I shut the door to my room, locked it. Like I was doing some sort of obscene thing. I wasn't, I told myself, I would tell everyone about the piece of paper... I just wanted to investigate it on my own first. That was all. I didn't have any ulterior motives. I wasn't transfixed and intrigued by the lipstick stain. I wasn't—

Fuck it. I didn't have to explain myself to... myself. I was gonna do this thing and, yes, I would tell the others.

Tomorrow.

I took out the paper, entered the phone number, and pressed 'Call' completely without thinking. It rang once and I realized what I had done and quickly killed the call. I know I acted all hyper and outgoing but inside I wasn't all that confident half the time and the prospect of talking to some mysterious girl really freaked me out.

At least, by talking over the phone. Texting was still a super viable option.

Link: Uh, hello?

???: hello!

Well, she/it was cheerful, at least. That had to be a good sign, right?

Link: Who are you?

???: wouldn't you like to know ;P

No, not a winky face! That was my weakness. Okay, one of my many weaknesses. I'd already decided this was a real chick I was talking to and she had her hooks in me.

Link: I would, which is why I asked :P Two can play the tongue sticking out game, mysterious stranger.

???: heehee, I knew I was right to pick you.

Link: Pick me? What do you mean?

???: I wanted to talk to someone and out of your group I picked you! You seemed like the one with the most open mind.

Link: My mind is a black hole it's so open.

Did that make sense? I wasn't sure but it painted a cool visual.

???: a black hole devours everything, I hope you don't do that to little old me ;3

Oh my god, this chick was getting to me. In the best possible way.

Link: Nope, this black hole only sucks up ideas—you're safe :) So, again, who the heck are you?

???: a friend.

I was disappointed. She could have made that waaaay more seductive. Wait, maybe I can reverse it and...

Link: Or, at least, you hope to be, right? ;P

Oh yeah, I was nailing this flirting game.

???: heehee, yes. But I think you would most benefit from a friendship with me.

Link: Oh yeah? How so?

???: becaaaaaause, I look like this.

What followed was the most seductive picture I'd ever been sent. It was a downward shot of a girl sitting down, the camera aimed at her chest and down to her legs, her face not in the shot. And she was wearing a skin tight suit of some kind and upon seeing it I was completely under her spell.

Okay, maybe Jetta was right, I did have a thing for skin tight.

#

"Have any of you seen Link?" Neo asked.

You and Jetta were the only ones in the shop with him, Link mysteriously absent.

"I haven't," said Jetta.

"Me either. He's been weird lately," you say, handing a bag off to a customer.

"Weird how?" Jetta asked.

"Weird as in, he hasn't been hitting on me or anything," you answer, laughing a little.

"Really? Nothing?" Neo sounded shocked. "That is super strange. I wonder what's up with him."

"Maybe he decided Zero is a dude," Jetta teased. "You ever gonna tell us which you are miss/mister mystery?"

"Nope! My secret," you said with a playfully evil grin.

That was when Link strolled in, a spring in his step and a grin on his face. For some reason it kind of creeped you out. Like he was a little too happy, if that was possible.

"Dude, there you are, where have you been?" Neo asked.

"Neo, my man! I have been chilling at home, where else would I be?" That crazy grin got bigger.

"I've been texting you. We all have, I think."

"What?" Link pulled out his phone and clicked through it. "Oh, would you look at that. Sorry guys, I've been... distracted."

"With what?" Jetta squinted as him suspiciously. "That new game you've been harping about isn't out yet so what the crap could you be playing that's more important than us?"

Link shook his head. "I'm not playing anything."

A shocked silence went over the store.

"You? Not playing any video game?" said Jetta.

"Uh, yes. Is that strange?"

"Yes," Neo and Jetta said together.

"Okay, okay, well... I met someone."

#

All three of them looked at me with even more shocked expressions. Damn, was it that odd for me to meet a girl? I was a little insulted.

Jetta was the first to snap out of it.

"Who is she??" She asked, excitedly. "Where did you meet her?"

This was my moment. I still had the piece of paper in my pocket. All I had to do was yank that out and explain everything to them. Any second now my hand was going to reach for it. Any... second... Why wasn't I moving? Why wasn't I saying anything?

Because, I had something new, something I liked and, damn it, I didn't want to give it up just yet. Neo had all the girls swooning over him all the time, he was like some big mystery that they loved to gossip about and dream of solving for themselves. Jetta had her fair share of boyfriends. I didn't know what Zero liked but she wasn't paying my advances much interest so... can you really blame me for finding someone else? Someone who is amazing and beautiful and listens to me and—

"Link?"

It was Zero, she looked deeply concerned about me and for a moment I felt like spilling the beans after all.

But just for a moment.

"I met her online. And, um... well, I don't know her name yet."

"Links got a girlfriend, Links got a girlfriend!" Jetta taunted, giggling.

I blushed, I could feel it. I turned away, trying to hide it from at least Jetta but, of course, she saw it and started to poke my cheeks while continuing her chanting.

Suddenly I wasn't quite so guilty about keeping my secret.