Chapter 5
I quickly started the stream.
Tyler came in almost immediately.
A message popped up in chat: [Why were you late today?]]
I didn’t respond to him.
[I thought you weren’t gonna stream tonight.]]]
[Why are you ignoring me?]]
[Wait, you didn’t even welcome me when I came in.]]
I still didn’t respond.[]
With a face that gorgeous and a body that perfect, calling himself “Boss Tyler” was like Scarlett Johansson calling herself Hulk Smash.]
Plus I never noticed before–this guy was a total chatterbox.
[Fine, fine, ignore me then. Just wait and see.
- 1]
He left the stream.
Finally! I mentally sighed with relief.[]
Honestly, I was pretty scared of him being clingy.[]
Looking like that, I’d have a really hard time saying no.]]
As for that threatening exit line–I didn’t take it seriously.
Five minutes later, Tyler came back to the stream.[]
Just when I thought he was gonna pull some other stunt, he started dropping gifts without a word.]
All kinds of special effects I’d never even seen before exploded across the screen.]]
Before one effect finished, the next one started, turning my stream into a slideshow.
I let out an ear–piercing shriek on stream.]
Thank you, God–1 finally found a generous whale!
All my gratitude turned into a rendition of “Pump It” dedicated to our boy Tyler.[]
After the stream ended, Tyler slid into my DMs again.[]
[You coming to Lincoln Elementary tomorrow to set up your cart?]]]
(Nope.]
[Woman, you’re so cold, so heartless, so cruel.] [crying emoji]]
My eye twitched as I thought about telling him to quit being so weird, but what I typed was:[]
[Tomorrow’s Saturday. Elementary kids don’t have school.]]
Tyler had a really nice name–Bennett Cross.]
He said he wanted to date me.[]
When I set up my cart, he’d help me call out to customers and handle money. When I streamed, he’d shower me with gifts.
Later, when he found out I also delivered food, he totally lost it.[]
He said: “You deliver food and didn’t tell me? Don’t you know I’ve always wanted to deliver food? Getting specific items to specific locations–doesn’t that sound just like ancient bodyguards? Super cool.“]
Ipaused, then laughed at his comparison.[]
When he put it that way, it really was kinda similar.
I thought he’d give up after a few days, but over a month later he was still as enthusiastic as day one.[]
2
7
W
3
4:
I finally couldn’t take it anymore: “How long are you gonna follow me around like this? Don’t you have anything else to do?“]
Bennett looked at me and blinked: “When are you gonna be my girlfriend?“[]
Damn, that was direct!]
I was losing my composure and quickly changed the subject: “I asked if you had other
stuff
do!”
“Does inheriting the family business count? Nah, probably not. Right now my only jo
is chasing my
future wife.”
Shit shit, oh my god, why is my heart racing?
I’d tried everything–chasing him off, threatening him, I’d almost blocked Bennett from my stream.[]
But thinking about all those gifts, I couldn’t bring myself to do it.[]
Might as well milk it while I could.[]
But Bennett had already figured out my routine and showed up to ambush me every day.
River appeared right when I was getting change for a customer.[]
I was selling chicken wings at the plaza where I’d first run into Marcus.[]
I handled the cash while Bennett worked the fryer.]
“Chicken wings, get ‘em hot! Fifteen bucks a pound, buy one get…” []
I stuffed the cash I’d just collected into my bag and looked up–the rest of my sales pitch died in
He was frowning: “So instead of coming to find me, you’re here with this guy?“]]
my throat.
Having been together for years, I knew him way too well.[]
That tone was exactly like when he used to call me hopeless in high school.
Arrogant with a hint of disdain.[]
I could practically predict how he’d mock and sneer next.
Whatever–talking shit about me was one thing, but talking about my number one supporter?||
Hell no.
So before he could open his mouth again, I cut him off with a warning:
“If you’re not buying, don’t block my customers.“[]
And he called himself my ex–boyfriend–couldn’t even support my business. Marcus was better than this!]]
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