Chapter 6: Digital Ghosts

Suddenly, I remembered—we were supposed to break up on the spot.

The realization hit like a dropped phone on concrete.

Rachel didn’t even scold me. She just took my phone and quickly deleted Will Hayes.

She moved fast, making sure there was no chance for a dramatic last-minute DM.

As for breaking up? We didn’t even say a word.

No long explanations, no tearful speeches. American breakups can be as silent as they are sudden.

Seeing me silent, Will started reflecting on his mistakes.

He sounded vulnerable, his words tripping over themselves. The sincerity was obvious, and I felt a pang of guilt.

"Was it because I didn’t give you blue buff before? But Sam, after level four, I always gave you blue."

He remembered every little detail—classic overthinker. It almost made me want to smile.

"Or is it because of Sophie? The things she said about you—I roasted her back, don’t be mad."

His loyalty was touching, even if it was a little late.

"Add me back, I’ll send you the chat log, okay?"

I hesitated, but stayed quiet. Rachel squeezed my hand.

"I’m not Jack, I won’t take someone else’s side against you. If there’s a problem, just tell me—I’ll change."

Hearing this, I cried inside.

His words echoed in my head, a mix of hope and regret. I wanted to say something, but pride held me back.

Stop, ex-boyfriend. You did nothing wrong. I’m the cold-hearted one.

The thought stung. I wasn’t used to being the bad guy.

And then there’s Rachel, muted, snarking next to me:

She grinned, mouthing, “You two are basically endgame.”

"Wow, not like Jack, won’t take someone else’s side against you."

"I’m starting to ship you two."

I rolled my eyes, but my heart skipped a beat. Maybe she was onto something.

I stayed quiet, and Will slowly muted too.

The silence stretched, heavy and bittersweet.

But his gameplay was still on point. In under ten minutes, he got a pentakill and ended the game fast.

He played like a man on a mission, making every move count. It was almost poetic.

Before destroying the nexus, Will left a message:

"Sam, I’ll give you your birthday present in person."

The words lingered on the screen, more unsettling than sweet.

I froze.

My fingers hovered over the keyboard, unsure what to type.

Before I could ask, the game ended.

I let out a long sigh, the tension finally catching up with me.

Back in the lobby, Will was already gone.

Only then did I notice the Messenger message he’d sent yesterday.

Rachel and I exchanged looks.

We both felt the dread rising, like the opening chords of a horror movie.

No way—

Rachel mouthed, “No way he can find us, right?”

Is he going to solo-kill me offline?

I tried to laugh it off, but the joke felt a little too real.

Luckily, Rachel was calm.

She pulled her hair into a messy bun and went into full logical mode.

She thought for a second and said, "Relax, he doesn’t have your address. He definitely can’t find you."

She sounded confident, and for a moment, I believed her.

I nodded. That’s right.

I’ve always been careful—never let Will order delivery, never let him send me anything, never sent a photo of my face.

Digital security: check. Stranger danger lessons from childhood kicking in.

So how could he find me?

I patted my chest, finally at ease.

The relief was real. I stretched out on the couch, finally letting myself relax.

But—

I forgot about one thing.

I turned to Rachel, realization dawning on my face. Her cheeks went pale.

Rachel was right next to me.

She held up her phone, eyes wide. “Wait… did I ever tell Jack where I live?”