“Not as cool as you.” I tap the tip of her nose.
Bella yawns and places her head on my chest. I know she’s been holding on for Dante, but it’s getting late. I run a hand over her silky hair.
“Hey, I think it’s time to head upstairs. I’ll read you your bedtime story and make sure your dad comes in to kiss you good night.”
“Okay,” she yawns.
I stand and lift her to carry her upstairs. She’s out before we hit the steps. I chuckle and kiss her forehead.
****
“Hey, guys. Thanks for joining me tonight. It’s been a busy day, so I’m looking to blow off a little steam,” I say to my fans as I get my Twitch session started.
Ny says she’ll come join me in a bit, she’s looking into something. I know how my sister gets when she’s trying to figure something out.
I would have been on sooner, but Jacob had been texting me. He’s been a bit weird lately. Almost insisting we go on another date. I’m not really interested in another date. Friends, yes, but not a date. I already figured out things wouldn’t work between us.
While Dante may be totally out of my league, I know I wouldn’t be satisfied with Jacob. Then there’s the confusion I’m still dealing with from a month ago.
Dante has been a gentleman since that night he whispered in my ear. Not that I don’t shiver every time I think about his words. We’re in the friend zone and I like that. It makes working together flow smoothly.
I talked to my sister earlier about my conflict with Jacob. I told her how Jacob seems to be under the impression we’re a couple. I don’t want to hurt his feelings, but I want to take a step back from the relationship. That’s when she rushed off the phone, saying she had something she needed to handle.
“Aww, Shield, thank you. I need to go get them done again,” I say, running a hand over my knotless braids. It’s definitely time for a refresh.
Sheild_44: You’re always beautiful.
Jacob_eats: She is.
The_Dane_2: You guys make me sick. You always suck up and tell her she’s beautiful on here. Why not tell her all the shit you guys say in the forum? @Sheild_44 and @Jacob_eats, I see you. I’ve seen your comments.
I blink as I read The Dane’s comment. I chose to ignore it. I know they can be vicious in the forums. That’s why I stay away from them. I have pretty thick skin, but even I spent days crying after one visit. It was the first and last time I went over there.
I start my gameplay as if nothing has happened. I learned a long time ago if you let the fans see something bothers you, the trolls lock in on it and attack. I’m here to play and be peaceful tonight.
This is my getaway. I’m not going to let anyone ruin that. Not tonight.
I’m in the zone and win the first battle royal with ease. Sometimes playing singles can be fun. Although I do love playing with my sister more.
One of my screens grabs my attention as I wait to join a new lobby for another round. Thinking it’s Nyla telling me she’s ready, I turn my attention to the screen with Discord up to read her message.
I furrow my brows as I read the first message. My heart sinks as the images start to pop up. I know when my sister is determined, she can find anything, but I almost want to call her and scream stop. I know she means well, but this hurts more than I ever thought it could.
“I need to go, guys,” I say as best I can and cut the live.
I pick up my phone and call my sister. “Hello, do you see this?”
“Please stop,” I sob.
“Liz?” she says with sadness in her voice. “Are you crying? You said you didn’t really like him. I only wanted you to see the shit he’s been spewing behind your back, so you’d stop wasting your time thinking he’s some nice guy.”
I close my eyes, not wanting to see the harsh words Jacob has said about me on the forums. Yeah, I didn’t like him as a boyfriend, but I thought of him as a friend. This hurts so bad.
I think back to all the teasing and hurtful things said to me in high school, the reason I hate being around people. If it weren’t for my big sister dressing me up like a superhero and telling me I was special, I probably wouldn’t have made it out of junior high school and high school, forget about college.
“Don’t cry, Liz. You’re beautiful and amazing. I’m so sorry.” Now she sounds like she wants to sob.
“Thanks, Ny. I need a minute. I’ll call you back.”