"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" Jamie's father asked rudely as he looked Ari up and down as if trying to size him up.
Ari knew exactly what he saw: a slim young man of unknown age dressed in a black turtleneck, an oversized black hoodie, slim-fit black jeans, and black boots.
Slightly curly black hair hung around a face covered with a green and brown hard shell snail-shaped full-face mask with protruding green horns.
It was not exactly an image that commanded respect, but Ari always thought it was how you carried yourself that mattered, so he stared directly into Jamie's father's blue eyes as arrogantly as he could.
"I'm Ari. A client whose work you just destroyed. How do you plan on repaying me for the money and effort spent on it? I'll have you know it was very expensive." Ari lied boldly without looking at Jamie.
[Oh?]
[Has the lying show begun yet again?]
[I'm all ears.]
[👂👂👂👂👂]
Ari ignored the system and Jamie's shocked face while focusing on Jamie's father.
He knew how it felt to be in situations like this, and he didn't want the other boy to think that he was pitying him for a situation that was clearly out of his control.
Especially when he hadn't done anything wrong.
Even if it was the parent who brought you into the world, nobody should have the right to belittle and carelessly destroy your work.
Although he wanted to scold Jamie's father as a friend, he mentioned a matter he knew the man would take seriously.
Money.
Considering how many times the man had brought up money in the few seconds he had heard him yell at Jamie, it was clear that money was very important to him.
Although he was much shorter than Jamie's father, Ari made sure he projected confidence, tilting his chin up and speaking arrogantly as if he owned the place and everyone else was beneath him.
Because that was the only way a man like Jamie's father, who was prideful, would take him seriously.
"You're telling me that that trash that was playing earlier was your song? Traffic really sucks? That you paid a lot of money for that garbage?"
At the skeptical look on Jamie's father's face, Ari continued lying without care.
"You considering it garbage is your choice, but I'll have you know that I'm the manager for Mellow and Marsh. I'm sure you've seen them; they wear strange masks like this one, and they're one of the top genre-bending DJs in the country." Ari sprinkled in some believable truths and, seeing Jamie's father nod a couple of times, confidently continued with his lie.
[Wow.]
[At this rate, won't you unlock the acting stat by yourself?]
Ari ignored the system and continued.
"My client was so impressed with the work Jamie here has done before that he gave him a challenge of taking a mundane topic like traffic, which everyone deals with, channeling his country roots while still making it a hit song that can be remixed at clubs and festivals around the world. We paid over $50000 for that song, and it was due today. How are you going to fix that situation and repay me for the hours put in and money lost?"
"50 what? 50,000 dollars? You're joking! James Jr. Well, I'll be darned, you signed a $50000 contract without telling me?"
[Is this actually working...]
As Jamie's father turned to face Jamie with an excited expression, Ari began trying to get Jamie's attention by winking and nodding subtly while standing behind his dad.
Play along, double J!
Double down on the lie.
Ari kept trying to communicate with Jamie through telepathy.
James! Play along! Don't sell me out like this!
Unfortunately, Jamie looked like a deer in headlights, glancing back and forth between Ari and his father and stuttering.
"Uhhh…."
Immediately understanding the situation, James' father turned to glare at Ari once more.
"Are you fibbing, boy?"
[Awww, too bad. Maybe next time.]
Seeing that the jig was up, Ari clicked his tongue with regret.
"My name is not boy, it's Ari, and even if I didn't pay $50,000, I purchased that song fair and square and have been working on it with your son who is quite talented, so I don't appreciate you calling it garbage and deleting it and fully expect you to pay me back for the song. Additionally, those books you so carelessly destroyed are from the UCLA library. You can check if you don't believe me. Make sure you add that in the bill too."
"You're a mannerless one ain't ya, talking to your elders with your face covered and fibbing. And now you tried to rope my son into it. I told you not to hang out with people like this, James. Clearly, his parents haven't raised him properly."
"Thank you for saying that, but both of my parents are dead, so that would explain why I have no manners. Kind of hard for them to teach me when they're six feet under, so I hope you understand."
At the casual mention of his dead parents, Jamie's father paled drastically.
His lips twitched momentarily before he finally mumbled.
"Sorry for ya loss. Tell James the cost of the books, and I'll send him the money. James. I'll see you when you get home. This conversation isn't over."
And before either James or Ari could say anything-
SLAM!
James' father stalked out and slammed the door.
"...What about the cost of my song? How stingy."
There was awkward silence in the room before Ari threw himself onto the couch and sprawled out while staring at the ceiling.
He waited several seconds before speaking softly, "So. That happened."
"…Yeah. Thanks for your help. Sorry, I fumbled. I'm really bad at lying. Especially to my pops." Jamie collapsed on his own chair with a sigh and dropped his head on the table with a bang.
Ari observed him in silence for a while, wondering if he should say something or let him speak first before going to the mini fridge, wrapping some ice in a napkin, and, while smiling innocently, stuck a couple of ice cubes down Jamie's shirt.
"Afghhhhhh cold! Cold! What the-" Jamie began squirming and hopping up and down as he tried to get the ice out of his shirt.
When he finally did and turned to glare at Ari with a betrayed expression, Ari shoved the makeshift icepack against Jamie's red cheek.
"That's the point of ice. Hold that to your cheek so the swelling goes down."
Thud!
The ice pack was held to Jamie's face, and his head was immediately buried on the desk once more.
Ari looked at his depressed figure before sighing.
"Wanna talk about it?"
"No."
"Okay. Shall we remake my song then? Or was it miraculously backed up and saved?"
Although it was a bit cold-hearted, Ari fully respected his decision and moved on to the main topic of conversation.
His song, which needed to be ready in 2 days for the rehearsal.
"What?! You're giving up asking just like that? You're supposed to ask at least twice before I tell you my backstory!" Jamie lifted his head to glare before slamming it back down.
Ari: "..."
"Oh. Let's try this again. Ahem," Ari coughed lightly before putting on a baby voice.
"Dowble Jay. What's wrong? Tell Ari all your problems, okway?"
"Bleh! Please don't ever use that voice again. I have goosebumps."
"Then spill it or forever hold your peace. Okway dowble Jay?"
After pretending to gag again, Jamie sighed before he started talking slowly.