Multiplayer: My Partner In Crime

Chapter 3: Hello Brother.

It's the afternoon. Bill came back from work, and she was excused to leave. The sky faded from blue to orange. The golden sun shone through her eyes, lighting the path of her next destination.  

Layla took out her phone to message Sarah. She told her to meet her at the cafe instead and to just leave her house. At this point, Layla would do anything to avoid going home early. 

Layla walked on the side road. Counting her every step, kicking cans, and stomping on leaves. It was ghost quiet. Everything was unruffled. Not many cars were on the highway, and it didn't look like there's an end to this road. The wind was steady. And it didn't feel like she's walking, rather dragging herself. 

She had the paper in her hand. Thinking about the job Bill offered her. She wasn't sure what the job was about—what do you do? How much do you get paid? Maybe it's not the smartest decision to walk into this vulnerable. But money is still money, and she'd do anything for it. 

A sudden, swift breeze caught her out of her daze. Her phone buzzed. Sarah had arrived at the cafe. Layla wandered for another minute and took a turn to the cafe.

She walked into the busy cafe. The honeyed hue of the cafe brings light to her day. The sweet scent of freshly baked goods moved the corner of her lips to curl into a smile. 

  "Layla!" 

A waving hand in the air caught her eyes. Her friend Sarah was sitting at the back. But she wasn't alone. Sarah's boyfriend Kevin was there. Layla came to sit with them. She put her backpack next to her and laid the paper on the dark wooden table. 

"Didn't know he was coming." 

"Got a problem?" Kevin asked jokingly. 

"Chill," Layla replied as she took out the laptop from her bag.

Sarah chuckled and took a sip from her cup. "Well, what are you up to?"

"I got a new job, but I have no idea what it's about," She answered, tapping the paper on the table.

"Do you not work for Bill anymore?" 

"I do. In fact, Bill gave me the job."

"Hold on—"Kevin turned and slid the paper in his direction. His head pointed at the paper as he raised it off the table. He read it while chewing on his sandwich. His squinted eyes slowly widened. He shifted his head and looked at Layla in disbelief. 

"What is it?" Layla asked.

"You get to work for OutcastHunter.  You have to take it." He demanded with a grin on his face.

"Well, I did. I just don't know what the job is about," Layla said, leaning back at the chair.

"Hold on, didn't your mom also work for a gaming company... RetroGun, right?" Sarah spoke.

Layla only replied with a nod. "Why?" 

"Can you believe this kid?" Kevin said, turning his head to Sarah.

Layla almost gagged at the words. Her mom would say that to her grandpa every time she did something questionable. Kevin and Sarah reminded her of an old married couple. With all the arguing and disagreements, but in the end, they were always together. The first year they dated, Layla was sure they're going to break up soon, but in whatever miracle the world gave, somehow they're still together. 

 "Here. Let me give you a quick rundown." Kevin took Layla's laptop and started to type something in it. "You work for OutcastHunter. One of the best gaming companies out there." Pointing at a picture of the company logo. 

Layla nodded. She felt like she might have fallen into the wrong hole, and would have to stay here for hours and listened to Kevin. But if this lecture resulted in money, it might just be worth it. 

"You see, the OutcastHunter has been here for a while. They're always on top of their game." He paused and licked his lips. "Until RetroGun came along."

"So they're rivals...?" 

Kevin took a deep breath. He propped his elbows on the table and leaned closer to Amia. "They're not on each other's throats. But the media loves to compare them a lot." He stopped to take a sip of his coffee. "They both make amazing FPS games, and their graphics are out of this world. But lately, RetroGun has been doing better, and OutcastHunter has not been doing so well." 

"OK. What about beta players? what is that?"

Kevin took the paper and waved it in front of her face. "You test the game before it's released simple, but according to this paper, you would also play for their channel. I'm sure many people would audition for this. So you might not get chosen." 

Layla stared at him as he spoke. Her stare is blank and empty. She had no idea what he was talking about. But she'll manage. A server came to their table with a tray and a pen in her hand. "Sorry, can I get you anything?" 

Layla simply shook her head: "No thanks." She looked back at Kevin and Sarah: "So you're saying  they're trying a new marketing system?" 

"Probably. But don't you think it's fucked up? I mean, your mom works for the RetroGun," Sarah asked. 

"Then I guess it'll be my sweet little revenge." She spoke with a smirk on her face and a brow raised at them. Layla leaned forward to the table and took Layla's drink. She put it up to her lips and took a sip out of it. "So... you got any tips?" 

"Your brother. He didn't take his stuff to college with him, right?" Kevin questioned. 

"Nope."

"You could start with that." 

They spent the rest of their afternoon eating many delicacies. Sipping on tea and making plans for Layla. She still didn't fully understand what this job is about, but it sounded like a big deal. Layla could've chosen any better jobs, but beggars can't be choosers, right? 

It was getting late. They left the cafe and Layla was alone on her very way. The evening sun cast a long shadow on the ground. Layla decided to go home by bus, so she went to the bus stop and got on a bus. Layla sat at the back, somewhere quiet. Somewhere she could watch, the stars collided with the night sky and looked back at the decisions she had made. 

Layla looked out the window: the pale crescent of the moon shone like a silvery claw in the night sky. She was lost in her thought, assigning each star with every choice, regret, or even joy. But she'd only need a moon for that one. The usual howling of dogs broke the silence of the night, waking her out of her thoughts. The bus stopped at the bus station near her house. She got off the bus and walked the rest of her way home. 

It was all a repetition: she got home, mom whining about something, went to grandpa, and back to her bedroom. She would usually end the day here. But she got out of her bedroom and walked through the narrow hallway that she hadn't visited in years. There were no windows, and if there were, she would see nothing but the darkness of the sky. The trail creaked with her, every step as she carefully made it to the end of the hall. 

There was a door covered in posters and themed stickers, a sign that said do not enter that she never bothered to follow. Layla took a deep breath and drew her hand into the doorknob. She turned the knob until it made a clicking sound and pushed the door open. 

Nothing changed. Most of his stuff was still there. The dirty clothes, books on the ground, and the hundreds of posters hanging on the wall. She was told about the things they would do in every corner of this room, yet she had no memory of it. Not because she had forgotten, but she remembered it all too well. 

The day he left. The look on his face. Full of guilt but also freedom. A pit appeared in her stomach. She remembered it all. The way she begged him to stay, with her eyes full of tears, head-covered in rage, and with every force that she had, she tried to make him stay. 

She stepped into the room and spotted an old doll she used to play with. She picked up the now-hairless doll with only one limb and looked at it in its eyes. 

It was the day where the younger sister's pleading eyes, forcing grip, and threatening words didn't work anymore. 

"Hello, big brother."