"Is this about power and money? That isn't why I'm here, Chase. I thought we just--"
"I should have led with how I truly feel," he said cutting me off. "I love you and I miss your touch, your laughter, the way you tease and joke with me, the beautiful smile you flash when we are out on the town, how optimistic you are. You're always excited about life and without you, I can't see things the same way."
My heart was melting as he came closer. I gripped the back of his head kissing him with renewed vigor. He laughed softly into my mouth. I backed up.
"Why are you pulling away?"
"I just need to know if you want to be with me again."
"Yes, Chase, I do. I've never stopped loving you."
I hugged him tightly, but he suddenly didn't return my affection. I squeezed him tighter to see if he would respond, but there was nothing. I felt a strange sense of darkness eclipsing the bright light of our encounter. I sat back and looked at him.
"Is everything okay?"
"Gotcha!" he said leaning into me, a slight growl to his voice. His eyes were slightly narrowed and there was a smug expression on his face.
"'Gotcha'? What's that mean?" I scoffed.
"I won you back."
"Won me back? That cheapens things. I'd rather say we reconciled."
"It's called something different in the game."
Everything went dark except for the bed. Flooding light fell upon us while the rest of the world disappeared.
"What the h*ll just happened?" I asked turning my head in back and forth.
"It's a game."
"What game?"
"The one I play with you. Oh, it's so much fun!" He clasped his hands together in sudden maniacal glee.
Waves of anxiety punched me in the chest and gut, each one more powerful than the last. I held my hand to my forehead noticing the cold clamminess in my palm. I tried to control my trembling. He had used me.
"You call messing with my mind a simple game?" I asked. "You f*cking pr*ck. I can't believe you'd toy with me like this!"
"Calm down or I won't explain about how the simulation worlds work. Wouldn't you like to finally know what's going on?" he asked. My heart was pounding like it was going to burst through my chest, but I needed to hear this.
"Yes," I said, with a quiver in my throat. I lowered myself on the couch.
"This is a program. I use different methods to seduce you. The challenge is either to be with you for the first time or to win you back after we've split up. I can use whatever skills I have, and charm is one of them."
"Besides for your own sick entertainment, why are you doing this?"
"Technically, it isn't for me, but for the creator."
"What do you mean?"
"There's a real Chase on the outside and a real Janessa, too."
There was a real me, after all. She must have created Luca as my protector. If she could create him, however, why couldn't she end the game? Was Chase controlling her out there too and again, where was Luca this time?
"But what is the real me?" I put my hand on my chest.
"You're my next best thing in technology. You're Janessa, the Perfect Playmate."
"What does that mean?"
"You're a robot. An android actually but either word works." He smiled proudly. I couldn't believe he was admitting it. Luca had been telling me the truth all along. Hearing things like this helped to strengthen my trust for him. "You don't look surprised."
Ignoring his statement I began to grab my things and said, "Tell me how to get out of here. Now."
His expression was stoic when he said, "The only way to free yourself of this place--to get back to the real you--is to go through all one-hundred and fifty simulations and reject me more times than I win you over."
"One-hundred and fifty?!" I cried.
"Yes," he said, as he laughed evilly.
"Who came up with that number?"
"It's my favorite number. And guess what? You've lost every time."
"Why don't I remember any of them from the hundreds of times before?"
"I don't think you're the same Janessa every time you run through the maze."
"I don't want to do this anymore, Chase. Please set me free!"
"You've just heard the price of admission to freedom but I'll do you a favor and make it one-hundred and forty-five since you've gone through five already. There, Janessa. Feel better?"
"Thanks for the help *sshole," I said sarcastically. I sat with my hands on my knees, trying to steady myself. I was shaking like I had chills.
"Janessa--"
"Answer me this," I said with a pause, turning to face him. He shrugged then nodded.
"Go on."
"Was anything we just shared real or was this all part of the game?" I was afraid to get the answer, but I needed to hear it. I had to know whether I could trust my judgment or not. When he wouldn't answer me, I rose from the bed.
"What we just experienced was very real," he said. "If you want, you don't have to move onto the next sim yet. You can stay here with me, and we can spend time together just like earlier."
I retrieved my extension from the couch, the smooth, black hair gliding over the cushions without a sound. I clipped it back on. I put my hands on my hips glaring at him then said, "Let me the f*ck out of here."
"You really are magnificent. Very close to the real you on the outside. I'd--"
"Shut up about that, Chase and tell me how to leave."
"Don't go yet, please." Chase got off the bed and held his hands together in prayer. He walked closer to me. I clenched my jaw.
"A-Are you seriously asking me to stay?" I questioned as my seething anger bubbled to the surface. "It's making me sick to be anywhere near you. Stay away from me."
"But Janessa, I don't want you gone. It's hard to go through these sessions. It wears me out," he said furrowing his brow. I scoffed at him.
"Wears YOU out?" I laughed wryly. "You're in control of this thing. You could end it at any time," I said. I waited to see if I could get through to him, but he didn't speak. "I guess you can't or rather you won't. You're a sadist."
"No, I'm not. I love you. I will always love you. Please, I'm begging you, stay." He placed his hand on my arm. I slapped him across the face then spun around and threw him over my shoulder. He landed on the ground with a thump.
"Never touch me again! Do you hear me?" I screamed. He peered up at me. Not only was he surprised but he was afraid. "I'm done f*cking around. Tell me how to leave. Now!"
"The way out is anywhere. Just step into the darkness in any direction." He pointed in a circle.
I spun on my heel and marched away from him, with every neuron in my brain screaming, each nerve twitching, my heart pounding in my head, my sanity peeling away.
With the way I felt right now I won't have a problem passing all one-hundred and forty-five simulations even if I didn't need to. Would that pain and determination carry over to the next sim though? I'm always in a fog when I first enter a new world. I'll just have to trust that the real me had a contingency plan for that in Luca.
My vision disappeared into gray streaks as I left the pain of this scenario behind. I continued walking until I felt full of static like an old-fashioned TV. Chase may have won this round, but he won't again. Let the next game begin.