by Sylv Chiang
The first two rounds go by fast. OMG keeps close and sinks Ylva’s canine teeth into my neck before I can get blocks up.
In the second game I keep my distance by sticking to Dragon Tail Supers, since I can swipe from farther away. On screen the girl goes flying every time my tail takes her out. We’re tied at a game each.
I take the first round in game three. Then that idiot ORevoir shows up to cheer on his teammate. Or, more accurately, to trash-talk me. He stands right behind me.
“Ha, miss,” he calls when I whiff an uppercut.
When my Dragon Tail Super is blocked, he yells, “You suck!” Real creative.
I could really use my friends right now, but they’re all watching Cali play. Again.
OMG takes the second round in game three. It’s all down to this last round.
I don’t let OMG trick me into getting too close. When my Super Meter is full I back dash. ORevoir calls, “Yeah, run away, baby.” He doesn’t know my plan. I act like I’m retreating, and from the very corner of the screen I throw Dragon Fire Super. Kaigo transforms into a dragon and swirls across the screen in a gray smoke tornado.
K.O.
ORevoir doesn’t have anything to say now.
Cali won her next match too, and the one after that.
“You should have seen her, J. She’s on fire,” Devesh gushes when we meet up again.
“Well, she played Saki, so technically she’s on ice . . . ,” Hugh says. We’re sitting on some lounge chairs in the hallway outside the banquet hall, chilling before our next matches. I’m hugging my backpack with the controller in it. Every time one of the double doors opens the energy and noise from the room spills out to us.
“Great!” I don’t mention how close I just came to losing.
Cali’s fiddling with her gamepad. She doesn’t even look my way. Is she freezing me out? What’s her problem?
“Is that guy who was bugging you here?” I say, partly because I’m curious and partly because I’m annoyed with her.
She throws me a cold stare.
“What guy?” Devesh asks.
Ugh, now he’s going to go all poor Cali, I’ll take care of you.
“It’s nothing. Right, Jaden? You said it’s not a big deal.” Her eyes are as icy as Saki’s.
“What are you talking about?” Hugh asks.
Now I have to tell them, because she’s not going to. “There’s this guy who’s been trolling her online and trying to get her to rematch.”
If she could, Cali would throw ice daggers at me right now.
“Is he here?” Devesh asks.
When we all stare at her long enough she finally answers. “Yeah. I saw him listed in another pool.”
“We’ll stay with you, just in case,” Devesh says.
“I can take care of myself,” Cali says, and she storms off.
“What’s wrong with her?” Hugh asks.
“Girls,” Devesh says.
“Shut up, Devesh,” I say. I don’t even know who I’m mad at now. All I know is that things were a lot easier before everyone started pointing out that Cali is a girl. I wish we could go back to when she was just Cali.
Melanie rushes in from the main lobby. Her and Roy have been missing in action since breakfast. She’s out of breath, like she’s been running to find me. I think she’s coming to yell at me about Cali, but instead, she pushes her phone in my face. “It’s Mom.”
“Again?” I bet Yuudai Sato’s mom doesn’t call him when he’s at tournaments. I put the phone to my ear. “Wei?”
“Er zi, how are you?”
“I’m fine, Ma ma.” We already talked twice last night and once this morning. “Didn’t jie jie tell you I’m fine?”
“Yes. I’m just worried. How is Cali?”
“She’s great,” I lie. “She’s playing in the tournament too.”
“What? Be careful she doesn’t beat you again.”
OMG. Is there anyone on this planet who doesn’t know? “Funny, Ma ma. I have to go. Here’s jie jie.”
Melanie waves me off.
I cover the phone and whisper. “You want me to tell her who else is here?”
She grabs the phone out of my hand and stomps away.
I turn back to my friends. “So, Roy’s staying with you guys?”
“Yeah. I told my uncle I was coming with two friends anyway, so he’s your replacement. Roy’s cool. Did you know he meditates?”
“What?”
“Yeah, last night he taught us. We all stared at a candle and tried to think about nothing but the flame.”
“Think of nothing?” I chuckle. “That’s easy for you guys.”
“Sounds easy, but it’s not.” Hugh is super serious. “Then, after, I slept so good. You should try it.”
“I don’t think it will work with a baby crying all night long,” I say.
“And this morning he made us do this gratitude thing where we can’t get up until we spend two minutes thinking about someone we’re grateful for,” Hugh says.
“Are you serious? Who’d you think about?” I ask.
“My dad.”
Devesh jumps in. “And I’m pretty sure Roy was thinking about your sister.”
“Eww, gross! Shut up!”
I don’t ask who Devesh thought about.
It’s like Devesh and Hugh disappear whenever I have a match. Even after Cali told us off, they still watch her matches instead of mine. I look around for them before I start and after, but during battles I have to keep my focus. I win my fourth match easily, even without any support. I worry when my fifth match is against the other O team player,OhOh, but it turns out I don’t need to. The guy keeps yawning and makes some really stupid mistakes.
I don’t know how anyone could be yawning here. The room has so much hype—this power that flows from station to station and game to game, and it’s keeping me fueled. Even though I hardly slept last night, I’m so wired from all the energy flowing around me that I’m the most awake I’ve ever been. Now that I’ve got my controller back and put those two Os behind me, I’m invincible!
And hungry.
I pack the controller in my backpack, strap it on, and look around again for Devesh and Hugh. I find them wandering in the lobby. I don’t ask how Cali did.
Hugh tells me anyways. “You should have seen it, J. She won big time against this girl. She was like, ‘Take that, sister,’ and Saki went all Yeti-Yeti-bang-bang on Wendo.”
“I think she’s actually the best girl player here,” Devesh says.
“She is.” Hugh pulls out a piece of paper where he’s been scribbling the results of matches. “She’s the only undefeated girl so far.”
“She’s undefeated?”
“Just like you!” Hugh says.
“You nervous about playing her?” Devesh asks.
That will only happen if she makes Top 16. Is that even possible? Maybe—she’s in an easy pool. I don’t have time to think about it anymore, because Mel comes out of nowhere, grabs my hand, and pulls. “Come. I found the guy. He’s playing at station seven.”
“What guy?” Hugh asks.
But I already know who she’s talking about.
Chapter 17
When we get to station seven, I see a skinny Filipino man who is older than my dad. “Oh, gross.” I’m starting to get why Melanie is so freaked out.
“Not him,” Melanie says. “The other guy, with the blue hair.”
I laugh. “Try again, Nancy Drew. That’s Sage. He’s on my team.”
“His gamertag is ShoMe, exactly like the guy who sent all those messages.”
This is too weird. “But that guy said he’s from Montreal.”
“Not exactly. He said he’s in Montreal now, probably for this tournament.” Melanie is losing it. “Imagine how weird it is
for her to be here with this guy, after all those creepy things he wrote.”
I think back to when we were all watching Chung-Key play ORevoir. What did Sage say to Cali? I’ll keep my eye on you, pretty lady. Is that creepy? Does he know she’s the person he’s been messaging?
Roy and Cali come and join us from where they were standing, off to the side. She does look freaked out, probably because Melanie is putting crazy ideas into her head. “You’ve got it wrong, Mel. He’s a nice guy.” And a good player. He’s decimating his opponent. When the match ends, Sage shakes the guy’s hand and comes over to us.
“How’s it going, She-Star?” He clasps my hand and pulls me in for a bro hug. “Any losses yet?”
“Nah. You?” I ask. Maybe if I show them that he’s a normal guy, Melanie will stop freaking the freak out.
“Only wins for me.” He turns to Cali. “And you’re still undefeated? Nice! Can’t wait to play you next round.” She doesn’t meet his eyes or answer. Has he been watching her? How does he know she’s undefeated?
“Don’t worry, I won’t bite. Anyways, I know you already have a boyfriend, right, She-Star?”
I don’t know what to say so I just smile awkwardly.
“Let’s go to the hotel restaurant,” Sage says. “Business lunch. I’ll give you guys the scoop on some of your next competitors.”
Roy jumps in. “No thanks. We’re going to Mr. Burger down the street.”
“They’ve got burgers at Chez Antoine,” Sage says.
Melanie gives Sage a dirty look. “We have plans.” She takes my hand and Cali’s, like we’re little kids.
I pull my hand back. Melanie and Cali walk away with Devesh following, as usual.
“You coming?” Roy asks.
“Free burgers?” Hugh gives a nervous chuckle. “Of course we’re coming, right J?”
I know they all want me to come so that Melanie and Cali don’t get mad. But Sage has been to a bunch of tournaments and he’s willing to help me out. This is a major opportunity. He could give me advice that will make the difference between winning and losing. Maybe he says some stupid things to girls, but he’s only ever been nice to me. “Nah, you guys go ahead. I’m gonna eat with Sage.”
“Tournament play is not like playing at home,” Sage explains while we’re waiting for our burgers. “You need to adapt to your opponent’s style.”
I try to concentrate on what he’s saying, but Melanie’s got me so angry. It’s all her fault that Cali’s mad at me now. Melanie’s got her all freaked out over nothing. She doesn’t even know Sage. I can’t believe she said Cali should call the police. That’s stupid. He’s a good guy. Here he is taking the time to help me out.
“For example, you’re playing MrWinDoh next. He’s hard to beat. He’s a turtle. Stays on the defensive and tries to take as little damage as possible. Just waits for you to make a mistake so he can strike. You need to play defensive too or you’ll be an easy target.”
I don’t care what Melanie thinks. She’s an idiot. What is bugging me is the fact that Roy is taking her side. I can usually count on Roy. Why was he trying to get me to stay away from Sage? I mean, there was that comment about SaltyPeppa’s legs this morning. But that was just a compliment. He was saying she’s pretty, right? But what about when he said that Cali was hot? Was that a compliment too? Sage is eighteen, like Roy. Does that make it creepy? Roy’s probably just taking Melanie’s side because she’s his girlfriend and he has to do what she says. The more I think about it, the more I think having a girlfriend is overrated.
Sage is still talking. “Now the O team, they mostly rely on rushdown. To survive, you need to stay calm. Don’t panic and button mash like they want you to. Stand your ground and frustrate them by blocking.”
I hope I remember some of this when I need it.
I wonder what Josh would think of Sage. Josh and Melanie are twins, but they don’t agree on anything. Would he like Sage? He’s lucky there are no girls on his sports teams to complicate things.
We spy Chung-Key and Kyle at the entrance to the restaurant. Sage waves them over.
Kyle’s all smiles as usual, and Chung-Key is his opposite. I didn’t know eyes could frown, but his perma-frown now has two matching mini-frowns above it.
Sage puts his arm on Chung-Key’s shoulder. “Chris, man, let it go. You’re stressing everyone out.”
Chung-Key swipes the arm away.
“Ignore him,” Kyle tells us. “It’s only one match. He’ll still make it through.”
“I was giving She-Star the lowdown on some opponents,” Sage says.
Chung-Key looks up. I swear even his nose is frowning. “You’d better not teach him how to beat me.”
When I get to my station, there’s no sign of Hugh and Devesh. Instead, the same OG Cali played in her first match is sitting there. Must be a mistake. “I’m looking for MrWinDoh.”
“That’s me,” he replies. “Waiting for JStar. That you?”
“Yeah. It’s just . . . I’m confused. You played my friend in the first match, a girl my age. But she’s in a different pool.”
“Imperio?”
“No, HermIone. Or VoldemorT?”
“My first game was against a young girl, all right. She beat my a— um . . . butt too. But her tag was Imperio.”
What the . . . ? Imperio is my next and last game. That’s Cali? She’s using another tag?
The guy mumbles as he selects his character, Cantu. “Didn’t drive all the way up here from Boston to get kicked out by kids. If I lose this one, I’m gonna retire from this sport.”
All through our match, I’m doing mental back dashes. Cali was in my pool this whole time? But she keeps winning. And Kyle even said this was not an easy pool.
Fortunately, I remember some of what Sage told me about this guy. He really is a turtle! All defense, only ever attacking when he has a sure hit. I play a highly defensive game and pull off a victory; my usual tactics would have left me exposed.
I can’t believe Cali beat this guy in her first-ever tournament game.
“I hope you don’t retire, sir,” I say as we shake hands. “You’re a beast.”
As I walk away, Devesh and Hugh rush up to me. I haven’t seen them since before lunch and I’m kind of pissed. They’re supposed to be my friends, but they’ve been watching all of Cali’s matches instead of mine. They’re totally taking her side in this.
“Why didn’t you guys tell me Cali is Imperio?” My Kaigo side roars at them.
“You didn’t know?” Hugh asks.
“No. She always uses Harry Potter names.”
“It is from Harry Potter. Remember the Imperio curse?” Hugh says with a dopey smile. “The one for mind control?”
Makes sense. She’s been playing mind games with me all day.
“Listen, man, I’ve got an idea.” Devesh looks around, then whispers, “You should throw this match.”
Chapter 18
“You’re messed up.” I start to walk away, but Hugh calls me back.
“Dude, hear him out.”
“Think about it,” Devesh says. “What happens if you lose this match?”
“Um, I lose my perfect record for the day.”
“Okay, but you still move on, right?” Hugh says.
“Depends if the O guys lost to anyone else besides me.”
Hugh whips out his paper. “OhOh lost to Cali and OMG, so he’s out.”
What? Cali beat an O? I know the guy was tired, but still. That’s impressive.
“And OMG lost to MrWinDoh.”
“Then I’ll make Top 16 either way, but . . .”
“Exactly!” Devesh’s monobrow is halfway up his forehead. “But if Cali loses, she’s out. She’d be tied with OMG, but he’ll move on because he won their matchup.”
Looks like Cali’s not the only on
e playing mind games today. Now she’s got Devesh helping her. “You want me to let her win? You are so desperate. Following her around all day, telling her she’s amazing. You think she’s going to fall in love with you if you rig the tournament for her?”
“Shut up, dude.” Hugh’s eyes are squinty-angry behind his glasses. “Are you trying to lose all your friends today?”
I freeze. What’s going on? Hugh always agrees with me.
“Dude, we’re trying to help you,” Hugh says. “I told Devesh that Cali’s your girlfriend.”
“You what?” I say. “Why’d you say that?”
“Isn’t she? You didn’t deny it when I told Flash and Ty, so I just figured . . .”
“It’s so obvious,” Devesh says. “Anyways, we’ve been trying to look out for her since you’re busy playing matches.”
I’m so confused. Is Cali my girlfriend? I think back to everything that happened today. Maybe Devesh wasn’t hitting on Cali. Was I just imagining it? Am I jealous? Is this what having a girlfriend is like?
Hugh says, “We can tell she’s mad at you about something.”
“So, if you let her win and make Top 16 with you, she can’t be mad anymore,” Devesh says.
“She’ll see how much you care about her—enough to sacrifice. You’ll be the hero.”
I’m not sure about that last part, but the rest actually makes sense. “This was your idea?” I ask Devesh.
He nods.
“You know I’ll get DQ’d if anyone finds out.”
“No one will know. She beat you before, so it’s not impossible.”
He had to say it again. But, he’s got a point. This plan could actually fix my problems with Cali. I should have known that my friends always have my back.
A guy in a yellow STAFF shirt carrying a clipboard comes up to us. “JStar? I need you to come with me.”
Oh no! We stare at each other as we follow him. Is this place bugged? I can’t believe I’m being DQ’d for fixing a match. What will Kyle say?
