For The Win (Gamer Girls, #6) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,60
tell him it was red. You freaking out, Rhaven?"
She could only think of one way to explain. "Braden came by."
"To your house?" Psyc asked.
"Yeah," she mumbled. "He was in the state for something else, so he stopped in town and stayed a few days. Thing is, I still live with my father and brother. Saving up for the tournaments, you know? And, um, he kinda met my family, and all of a sudden, they want to know about gaming. The problem is that they won't be looking for someone named Rhaven, so I was thinking about telling them. I just don't know how."
"Let's hold here," Psyc ordered the outfit. "Anyone still going can make a Charlie and a Delta squad. Take the next base east and we'll catch up." Then he moved his character over to the point and just stopped. "Ok. Rhaven, do you have a plan at all?"
"None," she admitted.
"Think they'll lose it?"
"I don't know," she groaned. "That's the problem. I think they're expecting something, but I'm not sure if they're ok with that or just braced for me to be a freak."
"Well, you're the best kind of freak," he promised. "And if it was me, I'd just drop it on them. Like, 'Hey, Dad, I'm a girl.' Something like that. See where it goes."
"And if it goes bad?" she asked.
"Do it before you leave," RuffDog suggested. "Like, half an hour before you walk out the door. That gives you enough time to know what you'll be coming home to, and if it sucks, then we'll get your back, babe."
"What does that even mean?" she asked.
"Means you've got a home with PD," Psyc told her. "If you don't want to go back, then you don't have to. If you don't want to go back alone, then I'll come hold your hand, babe. We got your back. Not just in the game, but real life too, ok?"
She could feel her eyes welling up. The problem was that she sniffed, and her mic was on voice activated. "Really?"
"Ah, shit. Are you crying?" he asked.
"No," she blubbered.
"Baby," Psyc begged, "please don't do that. Look, you got this, ok? No, hang on." He paused. "Ruff, you got lead. I'm transferring Bravo to you, Aviatur. You guys go fuck shit up. Gotta talk to my girl."
Then the synthetic voice announced, "You have been moved."
Rhaven glanced at the screen to see that she was now in Time Out with Psyc. "I'm sorry," she told him.
"It's ok," he promised. "I also figured you didn't want those guys talking about you being emotional and shit."
She huffed a laugh. "Not really."
"So, let's figure this out, ok?" A rush of noise came over the mic as he got comfortable. "Recall that cute little ass back to headquarters, though. Don't want you getting shot and killing your stats."
"Yeah." She pressed the button to make that happen. "I know I'm making too much of this, but I just don't know what to do."
"And you're freaking out, right? Makes sense to me." He paused. "Rhaven? I was serious about coming to help you. I mean, if shit goes bad and you need to get your stuff or whatever? I'll fly back with you, make sure they don't do anything, and hold your hand. Fuck, I'll even pack panties - but only because I want to see if you're a bikini girl or more into thongs."
"Thongs," she admitted. "Kinda helps hold the tuck in place."
He choked on whatever he was drinking. "Fuck. Yeah, ok. That's a visual."
"See!" she said. "That's what I'm scared of."
"And yet you just dropped it on me," he countered.
"But I know you'll be cool about it. What if they aren't?"
"Then you flip them the bird and make it clear that you are one badass bitch who doesn't need anyone else's help," he told her. "Look, this is a good news - bad news situation. Good news is that you have dozens of us willing to step up. I got a couch I can crash on if you need a place. You have a home. A few of them, if you want. You have shoulders to cry on, and I'm offering mine in advance. You have real friends who don't give a shit about what's under your skirt."
"And the bad?" she asked.
"There's no easy way to tell someone something like this. Granted, I think your typical method works pretty good. Standing up and saying you have a dick? Yeah, kinda gets right to the point."