Janessa nudged Lou hard in the ribs, throwing off her concentration.
“J, what the hell?” Lou swore, rubbing her side and watching her avatar crumble to the ground on the screen. “Were you trying to make me lose?”
“Oh, come on, it wasn’t that hard,” Janessa said, trying to stare nonchalantly at the front door and failing miserably.
“What is up with you?” Lou asked, starting to turn around, but Janessa grabbed her arm to hold her still.
“Don’t look!”
“Why not?”
Janessa shook her head. “Dylan told me they were coming, but I didn’t believe him.”
“Who?” Lou was ready to punch her sister if she didn’t explain herself soon.
“It’s those guys from Pemberk, you know, that-”
“The guys who won the Gamer Bowl last year? Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
“And I thought Dylan was full of shit.” Lou had to hand it to him; getting three champion gamers to show up for this little tournament was a major coup.
“I did, too, but apparently not,” Janessa admitted, still staring at the door.
“Well, can I look yet?”
“Yeah, they’re talking with Dylan. Two of them don’t really look happy to be here.”
Lou finally turned around. Standing by their cousin Dylan where three people she’d only seen on YouTube. She thought she could place them. The chatty one was Charlie, and the snotty-looking girl was his sister, Lena. And the other guy… if he didn’t look so bored and annoyed, he’d be cute.
“What’s the grumpy guy’s name again?” Lou whispered to her sister.
“Will, I think.”
They watched as Dylan excitedly lead them over to one of the competition consoles, and looked like he might burst when Charlie sat down to play. The other two surveyed the room, but didn’t seem inclined to join in the tournament.
Lou shrugged. That was their loss. She turned back to the game, selecting a new level.
“Come on, J. I need a rematch.”
–
After the next couple rounds of competition, Lou had a break before her next challenger. She wandered around the room, watching the other players. There was a range of skill levels here tonight, which was something she always appreciated about Dylan’s tournaments; everyone was welcome.
She spotted Janessa across the room, and even from here she could see the wide grin on her face. Lou craned her neck to see J’s opponent, and grinned herself when she saw that it was Charlie the Gamer God. Good for you, J, she thought.
There were a few stations set up for people to play who weren’t in the tournament, and she wandered over, checking out the options. Most people were watching the tournament games, or already had partners, so she just observed. She saw Lena crushing a sweaty guy a few consoles over, and smirked to herself. Was it really possible to look that unhappy while winning?
She turned to go back to the tournament games, but stopped when she heard low voices around the corner. Intrigued despite herself, she hung back to listen.
“Will, I’m your best friend, but you are acting like an idiot.” She guessed that must be Charlie.
“Oh, come on, Charlie, what are we doing here? Really?”
A sigh. “We’re here to find another player for our team. You know that. Ever since Georgie-”
“I know,” came the snappish reply.
“I know you know.” It sounded like Charlie was trying to calm his friend down. “There is some really good talent here, you just have to look-”
“I have been looking. You’ve been playing with the only competent gamer here.”
“That’s bullshit, and you know it.”
Lou kept listening. This was way more interesting than watching the players. She sidled back against the wall, trying to look like she was watching the room instead of listening intently to the conversation behind her.
“Janessa says that her sister is good, even better than she is, maybe.”
Lou felt her chest puff up with pride, and just as quickly deflate.
“Look, there she is, right there. Just try and have fun, okay? It’s gaming, just like anywhere else.”
She froze, waiting for Will’s response and trying not to look conspicuous.
“Charlie,” he said, and she tried not to cringe at his patronizing tone, “if no one else wants to play against her, why would I?”
Charlie seemed just as speechless as she was, for a moment.
“Dude, it’s a lull. It happens all the time. Just because there isn’t a line doesn’t mean-”
“I get what you are doing, Charlie,” Will said, cutting him off. “And it’s not going to work.”
Lou was finished listening to this particular conversation. She had never heard such a conceited, arrogant, asshole in all her life. She pushed herself from the wall, and started to walk back to her sister to share everything she had heard, when the two guys walked around the corner, and practically into her.
“Oh, sorry about that!” Charlie said, cheerful grin back in place. “You’re Lou, right, Janessa’s sister?”
“Yeah, I am,” she said, gaze flicking to Will. Just as bored looking as ever. Her resolve grew tougher. She was going to see if she could wipe the smirk off that face.
“Having fun? Playing a lot of matches?” she asked, casually.
“Oh, yeah, this is a blast!” Charlie said, nudging Will.
“Yeah. Fun,” he grunted, not fully looking at her.
“Well, it is a bit of a lull,” she said, lightly, still watching Will’s face. That got his attention. She smiled sweetly. “Even the best of us have to sit out some matches, don’t we?”
Charlie looked a little panicked, unsure what to say to that. To her delight, Will did look a little ashamed, but she spoke again before either could say anything.
“Well, I think I’m going to see how J’s doing. You guys have fun!” She spun around, and stalked off. She couldn’t wait to tell her sister what just happened.
Inspired by Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austin.
© The Lightning Tower, 2020