I Paused My Game.to Be Here Novels & Stories

I paused. “But this time, I won’t stop until there is nothing left of you.”

And I don’t play games. I end them.

》 《You want me to be rude to your friend? 《I want you to look like you’d rather be somewhere else.》 A pause, three dots. Then: 《I’d rather be somewhere else.》 I press my lips together and do not smile and type back: 《good. Act like it》 And put my phone face-down on the table. The game escalates. I laugh louder at Jason’s jokes and touch his shoulder when he speaks. Eli counters by leaning closer to Chloe, listening intently while she tells some story about her weekend. Our phones keep buzzing under the table.

The words stopped me dead in my tracks. And with that, I knew the game was far from over.

Everything else paused, only the person didn’t. And slowly, my eyes closed, and everywhere went dark

There was a pause. “For showing me where to start breaking you.”

"You’re here too." To be continued

“Same thing. Different excuse.” I didn’t respond. Because she was right, and because hearing it from her made something in my chest ache in a way that had nothing to do with the bond. A few seconds passed. The scrape of skates on ice. The sharp call of the whistle. Life going on like my world hadn’t tilted off its axis. “Aya,” I said finally. She looked at me immediately. Always did. “Yeah?” “You shouldn’t be here.” Her brows furrowed. “I could go back up there.”

At least this time it’s legal. I turn on my side, slowly rubbing my shaft. My eyes are shut, and I know once I come I’ll be able to pass out and get some decent sleep until Quinn gets off work. I press my face into my pillow, wishing Quinn was in bed with me. And then my phone rings.