Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice, Chapter 6 (Glitches and Guts)

The trio walked through the crowded downtown streets toward the VR arena, where Damarae practically bounced with excitement, unable to contain himself. He’d been talking nonstop since they left the art exhibit, weaving in and out of pedestrians with a boundless energy that left a trail of mildly confused strangers in his wake.

“Oh, man, you guys aren’t ready for this,” he said, eyes gleaming as he mimicked VR goggles with his hands, pushing imaginary buttons in the air. “Last time I went, I destroyed every noob in the place. People just don’t know how to handle my VR skills!”

“Right,” Adalynn smirked, keeping pace beside him. “Didn’t you once end up in a virtual ditch because you tripped over your own feet?”

“Details, details,” Damarae waved her off, eyes glued to the VR arena’s neon sign flashing in the distance. “This time, it’s gonna be epic. I can feel it. The three of us, unstoppable team. Or, actually, maybe I’ll take both of you down myself.” He spun around dramatically, striking a warrior pose mid-walk.

“Yeah, we’re shaking in our boots,” Brandon teased, chuckling. But he only half-listened to Damarae. His focus drifted to Adalynn, who laughed along, clearly entertained by Damarae’s antics. This was his moment, he thought. They were already having a great day together, and maybe he’d managed to ease a little closer to something more than just friends. All he needed was the courage to say it.

He took a deep breath, trying to find the words. “Hey, Adalynn,” he started, his voice faltering as he searched for the right opening. “I, uh, I was wondering if maybe—”

But just then, his phone buzzed. The screen lit up with a message from Roberto, and Brandon’s stomach sank as he read it.

Roberto: So I hear you’re ditching us for Thanksgiving? I knew I shouldn’t have bothered with that smoked turkey for you. Call me.

Brandon’s chest tightened, his fingers gripping the phone a little too hard. He’d known this reaction was coming, but now that it was here, the guilt hit him in full force.

“Hey, you okay?” Adalynn asked, noticing the sudden change in his face.

“Uh… yeah, sort of,” Brandon said, forcing a smile as he held up his phone. “Just got a message from Roberto. He’s not exactly thrilled I’m not spending Thanksgiving with him and my mom.”

Adalynn leaned over, giving the message a quick glance before she let out a sympathetic sigh. “That sounds… intense.”

“Seriously, don’t even answer that,” Damarae chimed in, grabbing Brandon’s shoulder and steering him back onto their path. “That’s tomorrow’s problem, dude. Right now, you’re with us. Leave the family drama for later.”

“But he’s upset,” Brandon mumbled, glancing back at the message. “I feel like I should say something. I mean, I know he’s got this whole plan and everything…”

Adalynn gave him a reassuring smile. “Brandon, you can’t make everyone happy. Sometimes you’ve got to do what’s best for you, and you already made plans with Garth and Laura. That doesn’t make you a bad person. It’s just how it is.”

Damarae nodded enthusiastically. “Exactly! Listen to her, man. What are you going to do, spend all night stressing about Thanksgiving when we’re about to go dominate in VR? Forget that noise. Leave it on ‘read’ and let it stew. It’s not like he’s going to stop loving you over one dinner.”

Brandon took a breath, nodding slowly as he slid his phone back into his pocket. They were right. Dwelling on Roberto’s disapproval wouldn’t change anything, and he didn’t want to ruin their night together. “Thanks, guys,” he said, managing a genuine smile. “I guess I’ll deal with it tomorrow.”

“See? Progress,” Damarae declared, patting him on the back. “Now let’s go save the virtual world or whatever. And remember, it’s every man for himself in there.”

“Yeah, we’ll see about that,” Brandon said, grinning as they reached the VR arena entrance. He shot a quick glance at Adalynn, feeling a warmth return that Roberto’s text had nearly extinguished. This wasn’t the time to worry about family drama or what he couldn’t control. Right now, he was exactly where he wanted to be.

They checked in, suited up with VR goggles, and Brandon decided to let go of everything else for now. Whatever the future held—Thanksgiving dinner, family drama, or asking Adalynn out—he’d figure it out. One glitch at a time.