I heard a cough from beside me which startled me and made me press the publish button, realizing what I just did made a chill run down my spine, I turned to look at the culprit that coughed and my crush was staring straight at me.

My jaw pulled tight as I stared him down, although I like him, at least let me contemplate whether or not to upload my damn novel, please!!!

Feeling the need to relieve my stress I rolled my eyes and started rubbing my temples. A few minutes passed and the bell rang. From outside in the corridor, a loud yell came, “Callum Stride, you bitch!!!”

Sighing inwardly, I looked up at the entrance of the computer lab’s door and in walked the one that sullied my name. The teacher in charge looked at her and asked, “Was it you who swore now?”

Blinking her eyes at him innocently, Chelsea asked, “Did someone swear?”

The class of seniors laughed under their breaths, I mean like, even a monkey can hear that it was her who yelled out.

After shooing her away, she scanned the computer lab and locked her gaze onto me, “Callum you traitor!!!” she said as she made her way to me.

I looked up at her and she grinned, she knew that the one beside me was my crush, he and his best friend were looking at us.

Chelsea slammed a flyer down on the desk and said, “There’s a competition coming up, let's enter.”

Looking down at the flyer she placed down, it was the annual competition that our school hosted, she wanted to enter last year but didn't because I refused her invitation, then making me promise that we’d enter this year's competition and hopefully place in the top three.

Fixing my glasses, I looked up at her then turned my head to face the computer screen, “I refuse,” I answered her simply. She began nagging me about our promise making the guilt well up in my chest.

Giving her a side glance I said, “Ask me again when I'm in a good mood, then maybe I’ll say yes.” She stood upright and folded her arms, “What happened?” she asked with concern in her tone.

“I uploaded the first chapter of Tales of Lore and Lies,” I answered with no effort in speaking up which made her strain her hearing.

Running her tongue across her teeth she asked, “Isn’t that a good thing?” I pulled my chair away from the desk, folded my arms as I looked up at her, “Would it be a good thing if I was in a bad mood?”

She seated her fat ass down on my thigh and wrapped her arms around me while she grinned, “Oh but my love, now we can finally know how much people love the work you come up with and I doubt you won’t get any readers, even I loved your book and I don't like reading.”

I couldn’t help but smile at her words of encouragement, she doesn't like reading but still took the time to read my book. From the side, I could see that our conversation was irritating the seniors especially Chelsea’s loud voice.

We were soon kicked out and headed home. Saying goodbye to one another we separated once again.

*

I decided to upload a chapter each day because the word count almost reached five thousand for each chapter and I did not want to bombard my readers with so many words in case they would get bored.

So far, the comments are positive and I already have two reviews on my book, one being a full 5-star review with a positive reaction and the second being a 3.4-star review.

I can honestly say that I am proud of myself for releasing my novel that I have been working on for four years. I am even considering to write about before my novel with the dark title, “Blood Lust.”

It's been ten days and ten chapters are already up. What I noticed in the comments section besides Chelsea’s username professing her love for me was this one who gave me the 3.4-star review.

His username is Chris and he is so harsh but reading his comments about my book and the debates between him and several other readers are interesting.

He makes valid points in which I choose to use while writing my next book because it would be a hassle to edit five hundred chapters with of 5k plus words each. 

Sometimes Chris and I end up chatting in the comments which annoy the other readers because it seemed as though we were getting too involved with one another. I don't mind but then too, I don't want my readers to feel annoyed by me. Chris on the other hand well, you can see that he doesn't give a damn about what the others think.

This site luckily has an option that allows the readers and authors to privately chat through their discord or well it’s mostly for us all to interact with one another. I decided to join it because I felt bored during the weekend.

I joined this site's discord and not even a few seconds passed when I got bombarded with greeting messages from the members and I became overwhelmed.

Five minutes into me thanking everyone for the welcome I found out that many are my readers and they started going at it overwhelming me once again to the point where I couldn't reply to anyone of their messages.

Ten minutes passed and I still never answered them replying with a "walks away" And I regret it because then they started inboxing me. This way I could answer them all, addressing their concerns while at the same time not spoiling my book for them.

A few of the other authors sent me messages too and we got along, they told me that there is a channel that only authors have access too. Assuring them that I would join their conversations too.

While answering my reader's messages, I came to a message that threatened me, "If you don't upload the next chapter within the next few hours, I will stop reading Tales of Lore and Lies."

Ah, this message. I've seen it before. Looking at the username it was "Chris." My user is "Strider" playing on my surname in other words. 

Strider, "Why must you always threaten my poor soul?"

Chris, "Bullying you is my duty."

Strider, "No shit!"

Chris, "And here I thought you were well mannered."

Strider, "Looks can be deceiving."

Chris, "I haven't seen you so I wouldn't know."

Strider, "..."

Chris, "..."

Strider, "Ask me nicely then I might just do it."

Chris, "Please your highness, allow this lowly one to read the lovely work that you produce with that ever so eager brain and beautiful fingers of yours."

Strider, "Rise and Fall."

Chris, "Huh?"

Uploading Chapter Rise and Fall...

I did as promised by releasing a new chapter even though I already released one today. It's not him trust me, I just don't think that I could spend five hundred days uploading my book, I'm thinking of releasing bonus chapters over the weekend, maybe twenty chapters a week, I don't know, I'll have to ask first.

Chris, "Oh"

Chris, "Thanks."

Strider, "Anytime."
~~~
I went to get supper started as I am the only one who thinks that waiting for my mother to get home later than start cooking is too harsh since she works for a company that just knows about abusing people but what can I say.