For The Win (Gamer Girls, #6) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,90

be a man and chose to be a woman instead? Don't get me wrong, that's not at all how I see it, but that's how they will."

"Because they're sick," Jeff said. "Look, Rhaven, so far as the Flawed team cares..." And he gestured to the group standing around her. "... You're a woman. Maybe you're flawed, and maybe only you can see your flaw - or everyone can. Thing is, flaws are what make us stronger. To us, they're good things."

"Means we're not fighting for the oppression," Tim explained. "I'm fat, Sam has a scar, Andy's fought depression all his life, Braden's got anger issues, Jeff had health issues, and Amy is a people-pleaser. We took those things and made them traits to be proud of, and then built a whole game to teach others how to do the same."

"And I was born as the wrong sex," she said, seeing exactly what they meant.

"Doesn't count," Tim said. "Being trans, or gay, or bi isn't a flaw. Just like being Black or blonde or Asian isn't one. That's just who you are. Sure, maybe it taught you something that none of us would've learned, or made you change in ways nothing else could've. Maybe it gave you a better understanding of gender issues? No idea, but there's nothing wrong with being trans, so it's not a flaw. Only you can find your flaw, though. Thing is, we see it as a superpower. KoG? They'll try to exploit it - because it's also your weakness - when they come at you."

"They already did," Braden explained. "They ran an article in her hometown paper asking if anyone knew her. Showed Rhaven as she looks at the conventions, and offered a reward for her name. Thing is, I'm pretty convinced that her flaw is being afraid of losing people because of something she can't change."

"Shit," Andy hissed. "You've been outed, and yeah, I get that as a flaw. This is going to be bad, huh?"

"It blew up," Rhaven admitted. "I hadn't even told my dad or my brother. But they took it well. The rest of my town didn't, though."

"No," Andy insisted. "I mean, I'm sure that sucks. What I'm saying is that someone called for that reward. Someone gave them the information they're looking for, and they're going to deadname you at best. Steal your identity, destroy your credit, doxx you, or who knows what else. That's more likely."

"Shit," Rhaven breathed. "Why? What's the end goal? What do they hope to achieve by this?"

"They want to get rid of you," Jeff said. "I don't mean chase you off. I mean that they want to make you so miserable that you will kill yourself. Rhaven, the bodies are stacking up. The problem is that most are suicides. Plenty are casual gamers that already had mental health issues. Because of Dez, we've been watching this stuff, trying to get something to make them stop, but most of it isn't a crime!"

"How is it not?!" she demanded.

"First Amendment, baby," Braden said. "Free speech. If one person did it all, then it would be stalking, or cyber harassment, or something. But if a million comments come in from a million accounts? It hurts more to the person receiving it, but it can't be charged as a crime. Not without proof of intent, and that's real hard to come by on the internet."

Rhaven just tossed her hands up, turned, and groaned. She intended to walk away, but she just couldn't make herself. Instead, she turned back. "So what do I do?"

"Fight back," Braden said. "You're well-connected. You're dating a dev. Your best friend is fucking a hotel baron. Your outfit and gamer friends are the top pros. Your family isn't going anywhere. You already got fired. What can they do to you? What do you have to lose, baby?"

"My pride!" she snapped.

"Or you can take it back," he pointed out. "Rhaven, you're not Dez. You. Are. Not. Broken. You don't need to worry about where to stay. You've been telling your friends you're trans, so outing you won't hurt anything else. And trust me, if they post that publicly, all the guys are going to think is that you're hot."

"He's got a point," Jeff said.

Braden's head snapped over. "Hands off my girl, bro."

Jeff grinned. "What? Saying the chances of getting you to suck my dick just vanished?"

Rhaven's mouth flopped open. "What?"

"Uh..." Braden's face was turning darker. "It's... Well..."

"It's a joke, Rhaven," Jeff explained. "His way of giving me