The dorm was quiet. Tyler's snores rumbled from across the room. Marcus's bed was empty. Kyle was a motionless lump in the corner.
His phone glowed on his chest.
Unknown: Tick tock.
He'd been staring at that message for an hour.
Ten days left. Four quests. One deal.
He pulled up the system, running through options in his head.
5B: CONFLICT – Make two attractive females argue about him. 3+ minutes. 2+ witnesses.
Could be Maya and Jenna? But Lisa's already used. Can't reuse the same girl.
5C: DECEPTION – Two relationships simultaneously for seven days.
Seven days. That's most of the timer. Needs a new target. Someone who'd actually want to date him. But who?
5D: REJECTION – Publicly reject someone with genuine feelings. 5+ witnesses.
Who has genuine feelings? Sarah. Lisa maybe now. Jenna? Too many variables.
5E: EXPOSURE – Target discovers evidence of another target. Public scene. 3+ witnesses.
This one could happen naturally. The post is already out there. Lisa knows. Someone else will find out eventually.
He closed his eyes. The math wasn't mathing.
Ten days. Seven of them eaten by one quest. That leaves three days for everything else.
His phone buzzed again.
Unknown: 24 hours. Don't forget.
He typed before he could second-guess.
Dorian: I'll do it. What do you want?
Three dots appeared. Then:
Unknown: Good choice. I'll tell you soon. Wait for my signal.
Unknown: And Dorian? Don't tell anyone. Or the deal's off.
He stared at the screen.
Wait. That's it?
Dorian: When?
Unknown: Soon. Be ready.
---
Morning came like a truck.
Dorian dragged himself to class, barely awake. Professor Chen was mid-lecture, droning about something Dorian definitely should have read but hadn't.
"Mr. Blimp."
He snapped upright.
Chen stared at him over his glasses. "Your thoughts on the reading?"
Dorian's brain scrambled. "Uh. The reading. Yes. It was... thought-provoking?"
Someone snickered.
Chen's eyebrow arched. "Thought-provoking. That's your analysis?"
"Deeply thought-provoking?"
Chen stared for a long moment. Then, unexpectedly, he nodded. "Fair enough. At least you're honest about not having done it. See me after class."
Dorian sank into his seat.
---
After class, Chen didn't even mention the reading.
"Your grades are slipping, Mr. Blimp. I've seen your work. You're capable of better." He shuffled papers. "There's a guest lecture next week. Renowned philosopher. You should go. Extra credit."
Dorian blinked. "Okay. Thanks."
Chen waved him off. "And do the reading next time. I won't be so generous twice."
Walking out, Tyler was waiting. "Dude. Club fair today. You're coming. I'm coming WITH you."
Dorian: "Why are you coming?"
Tyler grinned. "That's what she said." He snickered, then giggled at his own joke.
Dorian stared at him.
Tyler: "Too soon? It's never too soon."
---
The walk to the student union was a gauntlet.
Tyler walked beside him, posture strangely rigid. "I'm doing it. I'm absorbing."
"Absorbing what?"
"Your fame. Your energy. Your... jawline." He flexed his jaw. "I can feel mine sharpening. It's working."
Dorian looked at him. His jaw looked exactly the same.
"It's subtle. You wouldn't notice."
A girl passed them, did a double take, whispered to her friend.
Tyler: "DID YOU SEE THAT? That's the DORIAN EFFECT."
Another girl smiled at Dorian as they walked by.
Tyler: "I can FEEL myself getting more attractive by proximity."
Dorian: "You're not."
"I'm a SPONGE, Dorian. I absorb."
A guy walking past did a double take at Dorian. Actually stopped. Checked him out. Kept walking.
Tyler grabbed Dorian's arm. "DID YOU SEE THAT? A GUY. A WHOLE GUY. Just checked you out like you were a MENU."
Dorian's cheeks warmed. That was... new.
Tyler: "This is TOO MUCH power. You're gonna失衡 the space-time continuum. I don't even know what that means but it sounds right."
Dorian: "It doesn't."
Tyler: "It feels right. That's what matters."
---
The student union was chaos.
Tables lined every wall, covered in posters and pamphlets and desperate-looking students trying to recruit members. A girl in a dinosaur costume waved a sign that said "PALEONTOLOGY CLUB – WE DIG THE PAST." A guy with a boombox was playing anime openings on repeat.
Tyler immediately spotted a group of girls. "Okay. Incoming. You just stand there and look famous. I'll handle the rest."
Dorian: "Handle what rest?"
Tyler ignored him and strode toward the girls with the confidence of someone who had never been rejected in his life.
"Ladies! You know who that is?" He gestured grandly at Dorian. "That's Dorian Blimp. Five HUNDRED thousand followers. He's an INTERNATIONAL influencer. Brands are BEGGING him for collabs. He's basically a celebrity."
Girl 1: "Five hundred thousand?"
Tyler: "Minimum. Probably more by now. The algorithm loves him." He leaned in conspiratorially. "I'm his manager. Very important role. Lots of responsibility. Also I'm single."
Girl 2 glanced at Dorian. "He's cute."
Tyler: "He's TAKEN. Tragically. But I am VERY available and I come with insider access."
Girl 1 giggled. "Insider access to what?"
"To... him. The brand. The lifestyle." Tyler waved vaguely. "There'll be events. After-parties. You want in, I can make it happen."
One of the girls actually blushed. Looked at Dorian again. Looked at Tyler.
Girl 3: "Can I get your number? For the... events."
Tyler's eyes went wide. He fumbled for his phone. "Yes. Absolutely. Here. Take it. Use it. Abuse it."
She typed it in, smiled, and walked off with her friends.
Tyler turned to Dorian, face ecstatic. "DID YOU SEE THAT? I GOT A NUMBER. YOUR FAME WORKS."
Dorian: "She didn't even look at you."
"She looked ENOUGH. That's all that matters."
---
A familiar voice cut through the noise.
"DORIAN! OVER HERE!"
Jenna stood at a booth covered in sparkly streamers and a banner that read "EVENT PLANNING COMMITTEE – WE MAKE THINGS HAPPEN." Rachel sat beside her, scrolling on her phone.
Dorian walked over. Tyler followed, still floating from his victory.
Jenna pulled Dorian into a quick hug, her hand lingering on his arm. She leaned in close, her voice warm in his ear. "You came. I knew you would."
Dorian: "You texted me fifteen minutes ago."
"Mmph." She smiled, stepping back but keeping a hand on his wrist. "Manifesting works fast."
Rachel glanced up from her phone. Her eyes flicked to Dorian, held for a moment, then returned to her screen. She said nothing.
Jenna shoved a flyer at him. "Join us. We need fresh faces. By fresh, I mean attractive. By attractive, I mean you."
Tyler inserted himself. "Jenna! My girl. Looking good. The committee looks... committee-y."
Jenna raised an eyebrow. "Tyler. You're here."
"Where else would I be?" He spread his arms. "Supporting my brand. My client. My best friend."
Rachel glanced up again. This time her eyes stayed on Dorian a beat longer. Then back down.
Jenna: "Your client?"
"Manager. It's a whole thing." Tyler waved it off. "You wouldn't understand. It's very corporate."
Jenna looked at Dorian. "Is he always like this?"
Dorian: "You have no idea."
---
As they bickered, Dorian's eyes drifted across the fair.
And landed on a familiar paint-stained booth.
ART CLUB.
Lisa stood behind the table, handing out flyers, talking to a group of students. She looked tired. Stressed. But she was smiling, gesturing animatedly about something.
Then she looked up.
Their eyes met.
Her smile faltered. Just for a second. Then she looked away, back to the students.
Dorian's chest tightened.
Tyler followed his gaze. "Who's that? She's cute." Pause. "Wait, do YOU know her? Of course you do."
Dorian didn't answer.
---
He excused himself and wandered deeper into the fair, Tyler trailing behind.
Near the back, a crowd had gathered around a debate booth. A voice rang out, loud and absolutely confident.
"You're telling me people actually PAY for lip fillers? Like, willingly inject stuff into their faces? Shippo, that's CRAZY. If my lips wanted to be bigger, they'd GROW. It's basic biology. Wake up, sheeple."
Dorian pushed through the crowd.
Priya stood at the booth, hands on her hips, absolutely towering with confidence. She was blonde, perfectly put together, and radiating the energy of someone who had never been wrong a day in her life. She had a figure that curved in all the right places—robust, noticeable, the kind Tyler would definitely comment on.
Which he immediately did.
Tyler: "All I'm saying is, the view is fan-TASTIC."
Dorian: "Tyler."
Tyler: "I'm just saying."
The student Priya was arguing with looked confused. "I just asked if you think cosmetic surgery is ethical..."
"Ethical? It's not ethical, it's not unethical, it's just... WEIRD. Shippo, why would you want to look like everyone else? Being unique is what makes you, you know, YOU." She tossed her hair. "Honestly, if you can't see that, I can't help you."
Behind her, Marcus stood holding her bag, watching the scene unfold like a nature documentary. He looked completely content.
Priya's eyes drifted past the terrified student and landed on Dorian. Just for a moment. Mild curiosity. Then they moved on.
Tyler stepped forward. "Hey. I'm Tyler. Marcus's roommate. We should connect. You have strong... opinions."
Priya looked him up and down. "Your aura is blocking my light. Can you step to the left?"
Tyler stepped left.
"No, my OTHER left."
Tyler stepped right.
Priya sighed dramatically. "Babe," she said to Marcus, "this guy's energy is all wrong."
Marcus: "Okay."
As they walked away, Tyler whispered to Dorian: "She's intense. I like it. I think I'm in love."
Dorian: "She just insulted your aura and called your energy wrong."
"That's how you KNOW it's real. The strong ones play hard to get."
"She's with Marcus."
Tyler paused. "Marcus? Quiet Marcus? Books Marcus?" He considered this. "Okay, that's fair. He's very... present. I respect that."
---
Dorian found a bench outside, needing air.
His phone buzzed.
Unknown: Still watching.
He looked around. Nothing. Just students milling past.
Dorian: What do you want from me?
Unknown: Tonight. 10pm. Science building. Room 317. Come alone.
Dorian stared at the screen.
Tonight. Science building. Alone.
Dorian: Fine.
---
The rest of the day blurred.
At 6pm, Sarah appeared at the library where he'd been hiding.
"Found you!" She held out a coffee. "Extra shot. Because you're basically running on fumes."
Dorian took it. "Thanks."
She sat beside him. "How's studying?"
"Terrible."
She laughed. "Honest. I like it." She leaned against him. "I missed you today."
"Missed you too."
They sat in comfortable silence for a while. Normal. Sweet. Guilt-inducing.
---
At 9:45, Dorian stood outside the science building.
It loomed, dark and quiet. Most classes were done for the day. A few lights flickered in upper windows.
He checked his phone. No messages.
This is insane. I'm meeting a blackmailer in an empty building at night.
He went inside.
The halls were dim, lit only by emergency lights. His footsteps echoed. Room 317 was on the third floor, at the end of a long corridor.
The door was slightly ajar.
He pushed it open.
Empty.
Just a classroom. Chairs. A desk. A projector screen pulled down.
He waited.
Nothing.
Then—a voice. From the corner. Distorted. Electronic. Familiar in a way he couldn't place.
"You came."
Dorian spun. The corner was dark. A figure stood there, backlit by a window, features impossible to make out.
"Who are you?"
"That's not important right now." The voice crackled. "What's important is that you agreed to help me. And I have a task for you."
Dorian's jaw tightened. "What task?"
A pause. The figure shifted.
"There's a girl. Priya. Make her fall in love with you."
Dorian stared. "What? That's insane. She's with Marcus. He's my roommate."
"Exactly."
"Why? What do you get out of this?"
"That's not your concern." The voice hardened. "Make her fall for you. Genuine feelings. Then I'll consider destroying the photo."
"And if I don't?"
"Sarah sees everything. Lisa learns the truth. Jenna stops thinking you're cute." A pause. "Your choice."
The figure stepped back into shadow.
"Wait—"
"Don't be late tomorrow."
Silence.
Dorian rushed to the corner.
Empty.
A window stood open, curtain fluttering in the night breeze.
He looked out. Nothing. Just darkness.
---
He walked back to his dorm in a daze.
Make Priya fall in love with me. Marcus's... whatever she is to him. My roommate.
His room was empty. Tyler was out. Marcus was with Priya. Kyle was... wherever Kyle went.
He sat on his bed. Something crinkled beneath him.
He reached under himself and pulled out a photo.
The park photo. Him and Lisa, laughing, Momo between them.
No message on the back. Just the image.
His phone buzzed.
Lisa: Hey. I know things are weird. But my art show is next week. You should come.
Lisa: No pressure. Just... it would mean something. If you were there.
He stared at the messages.
Ten days. Four quests. One deal. One impossible task.
And an art show he didn't know if he deserved to attend.
[END OF CHAPTER 14]