First, how did Cass know that obscure hockey thing? And also ... I checked back to the last picture I’d posted—the one of Daniel and me walking to the bus stop. And yup—GamesLost had commented on that one, too. I hadn’t thought twice about it since so many people had commented on that post.
All they’d written then wasfor realwith no punctuation.
My stomach clenched in a knot. “Or sounds like a video gamer’s name. I think GamesLost is LostAxis.”
“No. Shut. Up.” Aimee took the phone from my hand and opened this GamesLost person’s account.
I nodded. “There’s a hat trick reference inDragon Arena. It’s what the drop was called when LostAxis and I got three Obsidian Staffs.” I looked up at Cass. “This has to be him, and he’s saying it now because I just posted three pictures.”
“Or because this is the third time Daniel’s on your Insta,” Aimee said. “The account is private.” She showed me GamesLost’s profile picture. It was useless—a heavily blurred image that I didn’t recognize.
I stared at the picture. Was this hat trick comment supposed to be a threat? I had no idea. What I did know was that LostAxis knew I, Samaya Janmohammad, was GreenEggsAndSam. Which meant it was very possible that my former gamer friend knew me in real life. “I need to figure out who was at the shelter on the day of the playground build. I think LostAxis is someone I know.”
Cass whistled low. “That ... wow. Who would catfish you? They’re a Dark Mage, right? Maybe it’s Jayden. Hedoesplay Dark Mage, and he seems out to get you lately.” They gave Aimee a side-eye.
I frowned. Dark Mage was a difficult class to master, and Jayden was the only one I knew, other than LostAxis, who played the class well. I shook my head. “I don’t think so. I’ve played with both Jayden’s Dark Mage and with LostAxis’s Dark Mage, and they have completely different playing styles. Jayden relies on solo spell combos, while LostAxis is amazing at bouncing off paired combos with me. They’re both great mages, but completely different game-play styles. I doubt they’re the same person.”
“It’s not Jayden,” Aimee said emphatically. “I’d know.”
Cass shrugged. “Yeah. I’m not sure Jayden has it in him to workwithsomeone.”
The bus was at the school by then. I was quiet, in shock as we walked into the building. I couldn’t believe that LostAxis ... my friend ... could be someone I knew. One way or another, I needed to figure out who it was.
I had English first period that morning, and when class was over and I was walking out, I was stopped by Nabil, a guy in the game-dev club who I’d become friendly with in physics club last year. He was a bit awkward, but nice.
“Samaya,” he said, looking serious. “It’s completely unnecessary for you to get people to spread rumors about you. People should make their decision based on theidea, not because of who you’re dating. This isn’t a popularity contest.”
“What are you talking about? Who is spreading stuff about me?” I asked, taken aback.
He looked at his phone. “Class is about to start. My French teacher makes anyone who comes in late sing Celine Dion in front of the class. I can’t hit those notes.”
With that he gave me a mock salute and headed down the hallway.
I checked the Earl’s Whispers account—nothing there about me. I opened the chat group with Aimee and Cass.
Me:Nabil told me there’s some buzz going around about who I’m dating.
Aimee:I haven’t heard anything.
Cass:Could be a physics club only rumor.
Aimee:There are physics only rumors?
Me:The sciences are wild, Aimee. Let me ask someone else in physics club.
Cass:I’ll ask around, too.
I wasn’t in the physics club this year because Devin was in charge there, but I knew who was in the group. I sent an Instagram DM to Kavita, who’d helped me in the game-dev meeting and was in physics club.
Me:Nabil said someone was saying stuff about who I’m dating? Do you know what he’s talking about?
Kavita wrote back right away.
Kavita:I’ve heard two things. One, that you’re not going to do any of the work for the game dev, and that your new guy is like a hacker or something and plans to steal the code for a game from Russia and enter that into the competition. And two, I heard your new guy is secretly a super famous pop star in Asia. Britney swears he is bringing Jungkook and Justin Bieber to Hana’s party.
Lol.Thatwas the gossip I was so worried about? Where had that all come from?
Me:That’s hilarious. None of it is true, by the way.
