The Affection Multiplier - Chapter 147 (V.1): Express meeting in Emma's office. (Patreon)

Author's Note: I wrote this chapter first because it felt the most natural way to progress the story. It's longer because there were more thing to discuss before that ending. Honestly, to me, this feels like the way the story should go.

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“As much as I’d love to talk for the whole lunch period, we have six people here, so we better make it quick.” Mia reminds everyone. “We’re going with our ‘Finals’ excuse if we’re caught, right?” She confirms with you and you nod.

There’s not enough chairs for everyone here, so you and Megan are the only ones standing while the rest sit around Emma’s desk.

“So, what is it this time?” Emily half-sigh, half-groans. “You’ve been throwing stuff at us nonstop. It’s exhausting.”

“I can tell you some other time, if you’d like.” You answer.

“That’s not what I meant. It’s just that a lot of things have been happening lately.” Emily does look more tired than usual today.

“How’d it go with your mom?” Emma asks. Her concern clear in her eyes.

“…” Emily smiles bitterly. “Not good, but it could’ve been worse. I didn’t mention the app, but we still talked. Basically, she said she wasn’t planning on stopping what she was doing. That she liked it. Can’t argue with that, I guess. Still… I think I understand her a bit better now.”

“Baby steps, Emily.” Mia says, giving the blonde girl a supportive smile, which she’s thankful for. 

Everyone stays quiet for a bit. And since no one else is bringing up a new topic, Sophia reminds everyone why you’re here.

“I’ll be the one to rat him out. David says he wants to keep something a secret so it can be a surprise.” Sophia, the tattletale, says to everyone with a big smirk.

“Okay, that’s not fair. I’ve been debating since yesterday what would be the best way to approach this.” You defend yourself. “This is… important, okay? It’s true that I wanted to keep it a surprise, but I still feel like you need to know. So, knowing that it’s once more about the app, I’ll ask this o you all.” You take a deep breath. “Would you be willing to trust me and let me keep this secret until I can tell you or would you rather I say it now?”

…

There’s a moment of silence as all girls contemplate your words. Of them all, Emma is the one who decided first.

“I don’t mind. I can wait.” She nods. “I trust you.”

“Look, it’s not that I don’t trust him,” Mia argues. “And if this was about anything else, I’d agree with you, but if this concerns the app, I think we should know.”

“I agree.” Emily adds. “I don’t want to sound like I’m sore about it, but Megan, Sophia and I have yet to get one of those traits things.” She blinks quickly a couple of times. “Man, it does sound like I’m sore about it.” She says, surprised at herself. “I’m just saying, fair’s fair.” She just shrugs it off, though.

“I don’t think I would’ve mind if you’d kept it a secret, but now that I know you’re hiding something I’m way too curious.” Megan tells you, smiling shyly.

“Me too. Ever since you told us about the app, I’ve been curious about it.” Sophia tells you. “I mean, how could I not be?”

“Well, shoot. I’m outvoted.” Emma says, honestly surprised. “Didn’t think I’d be this one-sided, but okay.” She nods, accepting the result.

“Alright, fine. I’ll tell you.” You take a deep breath. “It’s about a new trait that’s available since yesterday. I want to be clear, though. I still haven’t purchased it… AND I’m only saying this is what appeared, okay? I’m not… implying anything else.”

You swallow as you bring out your phone to read he exact message.

“Congratulations.” You read out loud. “You have reached a love score of 100 with five different people who equally reciprocate those feelings! That’s no small feat! There’s a new trait available for purchase in the love category.”

“Normalized Polygamy (600 Friendship Points / 600 Love Points / 600 Lust Points): The holder of this trait can bypass the law of a single marriage partner. They can marry as many people as they want and the unions will be legally recognized and even thought of as a normal exception to the rule by society. A reward for those who managed to create bonds that will not break!”

“Note: This trait requires all types of currency to purchase.”

You’re a little scared to look up from your phone when you’re done. There’s an eerie silence in the room that makes the sound of Emma sinking in her chair even louder.

For a full minute, no one talks. The first sign of acknowledgment to your words is Megan hugging you tightly from behind, pressing her whole lithe body against you as you manage to hear from her a faint giggle.

“That’s not real.” Mia speaks, turning to look at you with a goofy smile. “There’s no way that real.” She shakes her head, yet her excited tone betrays her words.

“N-Norma… Normalized Po-Po-Po….”

“Polygamy!?” An awestruck Emily finishes for the stammering Sophia.

In a sudden move, Emma stands up from her chair and slams her hands on her desk, looking at you dead in the eye.

“Don’t play with my feelings like this, David Walker!” She says, her lips quivering and curved into a small smile. “Is that… truly…?”

You give them an awkward smile. “I just… read what’s written here…”

“Oh my God…!” You watch as Emma’s eyes start to water. Megan’s hold on you tightens even more. Sophia slumps in her chair, covering her open mouth with her hand. Emily stands up, muttering incoherences to herself as she paces back and forth.

“C-Calm down, everyone.” Mia says as she takes off her glasses to wipe away her own tears. “W-We can’t get emotional. Not here and not now.” Again, the fact that she’s smiling as if you’d just proposed to her

…

Oh fuck. This totally sounds like a proposal.

“Dammit, David!” Sophia curses with a huge smile on her face and a few tears running down her cheeks. “You should’ve kept it a secret!”

“Oh, don’t you start.” You scoff, causing Megan to chuckle behind you.

“It’s true that this wasn’t quite the right time to tell us.” Mia chuckles, sobbing quietly. “God, I have English with you now. How am I supposed to teach that class now?”

Ugh. She’s right.

“Hey, I heard that right, didn’t I?” Megan asks, speaking loud enough for everyone to hear. “Not only can you… marry us all, but… it said your score with us was at 100.” She giggles excitedly.

“Yeah, it seems this thing is secretly keeping track of my own scores with other people.” You tell her, trying to sound calm despite the heat rushing to your face.

“I-I…” Emma starts, and her trembling voice makes everyone turn to her. “I know it’s not like you’re… proposing to us now.”

You swallow and hesitantly nod, noticing how Emily’s surprise turns into a pout and Mia sighs with a tired smile on her face, shaking her head at herself.

“But still! We could… Now we really can…!” Tears stream down Emma’s cheeks, even as she tries to hold them.

You bite your lip, feeling a tightness in your chest. You put your hands over Megan’s and gently ask her to release you, yet you hold her hand as she stands beside you.

“I’ve been thinking a lot. Way too much, maybe. Enough to give me a stomachache, that’s for sure.” You tell them. “There are… many things that are uncertain.” You chuckle. “It’s odd. When I think of marriage, I get dizzy, my stomach hurts, I get scared and, honestly, I was almost panicking on my way to school today. But… When I focus on just spending my days with you; waking up, making breakfast, watching a movie, hell, even arguing about the color of the living room curtains… I can’t help but feel a strange mix of excitement and peace.”

The tightness in your chest leaves the moment you see the girls smiling, a mix of relief and excitement for the future in their eyes. Mia opens her mouth to say something…

…but a knock on the door stops her.

Shit. You’re all a mess here. There’s people crying and smiling, not to mention 6 of you. It’ll be hard to explain this, and your mind can’t think of anything to say. Using your excuse for finals won’t work with all of you in this state.

Your eyes unconsciously search for Mia, who’s immediately wipes the last tears off her face and is soon in business mode. She nods firmly to you, wordlessly convening that you can rely on her.

“Emma, I’m coming in.”

…

…

…

…

The world freezes. How could it not, when the voice coming from behind the door is that of the headmistress Elena Hayes?

Megan flinches and lets go of your hand, afraid of anything that could happen if she saw you.

There’s not even time to share a glance with your teachers because the headmistress simply opens the door and shows herself in. She enters with such confidence and with such a powerful aura of authority that you 100% believe she owns every corner of this building.

For a single second, her image is replaced by that of your father, a vision that makes way too much sense considering recent revelations. The way they carry themselves is almost identical. How did you never notice that sooner?

Mrs. Hayes scowls when she sees the scene before her. Her eyes pierce coldly through everyone in the room. You try your best to look composed, but the cold sweat at the back of your neck makes you think that she can smell your fear.

Your gaze is locked on her, yet you can’t meet her eyes. You can’t even look at your girls to see their expressions, but you can feel Megan beside you almost shaking.

“What’s going on here? Why are there four students in a teacher’s office during lunch?” She asks, her demanding voice taking years off your lifespan with every word. The fact that her eyes are locked on you when she asks the question adds to it.

Your mind tries as best it can to come up with a solution, to come up with something to say. However, in the cold presence of the one person who could truly ruin everything you’ve built up, your mind goes blank.

“The students came to us for some personal advice.” You hear Mia speak behind you. “I apologize but telling you would be betraying theirs trust.”

You sense some sort of implication in those words. Something that the headmistress should understand, being an educator. You think you can understand, at least on a surface level. Mrs. Hayes has to accept that answer, because if a teaches loses the students’ trust and respect, there’s no easy way to get it back.

And obviously, she doesn’t like it, but does end up accepting it.

“Very well. However, do try to keep personal matters out of school business.”

Oh that’s rich. Your eye involuntarily twitches at her words, and the woman doesn’t miss it. She glares at you for less than a second before hiding it over a professional façade.

“Mr. Walker, I suppose it’s good you’re here. I need to speak to you and Ms. Campbell. The rest, please leave us alone.”

The headmistress’ eyes stay on you, even as Mia, Sophia, Megan and Emily walk past her to leave the room. When they’re behind her, they give you a worried look you wish you could relieve with a smile, but you can’t.

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What’s going on here?