I sat down and gulped the vegetable soup, leaves and all. Truth be told, I was famished!
Emma sat across from me, delicately picking at the vegetables and chewing them slowly. In less than a minute, our midnight snack was over.
She licked her lips adorably and smiled. "Not bad, but go easy on the salt next time..."
I was at a loss for words. She didn't seem sleepy at all anymore.
"You look so clueless," Emma suddenly laughed. "Can I call you 'Dork' from now on?"
I firmly rejected the idea. "That's an insult. No way!"
Emma's dimples deepened as she smiled. "Oh, come on! Sometimes these nicknames are terms of endearment, like 'silly goose' or 'little rascal'..."
"Good grief," I thought. By that logic, even the rudest nicknames could be considered endearing.
Emma's eyes scanned the living room and landed on the virtual reality headset. Her expression changed instantly. She lunged for the device, only to find that the blue chip had turned yellow. Her face darkened as she turned to me. "What did you do?"
I stammered, embarrassed. "It was an accident. How was I supposed to know it would lock once I put it on?"
Emma stared at me, biting her lip. "You idiot! Do you have any idea how hard it was to get this? And you just had to use it first!"
She glanced at the clock and pouted. "Great. Ethereal Surge launches in 14 hours, and I don't want to queue up for a new headset!"
I wished the ground would swallow me whole. "I'll... I'll make it up to you somehow. I just can't afford to right now..."
Emma looked at me for a moment, then suddenly pushed the headset into my arms.
Confused, I asked, "What are you doing?"
"What does it look like? I'm giving it to you. It's only useful to you now, so why should I keep it?" she huffed.
Emma's anger seemed to subside as she asked, "Do you have a place where I can shower? I feel gross and need to clean up."
I was taken aback. "I don't think that's a good idea. Why don't you drive to a hotel? I don't have any women's clothes here, and it's not really convenient..."
Emma raised an eyebrow. "You'd send me out this late? Aren't you worried about my safety?"
"Aren't you worried about your safety here with me?" I countered.
Emma gave me a once-over and chuckled. "You? You look so harmless, I bet you wouldn't dare touch a woman even if she fell into your lap. I feel perfectly safe with you."
I wasn't sure if I should be offended or relieved.
Without further ado, Emma marched into my room and rummaged through my closet. She emerged with one of my oversized white dress shirts. When she couldn't find any suitable pants, she blushed slightly and disappeared into the bathroom with just the shirt.
The sound of running water filled the apartment, and I found myself more than a little flustered.
After what felt like an eternity, Emma emerged wrapped in nothing but my shirt and a pair of shorts. Her long, pale legs were enough to make my heart race.
She climbed into my bed without hesitation and said, "You can sleep on the couch. Here, take this."
A thin blanket flew out of the room, which I caught reflexively. It looked like I was in for a night on the couch.
As I settled in with my blanket and the VR headset, I couldn't help but feel a bit excited. With this device, I could explore the world of Ethereal Surge. I'd heard stories of players making fortunes by selling rare items and in-game currency. Maybe I could strike it rich too!
That night, I dreamed of becoming a legendary player in Ethereal Surge, slaying thousands with a single swing of my sword, amassing wealth beyond my wildest dreams.
The sound of my doorbell jolted me awake. I noticed my bedroom door was slightly ajar.
I rushed to get up, only to find that Emma had already left. The bed was made with military precision, and her phone and car keys were gone from her bag.
On the nightstand lay a stack of crisp bills with a note on top. The handwriting was elegant: "Hey, Dork. If you're looking for work, check out this place. Oh, and here's $1000 for letting me crash. Consider it my 'lodging fee'!"
At the bottom was a cute smiley face with crescent-moon eyes and long lashes, reminiscent of Emma's captivating smile.
I did a double-take. Lodging fee? She must have overheard my conversation with the landlord last night.
As I studied her impeccable handwriting, I marveled at how someone could be blessed with both beauty and brains. They say God gives with one hand and takes with the other, but Emma seemed to have it all.
I couldn't help but wonder about her true identity. But if she was offering me a job lead, I'd be a fool not to follow up on it.
After a quick shower and change of clothes, I headed out the door.
Whatever happened with this potential job, I knew one thing for certain: I had to be back home by 6 PM. Ethereal Surge was launching, and I was determined to be one of the first players online. It was time to make my virtual fortune!