Page 79 of The Guru: Shadow

“How did you do that while kissing me?” she asked him incredulously.

He only chuckled, and it enraged her.

“Can’t you give me one straight answer?”

And he had the audacity to smile down at her. “Link me in the post.”

I…what?

“Therefore, I’d need a handle.”

“You didn’t Google me?”

“I wanted to, but then I got a bit sidetracked, and then I couldn’t care less after all the shit you pulled, and well, maybe I enjoyed the mystery a bit.”

He chuckled, “Doesn’t happen often that I meet people who don’t recognize me. Deis DeBarra.”

Finally, I’ll know.

DeBarra sounded familiar, but she couldn’t pinpoint it. Names in general were never her thing. She just couldn’t remember them.

Opening Instagram, she typed in his name. A small flutter buzzed through her chest and stomach, filled with curiosity and anticipation.

She clicked on the name and gasped.

Holy cow.

She did not care about famous people; it was almost something she hated. Even as a teenager, while all the others around her had crushes on actors and actresses, she never got it. For her, those people were nothing special, she never wanted fame or to be in the spotlight.

But if she posted the image of him and her, she would be.

“Fifty-six million,” she whispered. “Now I get Julie’s big fish thing.”

He did not respond.

“That’s a lot of people to see us kiss.”

His slightly maniacal laugh behind her made her jump a little, as she hadn’t expected it to be so unhinged.

“And there is your why.”

So, he needed to know that I was what? Different? Not like many others, using him for his money and status?

“Why do I have the impression that’s not all of it?” she asked.

“Because it’s not,” he chuckled.

Of course, it was not.

“So, ready for revenge?”

And when he said it, something in her roared. It would hit Chris full in the face because he was one of those people aiming for fame.

“Any orders for the captions?”

“You’re a big girl, it’s your revenge, not mine.”

What is it about him that makes life seem so weightless sometimes? So playful? Even like a quest. Where all darkness was allowed to exist and the player had all the power.