeth together and let out a groan before summoning all my strength to shove the bathroom door closed. With him comfortably out of sight, I let out a sigh.It takes longer than necessary for me to remove my stale contacts and my oxidized makeup. I barely re
THE KING OF THE GOLD SYSTEM GAMING PANTHER, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
“Oh my God.”“I said different, not ugly.”“That’s not the point.”I can’t believe I slipped up.Through the slight gap between my hands, I see him come to rest his hip on the edge of the island. He crosses his arms over his chest, but I can’t see his face—I can’t see his reaction.Self-consciousness eats away at me like hungry piranhas trapped in an aquarium. I was so caught up in sneaking out to grab my phone that it didn’t even click that I’d removed my Panther mask.Herson’s knuckles knock against my own. “Panther. What are you doing?”“Hiding.”“Why?”“Because I don’t have any makeup on.” I don’t afford him any more of an explanation, not when it sounds…silly.It feels like a million bees are buzzing under my skin as panic begins to take root. He’s going to see the truth I hide beneath my carefully painted lies. All my fears will be written in the hazel color of my eyes, the crystal blue barrier no longer hiding me. It’s hard to pretend when you’re practically naked.“Your milk’s
THE KING OF THE GOLD SYSTEM GAMING ALWAYS ALONE
I feel too exposed out here, awareness prickling its way up my body. But when I head back into the quiet apartment andlock the balcony door, the resounding click echoes in my bones, hollowing me out. My ears hum with the sound of a thousand dragonflies as I stare absently through the glass door, a million thoughts crashing into me at once.I have no idea what I’m doing anymore.Everything is going wrong.My breathing picks up as my brain feels like it is being plunged underwater.“Panther?”A strong hand curls around my own, which is still clutching the door handle. I blink and startle back, my shoulders bumping into a hard chest. That strong hand comes up to curl around my bicep and steadies me.“Are you okay?”The pure concern in his voice, it’s something I’ve never heard before, and it cracks a shard open within my battered, armored soul.“No.”The word is barely a whisper through my lips, but I know he heard me because his grip tightens on my bicep ever so slightly. Without saying
THE KING OF THE GOLD SYSTEM GAMING I CAN FEEL PANTHER’S EYES ON ME
I toss my phone onto the marble counter and pop an espresso pod into the machine. I can feel Panther’s eyes on me, tracking my every movement.The fuck am I supposed to say to her?“Whatcha making?”“Pancakes.”She hums in approval. “Can you make mine with strawberries?”I glance at her over my shoulder. “It doesn’t mix in well with the soufflé mixture.”“Really?” She gives a dramatic pout, drawing my attention to her lower lip. “That sucks.”I can think of something I want her to suck.Fuck.No.I drag my eyes away and turn my head back so she doesn’t fill my vision anymore.This is not cool.I reach into the fridge and grab the small carton of strawberry milk I bought yesterday, opening and pouring it into a glass mug before dumping the fresh espresso in. I take a metal straw to swirl everything together and then slide the glass across the island to Panther, avoiding any direct eye contact.“Here.”She blinks at the glass for a second before taking it between her hands. “How’d you k
THE KING OF THE GOLD SYSTEM GAMING MY REPUTATION IS FINE
“You know, he’s a big softie,” Aleks whispers to Panther as he drenches his pancakes in syrup. “Looks like he’s going to rip your head off, but really, he just wants a little tender loving.”“Oh, I know.” She nods in agreement.I cock my head and give them the middle finger with a tight smile before turning back to grab my pancakes.“Did you know he also cooks for Parker all the time? Makes sure he eats and stays alive. Herson’s almost as much of a mother hen as Sydney is.”“Keep spewing shit and I’ll put hair remover in your shampoo.”“Hey, I’m just improving your reputation, man.”“My reputation is fine.” I take a seat—reluctantly—next to Aleks and reach across him for the whipped cream. It takes practiced patience to not hit him with the can, maybe knock some sense into him.“I mean, your rep could be better.” Panther sucks on her strawberry coffee. “Syd’s been worried.”“What do you mean?”“She’s nervous you’re gonna snap on one of these dates. Ya know, like at some point you’ll j
THE KING OF THE GOLD SYSTEM GAMING I WANT ZERO PART IN WHATEVER IS HAPPENING
Mm. Nope.I want zero part in whatever is happening.Taking a deep breath, I sit up straight and allow a tight smile to thread across my face as I raise both hands to wave them side to side in a “no thank you” gesture.Our silent exchange is blissfully interrupted as our waitress returns to our table.“Hi, can I get either of you anything else tonight? One last drink, maybe?”“No!” The word basically catapults out of my mouth, stunning the woman. Shit. I soften my face and give her a placating smile. “Sorry, no. We’re good. Just the check, thank you.”The woman nods her head, collecting our empty plates. “Okay, I’ll be right back.”I refuse to look back at Herson’s booth. Instead, I busy myself by grabbing my handbag and sifting through it for one of my credit cards.“Panther.”“Yeah?” I chance a glance over at Lee, who has gone stock-still.“They’re coming over,” she whispers through gritted teeth.“What?” I’m torn between looking over and throwing my body under the table. “What do y
THE KING OF THE GOLD SYSTEM GAMING POS SYSTEM
I whip my head back to see Herson tapping his phone on the POS system.“What are you—”“Thank you, have a lovely evening.” The waitress smiles and leaves us.Herson tucks his phone back into his pocket and lazily saunters away in the opposite direction, to the exit of the restaurant.“Hey, we’re not done here,” I call out.He just raises a hand and gives me a pitiful wave.“Gods dammit,” I huff, shoving the money back in my bag and grabbing my jacket as I stalk after him.“What’s he talking about?” Lee jogs up beside me.“The other day, Stevie suggested he pretend to date someone to get his family off his back. I suggested myself.”“Why would you suggest yourself?”That’s what I would like to know.I’m just gonna call it a temporary disillusion from being in too close proximity to his hot body. It was easy to distance myself when we only chatted virtually, but now that I am constantly around him, it’s making my brain go all mushy.“Doesn’t matter because he said it was an awful idea.”
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- THE KING OF THE GOLD SYSTEM GAMING
IT’S A VIDEO GAME THING
Panther’s hand tenses on my arm, the tips of her nails pressing into my skin ever so slightly, though her face stays a practiced, placid mask.“Technically. It’s also my gamertag.”“What does that mean?”Po powhispers to me, but her voice carries across the table.“It’s a video game thing,” I whisper back.“You play games as well?” She leans across to make eye contact with Panther.“I do,” she smiles. “I’m not as famous as Herson, though. He is part of an epic legacy, and everyone really respects him.”She is laying it on thick, but I don’t really mind it. It’s nice to have someone in my corner who actually understands me, who believes in me.That being said, she is selling herself short. I don’t think Panther realizes how many people adore her content, how she has quickly become a star in the community.“It’s still just playing games,” Auntie An chimes in.Panther tilts her head. “I know a lot of people have trouble understanding the video game industry, let alone streaming, but it is
- THE KING OF THE GOLD SYSTEM GAMING
NICKNAME
“Nei neoi peng yau hai been?”Where is your girlfriend?Shit.I look down to see my grandmother has snuck her way over to me during the shuffle. She is peering around, not in an accusatory way, but there is definitely a suspicious glint in the way she is taking in the situation. Considering it seems like my supposed girlfriend sprang out of nowhere, I don’t blame her. Getting this ruse past her is going to be harder than convincing Auntie An—at least she’s seen Panther. My grandmother, on the other hand, is one of the sharpest women I know. The onlyperson who can beat her at mahjong is my grandfather, and that’s because she secretly lets him win.“Youryi masaid she was coming.”God damn Auntie An.“She—”“Hey, Angela. Congratulations, your performance was totally magical.”Every bone in my body turns to stone at the words.I would recognize her voice in a room filled with a thousand people.I turn around, and sure enough, Panther stands in front of my little sister. If not for her pin
- THE KING OF THE GOLD SYSTEM GAMING
SHE ROLLS HER EYES
—shealwaysrolls her eyes—and begins ripping open the takeout bags Lee brought. The smell of melted cheese and ketchup wafts around us as we settle in.“By the way, are you guys busy Sat?” Lee reaches forward and grabs her burger, taking a large bite.“Why?” I steal a fry from her lap.“There’s this content creator party downtown.”I wrinkle my nose. “Pass.”“Aw, come on. You’re not going to make me go alone.”Dammit. See, nowthisis why I always ended up going out. It wasn’t becauseIever wanted to but because I would never let Lee go alone. My sense of Girl Code is too strong, even if my social anxiety pulses like a beacon during a storm at the idea.“You could always get one of the boys to go with you,” Syd offers. “I ended up having to move their streaming schedule around that day so they could have it free.”“Why?”“Herson’s sister has another piano thing.”My ears perk up, and I try to sound casual as I ask, “Where is that again?”“The recital? Her high school, I think.”“Back down
- THE KING OF THE GOLD SYSTEM GAMING
I’M GOING TO TAKE THAT AS A YES
I look at the mountain of boxes just in the living room. I have absolutely zero motivation to open them. Maybe I should’ve just thrown everything out and started new. Minimalism is pretty in right now.“I’m going to take that as a yes.”I give her a half-assed smile, and she rolls her eyes playfully before going to speak with the movers.Thank the Gods she came to help me out. I’d be seriously lost without her.Literally. I can’t even see over some of these boxes.I look around my new place, which is a lot larger than I expected. Even with all the boxes piled up, I can tell I lucked out with the stunning open floor plan and two massive bedrooms. When Parker said he was getting the apartment repainted, I thought he meant because the previous tenants ruined the walls. Nope. He’d gotten the entire apartment painted an extremely sheer pastel pink color. He even went so far as to get a doorbell system installed to give me peace of mind. It seems a little much for an apartment on the fortie
- THE KING OF THE GOLD SYSTEM GAMING
I DON’T SAY ANYTHING
I don’t say anything and neither does she.She’s been here for a little over a week and this is the second night I’ve caught her having some sort of a nightmare. My throat thickens as I think about the weeks she spent before coming here when she was holed up in her apartment all alone. How many times did this happen after the incident? How many nights did she cry alone?No wonder she looked a mess when I picked her up. She’d probably given up on sleeping altogether.Panther releases another hiccup, but her body begins to relax under my hand. I feel some of the tension ease from the tight curl she’s been holding as her muscles start to melt.Without giving it too much thought, I lower my body to the mattress. I curve into something like a C shape, molding myselfinto a fence of safety around her. My hand doesn’t leave her once in the process, anchoring her to me.She begins to wriggle, and I spot the tips of her fingers as they emerge from beneath her cocoon. Those pointy nails curve ar
- THE KING OF THE GOLD SYSTEM GAMING
BLOODY HELL
“Bloody hell. I forgot how awful you lot are,” he huffs. “No, she just wanted a night back at her own place.”“I can take the couch.” Panther’s soft voice slips through the barrage of noise.“You’re not taking the couch,” I cut back.“But—”“It’s not up for discussion.”“Don’t worry, Panther. Big guy here can survive on the couch; it’s custom made from Norway.” Parker slings an arm around my shoulders, a shit-eating grin slapped on his face.“You better sleep with one eye open.”He rolls his eyes. “Besides, it’s just one night. We can get you set up in your place tomorrow, and he can go back to his cave.”“Tomorrow? It’s ready?”Wait. What?“Yeah, technically. I mean, the paint job was finished up this weekend. Might still smell a little chemically tomorrow but shouldn’t be bad enough that you can’t move in a few days early.”No.No, I was supposed to have another few days with her.She wasn’t…This wasn’t supposed to be her last night.“Ohmigods. Yes! I can’t wait to see it.”“Great.
- THE KING OF THE GOLD SYSTEM GAMING
CAUSES
I peel my hand away even though it’s hard and shuffle back to my side of the car. Herson doesn’t say anything else, so I just stare out the window, watching cars and palm trees pass us by in a gray tint.The air in the vehicle is still marked with uncertainty, and I begin to spiral, worried that I totally put my foot in my mouth.It’s only when we pull into the garage under the apartment complex that he speaks again. It’s one word spoken so low that it causes my skin to prickle as it rolls over me.“Thanks.”“Guess who’s back, losers.”I ignore the noise, centering my concentration as I speed up my car using a rainbow pad. Stevie throws a green turtle shell from her car, but it’s easy to dodge. I shoot out a banana peel, but she narrowly avoids it. I’d never admit it, but she’s getting a little too good at this game.“Nice try, but I’m winning this round,” she croons.“We’ll see.”I still have a trick up my sleeve.“Hello? Any of you wankers listening to me?”“No. Stop distracting me,
- THE KING OF THE GOLD SYSTEM GAMING
FRANCIS OPENING THE BACK DOOR
I blink up to see Francis opening the back door of the BMW.“I texted him,” Herson explains as he holds my hand and helps me into the car.The door closes before I’m able to get another word out, leaving me staring out the tinted window in confusion. The car dips when he gets in on the other side, and it jiggles me out of my stupor.“What the hell was that?”“Seriously? You’re asking me that?” He crosses his arms.“You’re the one who—wait, oh my Gods, I totally forgot to pay!” I scramble around to grab my phone from my handbag, just to realize I never grabbed it from the salon. My brain feels like someone smashed a dozen eggs and is trying to fry them all at once. “Shit. I left my—”“Purse?”Herson holds the fuzzy white purse out to me, the handle dangling off the end of his pointer finger.“Thanks.” I pluck it from him, uncertainty clouding over me as I look for my phone.“And I already handled the payment. Did you not hear a word I said in there?”I pause in my rummaging, my mind ta
- THE KING OF THE GOLD SYSTEM GAMING
ICE WASHES OVER MY ENTIRE BODY
“Yes, I am.” Panther places a hand on my knee.“No, she’s not.” I try to shake her off.The entire nail salon goes quiet.“Babe,” Panther playfully whines, her brows furrowed in a tease.Her smile wavers when she looks me directly in my eyes. I’m not sure what she sees written there, but it’s enough to bring a spark of concern to her baby blues. Her eyes dart between me and my aunt a few times as her smile slowly deflates. Panther removes her hand from my knee and spins back, returning her attention to Amy.It just makes everything look more weird, which Auntie An quickly picks up on.“I was wondering why none of your dates had been successful when your mother totes what a catch you are,” she crows. “Who’d have guessed you had a little girlfriend you were keeping secret?”“She’s not—”“Actually, that would add up with all your other secrets and lies.”My jaw clenches, grinding from side to side.I am so sick of everyone blaming me.And I am really sick of everyone trying to control my
