I woke up in a very comfortable bed. The sheets were soft, the air smelled faintly of lavender, and sunlight spilled through the curtains in just the right way—almost too perfect.

I sat up slowly. This… was my room. My actual room. The posters on the wall, the slightly chipped desk, even the tiny scuff marks near the closet—it was all exactly how I remembered.

For a moment, I almost forgot.

Then I heard the door slam open.

“Honey! Time to get ready for school! You don’t want your girlfriends waiting too long, right?!”

My blood turned to ice.

I turned my head, slow, deliberate.

There she was.

My mom. Or at least, that’s what she looked like.

She smiled warmly, standing in the doorway in her usual cardigan and apron, holding a spatula like she had just been cooking breakfast. The smell of bacon and syrup drifted through the air.

I swallowed hard. Something wasn’t right.

“…Girlfriends?” My voice barely scraped out.

Her smile didn’t waver.

“That’s right, silly! Now hurry up, you don’t want to make them worry~”

A sharp pressure bloomed behind my eyes—like something was digging into my thoughts. The Game was reaching for me, nudging me, trying to shape my reality.

Oh, that’s right. I’m in the Game of Lust.

My stomach twisted. My head still felt groggy, like a fog was pressing down on me. I rubbed my temples, trying to shake the feeling.

This one can’t be as bad as the last game. It just… can’t.

I tried not to think about Pride. Or the blood. Or the way Rebecca kissed me. For killing Danel.

My chest tightened.

No, I don’t miss Rebecca. Not at all.

I exhaled sharply and forced myself out of bed. The faster I got moving, the better. I needed to stay ahead of whatever this game was throwing at me.

I walked to my closet.

For some reason, I hesitated before opening it.

It felt like a game show—would my clothes be normal or something completely over-the-top?

I took a breath and swung it open.

…Okay, not bad.

Designer jacket, black shirt, and black jeans. Stylish. Too stylish. Like the game wanted me to stand out.

I got dressed quickly, throwing on the jacket and heading into the kitchen.

A full breakfast waited for me. Eggs, bacon, and pancakes, steaming hot, perfectly arranged.

I didn’t trust it.

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But I was starving.

I ate quickly, barely tasting it, my body moving on autopilot.

My "mom" hummed from the kitchen, washing dishes.

“Oh honey! You’re going to be late. You might want to go now.”

Shit. Late? No way I was risking that. This was the Game of Lust—who the hell knew what would happen if I showed up late?

I pushed my plate aside. “Uh… where’s school at?”

My “mom” turned, tilting her head.

For a split second, her face didn’t move.

The smile was still there. But her eyes… her eyes didn’t blink.

“Oh silly, don’t you remember your friend always picks you up.”

Her smile was too much for just a normal smile.

I snapped out of the awkwardness I was getting from her.

“O-oh yeah ‘silly’ me”

I nervously laughed.

She walked up to me, her steps echoing through the house.

“Here is your new house key. Don’t lose it.”

She said that with pure hatred. I could feel it.

I grabbed the key from her hand.

Her skin was ice cold.

I stiffened, but she just smiled like nothing happened.

I forced a nod, shoving the key into my pocket before power-walking out the door.

A loud, sputtering clank came from the street just as I stepped outside.

My friend's beat-up car screeched to a stop, coughing out smoke like it had barely survived the trip. The passenger door handle jiggled before the door swung open.

"Hey, dude! Get in! You’re gonna be late!"

I jogged over and slid into the seat, immediately regretting it. The upholstery was torn, stuffing peeking out like it had been through a war. Crushed cans, fast-food wrappers, and a suspicious-looking hoodie littered the floor. The car smelled like a mix of cheap cologne and bad decisions.

My friend scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Ah, dude, sorry about the mess. Had a party last night."

I glanced at him.

Ginger hair, striking blue eyes, a cocky smirk—yeah, I bet he did. Probably pulled every girl at that party.

The car jerked forward, rattling like it might fall apart at any moment. For a few minutes, we just drove in silence, the engine making random noises like it was speaking in Morse code.

Then he casually broke the silence.

"So, have you broken up with all your girlfriends yet?"

My stomach dropped.

Shit.

I barely even knew what the hell was going on in this game yet. I wasn’t even sure how many girlfriends I had, let alone if I’d broken up with them.

I needed to think fast.

"Uh, no… not yet," I said, forcing a chuckle. "I just… don’t know when, you know?"

He turned to me with the most disappointed look I’d ever seen.

"Dude. You suck. Just break up with them! What’s the worst that can happen?"

Oh, I don’t know—maybe I die? Maybe the game punishes me in some horrific, twisted way?

I forced a nod. "Yeah, I guess you’re right. But… how do I even do it?"

He rubbed his chin, thinking. "Easy. Just find a good spot at school, pull each of ‘em aside, and tell them it’s over. Simple and sweet."

Simple and sweet.

I gave him a weak smile, nodding.

I really hoped it would be that easy.

The moment we arrived, I got out of the car and waved bye to my friend.

I stopped dead in my tracks.

The school was huge. Gothic architecture, towering windows, students flooding the entrance in perfectly neat groups.

I stepped forward—and that’s when I felt it.

A presence.

Not a person. Not a sound.

Just… something watching me.

The back of my neck prickled. I turned slightly, scanning the crowd.

Nobody was staring.

But I knew someone was.

The moment I walked in, the hallway fell dead silent.

Not all at once—no, that would be too obvious. It was slow. Natural. A trickle of voices fading into hushed whispers.

They were watching me.

I exhaled, clenching my fists. Stay focused. This game was already messing with my head. I won’t let it win.

Then, a tap on my shoulder nearly made me jump out of my skin.

“Hey, cutie~”

The voice was honey-sweet.

My heart skipped. Not out of shock. Not out of fear.

But because it wanted to.

No. No, no, no—

I turned, and there she was.

She looked just like my ex. Shit.

And that’s how I knew.

She wasn’t real.

She smiled too wide, her hands clasped behind her back, shifting slightly on her feet like she was giddy just to see me.

Long, perfectly curled auburn hair cascaded down her shoulders. Bright, warm hazel eyes that practically glowed. Her uniform—a crisp, dark blazer over a white blouse and pleated skirt—hugged her form a little too perfectly.

"Missed you a lot," she murmured, stepping closer.

I froze.

My body wanted to pull her in. To kiss her. To whisper that I missed her too.

The game is forcing this on me.

I missed my ex so much.

From the moment she left till now I always missed her.

But I can't give in.

I clenched my jaw. “I—”

She giggled, grabbing my arm with both hands. Her grip was too tight.

"Let’s walk to class together, okay? I don’t like when you’re away from me for too long…”

Something pressed against my mind again.

A whisper. Faint. Familiar.

"Just give in."

I stiffened.

No. Not again.

I needed to play this carefully.

She wasn’t real.

But if I handled this wrong—

She might kill me anyway.