by Lauren Helms
Morgan just laughs. I sit there in shock. Ruby shakes her head in disappointment
“Well, clearly, talking about sex was their most important topic of choice.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Simon
I can’t believe in less than 12 hours Team Nomad will host our first Race to Prestige. We won the event last year, ultimately securing us this hosting gig. It’s a huge undertaking and Bernie has been working feverishly for months now with the event coordinator from VisionWave. She really has outdone herself. If she ever needs a job outside of the video game industry, she should consider being an event planner.
The livestream event will happen here in our training room. We will take shifts over the next seven days, all day and night long. We’re working our team account to Prestige, which is the highest accomplishment in Call of Battle. While it’s something that all professional gamers who play CoB accomplish, it’s tough to do within the first seven days of the newest installment releasing. Last year, we won The Race in only six days. While we didn’t have to go all out last year putting on a show, we did have to plan our strategy in order to win.
While each CoB installment has new features and a new storyline, they are just similar enough that we can play to win and there isn’t much of a learning curve. Each year when the new installment releases, on the first Tuesday of November, it’s always a race to Prestige. The “race” starts at the precise moment the game is released wherever you are in the world. With this charity event, we do the same thing, but raise a lot of money and survive on little sleep and lots of junk food but it’s fun and worth it.
As a team, we work off one account, taking turns to Prestige. We won’t win this year, since we are streaming live for 24/7 but we have a lot of people throughout the industry stopping by to add some fun and mix things up. Thanks to Bernie and Link, we’ve got several big-name CoB YouTubers and Twitch streamers either stopping by and/or calling in. We’ve also got a few big names from the publisher, and developers coming by. Not only did Bern coordinate the event, but she also organized food and lodging for all these folks. The girl is going to need a vacation when it’s all said and done.
I hop out of the shower, dress and head to our training room for the evening. We don’t have much prep to do, but we are having one more team meeting before we all scatter to prepare individually for the start tonight.
I step into the room and am relieved to see I’m not the last one to arrive. Chuck and Ben aren’t here yet, but they are both usually late. Bernie has pretty much lived in the training room for the last week. Link is helping her with some finishing touches on our gaming area and camera setup.
“Yo.” Dex nods in my direction from the couch, which is normally across the open-layout room but it’s been rearranged for the time being.
“So, we are going for comfortable instead of professional, I see.”
“Yeah, but we’ve left some room to make sure we can wheel in some of the gaming chairs from our new sponsorship with Vertagear. Since there are a few times we will have a lot of people here, we will need seating,” he tells me.
“Makes sense. Aren’t we giving one away?” I ask Bern.
“Yup! And I was thinking that we could up the bids by offering one of our own, signed by the team,” she says from the side of the whole setup, adjusting one of the TVs.
“Oh, good idea, Bern. You could even let the winner pick whose chair they want,” Link suggests.
“Uh … I’m quite partial to mine, thank you,” I add.
“Si. It’s for charity! We got our chairs for free, and whoever gives theirs away will get a brand-new one,” she huffs. She’s got one hand on her hip, glaring at me this time.
“Yeah, and I’m pretty sure I spilled some nacho cheese on his last week. No one is going to want it. No need to worry about it, Simon,” Link offers casually.
“What the actual fuck?” I stand, walk over to find my chair. Our names have somehow been engraved in the leather at the top of each one and sure enough the douchecanoe got cheese on my $800 gaming chair.
“Sorry, man, I borrowed it last weekend while you were over at Gia’s and the cheese had its way with me and things got a little out of hand.” He shrugs.
“Why didn’t you clean it up?” I ask, standing and going to the kitchen area to find something to clean it with.
“I did. See? I got most of it.”
“But you still left some. Why not clean it all off?” I mutter halfway under the sink, sifting through all the shit that’s been thrown down here.
“I don’t know, man, I really don’t know.” He contemplates this. “But look at it this way: now you should want a new one. And think of the added value when you tell the viewers that they could have your chair that includes cheese from the popular YouTube star, Link Whitt!” Bernie snorts at this, sitting down next to Dex with a plop.
“If Ruby were here, she’d have a heyday with that comment.”
Walking back into the room with a rag and some fabric cleaner, I chuckle, “True story.”
Link takes a seat in one of the other chairs and twists it from left to right with a half-annoyed, half-amused expression on his face.
“Good thing we got that out of the way then. Are the ladies coming over before we go MIA for seven days?” he asks.
“Yeah, but you know, we won't really be MIA. I’m planning on seeing Morgan during every break I have,” Dex tells us.
Straightening her back, Bernie puts on her mom face, pointing to each of us as she says, “Uh, that’s fine, but just so we are clear, NO one is allowed to leave this apartment building once we go live.”
In near unison, the three of us reply with a “Yes, Mom,” which makes us all snicker. But Bernie just rolls her eyes and mutters under her breath. Then, just as she remembers something, an evil grin slides across her face.
“Ruby won’t be coming over today though. She’s going on a date.”
Knowing that Dex is probably doing the same thing, my eyes swing to Link to check his reaction. Sure enough, his jaw tightens.
“Oh, yeah, with who? That weatherman?” Seeming satisfied with the reaction, Bernie looks at her nails.
“Not a weatherman, he’s a sports reporter. He’s super hot and seems to be really into her.”
“Wait, how do you know? Have you met him? You’ve seen them together?” he asks.
I glance Dex’s way. He’s trying not to laugh.
“Nope, unfortunately I haven’t but she can’t stop going on and on about him. She says he’s just so dreamy,” she uses air quotes.
He’s quiet for a moment, as if in thought, then gives a short, almost missed nod. “Cool. Whatever makes her happy.” After a second to soak in what he just said, he’s right back to his usual self.
“Let me just rewind a moment here, Dex, are you planning on keeping Morgan locked up in your bedroom for booty calls every break you get?” he asks.
“Uh, no, but she knows the schedule and will be around for most of my breaks. If not, there’s FaceTime,” Dex replies.
“So … it’s the other way around? She has your balls locked up?” Link laughs as Dex throws a couch pillow at him.
“Shut up, dude.”
“I’d just like to remind you that I’m sitting right here and point out that since I’m good friends with Morgan, I’d prefer not to talk about Dex’s balls,” Bernie deadpans.
I jump in, “I’m pretty sure it’s not a booty call if it's with your girlfriend.”
“Speaking of girlfriend,” Link says, lifting an eyebrow at me.
“Oooh, now this I don’t mind gossiping about,” Bernie says, leaning in toward me.
“We do not gossip,” Dex tells her.
“Pfft. We do too,” Link replies.
I roll my eyes. I was expecting this. We’ve talked about my relationship with Gia once, that day we came home from seeing her brother. Even so, the conversation wasn’t as in-depth as the one Gia had with Morgan and Ruby. Link wasted no time as
king me if we screwed. I told him to shut up but the confident, cocky look on my face said enough. But mentally, I’ve prepared for this.
With a huff, I make myself comfortable on the couch. “Go on.”
“So, are you two official? Good ol’ boyfriend and girlfriend?” Link asks, his elbows resting on his knees as he leans in toward me.
“Yup. Next.”
“It’s been like two weeks. Why haven’t we seen her over here yet?” he fires off.
“No reason, I’ve just gone over there,” I offer just as quickly.
“How’s the sex?” he asks.
I make an explosive sound and hand gesture in reply. He starts nodding his head with a big douchey grin.
“Nice,” he says, drawing out the word.
“Don’t be a douchecake, Link,” Bernie mutters.
“Are you happy, Simon? She seems happy,” Bernie asks with a dreamy look in her eyes. I smile at her, because I love that she cares.
“I am.” Dex leans over Bernie and smacks me on the shoulder.
“Happy for you, man.”
“It’s still odd though. You know? Seeing you two … together. You’ve hated her for most of the time we’ve known her,” Link says skeptically. “It’s almost like this is an act. Like you could go back to giving her the stink eye instead of an eye fuck at any time.”
Dex starts laughing, Bernie chokes on the water she was drinking, and I look at him with disgust.
“What the hell, man, an eye fuck? What is that? I’m not going to fuck her eye.”
“Noooo. You know, as in you’re fucking her with your eyes,” he offers, confused at the situation.
“Dude, just, no. Please don’t say that again,” I tell him, shaking my head. “And no, I promise you this is real. This is me and Gia, the way we use to be, but with sex. Great sex. And I never hated her.”
Laughter hits me from all sides.
“You totally did, man,” Dex says. Bernie nods her head in agreement.
I sigh. “I didn’t hate her. I hated what she did. I had a bad attitude toward her. And her popping up in my life so unexpectedly just threw me for a major loop. But we are good now. We’ve worked through everything.”
“If you say so, then I’m happy for you. I wish you and the fair maiden nothing but the best,” Link says with a regal head bow.
“God you’re so fucking strange sometimes,” I tell him. Our conversation comes to an end when Chuck, Ben, and our manager John walk through the door.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Gia
I’ve been watching Simon and the guys stream nearly the whole time they’ve been live. It’s been three days now and they seem to be doing a great job. While I have them up on my computer, I’m not interacting with them like Ruby is. But, then again, Ruby is really into gaming. She is also into Link and he’s had a lot of screen time.
I’ve seen Simon a couple of times. I’ve gone over to his apartment during his breaks, but he pretty much kissed me for a while then passed out.
It’s about half past ten in the morning when I finally decide to get some work done. I’ve got several emails piling up that need my attention. Plus, I need to plan my articles for next month. But I’m quickly distracted when a new email hits my inbox. It’s from Michelle at TVEdge.com, who has been my primary contact since applying for this job. She and I have also known each other for a few years, as we used to write for a smaller entertainment site that has since shut down.
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Welcome to the TVEdge Team!
Dear Gia,
We wanted to thank you again for all the wonderful pieces you have written for us over the past several months. They have all been well received and we feel like you would make a great member of the TVEdge team. Congratulations! We would officially like to offer you the Feature Writer position and are looking at a starting date of November 29th.
Attached I have included a formal offer, benefits package, and our basic onboarding packet. Please print and have it with you when you arrive on day one. Since you will be relocating, I have also attached information on the area as well as some nearby apartments. We do have several resources available to you. I know from experience that relocating can be stressful and the last thing we want to have is our new employees starting off on a bad note, so please let me know if I can do anything to assist you with your move.
Best,
Michelle
Production Editor | TVEdge.com
Oh my gosh. I can’t believe I got the job. I mean, I can, because I worked my butt off for it, but it’s been the longest interview process ever. And now I finally know. I’m both thrilled and sad at the same time. A few months ago, I was excited at the prospect of trying something new. Taking the next step in my career. Getting out there and actually interviewing the showrunners and actors that I’m writing about. Attending red carpets and awards shows and reporting on the winners and losers. I had made peace with the idea of leaving Morgan and taking this next step on my own. But now … now Simon is in the picture.
And things are really good with Simon. We are finally on the same page.
But I haven’t mentioned this to him yet. And I will once again be walking out of his life. I’m not ready for us to be over when we’ve just begun.
Sighing, I close my laptop and go in search of Morgan. I need her advice on what to do but I know she isn’t going to go easy on me. While things are back to normal, I can tell that what happened between us still lingers in her mind.
I don’t even take a step out of my room when I hear Simon and Dex’s voices coming from the living room. Like me, she’s been watching the stream as well. And like me, she really doesn’t know what is going on, but it’s more entertaining than watching a tournament since they are having fun, raising money, and interacting with fans.
She is sitting on the living room floor with her back against the couch and her laptop set up on the coffee table.
“Whatcha doing?” I ask as I sit down in the chair.
“Watching the guys,” she replies.
I laugh, “Yeah, I see that, but what are you doing on your laptop? Are you designing things?”
“Ah, yes, kind of. There is the free online site that makes designing easy. I always have Nicole in the design department make me stuff, but she is going on maternity leave in a couple of weeks and I don’t know how fast I’ll get my images back from the design team. So, I thought I would learn this and do things myself,” she offers.
“Oh, cool. Is it easy?”
“Surprisingly, yes. It’s actually kind of fun,” she says with a smile. “And it’s free.”
“Nice!”
“What’s up with you?” she asks
“Ah. Well, I got the job,” I tell her with less excitement than I expected.
“What? That’s great news!” She smiles widely at me. She closes her laptop and crawls up to the couch. Her happiness quickly fades to concern. “Wait, you don’t seem too happy about the news. I thought we were hoping for the job.”
I groan, “We were hoping, and I am happy, but I don’t know why, I just kinda feel sad,” I tell her.
“Simon?” she asks, cocking her head.
I nod and look down at my hands in my lap.
“What does he think about this job opportunity? I’m guessing you haven’t told him the good news yet,” she asks.
“More like, I haven’t told him at all,” I admit, still unable to look her in the eye.
“Gia! Seriously! I thought we said no more secrets,” she exclaims. I can tell by her voice that she isn’t mad, but shocked.
“I’m not keeping any more secrets. I just haven’t told him yet,” I mutter.
“Hey.” She reaches out a hand and places it on my knee.
I look up at her and all I see is concern in her features.
“Why haven’t you told him yet?” she asks.
“Because I wasn’t ready to lose him. We
started being friends again so quickly and then went beyond that even quicker that I just didn't think about how I needed to warn him that I might be leaving. You know he would have turned tail and run,” I say.
“Maybe, maybe not, but now you will never know,” she offers.
Groaning again, I shift so my head is in my hands resting my elbows on my knees. I talk through my hands.
“He’s going to hate me again.”
“I doubt that. That boy loves you,” she says. I laugh at that.
“Mm-hm.”
Chuckling she leans back on the couch and says, “No, he really does. Now that I know the history between you two, I should have seen it from the start. The anger and heat in the looks he used to give you are so eerily similar to the way he looks at you now.”
“And how does he look at me now?” I ask, turning my face toward her.
“With love and a shit ton of lust,” she says matter-of-factly.
My insides heat and I know I start to flush. Just hearing the word lust when talking about Simon gets me going. Now that I’m thinking about what Simon likes to do with all that lust he has, it makes me shift in my seat.
“And I can tell by your reaction that you know it. Not to mention it’s the same way you look at him, like he hung the moon.”
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“What has you the most anxious? That you’re going to have to tell Simon that you are leaving or that you’re going to have to leave Simon?” she asks.
“Both,” I reply.
“So, to be clear, you do still want to take the job, right?” she asks.
“Yes, I do still want the job, but I’m also not as excited about it as I was a couple of months ago,” I tell her honestly.
She is quiet in thought for a moment.
“I think that you need to talk to Simon about this, as soon as possible,” she says tartly.
“I know, I know I do. But he’s smack dab in the middle of this Race event. I’m going to have to wait until that is over.”
She sighs, “That’s a good point. But don’t wait any longer than that.” She eyes me. “I’m gonna be stuck on you like glue, asking you about it until you tell him. So, don’t expect me to let you get off easy.”