I am the Worlds Greatest Entertainer

Chapter 34: Getting a car 

After test driving four different cars, I finally found the one that felt right. I was seated behind the wheel of an Audi A5 Coupe, the engine humming gently, the interior crisp and clean. Beside me, Dylan was losing his mind.

"Dude. My God. This is so nice—you should totally get it. You should already be getting it," he said, practically bouncing in his seat.

I laughed a little. He was acting like he was the one buying the car. Maybe it was just excitement—for me, for the moment, or maybe for the idea of a friend leveling up. Whatever the reason, it was nice to have that kind of energy around.

The sales rep, who had been nothing but patient all morning, approached my window and leaned in slightly.

"So, Mr. Harper," he said with a polite smile, "what do you think? Do you like the Audi?"

"I do," I replied, nodding. "Do you have this in black?"

"We can absolutely get that sorted for you today," he said without hesitation. "And the price will be right around thirty-six thousand."

"Perfect," I told him. "I'll take it."

He nodded and walked back toward the dealership office to get the paperwork started.

Dylan and I stepped out of the car, and Crystal walked over with a knowing smile. "So, you've decided on the Audi?"

"I have," I confirmed.

"Told you you'd love it," she said, stepping a little closer to me. I noticed the subtle movement—like she wanted to hug me or lean in—but she pulled back slightly when she remembered Tyler and Linden were still nearby. We were still keeping things quiet around others, even though Dylan already knew.

"Audi's not a bad choice for your first car," Linden said, stepping closer. He and Tyler had been checking out a few models nearby while I made my decision.

As I watched them banter, an idea hit me. I turned and jogged back over to the sales rep just as he was about to head inside.

"Quick question," I said. "Would I get a discount if I bought two cars at once?"

He blinked, surprised. "Two?"

"Yeah. Same model. One black for me, and one silver to be delivered to another address—in about two weeks."

"I can check with my manager," he said, already intrigued. "What price were you thinking?"

"Seventy thousand flat for both."

He hesitated for just a moment. "Let me talk to the manager, but I think that's doable."

I nodded, already knowing I had some leverage. If they weren't rejecting the offer immediately, it meant they were at least considering it. That was a win.

I'd just hit 10,000 subscribers earlier this week—a small milestone, sure, but it felt big. I'd already applied for monetization, though I knew it could take a couple weeks to get approved. That part was out of my hands. But once it cleared, I'd start earning something. It wouldn't be much—especially compared to what people would make years from now—but it would add up.

The smarter financial decision would've been to save every cent and put it toward the upcoming Champions League final, but I wasn't paying seventy grand outright. The dealership had me on a five-year plan. I'd only be putting ten thousand down today. The rest could wait.

Besides, this second Audi wasn't even for me.

As I walked back toward the group, I caught Crystal looking at me. She raised an eyebrow, curious. "Why were you talking to the sales rep again?"

I shrugged, then smiled. "It's my dad's birthday in two weeks. I figured I'd surprise him with a new car. He's still driving this old clunker that breaks down every few months."

Crystal's eyes softened. "That's actually really sweet. Not a lot of people think about their parents like that."

"Well," I said, "they were there for me at my lowest. I'm gonna be there for them as they get older."

She looked at me then—really looked at me. It wasn't pity, or admiration, exactly. It was something quieter, more genuine.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

She smiled faintly. "It's my turn. You were just looking at me weird earlier."

I laughed. "Fair."

She hesitated, then said, "I'm just learning more and more about you every day. And I like the person you are."

After we finished signing all the paperwork, the sales rep gave me a firm handshake, walked off, and returned a few minutes later with the keys in hand. "She's all yours, Mr. Harper," he said, handing them over with a smile.

I didn't waste any time. The sleek black Audi A5 Coupe was waiting for me outside, gleaming in the sunlight like it had already accepted me as its owner. I slid into the driver's seat and felt the difference instantly—the subtle give of the leather, the balanced weight of the steering wheel, the soft purr of the engine humming with anticipation. Dylan climbed in beside me, barely containing his excitement.

Linden had driven both himself and Tyler to the dealership, and Crystal had taken her own car, which she'd originally used to pick up Dylan. Technically, Dylan already owned a car too—he was twenty after all—but it was in the shop for servicing, which is why he'd needed the ride in the first place.

"Oh my God," Dylan said, practically pressing himself into the seat like he was in a theme park ride. "This is amazing. You're seriously making me consider getting one myself."

I couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm. "You better not get the same color. We'll look like a YouTube duo trying to match on purpose."

He grinned. "No promises."

I gave the steering wheel a firm grip and adjusted my mirrors. "Alright," I said, already starting to feel the adrenaline creep in, "how about we take this bad boy out and test the engine a little?"

The dealership lot disappeared behind us as I pulled out onto the main road. A long, open stretch of suburban highway greeted us ahead, framed by trees on either side and free of traffic this time of day. It was the perfect setting for a first real drive.

Back in my previous life—when I'd lived in London and was making hundreds of thousands of pounds a year, maybe even close to a million—I had never once considered buying a car. I didn't need to. I lived close to everything, and anything outside that radius could be reached by train or cab. Work reimbursed your travel for social events, and if you stayed out late enough, they'd even cover your trip home. Everything was structured, logical, efficient. Even your taxi fare could be written off to the client.

That was just the way the world worked—especially when you were playing the corporate game.

I'd earned all that money, yet rarely spent it on anything that made me feel like I was enjoying life. Every expense was calculated, every decision filtered through what made sense for productivity, for image, for return. It was functional living, not joyful living.

But now, in this new life, I finally had room to enjoy what I had. I wasn't beholden to a corporate budget or client invoice. I wasn't following someone else's system.

I stepped on the gas as we cleared the last residential zone and the road opened up.

The Audi surged forward with a low, clean roar. Not aggressive. Just powerful. Controlled. I grinned instinctively as the acceleration kicked in, the engine responding like it had been waiting for me to stop being careful.

"Ohhhh yes!" Dylan shouted beside me, laughing like we were kids riding a rollercoaster.

The wind filtered in through the slightly cracked windows, the scent of warm pavement and pine trees riding the current. The moment felt simple and earned—like I was no longer just collecting things, but finally experiencing them.

I let the car cruise for a while before easing off the pedal and glancing over at Dylan.

"Worth it?" I asked.

He nodded, still grinning. "Absolutely. You're officially the coolest guy in the group now. Until I get mine."

I chuckled. "Then I better enjoy it while it lasts."

Since I was already enjoying the drive, I didn't bother taking the long way back. I reached the Teen Wolf set earlier than anyone else. 

Tomorrow was a full workday again—an early start with a couple of scenes scheduled for the morning—so I figured it wouldn't hurt to settle in and get myself organized ahead of time.

Linden and Tyler pulled in a little later, their usual easygoing energy filling the parking lot. Crystal showed up not long after them, and Dylan had already returned to his trailer.

 Something about needing to read the latest chapters of Lord of the Mysteries. I had pre-scheduled the release last night, knowing I wouldn't have the time to do it manually today.

The number of times that man had asked me for spoilers was unbelievable. It didn't matter how many times I said no—he always found new ways to try and bait information out of me. 

Sometimes he'd pretend he'd already read something just to see how I reacted. Other times he'd throw out wildly incorrect theories hoping I'd accidentally confirm or deny one of them.

It was almost like my former life as a lawyer had trained me specifically for this moment—carefully wording my responses, dodging spoilers with the precision of someone cross-examining an aggressive witness. 

I'd gotten good at it too.

Eventually, I made my way back to my trailer, stretched out for a moment, then opened my laptop. I figured I'd spend some time researching future investments. I wasn't planning to throw money around just yet, but it didn't hurt to stay informed.

I had just started reading through a breakdown of historical odds and match outcomes when the door to my trailer creaked open and Crystal stepped in.

"Thanks for waiting for me," she said, her tone dry, a little sarcastic.

Before I could even respond, she crossed the space and dropped onto the couch beside me—actually, more like on me. Her head landed softly on my lap, something we'd never done before. It caught me off guard for a second, but not in a bad way. It just felt... natural.

I quietly moved my laptop to the coffee table and let my hand run through her curls, watching as her breathing slowed and she started to relax.

She let out a quiet sigh. "Everything's fine."

I almost smiled at that. I might not have been the best boyfriend—or even officially her boyfriend—but I'd been around long enough to know that when a woman says "everything's fine," it rarely is. 

If this world had Grab or some late-night food delivery app, I'd have ordered us something without a second thought. Usually, food helps in situations like this.

 Luckily, the set always stocked snacks and meals for the cast and crew who worked late. Even though we were supposed to stick to relatively healthy options, there were plenty of low-calorie choices we could ask for if needed.

Before I could even suggest heading out to grab something, Crystal had already drifted off. Her shoulders softened, her breathing evened out, and within a couple of minutes, she was fast asleep.

I let out a small laugh under my breath, brushing her hair away from her face. "I guess you're staying over, huh?" I mumbled.

It was kind of strange that the first time she stayed over happened like this—completely unplanned, quiet, wrapped in this moment where neither of us had said much. 

But it didn't feel wrong. It felt like something that had been building, slowly, silently.

I shifted slightly and gently picked her up. Thanks to the enhanced strength the system had given me, it was effortless. 

She was light and peaceful in my arms. I moved her over to the bed tucked in the back corner of the trailer and laid her down carefully.

I turned back toward the coffee table, intending to grab my laptop again and maybe finish my research before sleeping. But the moment I tried to pull away, Crystal stirred, shifting slightly. 

Her brows twitched. Not enough to wake up—but enough to know she felt my absence.

I paused.

Then slowly eased myself back down beside her.

The moment my arm returned around her waist, she settled again—completely still.

I chuckled softly to myself.

"Well," I whispered, "I guess I'm not going anywhere."

…

Authors note:

You can read some chapters ahead if you want to on my p#treon.com/Fat_Cultivator