Losers Be Careful What You Wish For chapter 2 by deleted_user

You slump against the ratty couch, cramming another handful of cheese puffs into your mouth. A fine layer of orange dust coats your fingers and the controller clenched in your other hand. Two more rounds, you tell yourself, then you'll start on that English paper. Maybe.

Really, you should be hitting the gym. Rush week is coming up and if you want any chance with those tight-bodied sorority girls, you need to get rid of this fucking gut. But ugh, effort. You turn up the volume on your headset and respawn.

Your roommate emerges from his "room" (really just a sheet tacked up to divide the tiny studio apartment) scratching his nuts. Classy. His greasy hair is sticking up in all directions and his stained wifebeater strains over his generous paunch. He flops down beside you, the couch cushions exhaling a cloud of stale farts and B.O.

"Sup," he grunts, reaching for the bowl of puffs. You consider protesting, but fuck it, he already bogarted your stash last night. Though judging by the skunky scent wafting off him, that's not all he's been smoking.

You shrug, eyes never leaving the TV. "Fuckin' English paper, man."

"Fuuuuck that." He rolls his eyes. "College is such a scam, dude."

You don't bother pointing out that he actually flunked out last semester, hence his current unemployed state. That shit's depressing and you're already on the struggle bus with this essay. Bibliographies can eat a dick.

"Anyway, check it." He reaches into his pocket, withdrawing a grime-caked brass lamp. Like, straight out of Aladdin. "Found this down at the pawn shop. Wanna hit up the range later?"

You snag the lamp, turning it over in your hands. Looks old. Heavy too. A small part of you screams that this is some priceless artifact that you shouldn't be touching with your Cheeto-dusted fingers. The rest of you wonders how much it'd go for on Pawn Stars.

"Sure, whatever," you say, tossing it aside. It lands on the couch between you with a muted clang. You go to reach for the controller, but in the process your palm grazes the side of the lamp. It feels... warmer than it should.