Cindy was easy to teach. Not especially good at the games we played, but she was sharp and analytical, and she listened well to instructions. Because of that, it was easy to crank her up a few ranks on the Double Singularity ladder in one afternoon.

Even I had to admit that, despite everything, it brought a certain sense of satisfaction: watching Cindy get what I was saying and putting it into practice.

That was the good part.

The bad part was going to school sleep deprived on Monday due to having to stream late into the night, followed by wasting even more precious sleeping time mulling about Asa.

What was I getting into, involving myself with Asa Jennings, Walker, whatever? Asa, the apparently ex-military research guy who helped design the deadly weapons his cousin and I only used in video games.

Everyone in school thought Asa was badass, but this was beyond being the 'coolest kid' in school, whooping the quarterback's ass, and having rumours flying around that he could already beat up grown men at age ten. This was out of my league, and I wasn't sure if I needed protection against Rolf that badly.

Rolf was a high school bully and a pain in the ass, sure. But Asa... I didn't know what Asa was or what he did, but it was definitely scarier than a high school bully. Landon and Randall were right: I might've made a mistake getting involved with Asa.

Unfortunately, I had a creeping suspicion it was too late to break ties and get out.

After school ended and I fired up my computer, I noticed Cindy had added me as friend - on every platform I was on. She had a pink unicorn avatar, Cinderella with a bunch of numbers after it as a screen name, and absolutely no idea how much trouble she was going to get me in.

I bit my nails, before pressing accept. It was inevitable I did anyway, if I wanted to avoid double beatings from now on.

And, the backlash was immediate. A chat window popped up.

Chip: who's the new person?

Lore: Cinderella

Lore: what.

Marius: is she your gf? lemme add her too

I cringed, rubbing my temples before replying.

extra_ordinary: no! dude, she's like 10 and not my gf leave her alone

Another chat popped up on my screen.

Cinderalla21223: uh, who are these people adding me?

extra_ordinary: just decline their requests, please

I could only hope and pray to all the video gaming Gods that Cindy listened to me. I had to keep her away from those guys, and many others, at all costs. If they made as much as one rude remark (and they would - they were rude, sarcastic people) and Cindy told Asa, he'd come to me and blame me for it.

Chip: a 10 y/o girlfriend?

Chip sent an image of a brown bear, also known as pedo-bear and I wrinkled my nose.

extra_ordinary: ok gross dude.

Next would be them shitting on my for playing with a 10 year old girl, because they couldn't think of any reason why I'd play with a 10 year old and I wasn't about to tell them why.

I could make up some bullshit excuse, but instead I just muted them all for the time being.

extra_ordinary: start a 1vs1, I'll observe how you play and give some tips, ok?

Cinderalla21223: ok!

With my help, Cindy completely blew the other player out of the water, and I couldn't help but feel an ever so slight smidge of pride.

"Well done!" I told her over voice chat after the match, earnestly meaning it.

Cindy giggled. "No, well done you. You talked me through it. Wow, I can't believe I won my first 1 vs 1 online!"

Cindy's enthusiasm was kind of contagious and I found myself smiling.

"Do you think I could join a competition?" Cindy then asked. "Online, I mean?"

My smile dropped. "I mean, you could do it sometime," I hesitantly replied, already able to think of a million ways this could go wrong. "But you need some more practice first."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Cindy agreed, much to my relief. "Why don't you ever join one? I'm pretty sure you don't need more practice. You're so good."

Any relief I'd felt instantly vanished. "Because I don't want to."

"Why?"

"Because I like staying anonymous."

"But why?" Cindy asked again, reminding me of the fact she was only a ten year old girl. No matter how sharp or insightful she could be.

How did one explain this to a ten year old? I hesitated for a moment, trying to find a kid-proof and Asa-proof way of talking.

"I like playing games," I started. "I like getting very good at games. Figuring out the mechanics, finding the exploits, beating others online and rising to the top. What I don't like..." I hesitated. "All the bullshi- stuff that comes with being that good."

"Like what?" Cindy asked. "You don't like people praising you and looking up to you? Why?"

I sighed. "That's not all they'll do. They'll watch me. Every move."

"They already do! On your stream," Cindy argued, and I knew she didn't get it.

"It's just different," I vaguely replied.

What I really meant is I didn't want the trouble of giving people a face to the name. I didn't want them to have an opinion about me as a person. Politically because I was gay, or otherwise. I didn't want the trouble, I didn't want the attention, I didn't want the disapproval if I said or did something people didn't like. I just wanted to play video games in my attic room and be one of the best at them.

The big, cold world could stay outside, thank you very much.

"I still don't get how it's different," Cindy muttered. "You could just try to compete. I'm sure you'd win and then all those guys at school would shut up and leave you alone. Or even admire you, because you're much better than them at their favourite games!"

"Maybe," I dodged around the subject some more, already seeing this argument dragging out forever. "You, however, need much more practice before even beginning to think about competing, okay?"

"Okay, okay, I heard you the first time," Cindy grumbled.

She was quiet for a moment, but Cindy Jennings was never quiet for long. "Gabriel? "Do you like Asa?" she suddenly asked.

I nearly choked on my own spit. "What?" I stammered. "I mean, sure. I, uh, I like your cousin a normal amount. Like bros. No, no, wait, not like bros I'm not that close to him. I don't know why I said that -- I don't even talk like that. Please don't tell him I said that, but he's alright."

I coughed, forcing myself to stop blabbering. "Uhm, why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason really. I was just thinking: Asa would definitely find you a lot cooler if you went to a tournament," Cindy replied, a little too innocently. "But, hey, that's just what I think. Because of the way he talks about you. Anyway, let's start another 1 vs. 1?"

"Okay, I'll look for a level."

I could practically hear Cindy smiling while I scrolled through some available maps. I knew I was being blatantly manipulated by a ten year old, but damn it, it was working. Already, I both dreaded and wanted to know what exactly Asa had been saying about me.