The threshold to the real world stood before them, while the neon lights of the club flickered behind Simon, casting fleeting shadows across Clara's face.
Her red hair glowed fiercely, but her eyes, usually sharp and confident, dodged Simon's gaze.
Even the shadows around her seemed jittery, swaying back and forth as if mirroring her unease.
The tension from his encounter with Cassian still buzzed in Simon's chest, but now, facing Clara, a different kind of restlessness stirred. Her comment about Aisling and Katherine had thrown him off, and her playful attitude felt like a curtain hiding something deeper.
"Clara," Simon said, his voice low but steady, "we need to talk. I did what you asked: I won the bet against Cassian, freed your soul. But I still don't get it. What's this system? Why am I caught up in all this?"
Clara tilted her head, her smile curling into a mischievous grin. She took a step toward him, twirling a strand of her red hair.
"Oh, Simon, always so serious!" she exclaimed, her tone light and teasing. "You just saved my soul, you know? We should be dancing, celebrating!" She stepped closer, but her laugh sounded forced, and her hands fidgeted, as if trying to distract him from his questions.
Simon crossed his arms, unyielding.
"Stop it, Clara. I'm not in the mood for games. You always dodge my questions. If I'm risking my life for you, I deserve to know what's going on. Why do you care so much about who I talk to? What's this system, and why is it changing me?"
Clara let out a giggle, stepping back and spinning on her heels, her black dress fluttering with the motion.
"Changing? Oh, Simon, how dramatic!" she said, faking a pout. "I'm just looking out for you, you know? Don't want you getting distracted by shiny muses or your little friend Katherine."
She waved vaguely toward the threshold, but her eyes avoided Simon's, and her fingers nervously toyed with the black brooch pinning her hair.
Before Simon could press further, a sharp hum sliced through the air, and the Ghostly System's screen materialized in front of him, its red letters pulsing like a heartbeat:
[ASSIMILATION LEVEL INCREASED: 10%]
Simon froze, his breath catching.
"Assimilation?" he muttered, frowning. He turned to Clara, his voice tight. "What the hell does that mean? Assimilating to what? I used the system to get into the club, to manipulate probability… is this because of that?"
Clara looked away, her fingers tightening on the brooch.
"Oh, that… just technical stuff, you know?" she said, her voice breezy, as if discussing the weather.
"You've been using the system, right? Getting into the club, beating Cassian… it just means you're… connecting more with it. It's a good thing, Simon!" She flashed a wide smile, but it didn't reach her eyes, and she stepped back, smoothing her dress as if to change the subject.
"Clara," Simon said, stepping closer, his tone harder. "Don't lie to me. Assimilation sounds like it's consuming me or something. What are you hiding?"
She let out another laugh, this one sharper, almost nervous, and spun quickly, as if trying to escape the conversation.
"Consuming? Oh, what an imagination!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up theatrically. "It just means you're getting stronger, okay? The more you use the system, the easier it'll be to protect yourself. Ghosts, vampires, weird muses… not everyone's friendly, you know?" She winked, but Simon could sense her nerves.
Simon clenched his jaw, frustrated. He wanted to grab her, force her to speak plainly, but her playful demeanor disarmed him.
"You're not telling me everything," he said, his voice low. "And I'm not leaving until you do."
Clara paused, her eyes widening for a moment before her smile returned, softer this time, almost resigned.
"Oh, Simon, you're too adorable when you get all stubborn like that." She stepped so close he could smell the faint scent of wilted flowers clinging to her.
She raised a hand as if to touch him but stopped, her cheeks tinting with a faint blush.
"Look, I promise it's not as bad as you think. Just… trust me a little longer, okay? You've got enough on your plate with your lottery and Katherine waiting outside." She pointed at the threshold with a playful gesture, her smile turning impish. "Speaking of which, you should go before she storms in with a flashlight looking for you."
Simon opened his mouth to protest, but the Ghostly System hummed again, displaying a final message:
[OBJECTIVE COMPLETED: CLARA'S SOUL FREED]
Clara looked at him, her smile softening for a moment.
"Thanks, Simon," she said quietly, her tone losing some of its playful spark. "For keeping your promise." But before he could respond, she stepped back, her voice brightening again.
"Now, out you go! Go enjoy your millions. We'll talk later, I swear!" She waved a hand, her figure fading as the threshold glowed brighter.
"Clara, wait—" Simon tried, but she was gone, only the echo of her laugh lingering in the air.
Frustrated, Simon crossed the threshold, returning to the real world.
He was back in the alley outside the club, cold rain soaking his hoodie. The neon sign above the entrance flickered weakly, its red glow now almost ordinary.
His heart still pounded, Clara's evasions and that word—assimilation—burning in his mind like a warning.
Katherine stood a few steps away, leaning against a wall under a nearby shop's awning, her arms crossed, her hair damp from the drizzle.
When she saw him, her gray eyes lit up with relief, though she couldn't hide a hint of irritation.
"Finally!" she exclaimed, pushing off the wall. "You look like you've seen a ghost… no offense." She smiled, but her voice was soft, laced with concern. "Everything okay in there? You're not… possessed, are you?"
Simon let out a shaky laugh, the tension in his shoulders easing.
"No possessions. Just… a weird night." He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to shake off the memory of Cassian's sharp smile and Clara's evasions. "Met a vampire who's into betting. Charming guy, trust me."
Katherine raised an eyebrow, letting out a chuckle.
"A gambling vampire? Do vampires even exist…?" She stepped closer, her teasing smile lightening the weight of the night. "You've gotta tell me everything, you know? No more secrets."
Simon grinned, her playful tone infectious.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll tell you. But only if you promise not to call the hospital again." He gave her a gentle nudge on the shoulder, and she laughed, nudging him back.
"Deal," she said, her smile widening. "But seriously, Simon, you okay? You've got that look… like you're carrying the whole world."
He looked at her, the starlight reflecting in her eyes, and for a moment, the weight of the Ghostly System, Clara, and the club faded.
"I'm fine," he said, his voice softer. "Especially now."
They stood there for a moment, the drizzle fading to a light mist, the tension between them dissolving as it always did when they were together. Katherine tilted her head, her smile turning mischievous.
"Come on, millionaire. Walk me home before you start seeing more vampires."
Simon laughed, falling into step beside her toward her apartment. The night felt lighter, the stars peeking through the clouds, but the word assimilation still echoed in his head, a warning he couldn't ignore.
<><><>
As he walked Katherine to her apartment, the city's hum filled the silence between them.
The streets were quiet, the wet pavement reflecting the lights. Simon couldn't stop thinking about the lottery ticket in his pocket, the numbers Clara had given him now a reality.
Two million dollars. Enough to change everything: his debts, his life, maybe even Katherine's. But the Ghostly System's message about assimilation gnawed at him.
What am I getting myself into?
He was so lost in thought he almost missed his building. As they approached the door to his apartment, a figure emerged from the shadows, making him stop dead.
It was Aisling, her dark hair bouncing as she practically vibrated with energy, her purple eyes gleaming under the streetlight. She wore a short, asymmetrical green dress, its hem frayed as if she'd been dancing in a storm.
Her movements were quick, almost frantic, and she flashed a smile that was half-playful, half-cunning, hiding a calculating spark beneath her innocent facade.
"Simon!" she exclaimed, her voice high and cheerful, as if she'd just stumbled across him by chance. "What a surprise to see you here! What, did you escape the club to avoid me?" She pouted dramatically, crossing her arms, but her eyes sparkled with mischief, like she was barely holding back a laugh.
Simon's heart skipped a beat.
"Aisling? What are you doing here?" He glanced around, half-expecting Clara to pop up with another cryptic warning. "How do you know where I live?"
Aisling's smile widened as she stepped closer, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, her face inches from his.
She held the pose for a few seconds, her usual innocent smile in place, though Simon caught a strange seriousness in her gaze.
Her eyes locked onto his, darkening slightly, as if she were peering into something deep within him.
Simon tried to pull away, but she held him tighter, not budging.
"Hey! Don't move!" she said, her tone still carefree. "I wanna see if you're really worth something or if Cassian's just exaggerating…"
Simon started to feel dizzy, trying to speak but only managing incoherent mumbles as he got lost in her gaze.
'What's happening to me…?' was his last thought before everything went dark.