Love is a dangerous game (mlm)

Betrayal

*Lucas/Noah's POV*

Alexandro and Rosa are going downstairs to get some snacks. This was way easier than I thought it would be. Rosa's iPad is still on my lap. She has like hundreds of important secret files on here. I begin to take screenshots. It is difficult to choose which ones are the most important. There are so many files. Once I have gathered all the information I need, I put away my phone. As I wait for Rosaline and Alexandro to come back, I feel a sense of guilt wash over me. What have I done? They, especially Rosa, have been so nice to me. We were actually forming a friendship and yet here I am spying on her computer, taking pictures of her sensitive information.

For a moment, I consider deleting the screenshots and pretending like nothing ever happened. But, this information is so important. My boss would kill me if he found out I let this opportunity slide. I try to ignore the guilt and focus on the potential power I can gain from possessing this information. It is probably worth an promotion. I close the laptop, waiting for them to come back. Finally, they return from the kitchen. I put on a smile. I try to stay calm, but Alexandro isn't helping. He looks at me with a look in his eye that makes it seem like he knows exactly what I've done.

He sits on the bed next to me. My heart races as Alexandro sits down, his face inches from my own. He studies my face, trying to spot any suspicion. "Have you guys ever played never have I ever?" I say quickly. Rosa's eyes light up. "Of course! Who hasn't?" "I haven't." Alexandro replies, his judging gaze now focusing on Rosa. We both look surprised at his answer. "Really? You're definitely missing out," I hold a long, dramatic pause. "Although I don't think you could handle it. I mean, there's a lot of embarrassing things that you have to admit to. I bet you want to stop playing within five minutes." I make it seem like a big deal on purpose to tease him.

He seems unfazed by my teasing. He stares back at me. "Alright Noah, I accept. Let's play your game and see if I really can't handle it." He looks confident in his response. Rosa gets us a glass filled with vodka, then the game can begin. I think for a moment about what I will say. "Never have I ever gotten arrested." None of them drink. I turn to Alexandro. "Are you serious? You're the son of a mafia boss, and you've never gotten arrested?" Rosa laughs, agreeing with me. "Of course I haven't." Alexandro says, getting slightly offended. "I can't afford to get arrested. Do you not know how much danger that would cause the Emerald Empire?"

Okay, that's fair. "It's my turn now. Never have I ever," Rosa thinks for a moment. "been in a romantic relationship." Ooh, that's a good one. I take a sip from my drink, then nudge her shoulder. "Tell us about that lucky boy." I say. "My first boyfriend was in ninth grade, but it didn't last long. It was a typical first relationship. We were together for about three months before we broke up. I might get my second boyfriend soon. I'm kind of seeing someone." Rosa shrugs and smiles, probably thinking about this mystery boy. I ask her what his name is, but she doesn't want to tell. It only makes my curiosity grow. I ask her again, but she seems determined to keep it a secret. She changes the subject.

"What about you guys?" I smile proudly. "I've been with quite a lot of people. What can I say? I'm a charming guy, but right now I am single." I take another sip of vodka and look at Alexandro. "What about you? You must have had at least a couple girlfriends." "Actually, I've never been in a relationship. Ever. I don't have the time, nor the need for a girlfriend." He responds nonchalantly. I shake my head in disbelieve. He is way less cool than I thought. Now I understand why he prefers to stay mysterious. He doesn't want others to know how lame he actually is. How can someone as good-looking as him be single? I feel bad for him, because he is definitely missing out. 

We play a few more rounds of never have I ever. I find out Alexandro has two fake ID's and had drunk wine several times when he was underage. Rosa has a dragon tattoo on her back, which she shows off proudly when the game asks if anyone has ever gotten a tattoo. She turns around and lifts her shirt, revealing the full image. I amazed by the intricate design and the amount of details in the tattoo. Suddenly, Alexandro gets a text from his dad. He tells us he has to go. "But it's only 2 PM," Rosa mentions, "Why are you leaving so early?" 

"Sorry guys," Alexandro says with a shrug, "It's an emergency, my dad wants me home right now." I am curious about what could be so urgent on a Saturday afternoon. Alexandro clarifies that his dad isn't the type of father who you can talk back to, so he really has to go. He heads out the door, leaving Rosa and me alone. We stop never have I ever, because honestly we ran out of good questions ten minutes ago. We sit in silence for a moment, both lost in our own thoughts. Rosa picks up her phone, not sure what to say now that Alexandro has left. She doesn't seem to want to initiate another conversation topic. It's an awkward moment, but after a few minutes, Rosa's phone buzzes with a notification. I peek over her shoulder to look at the message she got.

"Noah is a traitor. He works for the Ruby gang and his actual name is Lucas. Get him out of your house as soon as possible."

I felt like I was going to throw up. I didn't expect her to find out while I was with her. Rosa looks up at me with a hint of surprise on her face. She seems to be thinking, trying to evaluate if the text is a joke. When she sees my worried face, there is no denying anymore. She knows. Her voice is soft, almost unhearable. "Please tell me you aren't actually a spy..." She has a desperate look on her face, but I have to tell her the truth. "I'm sorry." Is all I can say. "How could you do this to us? Was our friendship only an act?" Rosa asks me, her tone becoming more and more betrayed. I don't know how to answer. 

We both stare at the ground. "Our friendship was real, I swear. I like spending time with you. It's just... It's my job." Rosa doesn't seem satisfied with my answer. She looks at me with hurt in her eyes. I can see her eyes start to water. She points at the door. "Get out." She demands. I know that it won't help if I argue. With a sigh, I get up. I turn to Rosa one more time before heading toward the door. "Goodbye, Rosa," I whisper, but she doesn't answer. I leave the house feeling like my world turned upside down. I am really going to miss my friends at the Emerald Empire and I know everything will only get worse from now on. Soon, the whole gang will be informed of my betrayal. Why did I sign up for this job?