Page 50 of Anti-Player

“You definitely are. You're not using a rig anymore, in the name of your honesty right? Speaking of, one of your fans is in my stream.” Cookie folds her arms behind her head. “Mikel! Say hi! Or maybe you two are in the same place, since you're fucking and all.”

I'm furious—I nearly throw my phone. But Paige is ghost-white, frozen in the spotlight. She escaped the cruelness of the last attack only to be thrown under the bus by Cookie? I type furiously.

:

MikelH: Why are youdoing this?

:

Cookie rolls her eyes. “I'm not doing anything. You are, Mikel. You crossed the line and Paige let you with open arms. Or legs, I guess.”

Paige is blushing while Cookie's stream goes wild. I see some of Paige's viewers have joined the new stream, but their attempts to defend are being smothered. This is Cookie's realm. Her viewers jump when she tells them to. They're her attack dogs, and she's ready to release them.

But I still don't understand.

“Cookie,” Paige says nervously, “stop it. You're my friend. Why are you acting so awful?”

“I'm not! I'm just not going to taint my morals by associating with someone like you.”

“Like me?” she asks.

Cookie's lips spread until her cartoon mouth of razor teeth shows. “Girl, listen. You want to be all high and mighty and not take cash from people for hollow positive reviews? Then don't fake-cry to make everyone feel bad for you, either. Talk about emotional manipulation.”

“No!” Paige shouts. “I didn't—”

“I told you not to work with him!” Cookie shouts back, louder. “I warned you! But you did what you want, you always have. Little miss perfect angel who speaks holier than thou! Oooh, look at me, I'm so smart and nice, whoops I fell onto this rich guy's dick and he just happened to give me the fanciest VR tech ever oooh nooo!”

Paige's mouth sits open. “What?”

“Waaah, waaaah, poor me. I don't listen to my friend, I'm too busy eating boxed chocolate and smelling dumb roses. My life sure is fucking hard!” Cookie Crumbs is laughing openly, her screen awash in broken hearts while she animates tears down her character's face. It's a complete mockery of Paige. I'm standing, striding around my room, and I'm so enraged that Beanie comes to check on me. He wags his tail, whimpering.

Paige is quiet. I'm waiting for her to close her stream and run. She's done it before. I will not blame her for doing it now. Her friend is terrible—she can't be called a friend at all.

Then Paige sits up, lips scrunching into a tight line. Her confusion melts into suspicion, but there's no doubt in her voice when she speaks. “It was you.”

Cookie stops laughing. “Huh?”

“You... you're the one who took all those photos and videos of me and Mikel.” Paige's eyes widen, but she's no longer sad. Her dark brows lower, her fury leaking through the screen and into my veins. This is more than anger... this is betrayal. “You stalked me, Cookie. You smeared my name.”

“Hold on,” Cookie starts.

Paige talks over her. “You're the only one who knew who I was. I confided in you! Are you insane? How could you do this to me! I had people leaving death threats at my door! I thought my career was over, that I couldn't afford to help take care of my mother! That Mikel would hate me because I brought this down on him but all along it was you!”

“Paige...”

“Why?” she screams, and she slams something, making her screen shake as her phone topples over. I catch a glimpse of her ceiling, zombie posters, a yellow blanket, before she's back. “You're the monster, Cookie! Not me! It was never me! I'd never hurt you like this, and for what?”

I know the answer. I know it because I'm the type the runs numbers... that collects data... that loves puzzles. Math is the strongest evidence.

I type, and give Cookie Crumbs her final tip from me for all to see.

:

MikelH has tipped youone dollar!

You tried to get rid of Paige because you're jealous.

You helped her get started, but then you saw she was becoming more popular than you.

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