"Preston!" Jen called as I jumped from my seat and eyed my varsity. I looked over them as they were concerned.
"Where are you going? We have a match in ten minutes and we need to discuss the plans." Jen demanded.
"I'll be right back...bathroom break..."I lied as I left the room and retreated to the vacant hallway. I rubbed my arm trying to get rid of the shivers running down my body. Shivers that reflected my anxiety on the quick loss on our behalf. How quickly and smoothly the enemy had overpowered us with a trump card and how I failed at that moment as a team captain and over thought things.
"She's trying to mess with my head." I muttered to myself as a I repeatedly slapped a palm to my forehead.
"Preston?" I snapped up at the voice and saw Kelli.
"The team need you...now." Kelli insisted as I nodded, following behind her.
I came back and there were eight minutes left in the break. The entire team looked at me in concerned. They had every right to scold, to yell, because I failed miserably this round as a captain, and lamely lost.
"Preston, what is the plan this round?" Jenny asked carefully, reading the vibes I gave off. I looked up at everyone as they awaited my response. No yelling, just calm and coolness. They knew there was no time to bash, and the best lesson is always reflected after the pressure has eased. I bit the inside of my cheek purposely before speaking.
"We need to play dirty, because team captain over there isn't." I smirked as I got ready to tell them my sinister plans.
We sat back in the chairs as Brian pressed a firm hand on my shoulder and Jenny bumped me before taking a seat.
"This can work, probably." Jenny bit the inside of her cheek.
"Likely, depending on the map we get. But I'll make sure I won't make such an awful mistake." I tightened my fists.
"We all didn't expect it. Your plan was great, but they set up a trump card, knowing they weren't going to get taken down this round. Just that we're going to bite harder." Jenny smirked.
"Right." As we got ready to enter the match, putting the visors over our heads and waiting in the lobby. Everyone looked at me for some support, confidence. I was, behind the mask, feeling extremely nervous due to pre-match anxiety. But everyone was counting on my lead, and they counted on their Coach to guide them. Yet in the end, I had to uphold a promise to lead them to winning.
And we entered the match with confidence on our backs.
The match ended with a close tie but, we won. The team captain was by far one tough player as I faced off with her as a distraction for Kelli to grab the intel and play Hot Potato with the other teammates. In the end, I nicked the captain in the hip and shot my pistol in her head and her teammates were distraught as we won the match.
Our fans cheered for us as it concluded that VGHS will move on in playoffs, and Imac would be out for the rest of the year. But the Imac team captain ran up to me with a harsh glare.
"So many teams will be dying to take you down. And they will do anything to win against you...especially the Law. You got lucky." The Imac team captain warned as her team followed her along with the coach.
"Good, game, Imac." I told them sternly as they left the school. The rest of VGHS aside from the team were heading back to their daily routines. I turned to look at my team as we chimed in a group hug.
"Guys,...good work. I mean it. I still feel like a baby in all of this, and I feel like I'm doing things wrong." I apologized.
"Everyone makes mistakes, and we learn from them." Hector told me. "As team captain, you're doing a good job Preston. We made it! We're in the playoffs."
"And that means more vigorous training. As the coach, I have to be sure you're all in the shape needed to win this tournament. Our next game is on Friday against Everfalls. And it's going to be like this until April. I will be advising new schedule changes to accommodate the practices we're going to be having and weekly tasks posted on the clan board on Elysium." Jenny told the team. They nodded as they looked at her seriously.
"But for the rest of the week, you guys deserve the break. It's going to be the last one for a while. Dismissed." Jenny smiled as the team nodded, heading out the double doors. I lingered with Brian and Jenny as we all exchanged glances.
"Brian, I'm promoting you to Commander." Jenny stated as I stared at Brian's confused expression.
"Wh-what?" Brian stuttered.
"She's promoting you Brian. You deserve it..." I said. "You kicked butt out there today, and as much as I'm honored as a rank as captain, I can't think everything for myself and Jen. And seeing you have prior skills to Field of Fire...they do come in handy in Elysium. You deserve it."
"And I swear if you mumble crap about not deserving it I will kill you for that." Jenny threatened, with a smile on her face. Brian nodded, as he looked like he wanted to give Jen the biggest hug ever. But Jenny already took a step, putting her arms around his neck as Brian wrapped his arms around him.
"Practice resumes Monday Preston, tell the rest of the team to have fun in Elysium." Jenny told me as I left the two alone and off to enjoy the rest of the day. Outside, Tyler and Riss
"Presto' that was a tight game!" Tyler handled me in a half-nelson. "You guys are going to own the tourney."
"I agree with Tyler." Riss chimed, "You're a good team captain, and a lot of people have high expectations."
"Thanks guys. After everything...you always had my back." As I wrestled the two in arms as we walked down the hallways to celebrate with sodas, junk food, and RPGs.
The entire school quiet down close to 12AM, everyone party-hard or full off of junkfood. Others crashed from chugging energy drinks and burning out hours in the party. Tyler, Riss, and I kept it cool in the dorms where we all joined in on an RPG and stayed up halfway into the next morning, hours until class started. After completing about 10 quests, Riss wanted to call it night, but realized her dorm was on another floor on the other side of the school. She didn't want to say anything, but Tyler got the hint.
"Crash with us. I mean, Wendy slept with Preston-" Tyler said.
"Ty'! I mean, I invited her to sleep in our dorms. Since, you know-" I tried.
"I get it you two." As Riss was ignoring us as she kicked off her shoes and climbed up to Tyler's bunk. Shortly after, Tyler followed Riss as I slumped down to my bunk.
"Presto'" Tyler slurred.
"Yeah?" I said as I adjusted my pillow.
"You're going to lose and win sometimes. It's what gaming is about." He told me. "Don't forget that."
I smiled as I slowly felt sleep come over me, "Yeah bud'. I won't."
And after that night, months flew by faster than I anticipated.
(2 months later)
By December, we were halfway through the tourney with 6 wins and 2 losses. We trained vigorously, many of the stats of our varsity skyrocketing compared to the beginning of the year. It was astonishing. The three of us; Brian, Jenny, and I worked efficiently devising many suitable plans. And the executions mostly cut out...with minor mistakes. New gear was awarded to Parker and Hemmings finally and no doubt their gaming have improved. Kelli, Sal, Justin and Hector have mostly unlocked all the perks in Elysium aside from Jen, Brian, and I.
Tyler was finally promoted to a black belt for the Fighting varsity, a solid win against Ki at her own game. Ki was shock, but nonetheless impressed by Tyler's improvement over the months as his new school uniform was now a gi with the VGHS Fighting varsity logo on the back and his proudly worn black belt and shoes. In the tournaments though, the black belts were the blue gi with their belts and everyone else would wear gold.
Almost the majority of the school was going back home for the winter break to spend time with families...almost everyone.
Ty and I had our duffel bags packed and were about to head out when I saw certain friends huddling around and talking. I trotted over to Brian, Jenny, Ki, and Ted.
"Not going home guys?" I asked.
"Nah. We're spending it here with the gang." Ted grinned as he put an arm around Ki and Brian.
"Trust me, throwing parties here is twice as fun than hanging out with our parents...besides...we got our own issues." Brian shrugged.
"But that's alright I guess. Friends are family." I said.
"Exactly." Jenny said. "You should get going. I'll see you back next year."
"Yeah." I looked at everyone. "Take care and happy holidays."
I trotted back meeting up with Tyler as he groaned, wishing he had his car. But we waited for the bus back to the city, heading home for the first time in a long while.
And with that, the year flew by, and I realized it was final match for the FPS Varsity Championships, and we were going against Infinite High School...the school where the Law goes to now.
Next chapter: The VGHS varsity have dominated most of the matches in the tourney, leading them to place in the final round against their rival school: Infinite High! These lowball, dirty gamers will use anything to win against VGHS...and even worse, the Law is their captain. What will be the fate of the FPS varsity for VGHS? Do they have what it take to win the championships? Stay tuned for the final chapter of Paradigms!