I need to stop thinking about Austin. I need to keep myself busy.

I jump onto Rule Them All to distract myself, admonishing myself when I see how much Uforia has suffered in my absence. I let a couple of key trade deals lapse, my gross domestic product shrank by ten percent and my populace are growing discontented. Not good. If I’m not careful, I could end up ruining what took seven years’ worth of time and energy to build. I make a mental note to be better at logging in regularly. I need to play at least an hour a day just for upkeep. I know that sounds excessive, but I swear I enjoy it. Most days. Some days. Okay, so sometimes it feels like a giant chore that I wish I didn’t have to deal with. But this game is the only thing that’s mine, that I built. It’s my only real accomplishment in life.

Wow. That’s pathetic.

I’m online for a little over an hour before Jackie signs on. As per usual, she’s pinging me for details about Austin within five minutes.

“What’s new with you and Man Meat?”

I hate her nickname for him. It’s so demeaning. Sure, I’ll be the first person to raise my hand and say Austin Jacobs is the sexiest man alive. But he’s more than that. So much more. He’s smart and sweet and gentle and kind and maybe a little tortured.

Thing number six I love about Austin—he’s complex.

“Nothing really.”

“Boo. That’s boring. I need gossip. What did you do last night? Or should I say what did he do to you?” Jackie asks, leaning into the camera and giving a mockingly torrid tinge to her voice.

“Nothing. Really. We talked. And watched a movie.” Last night was much more than a movie night.

“You’re kidding? What a waste. What are you even paying him for, Lizzy? I think you might be getting taken advantage of. And not in a kinky fun way.” Jackie’s dismissive and flippant. She may mean well, knowing I’m too shy to stand up for myself most of the time, but her comments piss me off something fierce.

“I’m not being taken advantage of in any way. I know what I’m doing, Jackie! You have no idea what’s going on between me and Austin. So, just shut up about it.” I’m not yelling exactly, but I’m sure as hell not gentle. I’ve never spoken to Jackie this way before.

“Wow. Okay. Sorry.” We’re quiet for a while and I know she’s waiting for me to apologize too. I’m not going to. She had it coming and we both know it. “Good for you, Lizbit. Nice to see you’ve got a little bossy bitch in there!”