I stood in front of my closet staring at a wardrobe that was now actively hostile to my new body. Three weeks ago, this shit fit fine. Well, not fine. But at least everything buttoned.

Now? The blazers looked like I was wearing my dad’s clothes. The shirts strained across my shoulders before hanging loose around my waist. My pants were a nightmare, too loose at the hips and threatening to slide off without a belt pulled uncomfortably tight.

The uniform was worse. The yellow dress shirt actually ripped yesterday when I reached for something on a high shelf. Just tore clean open at the shoulder seam like the fabric gave up on life.

I grabbed my phone and pulled up my credit balance.

Current Balance: 900 credits

My stomach dropped.

Wait. That wasn’t right. I’d earned sixteen hundred from Wednesday’s gate. Where the hell did seven hundred credits go?

Then I remembered.

The five hundred Belle had loaned me for gate bidding. I’d paid her back immediately after we cleared because being in debt to the girl I was sleeping with felt like asking for disaster. Then I’d spent two hundred on emergency protein powder and recovery supplements because my body was burning through calories like a goddamn furnace after the C-rank strength upgrade.

Four hundred credits. That’s what I had to work with if I kept five hundred in reserve for the next gate bid.

Four hundred credits wouldn’t buy a decent jacket at the Vault, let alone an entire wardrobe. I’d priced the basic business casual section yesterday. Six hundred minimum for a single complete outfit.

"Fuck!"

I kicked my closet door shut and immediately regretted it. My new strength put a dent in the thin wood.

Fuck fuck fuck.

Why did I blow eighteen hundred points on a strength upgrade? Because I was tired of being weak and nearly dying to a Silver boss, that’s why. Because I needed to keep up with Jordan’s shadows and Naomi’s blasts and Belle’s demands that I stop being the squad’s liability.

I checked the mirror again. The body was legitimately good now. My face had definition. My arms actually looked like I could lift things heavier than a sandwich. My abs were starting to show through the remaining layer of fat.

All of which meant exactly nothing if I walked around campus looking like a kid who’d raided the lost and found.

I grabbed my phone and called Belle.

She picked up on the first ring. "What?"

"I need a loan."

"For what?"

"Clothes. Everything I own looks ridiculous now."

Silence stretched. Then I heard her laugh. Actually laugh, which Belle didn’t do often.

"Oh my god. The milk vampire got hot and now he needs a new wardrobe?"

"It’s not funny."

"It’s extremely funny." Papers rustled on her end. "How much?"

"Four thousand."

"Four thousand?" Her tone shifted into something sickeningly sweet. "Yeah, I can do that. Standard interest rates apply."

"What’s your rate?"

"Three hundred percent."

I yanked the phone away to look at it. "Are you seriously charging me triple?"

"Completely serious." She sounded downright cheerful about it. "Take it or leave it."

"That’s not even legal."

"Sure it is. We’re both adults. You want the clothes or not?" 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

I didn’t answer immediately because I was too busy doing math. Four thousand credits at three hundred percent meant I’d owe her twelve thousand total. Twelve. Thousand.

"I’ll find someone else."

"Good luck." She made a kissing sound into the phone. "Let me know when you realize I’m your best option."

I hung up before I said something stupid and immediately regretted it. Belle was a gold digger with a finance degree from YouTube. Of course she’d try to fuck me with interest rates.

I could ask Naomi.

But no. Absolutely not. Naomi sent half her stipend home to her family. Her brothers needed that money. Her mom needed that money. I wasn’t taking four hundred credits from her so I could buy pants that actually fit.

That left exactly one option.

I pulled up Aurora’s contact and hit call.

She answered mid-laugh. "Give me one second, Addy. Someone cute just called." Her voice came back clearer. "Hello, cutie. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I need a favor."

"Oh I love favors. What kind are we talking?"

"The expensive kind."

Someone in the background said something muffled. Aurora burst out laughing. "Addy wants to know if you’re calling for money or sex. She’s got twenty credits on sex."

"Money. I’m calling for money."

"Just money? So boring." Her tone shifted to something warmer. "What happened? Did you buy a loot box and get nothing?"

"Something like that. I need new clothes. Nothing fits anymore."

"Aww, did my little vampire get too buff for his sad lottery wardrobe?" She wasn’t even trying to hide her amusement. "How much do you need?"

"Four thousand. I’ll pay you back after Wednesday’s gate."

"Mm, no you won’t."

"What?"

"I’m buying you an entire wardrobe, obviously. Not a loan. A gift."

My brain stalled. "Aurora, that’s too much."

"You gave me four days of gold-tier power and a sponsorship offer from Sentinel Vanguard. Four thousand credits is literally nothing." More rustling came through the phone. "Where are you right now?"

"Building C."

"Stay there. Addison and I are coming over in ten minutes."

"Who’s Addison?"

"My best friend. You’ll love her. Or she’ll terrify you. One of those." Aurora paused. "Also, she’s extremely hot and I need you to not embarrass me by staring."

"I don’t stare."

"Jace. You stared at my ass for a full minute during our date."

"That was appreciation."

"That was staring." She was definitely smiling. "We’re coming over. Be ready."

She hung up before I could protest.

I looked down at myself. Basketball shorts and a training shirt that was still damp from my run with Hikaru. My hair was a mess. I smelled like the rec center.

Ten minutes to look presentable for Aurora’s hot best friend.

I dove into the shower.