THE KING OF THE GOLD SYSTEM GAMING

PANTHER

“The haunted house went up in flames and multiple dead bodies were found inside. All the deceased were graduated students from the local high school. However, upon closer inspection, it was found that the deceased did not die of smoke inhalation but instead murder.”

“That’s kind of a smart idea,” Lee pipes up, “using the fire to hide your tracks.” She tilts her head at the TV screen, causing her black French braids to sway as she scrutinizes the scene before us.

“Yeah, it’s a pity it didn’t work,” Stevie laments, taking a large sip of her rosé.

“A bystander did note that three motorcycles were seen leaving the scene of the crime, and it was even believed that they were wearing Halloween masks not unlike those of popular horror movie villains.”

“You know, those Ghostface masks are pretty hot,” I chime in, reaching forward to grab a cookie from the table.

“Right,” Lee hums in agreement, holding out an empty hand and twinkling her fingers.

I plop the cookie in her hand before going back to grab another.

“That’s the same thought I had when I met Aleks the first time,” Stevie nods.

“There’s something incredibly wrong with all of you,” a posh British voice scoffs.

All three of us girls turn to glare at the man camped out in the egg-shaped armchair in the corner.

“I can’t believe you invited him.” Lee shoots eye daggers at Sydney as she enters the room carrying a fresh bowl of popcorn.

“For the fifth time, I didn’t invite him,” the blonde huffs as she drops the bowl on the coffee table. “He invited himself.”

“It’s against the rules.”

Lee, Sydney, and I have been meeting for a weekly Crime Night for two years now, and a few months ago we brought Stevie into the fold after she started dating Aleks. We alternate between watching true crime and haunted house investigations while snacking on baked goods, sipping on alcoholic concoctions, and sprinkling in a healthy dose of gossip. We rarely miss a week unless it’s a holiday or there’s some sort of gaming or work conflict.

There are only two rules when it comes to Crime Night. The first, no phones; we have to leave them in a bowl at the door. The second, no outsiders.

“Why would Parker voluntarily invite himself to Crime Night?” Stevie narrows her catlike eyes. “He hates scary shit.”

“Maybe we’re his only friends,” I shrug.

“Or maybe it’s co-dependency. He’s too obsessed with his girlfriend,” Lee nods.

“Hecan hear you.” Parker rolls his baby blues dramatically. “And he expects you to be nicer to him because he brought expensive champagne as a peace offering.”

“Babe, we talked about this. You need to stop with the third-person stuff,” Sydney sighs as he pulls her onto his lap.

“The bubbles are pretty good,” I hum, taking a sip of my champagne. I’d finished my watermelon drink an episode earlier.

“Thank you,” he grins with a wink.

Parker Covington is an attractive man. He has a killer jawline and cheekbones that make everyone jealous, and paired with his dyed white-blond hair and impish grins, he looks like a sexy angel. It’s no wonder Sydney fell for him even though she’s his publicist.

“Champagne isn’t enough to join the girl’s club, sorry, English.” I wrinkle my nose in feigned apology. “If we start making exceptions for you, we have to make exceptions for everyone.”

As much as I try to remember to call Parker by his name, it still isn’t second nature to me. I met him online through streaming videogames and tend to default to his gamertag even when we are in person. I have the same habit with all The System even though their identities are no longer a secret from the world.

“Oh, come on, don’t kick me out,” he pouts, flashing us all puppy dog eyes.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think you have anything useful to add to Crime Night,” Stevie shrugs, flicking her brown hair over her shoulder.

“My devilish good looks?”

Sydney throws a piece of popcorn at her boyfriend.

“Fine, fine,” he huffs, bringing his hand up to fiddle with his cartilage piercings. “What if I offered you some gossip?”

Lee and I perk up.

“Gossip?” She grins.

“Do spill.” I dramatically clasp my hands under my chin.

“Herson’s grandmother has been setting him up on blind dates.”

“Wait, seriously?”

I couldn’t imagine Herson going on blind dates. He seemed like the kind of guy who only did what he wanted to do and not what someone forced on him.

“Tsk.” Stevie rolls her eyes. “I knew this already.”

“Yikes, I feel bad for him.” Lee’s eyes round with pity.