ZADOR - Surviving between Esc and Alt + F4

Chapter 2: The big chance?

* bbbrrrrrttttt *

. . . .

Rick's phone was buzzing as he entered the bathroom. The display showed a picture of his best homie José. José was Rick's seat neighbor in school and his best friend. He immigrated to America from Puerto Rico with his family four years ago. Although his English was far from perfect when he met Rick for the first time, both understood each other and got along very well. Rick used to call him Jos when they first met because he was unable to pronounce the name of his new friend. This nickname hasn't changed since.

Surely it was the language of video games that connected the two boys. What other game could share their passion than... Zador. José was Rick's duo partner when he won Wingsdale's Zador tournament. The boys were a dream team in the game. Blind communication was no challenge, winning was the norm.

Surely it was the language of video games that connected the two boys. What other game could share their passion than... Zador. José was Rick's duo partner when he won Wingsdale's Zador tournament. The boys were a dream team in the game. Blind communication was no challenge, winning was the norm.

Rick picked up the call on his phone while putting his toothbrush into his mouth. "Hola amigo, good mo'ning slipy dude", José's voice said through the speakers. Rick loved his Spanish accent and the use of Spanish terminology in his English. He used to call him names and laugh about it when José lost at a match of Zador. Lately, José was the better of the two, so that Rick had no chance to roast him.

"Hmppfff... mornin'" replied Rick as a big drop of toothpaste fell out of his mouth and landed on the ground. Mumbling in anger about the mishap, he listened to José's words. "Listen Amigo, how did studyin' for exam go?", asked José. The upcoming silence from Rick answered his question, which gave him the signal to continue his speech.

"I didn't expect more, amigo. Analysis is crap topic. But I got good news for you senior. Mike called me and said that his team is unable to participate at GAZT. He asked me If we could replace them and participate for Wings... [...]"

Rick spitted the rest of the toothpaste out of his mouth in a jerky manner when he heard that. The teenager gasped for air. 'The GAZT... what!?' went onto his mind.

"Mike... He... he did... he asked you WHAT!???"

came out of Rick's mouth at the same time, as the floor was now fully covered in toothpaste and water. "He. Asked. Us. If. We. Can. Do. GAZT" repeated José in a slow and calm but exciting tone.

The GAZT was the "Grand American Zador Tournament". A big Zador event hosted in Las Vegas and attended by players, stars, Zador founders, and many more personalities from everywhere on the globe. The prize pool for the win was 4 million USD. Whoever wins the tournament cements himself into the history of Zador and gets huge respect from everybody in the Zador community. It was Rick's dream to once participate in the tournament for his city, but he and José lost the last shootout to qualify for the event. A duo formed by Mike Darkins and Casper Carl beat the two friends and secured the last ticket to Vegas.

Despite being wondered about the decision by Mike and Casper to refuse participation in the tournament, Rick was fire and flame after the news. "So when does it start, Jos!?" he asked, still shocked about what he just heard over his phone's speakers.

"Well, my amigo... it starts at 1 PM today", José answered.

"FUCK!"

was the quick reply from Rick as he thought about the upcoming math exam that he had to face today. José continued as If he knew what was behind the reaction, "I know, I know que math exam is today, amigo. But it's our chance. Your chance!"

. . . .

Rick was lost for words. He could not allow himself to miss the exam. Struggling to find the right words, he started like he would know the words to share: "Yeah, but...".

A harsh "NOTHING BUT!", came from José, "it is your dream. You didn't study para exam, amigo! You got nothing to lose, so it is fine when we go there!", he continued.

"Don't tell me that you didn't show up at the last exam Rick...", José said in a tone as If he knew the answer to the thesis. The two boys were close to graduating, missing an exam could mean an abrupt end to their future plans. Especially for Rick, as he wasn't the most caring student when it came to school work.

Whenever his homie José called him by his name, he acknowledged that it was something serious. Furthermore, Jos was right this time. Rick didn't go to the last math exam, which brought him trouble at home and a big F as a grade. He could already hear José's sigh in disappointment. Before being able to say something to his friend's last sentence, Rick heard his mum shouting downstairs.

"RICK NOTCH! IT IS 7:45 AM! SCHOOL STARTS SOON! DON'T FORGET ABOUT YOUR EXAM! MOVE FINALLY! MOVE!!!"

'Damn', thought Rick. He never heard his mum shouting that aggressively in ages. He realized that she was correct as he looked at his clock. 7:45 AM. His bus was about to arrive at the closest station to his house in about 5 minutes. Rick looked down at himself, surprised that he still was covered in his pajamas and angry about all the toothpaste and water on the bathroom floor.

"Rick?", José asked and scared his 18-year-old friend, who again fell into deep thoughts.

"Hello, yes!?",

Rick yelled so loudly that he was sure to be awake at that point. Another sigh from Jos followed. The born Puerto Rican sometimes could not stand his Zador partner and his deep, thoughtful phases.

José broke the silence. "Listen Rick... I know that we have that exam today.

But let's do it. Let's go to Vegas!"

Rick opened the bathroom door, about to get back to his room and change clothes. A look at the clock shocked him once more. 7:47 AM. Dressing up, running to the bus, packing his bag, all needed to be done in the next three minutes.

A tick from the bathroom clock didn't make it any better. It switched to 7:48 AM. He could hear his mum go crazy in the living room. Rick by far wasn't the best by waking up, but he never missed the bus to school. Therefore, it was understandable that his mum was shouting his name all over the house for the last five minutes.

'Derick surely woke up from all this noise in the morning', thought Rick. José repeating his question reminded him, that there was no room to think about Derick now. As If he would think about his brother so often. 'Lucky ass', probably was one thought too much.

"Decide NOW!", José screamed in despair. The 17-year-old tried to entice an answer out of Rick's mouth. In the meantime, he opened the website of the region's train company, starting to search for rides to Vegas.

"I am looking for a train to Vegas man. I need your decision. Now or never!"

José's nerves were on edge. He sometimes could not stand his Zador partner and his deep, thoughtful phases. But Rick opened his mouth as he nearly fell on the slippery bathroom floor-cover of watered toothpaste. 7:49 AM. He made a decision...