Page 6 of White Noise

I’m arguing with Angel about why nobody gets the glass toy without paying for it when another comment appears.

silas: You keep shifting like you want someone to notice.

I glance down and realize my skirt has ridden higher when I tucked one leg beneath me. Nothing dramatic, nothing I didn’t already know the camera could see, but the comment still makes something in my stomach tighten.

I adjust the hem.

His next message appears immediately.

silas: Leave it.

I stare at the screen for a second, then look straight into the camera.

“Bossy for someone who hasn’t tipped.”

The regulars jump on him before I have to.

graveyardVIP: OH NO

angelbite: new guy fucked up

D4ddyKev: welcome to the pit

MORNINGSTAR_X: ban him

I laugh. “Morningstar, jealousy is ugly.”

MORNINGSTAR_X tipped 50 credits.

MORNINGSTAR_X: not on me

“Debatable.”

I keep going.

Silas stays quiet after that, but I still catch myself checking for his name a couple of times over the next few minutes, which pisses me off more than anything he’s actually said.

I’m in the middle of giving Graveyard shit about one of his requests when the music playing through the speaker beside my bed cuts out. My phone is still connected to it and sitting untouched on the vanity where I left it, so when the room suddenly goes quiet, I look over without thinking.

Then Every Breath You Take starts playing.

I stare at my phone.

I didn’t change the song.

The screen is awake, the music app is open, and the track is playing through my account like I selected it myself. I pick up the phone and switch back to the playlist I had on before, but nothing happens. I hit pause, close the app, and finally turn Bluetooth off.

The speaker keeps playing.

“What the fuck?”

Chat reacts before I can.

graveyardVIP: did your music just change?

D4ddyKev: thats not creepy at all

angelbite: nope absolutely not