Chapter 43: Faded Memories

Otto was sprawled across one of the oversized leather couches in the Perigee House recreation lounge, a game controller hanging loosely from one hand. Preston occupied the other end of the same couch, while Ambrose lounged across the armrest beside them. Around the trio, a dozen voices competed with each other. The room was packed with third-year students taking advantage of the freedom that came with Freshman Week.

Some were gathered around a circular table in one corner, slamming cards down and arguing loudly over a card game that looked one bad hand away from turning into a full-blown fight, while others lounged across the sectional sofas, shouting instructions, commentary, and insults at the sports broadcast playing on the massive screen mounted against the wall.

"You’re absolutely useless," Preston groaned, tossing a cushion at Otto’s head. "How are you this bad after years of playing the same game?"

Otto caught the cushion without looking away from the screen. "It’s called giving the rest of you a chance."

"More like making excuses for being terrible," Ambrose snorted. "At this point, I’m convinced you’re the reason game developers add tutorial modes."

Otto clicked his tongue. "Keep talking. I’ll still beat all of you sooner or later."

His two friends chuckled at that. Just then, somebody pushed through the crowd, holding up a phone. "Yo, Otto. Isn’t the girl trending on AsterBuzz right now your ex?"

Otto barely glanced up from the screen, his attention still fixed on the game. "My ex? Man, I’ve had more exes than I can count. Which one?"

The guy stopped beside the couch and turned the screen toward him. "This one. Isn’t this Starlight from District Fifteen High School?"

Otto frowned, pausing his game for the first time since the conversation started. His eyes lingered on the screen as he finally focused on Starlight’s face. A strange, fleeting blankness passed over his eyes as he tried to recall where he had seen her before. Then his signature cocky smirk slithered back onto his face.

"Oh. Starlight. The Red Devil," Otto said, tilting his head as if pulling the name from a dusty shelf. "Yeah... yeah, right. Starlight. Man, it’s been, what, three years? I totally forgot about her."

"Everyone’s calling her Queen Star now," the guy said. "She’s really blowing up all over the academy."

"Starlight is anything but a queen," Otto scoffed. "Hey, Preston, you remember Red Hair Starlight, right?"

Preston didn’t even take his eyes off the game as he carelessly shrugged. "Yeah. The girl you dumped right before we entered the academy. The one who used to whine all the time."

"Right, right," Otto chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, I dumped her right before we left for Asterion. She was way too needy... I think?"

"Who are you asking, you moron?" Ambrose snorted. "You don’t even remember why you dumped your own ex. You’re hopeless."

"I can’t help it," Otto said, going right back to his game. "It’s weird. Feels like some memories of her just got wiped out of my head or something."

"Bro, are you serious?" the guy asked, staring between the phone and Otto in sheer disbelief. "You’re a real piece of shit, you know that? The girl is trending across the entire academy, and you can barely remember dating her."

Otto shrugged. "I can’t help it. That’s why girls love me," he said without looking up, his eyes fixed on the game. "I’m unforgettable even when they’re forgettable."

"You are actually unbelievable," the guy muttered before shaking his head and heading back to where he had been sitting.

"You think she followed you here, Otto?" Preston asked, pressing aggressively on his controller.

Otto let out a loud, arrogant snort. "You’re kidding, right? Following me all the way to Asterion? That’s insane, even for a clingy ex." He shook his head, a smug, self-satisfied grin spreading across his face as he mashed the buttons on his controller. "Man, some girls really just can’t stay away from me, can they?"

"Arrogant motherfucker," Ambrose laughed, shaking his head at his friend’s shamelessness.

Before Otto could fire back with another smug remark, the recreation lounge doors swung open. A student stuck his head inside, scanning the room frantically until his eyes landed on Otto.

"Otto! There you are!" the boy called out, breathing heavily as if he had run across the entire block. "Princess Beatrice is looking for you! She wants you at the red lounge ASAP!"

The recreation lounge immediately went quiet, all eyes turning toward Otto, who had stopped playing altogether and was now staring at the messenger with mild curiosity.

Preston glanced at the messenger. "And what does the sub-royal princess want with him this early in the morning?"

The messenger shrugged, still trying to catch his breath. "I don’t know, man! But she looked furiously angry. If that’s even possible."

Ambrose frowned. "Do you think this has something to do with Starlight? I saw some posts floating around yesterday about a girl named Starlight slapping the Perigee princess. You know me, I don’t really pay much attention to campus gossip, so I didn’t think much of it at the time, but..." He trailed off thoughtfully.

"Maybe. Who knows?" Otto shrugged, tossing his controller onto the table. "Guess we’ll just go find out what she wants." He stood up, stretching his arms, then reached down and grabbed Preston by the shoulder, yanking him off the couch. "You two are coming with me."

"Aw, come on, man!" Preston groaned, trying to snatch his controller back. "I’m right in the middle of a match! Can’t you not go alone?"

"Nope." Otto chuckled, slapping him on the back hard enough to make him stumble. "You know you and Ambrose are basically my shadows. I’m going nowhere without my crew. Ambrose, don’t make me come over there and drag you myself."

Ambrose sighed dramatically and dropped his controller onto the couch. "At this point, someone would think we’re your personal bodyguards," he muttered as he stood up.

"You might as well be," Otto said, already swaggering toward the exit with his hands shoved into his pockets.

His two friends shook their heads in exasperated amusement and followed after him anyway, while several students in the lounge watched them leave with obvious curiosity.