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Love's Illusion

Page 7

by Priya Grey


  Then she senses someone standing behind her. Selena turns around and catches the best man, Matt, looking at her with a warm smile.

  “Shit, is the Beyoncé song over?” she asks out loud. Selena listens intently to the music coming from the ballroom. She realizes she has another two minutes before the song comes to an end.

  “I just came out here to get some air,” replies Matt. He takes a spot beside her, looking out onto the peaceful golf course. “What did you think of the speech?” he asks, glancing at her.

  Selena shrugs and takes another hit from her vape.

  “I actually didn’t hear it. I was sort of lost in my own world.”

  Matt nods and shrugs.

  “You didn’t miss much. It was all a bunch of lies anyway.”

  Selena doesn’t respond and continues vaping.

  “Can I ask you something?” Matt turns to face her. “If you knew the bride had cheated on the groom the week before the wedding, would you tell him?”

  Selena’s eyes widen. “Of course. You can’t let your best friend get married to a cheater, especially if he doesn’t know.”

  Matt looks sheepishly down at the ground and shrugs. “Yeah, well, he’s not really my best friend. I don’t even like Brian. I’m surprised he asked me to be his best man. I sort of felt bad for him, so I said I’d do it. And I also know Brian’s cheated on Samantha, so…”

  Matt raises his head and locks eyes with her. He’s very handsome, Selena thinks to herself. And he certainly wears that suit well. But Selena likes her men with a little more edge, a little more bad boy. Not so clean cut.

  “Sounds like they’re two cheaters who found each other,” Selena says.

  She vapes again.

  “I guess so. I just feel sort of guilty.”

  Selena isn’t sure what to say. “Well… then, maybe you should tell each of them what you know.”

  Matt nods and looks at Selena again.

  He’s got great eyes, she thinks to herself. Hazel with flecks of green.

  Matt then sighs and shrugs his shoulders. “You’re probably right. I should tell them. But I don’t really feel like dealing with all the drama. You see, I’m the one Samantha slept with before the wedding.”

  Selena is surprised he’s telling her all this.

  “Oh, I see. That changes things, I guess.”

  Matt shrugs again. “I guess it does.”

  The Beyoncé song is about to end, and Selena realizes she better get back to work.

  “Shit. I got to get back inside. Nice talking to you.”

  “You too.”

  She races to her DJ stand and plays the next track. Then, she watches as Matt crosses the dance floor and returns to the wedding table. That was a rather odd and random conversation, Selena thinks to herself. Periodically, throughout the night, Selena glances toward the wedding table and catches Matt staring at her. She quickly looks away. He’s not her type. Way too clean cut.

  Chapter 15

  It’s Sunday. I’m sitting in my room, working on the next level of my video game. It’s about a shy girl, in a dream-like forest, searching for her dog. As you navigate through the forest, you interact with all these strange creatures. The level I’m currently coding forces the player to find shelter from an oncoming thunderstorm. I’m getting frustrated because the code I wrote for the magical lightning bolts isn’t working correctly. I analyze the code – over and over – to see if there’s a different approach I should take. Then I get a message on my phone.

  It’s from Beowulf845.

  “Do you want to meet in the blue room?”

  I hesitate. It feels strange not telling Beowulf that I’m in LA, considering this is where he lives. I contemplate ignoring his message. But then I realize, a session with him, in the blue room, may be just what I need to relax and break through the code block I’m having.

  I text him back that I’ll meet him in five minutes.

  I boot up the game and navigate my avatar to the location. Once in the room, Beowulf and I talk.

  “I’ve missed you,” he says.

  “Me too. I’ve just been so busy lately.”

  “With what?” he asks.

  I hesitate. I decide to tell him the truth. “I got a job.”

  “That’s great!” says Beowulf. “I know you’ve been looking for a while. Are you finally going to be able to move out of your parent’s house?”

  “Not yet,” I reply. “It’s more like an internship that doesn’t pay very well.”

  “What’s the internship?”

  I tell him the truth; but not the whole truth. “I got a job as a game tester for a small video game company in Minneapolis.”

  “Wow. That’s really great. I’m jealous. It beats the boring job I have working for this real estate company.”

  “I’m sure your job pays better,” I tell him.

  “Yeah, but money isn’t everything.”

  I laugh. “Right now, in my current situation, money means practically everything.”

  “I hear ya.” Beowulf then pauses. His voice drops a little lower. “Listen, SexyMinx, I can’t stop thinking about you and the last time we were here, in the blue room.”

  I study Beowulf’s avatar. I’m still shocked by how closely it resembles Nash in real life.

  Beowulf continues talking in a low whisper. “I can’t stop thinking about the crazy sex we had.”

  “You sound like you’re addicted,” I reply.

  “I am. Too your gorgeous body and mind.”

  “What are you in the mood for today?” I playfully ask. “My gorgeous body, or my mind?”

  “Just looking at you is getting me excited,” he declares.

  “Well then,” I say. “Let me improve the view.”

  I move my avatar so it bends over, highlighting my ass – which is much firmer and narrower than my real ass.

  “I’m getting so hard right now.”

  “Easy, Beowulf, we have all the time in the world.”

  “No, we don’t!” Beowulf exclaims. “Life’s too short. I need to fuck you now.”

  I watch as Beowulf845 undresses his avatar. True to his word, his avatar – a warrior with chiseled abs and long brown hair – also has an erection. Thank goodness the creators of this video game recognized that virtual sex was something their customers would want to engage in.

  “Now, it’s your turn,” Beowulf states.

  I begin to undress my avatar.

  “I love your tits and ass,” he affirms once my avatar is naked.

  “I love your cock,” I purr. And it’s the truth. Beowulf has a nice, big cock. And even though it’s made of pixels, I get excited by the sight of it. Beowulf moves toward my avatar, and we start to kiss. Within minutes, we are engaging in virtual sex. As I watch Beowulf fuck my avatar on the screen, I feel myself getting turned on. My nipples harden and the precious space between my legs begins to throb.

  “Your pussy feels so tight!”

  “Don’t stop fucking me. I think I’m going to come. Don’t stop,” I moan.

  Beowulf continues plowing his virtual dick into my virtual pussy. Then he suddenly stops.

  “Shit. I came,” he complains. Before I’m able to claim my release, his avatar suddenly dismounts mine.

  “It’s okay,” I tell him. Hiding my disappointment, I dress my avatar.

  I wonder how real sex would compare to the virtual sex I always have online. Then, I begin to wonder why Beowulf didn’t continue fucking me once he came. In the virtual world, there’s nothing physically preventing you from maintaining an erection. Unfortunately, men aren’t so lucky in the real world. But I decide not to say anything.

  “Don’t you think it’s time we show each other what we really look like?” Beowulf suddenly asks.

  I pause. This isn’t the first time he’s asked to see what I look like. I’ve been able to successfully hold him off by saying, ‘Not yet, soon.’ But it seems Beowulf can’t wait any longer. He sends me a message through the video
game app with his picture attached.

  “This is me.”

  I look at the screen, in shock.

  Beowulf845 is cute! He has short blonde hair and brown eyes. He looks nothing like his avatar. No rippling muscles. In fact, he’s skinny.

  “My real name is Chad. It feels good to come out of the closet, so to speak. Now, it’s your turn.”

  I don’t know what to do.

  “I’m waiting…”

  “Give me a second. Let me find a good picture,” I say nervously.

  I’m freaking out. I can’t believe how cute Beowulf is. If he knows what I look like, he might not want to continue being my virtual boyfriend – if that’s what he even is. Scrambling, I get an idea.

  I pull up Google and do a search for NaughtyFrenchGirl2020. Voilà, as the French would say. I find a picture of Juliette. She looks really sexy in the photo. I copy the picture and attach it to my message.

  “This is me. My real name is Flo.”

  After I send the message, I realize what I’ve done. How could I be so deceitful?

  When Beowulf sees the picture of Juliette, he gets very excited.

  “Wow! You’re even hotter than your avatar. We have to meet!”

  I totally panic.

  “I have to go. Emergency. We’ll talk later.”

  I quickly quit the game.

  Chapter 16

  At work the next day, Parker and Ajax debate which character in Oblivion’s March they would most like to have sex with.

  “Who do you think is hotter? Mika or Zia?” asks Parker

  “Zia’s got a great ass,” acknowledges Ajax. “But Mika has amazing tits. It’s a tough call.”

  I ignore Parker and Ajax’s sexist comments and focus on testing Oblivion’s March. I’m having a hard time concentrating though. I still can’t believe I sent Beowulf – I mean Chad – a photo of Juliette instead of my real picture. What was I thinking? I guess I was worried a man that cute would never want to be with someone that looks like me.

  I notice my reflection off the computer screen. My long hair is a pulled back in a ponytail. I look so plain that not even makeup would help. I extend my neck to hide the appearance of my double chin.

  Now, I don’t know what to do. When Chad said we needed to meet in person, I stalled and quit the game abruptly. Should I just stop playing the game and never interact with Beowulf again? But he’s provided me with the only “real” attention I’ve ever received from a guy – even if it’s only virtual. The thought of going back to my lonely existence is pretty depressing.

  “Flo, can I see you for a moment?”

  I snap out of it and notice Josh standing in the doorway.

  “Sounds like somebody’s in trouble,” mumbles Parker.

  Worried, I get up from my chair and walk toward Josh. We both stand outside the room, so the other game testers can’t hear our conversation.

  “I played your demo last night.”

  I try to control the nervous anxiety suddenly rushing through me.

  “And… what did you think?”

  “There’s a lot of potential,” says Josh with a serious nod.

  I smile from ear to ear.

  “Don’t get too excited,” he warns. “I didn’t say it was awesome. I just see a lot of potential. There are a couple of adjustments I think you should make.”

  “Like what?”

  “First off, you have to change the title. Lost in Flow is just too artsy. I was thinking something like the Forest of Deception or the Forest That Kills.”

  I don’t know how to react. I really don’t like his suggestions and prefer my original title.

  “I also don’t like the character of the girl,” he continues. “She looks too frumpy, too large. We should change the way she looks. Make her sexier, with a hotter body – so we can capture the male demographic.”

  Again, I don’t know how to respond. By criticizing the character’s appearance, I feel like Josh is condemning the way I look. I should be used to that kind of insult by now. But it still hurts. After all, this game is truly an expression of who I am.

  “I’ve compiled a list of other things I found wrong with the game,” says Josh. “I’ll send it to you.”

  I realize I should probably listen to his suggestions. Josh does work for the hottest company in the industry, after all. He has much more experience than I do.

  “That’s great. I really appreciate your feedback.”

  Then Josh gives me a curious look.

  “Listen, there’s something else I’d like to discuss with you,” he says, moving in closer. “I think you could use my expertise on this game. If you incorporate my suggestions, and allow me to guide you along the way, I think we could have an indie hit on our hands. I know a ton of people in this business. I could get your tiny game the exposure it needs to break out. How far are you in the next level design?”

  I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “I’m working on it during the weekends. I’m almost done with level four,” I tell him excitedly. “I just need to figure out this coding block.”

  “Keep working on it,” says Josh with a nod. “I was thinking I could come on board as a producer. I’ll guide you through the rest of the development. And when the game is done, I’ll show it to a bunch of people I know.”

  “Like Zach?”

  Josh hesitates. “Yeah, like Zach. Although we’d only want to show Zach the game when we think it’s really good. You don’t want to make a bad first impression with the CEO, right?”

  I shake my head. “Of course not.”

  “Good. Why don’t we work together and get your game to the best place it can be.”

  “So, we would be like partners?” I ask.

  Josh nods. “Yeah. Fifty-fifty.”

  I’m at a loss for words. Giving someone fifty-percent ownership of a game I created from scratch is a big decision. But then again, I don’t know anyone in this business. Someone like Josh could really help my game get the exposure it needs to be successful.

  “Think about it and get back to me,” he says.

  I nod.

  “I will. Thanks, Josh.”

  “My pleasure.”

  I return to my workstation.

  “Let me guess. He wanted to give you a gold star for showing up early the other day,” jokes Ajax as I take my seat.

  “Sounds like someone is the teacher’s pet,” adds Parker.

  “He’s just trying to make her feel special because she’s a girl,” says Ajax.

  I glare at them and snap, “Will you two just shut-up.”

  Ajax and Parker exchange a look.

  “It must be that time of the month,” Parker says with a shrug.

  Ajax nods. “We better keep our distance.”

  “For sure,” agrees Parker.

  I tune them out and continue testing the game. Now my head is officially spinning. Before, I was worried about meeting Beowulf in person. But now, I also have to consider Josh’s offer. I’m totally feeling overwhelmed.

  Chapter 17

  Nash has some clients that really annoy him. But Phillip Stewart definitely tops the list.

  “I totally banged her, dude,” Phillip brags into his phone. “It’s not like I wanted to. But I had to. She was begging for it. You saw her on the dance floor. She was a drunken mess. I sort of felt bad for her. It was like a sympathy fuck. And plus, I couldn’t go home on a Saturday night without banging something. I just kept my eyes closed, so I didn’t have to stare at her face.”

  This kid is such a loser, Nash thinks to himself. After rolling his eyes, he looks around the gym. The place is packed. Nash has been working at Kade’s Cage for three months now. He likes the vibe of the place. It’s no frills, unlike some of the gyms in Santa Monica, or even Venice. But lately, Nash has noticed a wealthier clientele frequenting the establishment. It’s probably because Kade – the owner – is a celebrity in the MMA world. And it seems like everyone follows MMA these days.

  As Phillip ke
eps yapping on his phone, Nash checks the time. His training session with Phillip Stewart started ten minutes ago, and he’s already stopped to check his phone twice. You’re not supposed to talk on your phone in Kade’s gym. But Phillip doesn’t think the rules apply to him.

  “Alright dude, I got to get back to working on my six-pack,” says Phillip, finally wrapping up his call. “These bitches today, not only want the bling but the body too. You know what I’m saying? Fuckin’ makes it hard on a man. You hear me, homie?”

  Nash rolls his eyes again.

  Phillip Stewart’s father runs one of the largest hedge funds in the country. He’s a billionaire. But listening to Phillip talk, you wouldn’t think he grew up in Beverly Hills. It’s almost laughable. Nash hates it when people try to be anything other than who they are. He also hates how some of these rich LA kids act with a sense of entitlement. That really gets under his skin.

  Because of his father’s success in the NFL, Nash grew up very well off. But his father made sure Nash never grew up thinking he was better than anyone else. The same cannot be said for Phillip Stewart.

  Finally, Phillip gets off his phone. He looks at Nash and shrugs.

  “Sorry about that, dude.”

  Nash nods. “You know, you’re not supposed to use your phone in here.”

  Phillip rolls his eyes. “Whatever.”

  Nash takes a deep breath, trying to suppress his disdain for this client. “Let’s do some kettle bell exercises and work on your glutes.”

  “Is that going to get me a six-pack?” demands Phillip. “Because I really don’t want to waste my time on stuff that’s not going to get me a six-pack.”

  “Well, it’s important to focus on the whole body and not just one specific part.”

  “Whatever,” replies Phillip as he looks down at his phone and starts texting.

  “Ready?” asks Nash, pointing to the kettle bell on the floor.

  Phillip holds up his finger. “Just give me sec. I got to get back to my bro.”

 

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