The Heart System

Penelope turned her head toward the inside of the house, then pushed herself off the wall and stretched. Her arms lifted above her head, hands linked, and her shirt rode up just enough to show the flat line of her stomach. Her waist narrowed, her back arched slightly. The fabric over her chest pulled tight, outlining the heavy weight of her fake tits. Even through the cold air, her nipples pressed clear as day against the thin cotton, round and sharp and distracting.

I swallowed. My body reacted before my brain caught up. Christ. She didn't even have to try.

"Come on, dinner is ready, I think," she said.

"Mm," I murmured. "Lead the way."

"So you can check out my ass?" she asked as she slid the glass door open. "My ass is not fake, mind you."

I rubbed my face. "I… it's just— Jesus, Pen. Go inside."

She giggled quietly, pleased with herself, and stepped in. I followed through the warm air and bright lights of the living room.

She was right. The table was set. Four plates, each holding a thick, handmade burger. Mendy had toasted the buns to a light golden brown. The patties were fat and juicy, cheese melted over them in a smooth blanket. Fresh lettuce, pickles, caramelized onions, a smear of sauce dripping slightly down the side. The steam rising off them hit my nose as soon as I stepped inside.

"Wow," I said, rubbing my hands together. "Looks awesome."

"It is," Mendy said, smiling wide as she wiped her hands on a towel. "Hope it tastes awesome too."

It smelled like the kind of meal that could make you forget the cold outside. Forget Emilia for a second. Forget all the shit waiting for me after tonight.

And honestly… I needed that.

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WOMEN - INTERACTIONS

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Jasmine: Interest: 40 / 60★★

Kayla: Interest: 13 / 60★

Tessa: Interest: 27 / 40★

Kim: Interest: 35 / 40★

Delilah: Interest: 75 / 80★★★

Cora: Interest: 100 / 100★★★★★

Mendy: Interest: 6 /20

Nala: Interest: 66 /80★★★

Penelope: Interest: 5 /20

Minne: Interest: 17 /20

Ivy: Interest: 2/20

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Progress:

★☆☆☆☆ - 20 Interest: Milestone reward

★★☆☆☆ - 40 Interest: Milestone reward

★★★☆☆ - 60 Interest: Milestone reward

★★★★☆ - 80 Interest: Milestone reward

★★★★★ -100 Interest: Milestone reward

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Select a woman to track progress.

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❤︎‬‪‪❤︎‬‪‪❤︎

I leaned back into my chair and exhaled. Man, that burger was something else. And the chips she fried? Perfect. It tasted like the healthiest fast-food in existence, but it wasn't even fast-food. It was just fire. Straight fire. My stomach was warm, my mood lifted, and for the first time in days, things actually felt steady.

"Mendy," I said as I nodded at her. "You know your stuff. Seriously."

"Glad you liked it," she said, giving this shy little smile. "Penelope, Kayla. How was it? Please say it was good even if you didn't like it."

"Good?" Kayla said, eyes widening. "We need to invent a new word for this type of good. Wow, Mendy."

"Fucking perfect," Penelope added, leaning back and touching her stomach. "Phew. You rock, girl."

"How about some wine?" Mendy asked. "You guys go sit in the living room. I'll get—"

"I can get it," Penelope said as she stood. "You already did enough."

Mendy smiled, nodded in thanks, and we all got up. Walking into the living room felt like trying to move after Thanksgiving. We dropped onto the couches like a pile of boulders. My body definitely gained weight tonight. But honestly, it was worth every single calorie.

Mendy and Kayla took the couch across from me. I sat in the single one. Mendy looked happy. Like, glowing happy. Her face was relaxed, eyes bright, shoulders loose. She was enjoying herself, genuinely.

Kayla… was the opposite. Her smile didn't reach her eyes. Her fingers were fiddling with the edge of the pillow. And every time she glanced at Mendy, guilt crawled across her face like a shadow. Her eyes even looked a little watery. Shit. Seeing her like that made my own chest feel heavier, because the truth was simple. Everything she got caught up in was because of me. I dragged her into Richard's bullshit.

"Mendy," I said quietly as I took a deep breath. "I'm glad you forgave us. And gave us another chance. We're, uh… well, I'm sure you're sick of hearing this, but we're truly sorry."

"Oh, stop that," she said, waving her hand. "You two already did more than enough."

"Evan did," Kayla said softly. "Stopping Richard and everything. But I haven't."

"You—"

Kayla shook her head. Her voice cracked a little. "I just can't help but feel guilty, Mendy. And part of me wished you wouldn't forgive me so easily and stayed angry at me. I don't know why, but that's how I feel."

The room went quiet for a second. Penelope was in the kitchen getting wine, so it was just the three of us and the low hum of the heater.

Mendy leaned forward, resting her arms on her knees.

"You feel that way because you care," she said. "That's literally it."

Kayla kept her eyes down.

"And because we were tricked," Mendy added. "All three of us. Richard lied to me. He lied to you. He lied to Evan. He messed with all of us. So don't treat yourself like you were the only one who did something wrong. You weren't."

Kayla sniffed once, trying to hide it.

"I forgave you because I know you didn't hurt me on purpose," Mendy said. "I forgave Evan for the same reason. And I forgave myself too. Because none of us were in control of that situation."

Kayla swallowed, trying to keep her composure.

"So don't sit there and punish yourself," Mendy said, smiling softly. "That's not fair to any of us."

Kayla wiped under her eye. "Thank you. Really."

Mendy clapped her hands once, brightening up. "Now come on. Enough heavy feelings. Don't kill the vibe here. We're drinking our wine, then we're playing games, and I want to see all of you twist and fall on the floor trying to reach colors like idiots."

I let out a breath, smiling a little. Yeah. This was good. This was exactly what the night was supposed to be.

Penelope returned a moment later with four wine glasses, two in each hand. She handed Mendy and me ours first, setting them down with a soft clink on the small coffee table. The living room lights were warm and low, giving everything this calm, golden glow that felt perfect after a heavy meal. The snow outside the window kept falling in slow, quiet sheets. The city lights far away made the flakes look like drifting sparks.

Penelope went back to the kitchen, then came back with the other two glasses, giving Kayla hers. Kayla thanked her, her voice soft and polite. Penelope nodded once as if accepting a payment, not a thanks, and then she moved to sit next to Mendy on the couch.

"Pen," I called. "Hey, can we talk for a sec? In private."

All three girls turned their heads toward me at once. Kayla froze with her fingers on her glass. Mendy blinked curiously. Penelope stopped just as she was about to sit down.

"Uh… sure," she said slowly. "Okay."

I got up from the couch and she followed me out into the corridor. The moment we were alone, she crossed her arms, resting her weight on one hip.

"I am not going to let you lick my tits again," she said flatly.

"What? No, no, Jesus," I said. "That is not why I called you here."

She raised one brow. "Alright then. What?"

I rubbed the back of my neck, trying not to sound like a guidance counselor.

"Look, I am asking you to please be kind to Kayla tonight," I said. "She is trying her best. And she is scared shitless of you. All I am asking is for you to give her a chance. Just one. The same way you are giving me a chance right now."

Penelope didn't answer for a few seconds. She just stared at me with this flat, skeptical look, like she was trying to figure out if I was being sincere or playing her. She sighed, looked away, then clicked her tongue.

"Fine," she said, waving a hand dismissively. "I will see what I can do. No promises."

"That is more than enough," I said. "Thank you."

She shrugged, uncrossed her arms, and turned back toward the living room.

We walked in together like nothing happened. Kayla looked away from us quickly, pretending she was interested in the window. Mendy smiled politely, not asking questions. We both sat down and then tried to act normal.

I lifted the glass to my lips and took a sip. Smooth, a little fruity, not too strong. Pretty damn good.

I looked at Mendy. "So, what kind of game are we playing, by the way?"

"Twister," she said with a little laugh, as if she already imagined us suffering.

Kayla and I looked at each other like two idiots caught in the headlights.

"I've never played it before, though," I said.

"Yeah, same," Kayla agreed. "Only seen it in movies."

"It is the easiest game ever," Mendy said. "Trust me. It is just silly fun. Good for breaking awkward silence too."

"Which we kind of had a lot of tonight," Penelope muttered, though not in a mean way this time.

Mendy bumped her shoulder with hers. "Oh, come on. We are having fun now, aren't we?"

"Yeah," Penelope said, rubbing her palms on her thighs. "Yeah, guess we are."