Progress
"Once again, this draft is really good. The development from your first one to this one is clear and in most cases, I would say this right here is fine for a college essay." My guidance counselor reiterates. We're sitting in his office during lunch time, going over one of the latest versions of my essays for college admission. I'd emailed it to him a couple days ago so we didn't have to waste time for him to read it and prepare his feedback.
I nod, seeing where he's going with this, "But this isn't most cases."
"Exactly. If you want to get into a top-tier school then you need a top-tier essay which, mind you, isn't far off with the rate you're improving. Keep it up and I don't think I'll have much to critique next time we meet. I'm sure Gladys must have said something similar."
"Somewhat. She says I've got the technical aspects down pat and should now focus on the actual content itself."
"Yes, I would agree with that. Your grasp of the English literature is well-founded."
Damn right it is.
Looking back, it's safe to say I might have underestimated the application process for the schools on my list. More specifically, I hadn't realized how important the essays would turn out to be. GPA, test scores, letters of recommendation; they were essentials to an application but the essay is really what provides admission reps with a glimpse into your character and could therefore play the biggest role when it comes time to make decisions. And that's why so much time had been dedicated to becoming a better writer.
It involved learning about and reading the works of good writers. Research on the schools themselves to learn more about what they're looking for and to show my knowledge of them through my essay. Writing a bit everyday as practice. Getting feedback from people I know like the old guy in front of me and my AP Lit teacher. Gladys.
And although what goes into writing a good essay isn't necessarily the same as writing a good book, I've adapted. All that time invested into the subject improved my literature related skills which in turn made me better at applying what I learned into those essays.
Without my Gamer ability, I don't think I would have been able to get this down fast enough. But then again, without the ability I wouldn't have needed my essays to be this good as I would have just gone to an average school.
"So for next time, take my notes and implement those suggestions. Tie your personal experiences into your essay and that should make for a much more compelling read. Remember, you want the person reading your paper to put it down feeling as if they just had an engaging conversation with you. Your voice should carry over that well from within the lines." He instructs me. I accept a printed copy of my essay with his handwritten notes in the margins.
"Thank you sir, I appreciate your help. I should have another draft ready in a week or so."
"That's what I'm here for Mr. Campbell; seeing students succeed and reach their full potential is my passion. I look forward to seeing your progress."
…
That closing comment bounces around in my head as I walk back towards the cafeteria.
Full potential.
Something that a lot of people dedicate time to strive towards – or say they do – yet not many actually reach it. It's also something that I've given more than a little thought to despite being so young.
What would full potential even look like for me?
And I don't mean in the sense that I'm confused about my calling in life. Though to be clear, I am. Just because I can literally pick any field and become great at it as long as I can develop a skill for said subject, doesn't mean I've decided on what I really want to do. Honestly just means I have more options to choose from. Which isn't completely negative.
No, I'm simply pondering on how vast my own potential is. I've looked over the topic of infinite vs finite potential online and there isn't a unanimous answer. Some think it's infinite yet people don't realize it because they let roadblocks get in their way. Others think humans are limited by certain factors – brain, body, environment, etc. – and therefore have a ceiling to how high one can climb. Each side has some valid points but I also know that some of them don't apply to me, not fully. If my potential is not infinite, then at the least it's higher than almost anyone else's. Sounds cocky for sure but I don't think I'm wrong. The only thing that I can see holding me back, aside from making dumb decisions, is the environment around me. The world isn't yet ready for what I can do so in certain fields, I have to limit myself. At least publicly.
For example, the SAT that I aced a couple weeks back. I personally found it to be easy but ended up making waves with that perfect score. They featured me on the local news so now I have strangers who know my name and face because of that. I'm not too worried about my score being publicized however because according to statistics, there are a couple hundred other people who will do the same this year. On the other hand, this experience supports the idea that with every remarkable thing I do, people will notice and they will talk about it. In this case, it wasn't anything harmful so I happily accepted my XP for appearing on tv. Next time, the situation might not be as benign.
And out of everything that I'm doing, which is subject to public perception, basketball is the biggest one. It has the potential to help me get into a great school but it could also be the thing that exposes me if I'm not careful. The main reason is that unlike intelligence which people can't really cry foul about, physics is easier to see. I understand that and have been super careful in regard to being on the court. I'm still balling out there but to a lesser degree than if I went all out. It helps that Jackson is pretty good himself so he takes some of the pressure off me; allows the team to do well without me showing out too much.
So knowing that basketball could be my weak point, I've been looking into ways to protect myself. Mostly just research for now and with that I've discovered, it's playing in college that I need to figure out. The cameras and other equipment they use at that level plus the scrutiny from larger audiences is somewhat concerning. I need to learn how those things work and how to fly under their radar. Hopefully, what I've heard about promising athletes being flown in for college visits is true because that would give me the perfect opportunity to look around and get answers from people in the know.
And to simply have fun touring a college campus. Can't have everything be about business.
…
Sara invited me to hang out one day.
Up until that point, we'd mostly talked at school or through text and phone calls so this would be the first time we would get together outside of school.
The venue was a diabetes walk – Step Out Walk to Stop Diabetes – where she'd signed up to volunteer for a few hours. Guess she either needed or wanted more community service hours. I already had a good amount myself but I've been to these events before and always had fun volunteering with them. If Sara wanted to spend time together while helping a good cause then I was all for it. Of course it wasn't all play, but after helping with the initial setup and getting the main event started, we had plenty of time to ourselves. We spent it talking and asking each other all the important stuff that come up during the feeling-each-other-out stage of relationships.
"Kay, how about this one: would you rather not brush your teeth for a week or not shower for a week? That includes baths too."
I suck on my teeth and lean back a bit, taking a moment to think and give the question the consideration it deserves. "I…would rather not shower for a week." Is my final decision.
"Ewww. But same honestly. Why though?"
"Both would be gross but I think having a dirty mouth would bug me more. Like, first thing I do when I get up in the morning is brush my teeth because I don't like the way mouth feels after sleeping. Living with that for a week straight would suck." I explain. Maybe someday Gamer's Body would erase that little problem for me.
"Sounds like you have horrible morning breath." The flirty blonde jokes.
"Don't laugh Sara, it's a serious medical condition."
"Aww, I'm sawwy Luci." She giggles some more when I roll my eyes, "Your turn."
"Would you rather," I rack my brain for something suitably juicy as payback. And for curiosity's sake. "Permanently lose all the data on your phone or have all your pictures become public to the whole world."
"Tch, permanently lose- no. Yeah, nevermind. I'd rather lose all my stuff." I smile, gotcha.
"Oh? That's kinda drastic, what do you have to hide so badly?" I ask leadingly. Losing everything would only be my pick if my search history was on the line. And not the basic history stuff, everyone knows not to leave incriminating stuff there, but the things I used incognito mode for believing that it would be impossible to track. Boy was I misinformed.
"Come on Lucio, you're saying you don't have a single dick pic on your phone? If you're embarrassed to admit it then I'll share that I have lots of nudes on mine." Sara reveals. If she did that with the intention of making me think about her naked, she succeeded. But at least I withdrew valuable intel from her.
"I actually don't." She looks at me in disbelief. "For reals. I'm familiar enough with my dick that I don't need a picture to remember what it looks like."
"That's not- there are other reasons too. Like, if I look really good on a certain day I might take a pic to look at on a day that I don't look so good. You might take one to record your gains or whatever."
"Yeah. I get what you mean, but you were talking about dick pics in particular so I took that to mean pics where my junk was the focus." I point out.
"Oh right. So, no dick pics, what about nudes in general?" She asks coyly.
"Also no. I wasn't really concerned with stuff like that back then and even now that I'm taking athletics seriously, I still don't feel the urge to document it." Especially not now that I have powers which can change my appearance. I just use my perfect memory to record everything.
"How about all the girls you're talking to?" Girls? That I'm talking to? "You don't share risky pics with any of them?"
"First of all, no, I don't share-"
A runner interrupts me.
He jogs by our hydration station and grabs one of the little bottles of water that we'd spent time partially uncapping. We were using the tiny ones so people could finish them here and then move on and we partially uncapped them so they would be easier to open for people on the run like this guy. There are a couple large bags around the booth where participants of this walk can throw their bottles but as evidenced by the ones on the ground, accuracy was not a requirement to participate.
But I suppose that's why they want students like us to volunteer during these events.
A few walkers come by after the jogger and as soon as they're gone, Sara jumps back on the attack, "You said you don't 'share.' Does that mean you get pictures but don't send any back?"
I stare at her incredulously, "What makes you think I'm talking to multiple girls like that?"
"You're super smart, an athlete, and not an asshole; I'm pretty sure lots of girls are interested." She shrugs.
That reminds me of something that I'd been wondering about, "Is that why you invited me today? And how did you know me? Back before my first game?" I have some ideas but since we're on the topic, why not get it clarified?
"Maybe." She smiles directly at me. "I'd seen you around before but I didn't know about you until you made the news." That makes sense, my first game was after the SAT results came in and after I was put on the news. "And I don't want you to think I'm a gold-digger or looking for attention or anything but you're an interesting guy. Like, you're my age, go to my school, and you're doing all these big things and probably going places. That's like, really attractive you know? Especially to someone like me who's lost as fuck. So when I heard you were on the team and it was game day, I shot my shot."
"Damn, as if my ego wasn't already inflated enough." I've commented on it before but this is one of the many things I like about Sara. I appreciate a cute girl like any other guy but the fact that she can get real with me is something that I value. "Thank you. That gives me some peace of mind."
"No problem. I may be blonde and keep nudes on my phone but I have my hidden layers too." Sara winks playfully.
"I never doubted that. And how are things going now?"
"Better." It doesn't escape me how saying 'better' doesn't mean the problem is resolved. "It's really just family stuff. I don't expect things to be perfect all of a sudden but we're slowly figuring things out."
"That's good. Sometimes that's all you can do." And because honesty should be met with honesty, "I'm not the player you think I am. Yeah, I'm friends with some girls and I might flirt with them but that's mainly it. I have basically zero experience with dating and have never received or sent a nude. Honestly, I probably wouldn't even know how to act if I got an unsolicited nude from a girl. Like, what's the proper etiquette when it comes to things like that? Just compliment it?"
She laughs, not taking my question seriously. "Oh Lucio. Something tells me you'll find out sooner than later."
Another chapter. Time to address some of the reviews I've received so far.
There hasn't been much conflict up to this point due to the fact that the MC with his gamer ability is currently a big fish in a small pond. The conflict he might face will appear minor compared to what is in store for him once he leaves high school and enters the bigger world. With his talents he will have eyes on him for one reason or another which will come with both opportunities and problems. Conflict will come, it will just take a while to appear.
Moving on, I don't currently plan on the MC having a harem. So whichever girl he picks will be the pairing for as long as they are together.