Level Me Up (Gamer Boy #1)

by Lauren Helms

  Ruby looks up from her phone and with a slightly guilty look on her face, she says, "Ok, so don't be mad, but there may have been a little miscommunication, and…well…Dex is here."

  "We can leave, Morgan," adds Gia, quickly.

  Everything in the room seems to stand still as I process this information. Dex. Is. Here. Right now.

  And then without warning, a bubble of laughter bursts from my mouth. It's the first time I've really laughed in weeks, and it feels good, even if it is alcohol induced.

  "Morgan?" Ruby asks, confused.

  I'm nearly doubled over in laughter. When I say, "I mean, this is totally ironic isn't it? You guys drag me out of the house for the first time in weeks to help me get over him, and then an hour into your ‘Get Morgan over Dex plan,’ he shows up?" I'm starting to get the hiccups now, from laughing so hard. "Thank goodness I'm tipsy!" I say as I finish off the last of my drink.

  All three of them are still staring, dumbfounded at me. Which I find hilarious, as I continue to giggle uncontrollably. "Seriously, you guys, it’s fine. Shit happens."

  "I think this is my fault," says Bernie. "I didn't tell the guys who I was going out with tonight, just that I was coming here."

  "Well Link asked me what I was doing tonight, and I told him we were coming here. I had no idea that they would show up," Ruby adds, with regret. “I didn’t realize those guys were so clueless. You’d think they’d put two and two together and realize we’d all be here.

  "Look, I'll just go up to the bar and get another drink. They can all come over and say hi, and then when they leave, I'll come back. Sound like a plan, Stan? Well, more like Stans, since there is more than one of you," I giggle, then hiccup.

  "No, Morgan, they aren’t going to come over here, so don't…"

  Bernie says, but I cut her off with the slurred, “Ohhh nooo worries” as I stand up and sway a bit.

  "No, no. I want you guys to see your friends. I really need a drink." I regain my balance quickly, then head towards the bar. I ignore their protests and keep walking.

  I pretty much forced them to become friends with Dex and his group. It's not fair for me to expect them to stop being friends. That would be a total bitch move on my part, and I'm not a bitch. I was a bitch to Dex, though when I broke up with him. Ugh.

  I order another drink. It's been a long time since I drank this much, but if there was ever a night to get drunk, tonight is the night. I peer over my shoulder to see if the table has been inhabited by gamer boys, and sure enough, it has been, but all I can see is Link and Simon. Good. It’s for the better that I don’t see him.

  "We need to stop meeting like this," says an unfamiliar, male voice to my right. I adjust my gaze and see the same guy who bumped me at the bar earlier. I smile because he seems nice.

  "Yeah, considering this is such an unusual place to gather." I can do this. I can converse with a member of the opposite sex like it’s no big deal.

  "Can I buy you a drink?" Bar Guy asks.

  I point to my almost full drink. "I already have one." Hiccup.

  "Ah, well, I can wait. You'll need another sooner or later, right?" he says with a confident smile.

  Yeah, we'll see about that, Bar Guy. He cocks his head and grins, "You're funny. I like that." Ack! I must have said that out loud. To be safe, I just smile and take a drink. Bar Guy starts talking and introduces himself, but I don’t catch his name. He's talking, and I'm nodding like I'm listening, but really, he sounds like he's from a Peanuts cartoon. All I hear is Mwa-Mwa-Mwas. Before I know it, though, my drink is empty. I can no longer feel the burn of alcohol, so I should probably be done for the night.

  Bar Guy notices at the same time and leans in. "Can I buy you that drink now?" he asks, in a flirty tone.

  "Eh, no thank you. I'm done for the night."

  He places his hand on my arm and says again, "C’mon sweetheart, let me buy you a drink. We can go find a table and talk some more."

  I look down at his hand and am just about to say no, again, when from behind me, I hear, "She said no," in an all-too familiar voice.

  I close my eyes and say, "It’s ok. He was just leaving, and I'm heading back to my table." I look Bar Guy in the face and say, "Please move your hand."

  He drops his hand immediately, and looks behind me at Dex and says, "Sorry man, I didn't realize she was taken." Then he starts to slink away.

  "I'm not taken," I yell after him, sway a bit from the force of my voice. Oh, damn, I’m drunk. I need to stop this madness before I make any more of a scene.

  With a mental push, I quickly turn around on the stool to face him, immediately pretending the move didn’t throw off my balance as much as it did. I look up into that handsome face and simultaneously the butterflies that I thought had died weeks ago flutter to life and anger boils in my blood. "I had it under control, thank you."

  "Yeah, looked like it," he says with a similar tone of annoyance.

  "Excuse me," I say as I stand up and then almost fall down. His hands jut out and balance me; one hand on my arm and the other on my waist. Damn it.

  "I'm fine. I'm fine," I say and brush off his hands.

  He says something unintelligible as his hands drop to his sides. I push past him and walk toward the restrooms. Hopefully, that will give him enough time to leave, or at least be out of sight by the time I get out.

  I'm standing in front of the sink looking at my drunk self in the mirror when Gia comes in. A look of relief washes over her face.

  "What, did you think I fell in?" I say with a laugh.

  "You've been in here for like fifteen minutes. We were getting worried." I give her a questioning look when she admits, "Ruby, Bernie, and I were getting worried. He left."

  I let out a deep breath. Good. I didn't want to face him again, especially not like this.

  "I, uh…we saw what happened."

  I grip the edge of the sink and lean into it, "Yeah? Well, I started our relationship looking like a fool, only fitting that I look like one weeks after we break up.” I picked a wonderful time to have three too many drinks.

  "Morgan, I've tried not to push you, but I think you need to talk to Dex. Really talk to him, try to work things out."

  I'm still looking at her in the mirror when I turn to her. "What?"

  "I think…I think you need to take a long hard look at your relationship with Dex. Look at the person you became when you were with him and now, the person you have become now that he isn't in your life." She's lost her usual I know what's best for you tone and almost seems nervous.

  "Why are you saying this? Now? And I'm really not thrilled you're telling me that I became a different person when I had a boyfriend, and now I'm not as cool without him," I snap back at her.

  A flash of anger crosses her eyes when she says, "No, what I'm saying is that you were the happiest I've ever seen you when you were with Dex. And now, now you are like this shadow of the person you used to be before him."

  I hate that what she is saying is ringing true in my head, but I shake it off. "We are not having this conversation in a disgusting bar restroom, and I'm definitely not having it while I'm still drunk." I walk past her and exit the restroom. She sighs from behind me but follows. I head straight for the table where Ruby and Bernie still sit.

  "Well girls, I hate to be a party-pooper, but I need to call it a night." I gather my purse and head for the door. I suck in a deep breath of fresh air as soon as I step foot outside.

  The three of them are behind me, and Ruby and Gia are already hailing cabs. Bernie and Ruby decide to share one since they are going in the opposite direction, and Gia and I get the other one. Gia surprises me by being quiet the whole way home.

  She still doesn’t say much as we enter our apartment, and I head to my room. I mutter a good night, and I don’t hear her reply.

  The next morning, I have a killer hangover. And I was a bitch to Gia last night, and she didn’t deserve it.

  I take a long shower, and once I'm dressed I he
ad out to the living room preparing to apologize. She startles me as I come out of my room because she is standing in the doorway of her room waiting for me. Before I can say anything she says, "I'm sorry I was a bitch last night. It's just that I need you to be happy, and Dex makes you happy. I could tell from last night that he still has feelings for you. I just need you to realize you still have feelings for him too."

  Stunned by her apology and confession, I just stare at her. My head is trying to process everything that just came from her mouth, but I've got a pounding headache. I shake my head, "Ok, I have to get some Advil."

  She nods and follows me to the kitchen. As I bang around trying to gather the medicine, a cup and then water, she heaves herself up onto the counter and waits for me to reply.

  I turn to her, leaning on the counter on the opposite side and sigh. "One, I was the bitch who bit your head off. Two, you're right, I'm not happy. And three, you think he still has feelings for me? I don’t know why he would." The thought that he might still have feelings for me makes the nerves in my belly tingle, but I need to reel it in because it doesn't matter.

  "I deserved your bite, and he most definitely still wants you. The guys came over to the table after you left, and when he realized you weren't there, he started to look a bit uneasy. We told him you excused yourself to the bar, and I swear if he didn't pinpoint your whereabouts within seconds. Then when it became obvious that that guy was chatting with you, he stopped paying attention to us altogether and just looked pissed. I don't know what he saw, but he left the table, and before we knew it, he was stepping in at the bar. What happened?"

  "Bar Guy just wanted to buy me a drink, but I told him no. He didn't take the hint at first, but did after Dex showed up." Huh. He was being all protective and concerned, but that didn't mean he still had feelings for me. Even so, it doesn’t matter…does it?

  "Ah. He just looked frustrated and a little sad when he came back to the table and said he was leaving. Simon and Link joined him." Now she looks sad.

  "I don't even know why it matters if he still has feelings for me. I broke up with him. I can't just change my mind." Or can I?

  "It does matter, Morgan, don't you see? Damn it. I swear, you read enough romance novels, you'd think you'd realize when you were being stupid." She says this with a laugh. "You fell in love with him, and that freaked you out because it happened faster than you expected. And I think he fell in love with you just as quickly. Heck, he introduced you to his parents!”

  I snort, "Yeah, then a week later I break up with him. I bet his mom hates me. Even if we get back together, his mom probably won't approve." Just the thought of her hating me shoots shivers down my back.

  "You were so happy with Dex. I want you to be happy," she says, almost pleadingly.

  I look down at the cup still in my hands, "Gia, I don't know what I would do without you, but I promise, I will be happy again. It shouldn't take another person to make me happy, I have to be happy on my own. I have to be happy with me." I'm not sure where that came from because I didn't realize that's how I felt. I look back up at her, and her eyes are watery, but a small smile is planted on her face.

  "Ok," she says as she slides off the counter and crosses the small kitchen and hugs me tight. "As long as you let me know what I can do to help."

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Morgan

  Over the past week, I've really done some soul searching. I've tried really hard to not dwell on the past and taken a good look at my life. I started by making a list of all things that make me happy and that I like doing. I’ve been keeping all my notes in a spiral bound notebook on my desk. I organize the list into different stages of my life, and it all comes down to a few basic things.

  1. Family

  Before my mom passed away, I knew I was important to my parents. I knew that I mattered. I had the unconditional love of two parents, and like any unknowing child and teenager, I didn't realize how lucky I was until it was gone.

  I've spent the past eight years pretty angry with my dad, but I never told him how I felt. I never told him that it felt like I lost both my parents. I never fought for his attention. I gave up, just like he did. I realize in order to be happy I need to forgive my dad and in order to do that, I need to be open and honest with him. And I need to be supportive of his decision to sell the house, if that is really what he wants. I've called him and told him that I'm going to come home next weekend, and I'd like to have dinner with him.

  2. Friendships

  My friends have always been very important to me. I don't know where I would be if I hadn't become friends with Gia all those years go. She is my rock and the one person who has never left me. She knows me better than anyone, and for that I'm grateful. She is always there when I need her to set me straight. I only hope she needs me as much as I need her. I've vowed to take better care of my friendships with Gia and Ruby. I've talked to both of them about this, and they both tell me that I'm a madwoman for thinking I need to foster those relationships better. But I feel that I've been MIA for the past month, and that's not fair to them.

  I'm not sure where my friendship stands with Bernie. I'd really like our friendship to grow into something great, but I'm not sure if that's doable with her closeness to Dex.

  3. Love

  Lastly, when I think about what makes me happy, he always comes to mind. I fell for him the first day I saw him, and it was overwhelmingly scary, but he made me feel loved and whole for the first time in years. So, what do I end up doing? I go throw it on the ground and stomp all over it. Ok, I'm being dramatic, but I definitely ruined it. I freaked out and didn't handle it well. I didn't even give us a fighting chance.

  ***

  As I sit here at my desk reflecting through the list and notes I've written, I've finally made a decision about what I'm going to do. I close the notebook and walk down the hall to where Ruby and Gia are in the living room getting ready for a Netflix binge.

  "Is there any way to get updates on the World Finals?" I ask thoughtfully.

  "Uh, what?" says Gia with a surprised look on her face.

  "Yes, we can pull it up on the computer. We can probably even watch a livestream on the TV if we cast it," say Ruby, excitedly.

  "Great. I'd really like to see how the team is doing," I reply while Ruby is popping open Gia's laptop on the coffee table.

  "Uh, I ask again. What?" repeats Gia.

  "What? I just told you," I say with a sly smile.

  "Has your soul-searching finally broken through the stubbornness mucking up your mind?" she asks with a big, knowing smile on her face.

  "I know, right? Took me long enough," I say rolling my eyes jokingly.

  "Ok, so I've been following a little, and it looks like the team made it to the championship round. They just started playing. They have to play seven rounds, and they are only in game two," says Ruby.

  We get the stream to cast onto the TV, and I get my first glimpse of Dex on the screen. My breath catches at the sight of him. Like, I forgot how darn handsome he is. Dex, Simon, Ben, and Bernie are all showcased on the screen.

  "So, I guess Bernie gets to play this tournament?" Gia asks.

  "Yup, Chuck’s the substitute," Ruby answers.

  I've picked up a few gaming terms being around the handful of gamers, but I'm still kind of lost. Ruby tries her best to explain things. Fortunately, there is an announcer who is providing a play by play.

  For the next hour or so we watch the guys kick some major butt. It’s stressful too, because the team they are playing against is really good, but Dex’s team is better. Going into the final game, the two teams are tied. Adrenaline is pumping through my veins because I want them to win so badly.

  "I don't know if I can take much more of this. It's stressing me out," I say.

  "Tell me about it," adds Ruby

  I'm so incredibly excited for them to be in this final round. I know how badly Dex wants to win this championship. Seeing Dex in his element draws me to him even more
, and cements my decision that on Monday, when he is back in town, I’m going to go talk to him and win him back.

  Chapter Thirty-three

  Dex

  Every tournament we’ve played this year has been leading up to the Call of Battle World Finals. We arrived a couple of days early to prepare and get a feel for the venue. My parents and Wade fly in for the last two days of the championship. We don't always have a personal fan group in the audience for every tournament, but we do this time. We seem to play better when we have our family and friends watching. It makes winning just a bit sweeter.

  The tournament started with one hundred and twelve teams. Between open play and pool play on the first two days, only thirty-two teams remain for the championships. Our team, Nomad, has always done very well in this tournament but have yet to take home the championship win. We will this year, though. I just know it.

  With a full house and hours upon hours of breezing through rounds, Simon, Ben, Bernie, and I find ourselves preparing for the championship game. We are up against another excellent team, but we are the better team. We've beaten them before. Where they excel in strategy, we outrank them in experience and teamwork. We can beat them.

  To win the championship, we play the best out of seven games. Since there are several ways of playing CoB, we play two rounds of Hard Point and Uplink and three rounds of Search and Destroy. With my high K/D ratio, I dominate at Search and Destroy.

  As a team, we enter our gaming box. It’s one of two rooms built on a stage where we sit and play. The walls are painted black, and the room is dark but lit only by the light from the screen. The rest of the light comes from the stage. A long table spans the bottom half of the wall, and the upper half is a long window so the crowd and cameras can watch us play. There are screens and gaming chairs set up down the length of the table, one for each of us. We take our seats as we prepare for the next seven games—fewer if we can lead in points early.