Hugo stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his jacket for the tenth ti. He studied his reflection with a mix of nerves and pride.
His low-cut hairstyle frad his sharp jawline perfectly, and the tiny, shining stud earrings—'affectionately' referred to as "titty studs" by his loving, absolutely inappropriate Harem System—gave him a roguish charm.
His outfit was on point too. His leather jacket fit perfectly, his jeans hugged his legs just right, and he slled faintly of cologne—just enough to be noticed, but not enough to choke soone out.
He leaned closer, flexing slightly. "Damn," he said to himself. "I finally beco so good looking and yet so cursed?"
Before he could spiral into his usual self-deprecating monologue, the door flew open, and Collins strolled in, radiating his usual golden-boy confidence.
His blonde hair was a little ssy but in that effortlessly cool way, and his grin was annoyingly confident.
He looked Hugo up and down and said, "Wow. You're actually presentable for once. What happened? Did you finally stop raiding your grandpa's wardrobe?"
Hugo scowled. "This coming from the guy who thought wearing socks with bananas on them to a date was peak fashion."
"Hey, those socks were a statent," Collins shot back. "The statent being: 'I'm quirky and unpredictable.' Girls love that."
"Yeah, right. I'm sure that's exactly what she was thinking as she blocked your number."
They both laughed, and for a mont, Hugo felt a bit of his anxiety lt away. Collins clapped him on the back.
"Don't stress, man. Lily and Tily are gonna see us, and they're gonna think, 'Wow, these hotties have really stepped up their ga.' Tonight's our night."
"Let's just hope their evil little brother doesn't ruin it again," Hugo muttered, shuddering at the mory of the kid who sohow managed to always interrupt things right when they were about to get steamy and intense.
Collins groaned at the mory. "If that gremlin f*cks up again, I swear I'm tracking him down and mailing him to Nicaragua!"
"Yeah, let's pray that little demon stays good," Hugo said, grabbing his wallet. "Co on. Let's go."
As they left the dorm, Hugo glanced at his phone, feeling a pang of dread.
He scrolled through the farewell ssages he'd scheduled earlier—mostly to his family and a few close friends. Then he saw the one he'd sent to Sanchez.
His stomach dropped. Not only had he already accidentally sent this ssage, he had made a terrible typo!
He read it again, out loud this ti, because the cringe was too much to handle alone.
"'Thanks for all your wisdom, Sanchez. You've helped grow in every way. I'll never forget those steamy lessons you gave late into the night. You really know how to handle a guy.'" Hugo slapped a hand over his mouth, mortified.
Collins burst out laughing. "Steamy lessons? What the hell, man?"
"It was a typo!" Hugo shouted, his face burning. "I ant to say 'stirring lessons!' And now look at his reply!"
He showed Collins the screen. Sanchez had responded: 'Glad my hands-on approach worked for you, kid. Hope you survive the night.'
Collins wheezed, doubling over. "Oh my God! That's the most awkward thing I've ever read. Please tell you're going to explain yourself."
Hugo slapped his forehead. He'd ant to say "stirring lessons," not "steamy," but autocorrect had betrayed him.
He hesitated, then shook his head. 'Nope. If I die tonight, I'd rather go out mysterious than embarrassed.'
By the ti they arrived at the arcade, Hugo was ready to focus on more important matters—like impressing Lily and Tily.
The venue was alive with energy, the neon lights casting an otherworldly glow over the rows of blinking machines.
The air slled of popcorn and cheap nachos, and the sound of coins clinking into slots mixed with the occasional triumphant shout from a victorious player.
Kids darted around with oversized plushies, and a group of teenagers was fiercely competing in Dance Dance Revolution, their feet moving faster than Hugo's thoughts during a panic attack.
"Now this," Collins said, looking around, "is a date venue."
"Yeah, because it's the least expensive option for the most fun," Hugo muttered, though he couldn't help but smile.
They found a spot near a claw machine and waited. "They should be here soon," Collins said confidently.
Continue reading on empire
Hugo nodded, leaning against the machine. "Yeah, any minute now."
Thirty minutes later, Hugo was still leaning, now slumped over and glaring at the entrance like it owed him money.
Collins was checking his watch every five seconds, and Hugo's mind was spiraling into chaos.
'Did they forget? Did they get hit by a truck? Wait, what if they're testing us? Like so kind of loyalty challenge? Or what if their little brother locked them in a closet? Honestly, I wouldn't put it past that gremlin. I bet he's laughing right now, eating Cheetos and plotting my doom.'
Suddenly, Hugo's phone buzzed. He grabbed it, praying it was a ssage from the twins.
Instead, it was a text from an unknown number: 'Ergency. You're not ready for what's coming. Sincerely, D.J.'
Hugo froze. "Oh no. It's him."
Collins glanced at him. "You good, bro? You look like you're plotting world domination or a prison escape."
"I'm just… strategising," Hugo muttered, though his inner monologue scread: 'I'm in trouble! They've found !'
But then he rembered that he might not even survive till the next morning and all his worries disappeared.
"Neither," Hugo said, standing up straight. "We're going to survive this night, Collins. No matter what this psychopathic world throws at us."
Collins smirked. "That's the spirit. Let's just hope it doesn't co in the form of a stand up."
They both looked toward the entrance, bracing themselves. And as the minutes ticked by, Hugo's inner thoughts only grew wilder. Where are they?!
_____
Power stone Goal!
50 PS - 1 Bonus chapter
100 PS - 2 Bonus chapters
200 PS (Quite an achievent as of now) - 3 Bonus chapters.
Castle - 20 Bonus Chapters!
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