Page 119 of Dream On, Liar

I clicked it.

The video opened.

At first, I didn't understand what I was looking at.

It was a compilation from one of Rihaan’s gaming streams. The first text overlay being: ‘Rihaan streaming on a normal day.’

The first few clips were exactly what I’d expected.

Rihaan arguing with his chat.

Rihaan laughing with his friends.

Rihaan complaining about losing.

Rihaan insisting that something had been the game’s fault when it very clearly hadn’t been.

I smiled despite myself.

It wasn’t until the music changed, and the text changed to: ‘Rihaan in his most recent stream.’

There were dozens of clips, all different moments as his posture and hand positioning changed, but all with him glancing over to the side, his eyes hazed in a way I’d seen before.

My smile disappeared as I leaned closer to the screen.

I hadn’t realised how often he streamed in hotel rooms to notice that it hadn’t just been other clips. It had been from the day I spent the afternoon in his room.

Samyra said nothing.

She didn't need to, as I continued watching as the next video automatically rolled in.

The first clip showed him when he’d been talking to me, a lip reader trying to understand what his words meant. The second clip was as he watched me when I’d been moving around the room before I settled on the bed.

His eyes dropped.

He smiled.

Then he shook his head, looking back towards his monitor as though he was trying to drag himself back into the game.

Another clip.

Another glance.

Another moment I’d never known existed.

My thumb stopped moving.

The caption beneath the video read:

bro is NOT beating the allegations 😭

I stared at it.

Then at him.

Then back at the caption.

“Samyra.”