4-Be told the truth

          „...“

          „Linda, I-“

          „SHUT UP! I lost, so what? I was losing before, so this is nothing new... I’ll give you back your 2.5 grand, so just shut up!“, holy cow, Linda was mad at me!

          „I told you not to play with hi-“

          „SHUT THE FUCK UP, ALREADY, MAN!“, she said as she pushed me.

          „Ok, ok, Jesus!“, I took a step back. „Linda! Linda! Where is that woman? LINDA!“, I heard coming from downstairs.

          „Oh, great, they’re here.“, Linda whispered to herself...

          „There you are!“, I heard a somewhat familiar voice say behind me. Where did I hear this vo-

          „Mr. G.?“, I asked as I turned around. Yes, it was him!

          „You? Hello, Ken... Linda! You owe 20 grand to someone?? Your father is mad! He said this was the last time he’ll help you!“

          „He also said that the previous time... aaaand the time before that... But I’ts actually not 20 grand, it’s around 23 grand...“

          „WHAT?“, said Mr. G. furiously. „You KEPT PLAYING EVEN AFTER YOU CONTACTED US??“

          „IIII-borrowed some money from him.“

          When she pointed at me Mr. G. looked shocked. „HIM? YOU BORROWED MONEY FROM HIM??  I didn’t know you had any money lef-wait! How much money did you borrow?“

          „I wanted to borrow only a hundred dollars, but... I ended up borrowing 2 500 dollars-“

          „WHAT!? KEN! You borrowed her all the money you had left??“

          „Yeah, since I knew you would show up.“, I lied.

          „That’s not all, I promised him... a 100 percent return-“

          „HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?? That means that we owe a dirtbag like him five thousand dollars?? “

          What? B-But didn’t she say she won’t give me the 100 percent return, since I didn’t help her... She looked at me with a worried look in her eyes.

          For a moment it looked like time had stopped... As if Dio used his Za Warudo or something... That moment, when she looked me in the eyes, that moment was eternal... Eternal, like ’Doom’... I was so greatful, but I felt sorry at the same time. Remember how I said that I don’t feel bad for scamming her since she’s rich, well now I do... She’ll be in big trouble for this... Linda...

          „Fine! Here you go!“, Mr. G. said as he threw 5 grand at me, as if they were nothing. I took the money and threw one more look at Linda. She didn’t look back. Mr. G. went to pay Linda’s debt to those scumbags and I was about to leave the casino and go home with my 5 grand, but someone caught my arm. „Wait!“, she said... „Linda, I-... Thank you. But... why? Why did you pay me back, even after all of that?“

          „The moment you recognized Mr. Gunter, I knew how you got to know him...“, so his name was Mr. Gunter, „The only people who know who Mr. Gunter is, are either those who work for my father, or those he recruits...“

          „So you know about The Element Games? “

          „Of course I know it, my father hosts them! But, listen... I’ll tell you the truth about those games if we meet tomorrow at the ’Bunto’s cafe’... Come there at 3 : 15, I’ll be waiting...“

          Before I had a chance to respond, I heard Mr. Gunter say: „Ok, Linda let’s go! Smrf*stupidgirl*shmff...“

          They left. I stood there for a few minutes to clear my thoughts... After I went through everything that just happened once again in my head, I went back to my appartment... I couldn’t stop thinking of what Linda did for me... For me!!

          Also I couldn’t stop thinking of the moment when she looked at me before she left with Mr. Gunter. Also her dress... her face... her make-up.. her-

          Yeah, I had a crush on her... The first crush I had since high school... Man, it felt good. I couldn’t wait for tomorrow.

  *   *   *

          It was 12 : 17. I just now remembered that what happened yasterday wasn’t a dream. I remembered because I saw the 5 grand that I knew I couldn’t have had if the thing from yesterday wasn’t real. I was so happy, but at the same time I thought:

          Crap.

          What do I wear when I meet up with Linda? I can’t just wear this old jacket, right? I felt a sudden need to go buy new clothes, even tho I knew that I should save that money to pay the rent...Don’t worry, I did the right thing...

          I bought new clothes...

          Before you judge, I only spent around 100 dollars, so I still had almost enough money... Anyway after I bought breakfast, I went back home and I started looking up dating advices online on my phone. I know that this technicaly isn’t a date, but if I leave a good first impression I may be able to-

          I just now realize how stupid I am.

          Ok, feel free to judge...

          What the hell was I thinking? If she knew how I got to meet Mr. Gunter that means she knows I am a poor-ass gambling junkie! She would never be with a guy like me! Not a single person would, for God’s sake!

          A few hours have passed and I was ready to go meet her. There was just one problem that I only now have seen:

          I have no idea where’s this ’Bunto’s cafe’...

          I already said this a hundred times but: FUCK!

          It’s 3 o’clock and I don’t even know where to start looking for this cafe... „E-Excuse me, miss. Do you know where’s the Butno’s cafe? “, I asked an old lady that was passing by.

          „Bunto’s cafe? Hmm... No, I’m sorry I don’t know where it is...“

          Fuckshitfuck; „Thank you.“, as I was about to leave the old lady said: „WAIT! Bunto’s cafe, you said... I think I know something called like that... Yeah! There’s a bar called Butno’s cafe three streets from here!“, she pointed at where this cafe-    -bar-thing where I was supposed to meet Linda at.

          „Wait, what? Really?“, a bar called Bunto’s cafe? Whatever, at least she remembered. Just as I was about to go where she pointed at, she stopped me again saying:

          „Oh, wait, or was it Bob’s bar? “

          Oh my Gosh, this woman! „T-Thank you, madam. I think I can manage...“

          „I-I’m sorry, I’m just... W-Wait, can you help me with this bag?“, the old lady said as she threw her bag at me. What the fuck does this woman want??

          „I’m sorry, but I can’t! I’ll be late for, uhm... my date.“

          „Oh... I’m really sorry, I’m just a lonely old lady... my grandkids moved and my husband died 4 years ago... I just wanted someone to talk to...“

          „I-I...“, WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO!?!? Like, I felt sorry for her and everything, but I didn’t really have time to waste! „Listen, uhm... what’s your name, madam?“

          „My name is Barbara. I’m... I’m sorry I kept you so much, the truth is, I knew where Bunto’s cafe was from the start... I just needed someone to talk to... I’m sorry. “

          „It’s alright.“, I said as I gave her back her bag, „If you could tell me where that cafe is, I would be very grateful.“, before she showed me where to go, I added: „Hey, who knows, maybe we’ll meet again someday and I can come to your house to have a warm cup of tea.“

          This put a smile on Barbara’s face. She showed me the direction’s to Bunto’s cafe. I thanked her and rushed to meet Linda. After a few minutes I checked the time and saw that in was 3 : 15! Just in time! I arrived at the Bunto’s cafe and... there she was! Linda! She was waiting for me...

          „You’re right on time!“, she smiled. „I was worried that you didn’t know where this cafe was, but thankfully I was wrong, haha!“

          „Y-Yeah.“, I was so damn lucky.

          „Ok, sit, order something to drink and then we’ll talk.“

          I did just that, and then she started... „Listen, Ken... I’ll start with the reason I gave you that money... Remember how when we first met I thought you were a poor-ass gambling junkie? Well... that was because you looked like one. I’m sorry, but with those torn clothes and that messy hair -- anyway as soon as I realized you knew Mr. Gunter because he invited you to participate in The Element Games... well... *sigh*... You see, only poor people and those who are in debt participate in these games... that’s why I gave you the money... I realized you needed it more then I did...“

          I... I didn’t know what to say... I was gratetful for what she did... but at the same time I felt hurt by those words... even tho I knew they were true... a poor-ass gambling junkie... Well... that’s who I was. No. That’s who I am...

          „Now about the games... I guess you already know that the games are deadly, so...“, she turned around a few times and then came closer to me. She whispered: „I have a request for you. No, I beg you this: Please participate in the games!“, she put a finger on my mouth as she continued: „Before you say anything, let me explain. I hate my father! I hate what he does! I hate the games! But I can’t do anything since they’re popular! They’re made to entertain rich people who enjoy looking at poor people suffering! It’s honestly disgusting... That’s why I need you, Ken! I need you to participate... and win... I need you to win in as many games as possible! There are 8 games in total. They’re made to award players who win multiple games more then those who win only 1! Listen... these games... they happen every two years, and they’re held in an apartment my father owns. Every time the games are held, about 100-120 rich dudes pay a fat stack of cash to see the games. And not only that, but also they bet on who will win each game, or if anyone will win... There were many games nobody won, and even a few times everyone either died or gave up before the last game! So please, I beg you! Participate in these games! I will help you win as much as possible, because I want to take as much money as possible from those rich bastards! I can’t participate myself for two reasons: One: My father isn’t crazy to let me risk my life like that; and Two: I’m... scared... That’s also the reason I rebeled by losing my father’s money in casinos these past few years... but then I met you... You gave me hope! Hope that someone can finally hurt my father’s bank account a bit! That someone can avenge all those poor people who died participating in the games... all those people who had no choice... Please, Ken... I feel horrible for what my father and those rich assholes do to them... Please help me avenge them.“

          I needed a few moments to take all of this in... Linda hated her father? These games were sickening! Why do people like that exist?? People who enjoy this... this terror! I felt something burning inside me... This feeling... Now I wanted to participate for the souls of those who had fallen... I felt the need to do this, so I asked: „How... How do you expect a guy like me to win?“

          „I’ll help you.“, she simply replied.

          „But you said you can’t participate, so then... how??“, I asked, still confused about all of this.

          „I will give you something other players don’t have...“

          „And what is that?“

          „Insider information...“, she said with a cunning smile on her face. I couldn’t help but smile myself when I realized what this meant.

          I could win this.

          Oh, boy, was I excited...