I sat beside Brian while Jenny sat beside the driver and the rest in the back going at it on the Vitas. It was going to be a 3-hour long drive, so I was prepared. I started with the letters, as Brian glanced over.
"That's for you?" He seemed impressed.
"Uh, yeah...letters from friends..." I took a second glance, "I hope."
I swore I heard a chuckle from Jenny as she too was occupied on the Vita. Brian smiled. I opened the first letter from Ethan Ylvis.
Hey Preston. I don't wanna seem all soft and stuff...but we're gonna miss you. You're an ambitious person. Go kick those noobs at VGHS. They'll never see you comin'
I smiled as I went on and read the next letter from someone name Justine Frise
Thanks Preston for two years! You made the first two years of highschool so much fun! Getting involved in clubs, introducing me to new people. Good luck at VGHS!
The letters went on and on. And one by one I dropped them in the shoebox. It came down to the last few letter from underclassmen who...'admired' me and from Wendy. I disregarded those and was about the open the last one when-
YANK.
The Law snatched my letter as I felt anger boil from my face. He grinned as he started to read it.
"Dear Preston" The Law looked crazy at me with a wide grin, "Oh? Girlfriend I see?"
"Give it back Law!" I snarled. I reached over to snatch it when he held it farther out of reach. He scoffed.
"Squeel. Take a...chill pill." The Law shoved me back into the seat as I furiously gripped the chair. I stared incredulously at Tyler as he was oblivious to the situation. Brian stepped up.
"Law. Seriously?" He raised a brow. Then the Law slowly sneered, handing over my letter.
"Just roughin' up da newbie. Besides!" As The Law grinned, grappling me in a half-nelson. "You and your buddy are joinin' the varsity aren't ya?"
My pride got the best of me. It was because the Law was putting me on the edge. "Of course. Just if I need to save your butt, Law."
His teammates snickered as his grin melted. He leaned back into the seat, glaring at me fiercely as he remembered his grudge against me in Elysium.
"You're gonna regret that, noob. This isn't gonna be easy like Elysium." He threatened.
"Guys." Jenny jumped in, but grinning because she wasn't taking the situation seriously. "Chill out. Play some games or take a nap."
Tyler glanced up as he lost a level for the twentieth time and hearing Jen. "That sounds wonderful."
Lawrence scoffed, "I'll be in Elysium." As he glared at me for the last time and placed his helmet over his head. I eased back into the seat as the tension died down. I continued reading Wendy's letter"
Dear Preston,
By the time you read this you're probably on your way to VGHS. I forgive you for everything that happened. Our friendship...our relationship. I want to talk to you again, and tell you I'm sorry. I didn't want things to end. And when I realized the mistakes we made...we were really in it together. I'm not going to throw away three years because of that. You'll always mean something to me Preston...and I hope it's the same for you. So I don't want you to come back because you couldn't live up to VGHS's expectations. You're better than that, and you'll exceed that. I want you to come back on the day on graduation so I can be in your arms. I want you to come back as a winner. So do your best, for all of us and for me. Good luck, and I love you.
-Wendy.
I silently folded the letter and slipped it in my pocket. My heart almost couldn't take the heartfelt letter Wendy gave me. I was overwhelmed with happiness. That she was still in love with me and I had a solid rock to lean on. She was always rooting me on, and want me to be a success.
I promise.
I woke up when we were about 30 minutes away from the school. Tyler and The Law were knocked out in the back and Jenny at the front. Brian was on his 3DS when he glanced over and saw me waking up.
"Ah you dozed off a bit earlier than them. We're almost there anyway. You guys will get escorted to the dorms and I'll explain the rest when we're closer." Brian said. I stretched as I glanced over his handheld.
"Super Mario?" I raised a brow. Brian grinned.
"Can you hate the classics?" As I reached down and held my 3DS. I had inserted the new Tekomon X.
"Say, Brian, how did you start at VGHS?" I asked. He paused his game as he looked at me. He chuckled.
"Oh, uh, you never heard about my reputation?" Brian checked. "I beat the Law in Field of Fire while I was...basically AFK..." He scratched his head, "Lucked out."
"Oh, no I know about that. I meant at the school...how was the first few days for you?" I asked.
Brian recalled his junior year, "Well, I almost got expelled because of these bullies...ended up whoopin' their asses. And...getting them expelled...instead."
"Expelled? How?" I asked.
"You're ranked at the lowest when you start VGHS. You gain reputation and raise ranks. The higher the rank, the better your life is. You're at the bottom though...you're given two chances to appeal your expulsion. If you win, that person gets expelled and your rank goes up. You lose, you're expelled. No exceptions no excuses. For you, everyone at VGHS is going to treat you like a freshmen at an IRL school. Just fresh meat ready to get seasoned up and baked in the oven." Brian leaned close with tension in his eyes.
I stared back with a harsh glance.
"I won't let that happen to me. I'll get in the top 10." I boasted. Brian scoffed.
"That'll take some time Preston. I've gone here for a year and a half and I'm not even in the top 10. Luckily in the top 50." Brian chuckled. "But suit yourself. You do know that The Law is number 1?"
I gritted, "How many times do I have to beat him then?"
Brian shrugged, "Dunno. But I warn you; Law isn't easy. He's a gaming prodigy. But you, you're talented. You can probably do it."
I nodded, "I want to."
The driver took us to a drive-thru because the Law was complaining he wanted a triple bacon cheeseburger. Tyler sat forward, interested in the closeness between me and Brian.
"I see you guys did some bonding! Tips on the varsity sport? You do know how to play Field of Fire right?" Tyler checked.
I scoffed, "I've been on and off it. I'm mostly about Elysium you know that Tyler."
"You better learn fast, noob. Because the competitions are all about Field of Fire. My home turf" The Law's eyes blazed with victory.
"Yeah sure." I nodded. Jenny stirred from her sleep as she checked her surroundings.
"Time?" She asked.
"7:38" Tyler said. "Want food?"
Jenny looked at Tyler with awe like he was the biggest, cutest teddy bear. "That's really nice sweetie, but my boyfriend already offered...Brian?"
Tyler then looked like he stepped on a landmine. And his world started to cave in as he glared at Brian.
"Oh! Oh uh yeah, sure Jen." Brian chuckled as he scrambled for his wallet. Tyler leaned back, awestruck.
"My man, I was in your shoes." The Law snorted as he had an arm around Tyler.
"After you dumped me. For your little games. Now, let's not bring up ancient history?" Jen smirked.
The gang was quiet for the rest of the way.
We were 10 minutes away from the school; the gang knocked out. All except Jen and I.
"What's your story?" I asked off the bat. Jen side-glanced at me, smirking.
"My mother. She graduated in the top 10 and captain of the FPS varsity. She went college and did the same. Always lead the team to the championships, undefeated Commandos." Jen said. "Now she expects the same out of me too."
"Oh." I said. "You ever want to do anything else?"
I bit back my tongue, realizing what I said was a major landmine. Jenny glared at me, then her gaze relaxed as she sighed.
"Oh course. FPS is so cliché and it's not my cup of tea. You know, I prefer other genres. Like rhythm or RPGs." Jen shrugged. "But the big industries are looking for FPS players. My mom? A veteran. Yet never spent a day in her life to change my diapers. Had me on the floor at the championships in college. My dad did all the work..."
I sunk lower into the seat. Jenny didn't want to always play FPS like her mom. And the way it sounded, she was nothing like her. I mean, I admit. Jen is a hardcore gamer, but it looks like her field of interest was elsewhere.
"Did you always play video games? You ever did like...math?" I asked.
"Preston, you make it seem like I'm an uneducated gaming savage." Jen checked. I backtracked.
"No! I always wondered if you...gaming people-" I started.
"Tell me, ask me what I think you do everyday in IRL?" Jen continued.
"Okay, Jen. What do you think I do everyday in IRL?" I asked.
"That's a good question." She said sarcastically, "I think you people just stick your nose in books all day following the system."
I stood my place, "The same goes for for here too Jenny. The government is watching every single thing you do in the gaming field. They record everything. I mean, if they didn't VGHS wouldn't have such a fucked up system."
Jenny whirred all the way around, staring at me with fire in her eyes, "Look, Preston. Just be happy I'm not the Law or I would've been punched your face in. We came from two completely different schools. The systems are different. And I know what type of person you are."
I leaned forward on the seat ready to protest, "Wait just a second-"
"You're a kid that tries to prove things can be done his way. You have a paradigm. You believe that you can live in two different worlds. To able to balance IRL and gaming. I was listening to your speech. But you have a long way to go before you can prove you want to fulfill your father's dream. I think there's more depth in that." Jen smirked, "I might not taken psychology, but I'm pretty sure I hit a landmine somewhere..."
I gritted. Jen turned back around.
"Don't hate me for the harsh criticism. It's just a warning. No one at VGHS will like you if you go around spouting IRL stuff. It's useless here, and won't get you closer to completing that program. Just keep it to yourself." Jen apologized.
I pursed my lips. By the time the conversation was over, we made it to VGHS. And let me tell you, the campus was huge. The school branched out into several other buildings as it was sleek with white, silver, and black. It's main colors were gold and blue, the flag waving in the wind high as the western wing building with its crest and Latin phrase Dominare, Certa, Perfice.
The gang fully woke up, As I hopped out first, followed by Tyler, Brian, Jenny, and the Law. We grabbed out belongings as the varsity leaders stood in a line. Their faces were slightly worn with tiredness, even with consecutive naps.
"From here on out, Brian and Lawrence will lead you to your dorms explaining the house rules and so forth. As for me, I see you dweebs tomorrow." As Jen stared at me hard and doing a hard turn. Brian cleared his throat as the Law yawned.
"Okay, follow me." As Brian simply said as Tyler gleefully followed. I shrugged behind him and the Law.
Brian showed us to Room 181. He stood at our dorm with his arms behind him.
"Basic rules; curfew is at 11. So be in your dorm no later than 10:59 or you will get demerits. There will be no horse-playing, pets, pranks, cyber-bullying, flaming, and overall-"
"No. Hacking." The Law said darkly. "That's a one way trip to expulsion. VGHS has an firewall that detects viruses, worms, trojans,...bugs. Every game you play whether it is property of VGHS or not is automatically property of VGHS under the circumstances that it is ON VGHS property. No. Hacking."
"We can track IPs, crack down proxies, scan every program, trainer, software that you possibly got from a third-party site. Under the exception that Ki is the software developer..." Brian said.
"Who's Ki?" Tyler asked.
"Soon, a good friend of yours. Now, you'll learn more about VGHS tomorrow at orientation. It starts at 9 AM, in the Galley Auditorium. Be prompt. Breakfast is served from 7AM to 8:50AM. If there's any problems you can call me, Ted, Ki, or-" Brian started.
"Me." The Law gave a wicked grin. "Noobs, I might be...a little intimidating. But I assure you, I am helpful."
I scoffed, as the Law shot me a glare.
"Any questions?" Brian asked.
Tyler raised a hand.
"Is the food court open?" He asked. I rolled my eyes as my held the bridge of my nose.
"No. But there are vending machines down the hall. If that's all, I'll see you guys tomorrow and at the FPS tryouts." Brian signed off. He and the Law walked a distance apart as the hall was quiet shortly.
I opened the dorm and turned on the light, as I rested my suitcase aside and sat on the bottom bunk. Tyler threw his bag aside and jumped on the top bunk. The room reminded me of home, with the blue sheets and gold walls. I swallowed.
"I changed my mind!" Tyler stared gleefully as he was welcomed with potato chips and soda laid out on the top bunk. I stretched as I turned off the light.
"Good night Tyler." I yawned as I felt the sleepiness overcome me. He stopped munching.
"Preston?" He asked.
"Yeah?"
"We're going to help each other out right? We're in this together. Ok?" He said.
"'Course bud." I said drowsily.
"I'm serious! If we fall out..." He started.
"Tyler. We known each other for years. I will never pick video games over you. Ever. Promise." As I held up a lazy pinky. He reached down and pinky-crossed with mines as I finally went to sleep.
Night.