Level Me Up (Gamer Boy Book 1)

by Lauren Helms

  “Oh, no, that’s ok. I mean…you didn’t startle me. Well…I guess you did,” I stammer. I can’t seem to shut up.

  “I saw you and your friend come in here, and I wanted to say hi, so I followed you.” He says as a flush creeps across his cheeks. “Well, I mean, I’m not following you, I just came in here to find you,” he adds.

  “So, you’re not stalking us?” I say with a giggle. Dang it, why am I already giggling?

  The look on his face goes from worried to playful in a split second as he says, “Nope, not a stalker. I just didn’t want to miss out on a chance to talk to you again. Where did your friend go?”

  “Ruby, she had to take a call. She’ll be back.”

  “Ah. Well, you enjoying the art in here?”

  “Yes, it’s all interesting. I’m not really into art, but I think the ‘behind the scenes’ thing is kind of cool.”

  “Yeah, a lot of time and hard work goes into creating a video game universe, so this stuff is always intriguing,” he says thoughtfully looking at the photo on the wall behind me. I glance over my shoulder to see a picture from original The Legend of Zelda game.

  “So, you left a pretty big impression yesterday, and I was hoping that I would see you again.” While he seems pretty sure of himself, he looks somewhat boyish when he says this.

  “Well, I was hoping I hadn’t embarrassed myself as much as I thought, but it seems as though I was wrong,” I say, mostly to myself.

  “Don’t be embarrassed; I thought it was cute,” he says with a grin. “So, did you figure out what a positive K/D is?” he asks.

  I snort-laugh, “Oh, yeah. I know what that is now. And that’s quite impressive by the way! I mean…your ratio. Congratulations,” I say, and my face reddens at the realization that I’ve snorted in front of this perfect, probably-never-snorted-in-his-life guy.

  I actually looked up K/D ratio last night on my phone. I couldn't stop thinking about my spaz moment and figured it wouldn’t hurt to know what one was. A positive K/D was when you killed more than died in Call of Battle. The More You Know, huh?

  He chuckles and says, “Thank you. I have to ask though, if you don't know much about video gaming, where did you hear about positive K/Ds?”

  Oh crap, I can't possibly tell him the truth, I should come up with something clever. Ruby would be flirting shamelessly right now. I go with, “Oh, you know, I Googled it” and shrug. Wow. That was not what I was going for. No, what I just did was a flirting fail.

  He’s just smiling at me and shaking his head like he would accept this answer but didn’t really believe it. He couldn’t possibly know what we were schooled by a kid, who obviously idolized Dex. Could he?

  Just then, Ruby shows up next to me. Thank God; this is bound to get awkward if I’m left to my own devices.

  “Hi, I’m Ruby. Are you stalking Morgan?”

  “Oh my God, Ruby,” falls out of my mouth at the same time as, “No!” comes out in a slightly frustrating tone from Dex.

  She just giggles and says, “Good.”

  He clears his throat and says, “Well, I need to get back, but I wanted to ask, do you guys want to come out to a party tonight? ”Wait. Was he really inviting us out? I can only muster a mumble and an “um.”

  “Tell us about said party,” Ruby replies for me.

  “Visionwave is having a party tonight at the club down the street. The team and I have to be in attendance, and I’d love it if you came. We could get a drink. Hang out,” he says to us, as I suppress a shiver that shoots through my body at the thought of seeing him again.

  “Uh…” I stammer.

  Ruby turns to me as she loops her arm through mine. “Mo? It’s up to you,” she says confidently as she raises an eyebrow, and I realize that she’s giving me an opportunity to make good on the promise I made the night before. Crap. I guess I have to say yes, don’t I?

  “Um. Yeah, Sure. We can come,” I reply, and I can feel the excitement radiating off Ruby beside me. Relief with a hint of excitement fills his eyes, and Dex says, “Great! It starts at 8:00 p.m. at Level6 down the street. What’re your full names so I can get you on the list?”

  I tell him, “Morgan Lawson and Ruby Jacobs.” He doesn’t write them down but says, “Got it. I’ll see you tonight, Morgan Lawson,” with a big smile on his face. He gives a little bow and wave as he turns out the way he came.

  I watch him go as Ruby is bouncing up and down with a huge smile on her face. "Morgan! I'm so proud of you! You acted normal, for the most part. And now we get to go to a party tonight!"

  "Ugh. As if I don't generally act normal," I reply as I start us forward through the rest of the exhibit.

  "No, it's just exciting. He asked you out! And you said yes!" she says. Ruby has a tendency to get overly excited at times.

  "He didn't ask me out, Ruby. He asked if we wanted to go to a party. There is a difference. He didn't even write down our names. What if we get there, and he didn't put our names on the list?" I ask. "What if we end up not seeing him at all?"

  "Oh no, our names are going to be on the list, and you will see him. I can tell. Like I said yesterday, he likes you. I mean, he followed you in here."

  "Maybe. But you didn't have to accuse him of stalking me."

  She laughs but her face turns devilish. "I know. I overheard your conversation. I just hid over at the side. I wanted to give you time to talk to him…alone."

  I tame the look of disdain on my face though, and ask, "So, you think he’ll really put our names on the list?"

  "Absolutely," she says without a doubt, "and I really do think he likes you. He said you were cute."

  "No, he said he thought what I said was cute. Again, there's a difference. And it really doesn't matter if he likes me or not. We are in California, and tomorrow we are flying home. I have no idea where he even lives. And don't you dare even say a word about a long-distance relationship. Not happening. Ever."

  "Ok, ok. Let's just see what tonight brings, alright?” she replies. "But you do like him, don't you," she insists with an all-knowing smirk.

  I bite my bottom lip to hide my blushing smile and nod my head. What the heck am I going to wear tonight?

  Chapter Eight

  Morgan

  As soon as we left the convention center, we grabbed a quick bite to eat in the hotel food court and took a cab to the nearest shopping center. Neither of us packed the appropriate evening attire. It was all jeans, tees, and comfy shoes, and none of those would do. After trying on several outfits at a few stores, we both ended up pretty happy with our new clothes.

  I picked a dark blue, almost navy dress that hangs just above my knees. The whole bodice is covered in a crocheted lace flower design. The front has a rounded neckline, and a thin black waist belt completes the simple-but-chic look. Plus, the three-quarter length lace sleeves make it perfect for the low-sixty-degree weather. I paired this with a black bootie heel, but it still only adds about two inches to my height, so I’m in no danger of wobbling around all night.

  Ruby put together a sassy, dark purple short-sleeve dress with a simple pair of red heels that gives the illusion of matching her hair color perfectly. The jersey knit dress has ruched shoulders and clings to her body in all the right places. We both look pretty damn good.

  As we walk up to the front of the club, I tell Ruby with a chuckle, "If Dex doesn't ever meet up with us, at least we look hot.”

  "Hell yes, we do!" she agrees.

  We head up to the door, bypassing the line, and I tell the burly bouncer that our names should be on the list. He smiles, and I give him our names. Sure enough, we are on the list. He turns to the guy next to him and says, "These ladies are on the VIP list. Can you please show them to the loft?" The second man nods and gestures for us to follow. I smile at the bouncer as we head inside.

  The music pumping through the club isn’t overly loud. The club is dark, but the lighting from the bar and blue and green lights from the dance floor make the place look anything but dr
eary. It actually has a pretty modern and upscale feel. To our right as we enter is a long, well-lit bar, and there are tables scattered around the room. In the middle of the room, there is a nice-sized dance floor. A DJ booth can be found at the back. Drinks are probably double the price here than at the bar down the street.

  We follow the guy from the front up a flight of stairs to the left of the bar that leads to a second-floor loft that spans half the size of the room. There are plush booths that seat ten to twelve lining the walls, then high tables with stools scattered around. The tables line the railing looking out over the dance floor and bar. While the first floor looked packed, there is a lot more breathing room up here.

  The guy turns to us and tells us that the drink menus are on the tables, but the bar can make anything and to have an enjoyable night. With a slight bow and a wink, he disappears down the stairs.

  We quickly find a table and take a seat. Ruby picks up a menu, but I'm way too nervous to figure out what to order. Not only did he put us on the list, but we are also up here in the VIP section. While I was excited to see him again, part of me thought it wouldn't actually happen. Up until this moment I didn't really allow myself to think about what would happen once we got here. I just keep hoping for the best. I mean, I did considerably better in the art exhibit conversation compared to the signing. So, with any luck, I'd be back to my usual self.

  I reach for the drink menu, but before I realize it, I hear Ruby order us both a drink. I’m about to ask what she ordered because I’ll admit, I totally missed it, when Ruby gets a look of excitement on her face. I start to ask her what's going on when I feel a warm hand lightly touch the small of my back. A split second later, a smiling Dex is at my right saying, "You guys made it.”

  As quickly as his hand was there, it's now gone, and a shiver runs up my spine.

  “Morgan, Ruby, these are my friends, Link and Simon. The rest of the team is around here somewhere; I'll introduce you later."

  I smile at the trio as I take them in. Dex is by far the best looking of the three, but all three of them look like they could have walked right out of a magazine ad and into this club. Dex is wearing a stylish, gray, three-piece suit that somehow doesn’t look too fancy or out of place here in the club. The white shirt he is wearing has the first couple of buttons undone, relaxing the look. His hair is slightly gelled on top to make his longer locks look perfectly messy.

  The other two guys are similarly dressed, but I'm just about to catch myself drooling when a tall, handsome, brown-haired guy with nerdy glasses, Link, I think is his name, reaches out a hand for me to shake. Dex, though, elbows him quickly, and Link laughs, drops his hand and shoots a side grin at Dex. Why would Dex not want him to shake my hand? Then my mind travels back to yesterday to my spaz-tastic first encounter with these guys. The whole table becomes engulfed in a dense cloud of tension. So, I decide to just play it cool.

  "Were you trying to make fun of me?" I ask with mock accusation, "because my girl Ruby here has already used up all the quota allowed for that once in a lifetime spaz-tastic moment" as I jerk my head toward Ruby. The tension quickly eases as Ruby nods her head in agreement, and we all laugh.

  "So…this party…what's it for?" Ruby asks.

  Dex replies, "It’s being hosted by Visionwave, they publish Call of Battle, the game that we play. They have a booth and party every year here at Comic-Con. It's really just an excuse for them to have a good time, but they invite some of the pro teams, their business partners, and other industry folk."

  "Nice!" Ruby replies, and she scans the dance floor. I know she is going to ask me to dance later. I better finish my drink.

  Simon, the quiet and reserved, muscular one with short reddish-blond hair excuses himself to grab some beers, and Link starts chatting up Ruby. Dex leans into me as the goosebumps rise on my arms. “I’m really glad you came, Morgan." My head spins at the way my name falls from his lips. I want him to say it again, but I don't want to revert back to spaz mode. It takes a few deep breaths before I'm able to speak.

  "Yeah, me too. Thank you for inviting us," I reply.

  "So, what brings a girl like you to San Diego Comic-Con?”

  "Ruby," I chuckle. “I’m here in place of her brother. His plans fell through.”

  "So, what do you think? Have you been enjoying it?" he asks, his gaze intent on what I’m saying.

  "Oh yeah. It’s been lots of fun and interesting. I’m glad I got the opportunity to experience this massive nerd gathering."

  He grins widely, "Are you guys staying through the weekend, or are you done tomorrow?

  "We head home tomorrow night. I honestly don't think my brain, feet, or body could take any more. I'm going to sleep for at least a full day when I get home."

  He laughs. "Yeah, I remember my first Comic-Con; they can be daunting. Where is home?"

  "Chicago," I reply and notice the look of shock on his face.

  "Really? We’re in Chicago too! That's so crazy," he replies.

  Wow. How does that happen—meeting someone for the first time miles and miles away from home to find out you live in the same city? It is a small world.

  We continue chatting. He asks me about work and what I like to do for fun. I find out that he has a business degree and has been professionally gaming for almost five years. At some point, Simon comes back to the table with beers for the guys and two new sex on the beaches for Ruby and me. As he distributes drinks, Ruby catches my eye and gives me a knowing look. Yeah, she knows I'm into him. How could I not be? Even though I don't know a lot about him yet, he went out of his way to invite us and has been entirely focused on talking to me since he got here.

  "So Dex, you have a girlfriend?" Ruby asks out of nowhere. I fight back the urge to shoot her a look. Instead, I busy myself with the napkin under my drink. I'm really interested to know, so I'm going to let her bluntness slide.

  "I do not. I wouldn't have invited you guys out tonight if I did," he replies assuredly.

  I look up at him then and realize that he's staring at me, and I didn't realize how close his body was to mine. I can feel heat radiating off him, and I'm so glad he's single because I didn't want to have to force more space between us.

  "Good!" Ruby replies. For a split second, I think she's going to say something more, like something that will probably embarrass me, but she doesn’t and takes a sip of her drink instead.

  But then Link says, "Well since you asked, I’m single too. I assume you ladies are unattached?"

  I giggle because Link is so cocky, but I can tell it's only for show. He is actually quite charming, and I can tell this is why he is getting under Ruby's skin.

  Ruby rolls her eyes and says, "I didn't ask, but yes. We are both unattached."

  "So, do you guys all live together…the whole team?" I ask with uncertainty, trying to give the tension a little slack.

  Dex replies, "No, Link, Simon, and I are roommates. Ben and Chuck room together but are in the same building, and Bernie lives by herself down the hall."

  "I'm not on the team," Link replies.

  "Oh yeah?" Ruby chimes.

  "Yeah, I'm more of a jack-of-all-trades," he says. Simon and Dex laugh at this

  "More like a jackass of all trades." Dex mutters, and Simon starts to laugh even harder.

  Link only rolls his eyes and keeps on going. "I compete professionally sometimes, but my main focus is my YouTube channel. I do strategy videos and gaming news and all sorts of fun stuff. I also dabble in some strategy guide writing in my spare time. Like I said, I have my hand in a lot of things, and I'm good at all of them."

  I can see the wheels turning in Ruby's eyes. She can't stand cocky guys, and I'm pretty sure she is about to rip into him, but she doesn’t. Instead, she asks, "How many followers do you have?" Her reaction surprises me.

  "More than two million," he says with a cocky grin. Ruby just looks thoughtful. Hmmm.

  "Surely your mom created two million accounts and followed you with all of them. Sh
e sounds sweet," she replies. Simon and Dex start laughing again, and Link is just about to defend his impressive following when three more people walk up to the table.

  There is a brief moment as the guys welcome the newcomers and then Dex introduces us to the rest of his team; Ben, Chuck, and Bernadette.

  Bernadette, or Bernie as Dex called her, is still wearing the large glasses, and her hair is up in a high bun. Dressed in a rose-colored dress that hangs just past her knees and longer in the back makes her rock the nerdy-chic look even more. But both Ben and Chuck stand out from the group because of their less dressy attire. Ben is the more attractive of the two, having put slightly more effort into his pressed jeans and tucked-in polo—and a pocket protector. Chuck looks uncomfortable to be out in public. His shirt looks rumpled and might even be dirty.

  As a group, we continue to chat for a while. Dex's team seems like a pretty tight-knit group. They are all easy to be around, and it’s obvious that they have all been working together for a while, but what makes the group even cooler is the fact that they treat Ruby and me as part of it, too.

  After tonight, I know three things for sure: one, there is definitely a spark between Ruby and Link. They laugh one second and then get into an argument the next. Two, I wish I could have been part of a group of people like this in college. And three, I really, really want to see Dex again once we are back in Chicago.

  While we're not getting a lot of one-on-one time, we're laughing together a lot. Every time his hand brushes against my arm or his thigh bumps against mine, a jolt of heat courses through me. I find myself hoping that it will happen again so I can feel the jolt. Maybe I should be worried that I’m already craving his touch.

  Chapter Nine

  Morgan

  All too soon, a man who looks to be in his early thirties stops by the table to tell the team that they need to make the rounds. I hear Simon tell Ruby that that was the team's coach and manager. Dex turns to me, moves in a little closer so he now is speaking into my ear, "Looks like we've been having too much fun, and now it's time for us to put in some work. This shouldn't take more than an hour. Please don't leave without finding me first."