Lou looked around the mall crowd, his heart hammering in his chest. His recent run-in with the vinyl-obsessed girl had left him feeling a little awkward. Her disgusted eyes were staring at him, and he couldn’t get rid of the way she sounded, calling him a “creep.”

Nate urged, his voice a playful taunt, “Come on, Lou.” “Don’t tell me you’ve already given up. There are a lot more girls in this mall than there are fish in the sea.”

Lou forced a weak smile, his gaze fixed on the floor. “I don’t know, Nate. Maybe I’m not cut out for this cringe thing.”

Nate threw an arm around Lou’s shoulders and scoffed. “Stop being absurd. You’re very skilled! Plus, we have only touched the tip of your cringe potential.” With a playful twinkle in his eyes, he pointed to a clothes store. “Do you see the girl by the jackets with the fiery red hair? It appears that she could benefit from a healthy dose of awkwardness.”

Lou followed Nate’s gaze, his eyes landing on the girl. She was alone, running her hands through a rack of jackets, her vibrant red hair catching the light. Lou felt a twinge of dread and longing in his chest. Her beauty combined with her subtle confidence drew him in and made her seem intimidating.

Lou shook his head and objected, saying “No way.” “She’s above my league.”

Nate laughed. “That’s what matters, my friend. The cringe increases with the difficulty. Additionally, you level up more quickly the more cringe you feel."

Lou paused, his eyes resting on the girl. As adrenaline surged through him, he took a deep breath and ignored his usual self-doubt.

“Okay,” he murmured almost inaudibly. “I’ll do it.”

Lou moved forward with great determination, his every step sounding like a thunderclap in his ears. The girl was browsing a rack of band tees. She was wearing denim overalls and a bright yellow crop top. As she rummaged through the clothing, her flaming red hair, a wild mane that appeared to defy gravity, bounced with every step. She wore a silver chain around her neck that caught the light, highlighting her collarbone’s subtle curve for Lou to see.

He swallowed hard, his tongue tingling with the taste of pancakes and impending disaster. He muttered under his breath, “Okay, Lou, just say the line. Take off the bandage in one go!”

He moved ahead of her, his voice a low groan that hardly came out of his mouth. “Hi,” he managed, his gaze flitting tensely from her face to the ground. “I’m Lou, but you can call me...” He took a deep breath, bracing for impact. “...boo.”

The girl froze, her hand lingering over a striped t-shirt in midair. She turned slowly, her brown eyes meeting Lou’s with a mix of wonder and interest. A lighthearted smile pulled at the corner of her mouth.

“Boo, huh?” she said, her voice a husky whisper that sent shivers down Lou’s spine. “That’s cute. Hi, Boo,” she replied, her voice soft and melodic. “I’m Roxy.”

Lou felt his heart thumping his ribs akin to a drummer high on coffee. He was prepared for disgust, taunts, and possibly even a slap. However, this was completely beyond his expectations.

“Yeah,” he stumbled, reddening his cheeks. “Well, hi... Roxy, it’s nice to meet you.”

Roxy’s sly smile turned into a broad smile. She said, “Nice to meet you too, Boo,” with mischievous sparkles in her eyes. “Well, what are your thoughts on this t-shirt?

Lou, a wave of relief washing over him, quickly checked his Cringe Progression Bar. To his surprise, it hadn’t budged. A chuckle escaped his lips. “Guess that wasn’t cringey enough,” he thought to himself.

With the pressure of leveling up momentarily forgotten, Lou found himself genuinely curious about Roxy. He tried to change the subject quickly. “Yeah for sure! That looks good... So... what kind of music is your jam?” With genuine curiosity, his voice no longer trembled as he asked. Yet he still couldn’t tell whether he asked this in a cool or cringe way.

With her enthusiasm for music shining through like a warm glow, Roxy’s eyes brightened up and she began to enthusiastically list her favorite bands. Lou found himself drawn in, captivated by her energy and knowledge. He congratulated himself: “That was a good catch, Lou, always ask about cool girls' music taste first.”

With a conspiratorial whisper, Roxy said, “Actually, I’m not shopping for myself. It’s for my best friend. It’s her birthday tomorrow. She’ll be eighteen, and I want to get her something really special. It’s a big day, as you know."

“Eighteen?” Lou repeated with a flicker of recognition in his eyes. “That’s really a big day! You know what? I just turned 18 yesterday.”

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

Roxy’s eyes widened in surprise. “No way! That’s so cool! What kind of power do you have?”

Lou hesitated for a moment, unsure how to explain his unique ability. “It’s a bit... complicated,” he finally said. “But I’m still figuring it out.”

Roxy gave a sympathetic nod. "I understand. You'll adjust to it eventually, I'm sure. It has taken me three months to fully understand my power.

Lou laughed and his face lit up with sincere happiness. “I believe we can all relate to that. Can you share your power with me? Obviously, you don’t have to if it’s private.”

Excitement sparkled in Roxy’s eyes. With a note of surprise in her voice, she started to talk about it giddily. “It’s called ‘Echoed Memories’. Basically, I can recall things from the past that happened. I just have to be there. I can see, hear, and feel the most intense things that happened in the past; it’s like having a vivid dream.”

Lou became even more amazed. “Whoa, that is amazing! That means you can truly relive historical events?”

Roxy nodded, her excitement building. “Yes, exactly! It’s similar to traveling through time. But I can't change anything, I'm only there to witness." She was fascinated by her own power. "It’s one of the reasons I enjoy discovering new places. I get to learn the little-known histories that each place has to tell.”

“That truly is amazing,” Lou exclaimed. ”I’ve always wanted to travel the world. Actually, I’m planning to do that in the following months, I want to attend the Duel League."

Roxy’s eyes sparkled. “Duel league huh? So you must be really confident in your power! I’m also planning to travel the world after I graduate. I want to experience different cultures and learn about history firsthand. What do you say, maybe we can travel together?” She laughed playfully while she was saying this.

Lou’s cheeks flushed. He was not expecting such a positive reaction. He quickly tried to change the subject and gestured towards the T-shirt in her hand. “I think you should get that one for your friend. It looks great.”

With a smile, Roxy's amused eyes sparkled. "Many thanks, Boo. I believe I will. "Are you going to share your gift with me, or will you leave me in suspense?" she inquired after a brief pause.

Lou's heart began to beat faster. He was so close to forgetting his goal of making people cringe. He cast a sidelong glance toward Nate, who was observing them with a sly smile on his face. Lou gave Nate a rolling motion with his eyes before refocusing on Roxy.

“Well,” he began, his voice hesitant, “it’s a bit... unconventional.”

Roxy raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. “Unconventional? I like unconventional. Tell me more.”

Lou took a deep breath, steeling himself for the inevitable cringe. “It’s called the Power of Cringe,” he said, bracing for her reaction. “Basically, I get stronger the more I embarrass myself.”

Only the distant hum of the mall’s air conditioner broke the silence that swept over them. With anticipation flushing his cheeks, Lou’s gaze drifted nervously between Roxy and the ground.

Roxy burst into laughter, joy shining in her eyes. “It’s incredible!” she cried, raising her hands. It’s really unusual! I've never heard of such a gift before, it's so absurd. Hold on a second... Is that why you approached me using that witty pick-up line?

Lou felt his cheeks burn as he stammered, “Well, not exactly. I mean, yes, but also... no?” With an awkward gesture, he pointed to Nate, who was standing near a shelf of sunglasses, appearing to be browsing but in reality, he was listening in. “I was dared to come talk to you by my cousin.”

Roxy’s eyes followed Lou’s gesture, landing on Nate. A playful smirk spread across her face as she raised an eyebrow. “Oh really? And what was the dare?”

Lou shifted uncomfortably, his gaze darting back to Roxy. “It was... a stupid thing. It was awful, I know that. However, I was forced to do it. It’s part of my... training.”

Roxy tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. “Training? For what?”

Lou inhaled deeply and chose to tell the truth. “I need to build up my tolerance of humiliation if I want to use my power effectively.”

After a moment of looking surprised, Roxy’s eyes widened and she started laughing again. I’ve never heard anything so absurd," she cried, a tear escaping her eye. However, I kind of adore it."

Lou couldn’t help but smile back. “Really?”

Roxy nodded, her smile unwavering. “Absolutely. It’s so unique and... well, cringey. But in a good way.” With a mischievous sparkle in her eyes, she paused. “Does that mean you want me to stop calling you ‘Boo’”?

Lou’s heart skipped a beat again, he felt that he started to get used to it. He had not even given the nickname much thought because he had been preoccupied with the cringe factor. He said, “No,” in a nervous yet excited voice. “You know, you can call me Boo if you want to.”

Roxy smiled, her amusement glimmering in her eyes. She even teasingly played with her hair. “Boo it is then.”

Lou’s shoulders relaxed, a wave of relief washing over him. Roxy’s response surprised him more than he had anticipated, as he had anticipated mockery or disgust. “Really?” he questioned, his voice full of optimism. “You don’t think I’m odd?”

Roxy shook her head, her smile unwavering. Without faltering, Roxy shook her head and giggled. “Not at all. It is fantastic, in my opinion. It is as if you have the ability to use your weakness to your advantage. That’s actually quite inspiring.”

Lou’s heart swelled with gratitude. He had never met anyone who understood his power, let alone someone who found it inspiring. Even his family has mocked his gift until now.

“Thanks, Roxy,” he said, a genuine smile spreading across his face. “That means a lot.”

Roxy’s smile softened. “So, tell me more about this Duel League dream of yours. What’s stopping you from competing?”

Lou hesitated for a moment, then decided to confide in her. “Well, I’m not exactly the most confident person,” he admitted, his cheeks flushing slightly. “And my power... it kind of relies on me being awkward and embarrassing. Not exactly the most desirable qualities for a duelist. And you are not gonna believe it but I’m actually a shy person.”

Warm and reassuring, Roxy’s hand reached out and touched Lou’s arm. “Lou, don’t let that discourage you. You possess a special gift that I think you can use to accomplish great things. Furthermore,” she winked and continued, “Who says cringe can’t be cool?”

Lou laughed and his chest began to get warm. He cast a quick glance at Nate, who discreetly gave him the thumbs up. This cringe thing might not have been as horrible as it seemed.

"Hey," Roxy said with a hint of flirtation in her voice. “Do you think you could attend my friend's birthday party tomorrow? It will be so much fun, I promise. And I would love for you to meet her. You can also bring your cousin as well.”

Without hesitation, Lou jumped at the chance. With a voice full of newly discovered confidence, he replied, “I’d love to.”

Roxy reached into her purse and took out a pen and a small notepad. “Fantastic! This is the time and address. Boo, see you tomorrow!" With a wink, she turned to leave, her red hair twirling behind her.

Lou, with a silly smile on his face, watched her leave. He turned to look at Nate, who was still standing near the sunglasses rack, smirking.

“Dude, I just got us invited to a party!” Lou exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement.

Nate chuckled, raising an eyebrow. “Invited? I thought the goal was to make her cringe, not to score a date.”

Lou shrugged, his grin widening. “Whatever cuz, I’m happy that I didn’t make her cringe.” He paused, then added with a wink, “Besides, maybe I can level up even faster at a party.”

Nate playfully punched Lou’s shoulder. “You sly devil. I like your spirit. We’re going to crush this party!”