LEVEL 11

PLAYER TWO: FAUNA

I’d ran so fast, air wasn’t reaching my lungs quickly enough. I’d lost a ballet flat in the wet grass as Remy and I ducked behind the thick trunk of a tree in the backyard. We’d ran so far, it felt, a whole lap around the house. It was like running around a football field. When Trevor had told me his parents were rich, I’d thought stainless steel fridge and copper appliances rich, not tennis court and butlers rich. This was insane. This whole night was.

Remy leaned against the tree, not even out of breath, and lit a cigarette before offering me one. I shook my head.

“How are you so calm right now?” I asked, looking over my shoulder. “Are the guards coming to get us or something?”

Remy blew a puff of smoke. “Yes, the cavalry is surely on its way. Hark! The drawbridge is lowered over the moat!”

“Shut up, Remy. Not everything is a joke. We’ve hurt people. Do you not care about that?”

“You know what I care about right now?” Remy flicked their cigarette into the dirt and stomped it out before stepping toward me. The air around us was thick with humidity and tension. I could smell the faintest hint of bergamot cologne, and it made my heart skip a beat. “Why is Prue out to get you?”

“What?” That was not the line of questioning I was prepared for.

“You heard me. What’s she got on you?”

“We just tore apart your twin brother’s life, and that’s what you want to ask me right now?” My breath caught with tears in my throat.

“Yes, that’s what I want to know. Do you think I give a shit who Trevor is fucking? Do you know the relief I just felt when I found out he’s fucking my girlfriend and not you? I don’t want anyone touching you but me, Fauna. I don’t want some purple-haired mean girl making you afraid either.” Remy reached behind my neck and tugged out the pin holding my tight bun in place. “And I don’t want your hair to be blonde unless you want it blonde. Personally, I miss the pink. I don’t want to see you in grey ever again. You shine , Fauna. You deserve sparkles and pink and whatever the hell else you want in this life—and I want to make sure you have it.”

“Remy,” I breathed, my ribs tightening with all my secrets, with all the things I hadn’t said. “Stop.”

Taking a step closer, she cupped my jaw and tilted my watery eyes upward. “Do you not want me? Do still you want my brother?”

I let out a strangled gasp into her rough palm. “I’ve never wanted Trevor. It—it was all a lie.”

Remy looked over my shoulder, and I spun at the sound of footsteps. Mary Jane held Trevor’s arm, her red bottom heels sinking into the wet soil.

“That’s true,” Trevor admitted, looking at me before narrowing his gaze at Remy. “But glad to know you’d steal my girl anyway.”

Remy stepped around me. “Oh, the irony, bro. What, was this with MJ just to get back at me?”

Trevor rolled his eyes. “Not everything is about you, believe it or not. Mary Jane was completely neglected by you, mistreated. You didn’t see her worth—but I did.”

“Whatever. Ride off into the sunset for all I care. But how was this all a lie?”

“Fauna and I were never together. It was fake. We pretended to date because it kept her shielded from those assholes—and I thought it would help me impress Dad.” Trevor mock bowed. “But clearly, that honor is, and always has been, yours.”

Remy stepped forward. “Yeah, you could have fucking told me any of this.” Then, she addressed me with a caustic expression. “ You should have fucking told me. Do you have any idea how broken up I’ve been, thinking he’s what you wanted?”

I swallowed. “I know—I’m sorry.”

Trevor shoved a flask into Remy’s chest. “Seems there’s been a lot of betrayal and dishonesty around here. Nice to know how much you don’t have my back. Don’t you dare come back to the apartment. I never want to see you again.”

With a huff, Remy responded. “The feeling’s mutual.”

Mary Jane threw her hands in the air. “This is ridiculous. Let’s all just sit down and work through this?—”

But it was too late. Remy stormed off, passing me one more disappointed and heart wrenching glance before jumping the wrought iron fence.

I’d messed everything up. The dogs were barking more than usual as I jingled my keys into the door and stomped up the shelter steps to my apartment. They were fed and properly played with; I didn’t know why they were so agitated. Remy’s face played through my mind. Disgust, disappointment… Trevor used the right word—betrayal, though him hooking up with Mary Jane was news to me. Not that I cared—I’d never felt anything romantic toward Trevor. Our situation was a platonic, a mutually beneficial means to an end. Regardless, I didn’t even like men romantically. Maybe Remy was right—maybe I should have fessed up long ago and spared them the guilt. Part of me didn’t want to embarrass Trevor by spilling the secrets of our arrangement to his twin. Part of me was protecting myself and my secrets, the reason I needed Trevor as a shield in the first place.

I flipped open my ancient phone, wishing I could text Remy and beg them to come over. I could have rode my moped to their apartment, but they wouldn’t be there. Remy wanted nothing to do with me now. I’d lost everything—and despite it all, despite the tears streaking down my cheeks, I had to log on to that stupid game and play all night.

My door swung open, and my foot landed on one of my pink pony figurines. That was odd; maybe the kittens were playing with it. As I flicked on the lights, I gasped. My place was trashed. I dropped my bag and raced into my room, not caring about my collections strewn about the floor or the stuffing from my stabbed and tattered stuffed animals. My computer was smashed, glass scattered everywhere from the broken monitor.

But I didn’t care—the only thing that made my heart sink and a sob pull from my lips was the window. The wide open window—the absence of meows or paws at my ankles.

My kittens were gone.