When I arrived, I sent Tim my location. The guys are waiting at the entrance, I lock hands with Jack and prepare myself for the following events.

"Ever been here?" He asks, his car beeps as he presses the lock button.

"Nope, didn't even know it existed."

"Well, it is more of a "rich people" place in a "rich people" town."

That makes me worry, did I bring enough money?

"Wait," I whisper. I think he could hear the worry in my voice. "How much is it to get in?"

He smiles at me, a genuine smile. "I've got you, don't worry. Take it as compensation for doing this for me. Tonight I'm gonna be posting about our relationship online, for more people to see."It was nice for a second, then I was reminded this wasn't a real relationship. I knew it, but still, I wish this were real.

"Thanks," I offer a short smile. "I should show you what us "down on our luck" people do for fun."

He chuckles and we finish walking up.

"Sup Mac, how are you?" Gene asks.

"I'm alright, and you all?"

——

"You know, you're not a bad person. You're responsible and broad, blunt and weirdly nice," Jack says next to me, I'm racing him on the bikes. "It's odd how so many people don't like you?"

"What do you mean? People don't like me because I don't talk to others. There's no point in it."

"Yeah, but the whole attention-seeking rumors are a bit much."

"Rumors? What rumors, I haven't heard any about me?"

"Since we started this, rumors have been traveling. A new one started a night ago or so. I heard it earlier this morning. That you fake a lot it shit for attention, that you fake physical and mental illnesses for attention. That you're a stoner. I don't believe it. I've hung out with you the past few days, and I don't think so at all."

"Everyone has shit going on in their personal life. I have a mental illness, I have seasonal depression. I don't have a physical illness and I don't claim to have one. There, that rumors covered."

"I already said I don't believe it, so you don't have to assure me."

"No; I like to clear my air," I lean to my right, the bike coming with me. I pass him. "Pay attention, stop looking at me," that makes his eyes flash forward. "There's a rumor I heard about you, you want to clear it?"

"Which one?" He asks with a strong lace of sarcasm in his tone.

"The one where you slept with a girl and dumped her in bed."

He goes silent. "I didn't mean it to be like that... She wanted to be official, official-official, and I told her beforehand it wasn't going to be anything serious. She kept insisting and said she fell too deep, so I said it was best to end it before she fell deeper. Nothin' more and nothing less."Now I fall silent, my mind and eyes drift towards him. "Pay attention," he warns, I look back and see I crashed. "It's nothing more or less. I can't do serious shit."

"You don't like commitment?" I ask as the game finishes; he is in first by 4 seconds.

"Something like that... It's more of... I'm scared of commitment."

I wait until he starts dismounting the bike. "I understand you," I grab his arm. "I really do, it's nothing to be ashamed of."

He smiles at me, I return it. I let go of his arm and jumped off the bike.

"Where did your friends go?"

"Probably laser tag, they always reck the place," he chuckles.

"If you're going to start posting do it now," I grab his hand. "Perfect time."

He nods pulling out his phone. He takes a photo of our hands, puts our location then posts it to "Everyone". He doesn't drop my hand though but instead walks me over to a new machine.

--

"So," Jack starts. "Now that you see what "rich people" do, can I see what you do?"

We are in laser tag, about to go in with our guns ready.

"Depends on how well you treat me tonight," I wink, only because his friends are in close range.

"So, who will be taking who on the next date?"

"Whoever wins this game."

"Oh, you are so on."

I laugh, and then we are brought into a very fogging and very large 2-story room. There are many objects to hide against, many plastic mirrors, and 2 ramps to the second level along the west and east walls. You get to walk in for the first minute and map out hiding spots. I run up the east ramps to get a feel for the second floor. When you reach the top you can run along the narrow half wall, turn to the left and you're in a room. The walls never connect, like downstairs. There's just a lot of corner walls and walls that are 4 feet long, good for hiding.

I'm going to start up here, my main target being Jack. I go to one of the corner walls, then notice there's a whole other side on the north; I'm at the south. I run to the south. In the center of the second floor, there's a big hole to look at the bottom; thankfully railed off. I continue to the north and find a nice corner to hide in. Our chest plates start beeping, flashing red.

"Three... Two... One. Stay alive."

The light goes from white to a very dark red, it's now harder to see, especially through the fog. You can already hear the laser-blasting. I peek around my corner and notice my chest plate is purple. I see a blue chest plate coming up the ramp. I aim my gun and shoot; their chest makes a noise and turns grey. I quickly turn behind my corner.

I wait for a second and turn the other way, only to come face to face with Jack. He presses his gun gently into my chest plate, it makes a noise and turns grey.

"Karma's a bitch," he smirks and runs to the opposite side.

After 5 seconds mine turns back on. I muffle a laugh and follow his direction.

This will be fun.