video game high school ; m.c.

i

Michael's POV

I was so late.

Really late. As in, 'Mario getting to the castle just to figure out that Bowser moved Peach to a different one' late. And my team was probably going to kill me for it. God, I was so screwed.

My legs had never pedalled so fast before, the bike propelling forward faster and faster with each push. I could practically feel my cheeks being pulled backwards due to the momentum, but I couldn't be bothered to worry about it.

I mean, how could I? Seeing as how I was already twenty minutes late to our team deathmatch, I'd be better off just playing Minecraft for the rest of the day.

Wait no, I was not about to be that teenage noob cussing out little twelve year olds in a game about building with blocks. Not yet.

Upon arriving at my house, someone - or two someones in this case - stepped right in front of my bike's path, forcing me to topple over in order to stop before I made contact. A pang went through my back as I landed on the grass, coughing and sputtering curses at them.

One of the two guys took a fistful of my shirt and hefted me up to their level, eyes filled with amusement and plain evil.

"Hey, Mikey," Roger sneered, pulling me closer. "Late for a match, are we?"

"Now that's not very responsible of you," Marco added on from behind his buddy, eyebrow raised mockingly. "How do you expect to reach smAsh's level if you can't even be on time for a daily game?"

"Just leave already," I growled exasperatedly, not too keen on listening to their taunts any longer. "You both know I could kick your asses in a match any day."

"So cocky. You couldn't beat us if you tried, Clifford," he tsked, pulling out a usb and connecting it to the wire attached to my phone that I kept hidden under my jacket. "Now, what do we have here? Resources?"

"Dude," I groaned, wiggling around to get out of his grip. "It took me months to get those!"

A beep sounded soon afterwards and the usb was disconnected, leaving my attackers with smug smiles on their faces. All my gaming resources: gone. I let out a weak sound of protest, which only amused them further.

They shared a hearty laugh, Roger releasing me and letting me fall back onto the damp ground. I cringed as my head bumped against the ground, sending stars into my vision.

"See you soon, bud," Marco waved, strolling leisurely away from me.

As I attempted to get back up, I watched them get onto their double bicycle before they pedalled off, laughter still audible from a distance.

"Jerks," I muttered under my breath as I finally got to my feet, brushing all the dirt and grass off my clothing.

Leaving my own bike abandoned on my lawn, I hurried up the stairs to my porch and into my house, where my mom was seated on the couch. Her headseat was over her ears as she played her own video games - just like every other day.

"Hey, mom," I greeted while speeding past her, though I knew she wouldn't hear me.

I nearly tripped up the stairs two times before finally getting to the top and making a beeline to my room, the door making a resounding bang behind me. Field of Fire was already open when I sat down and I clicked the 'join friend' button next to one of my teammates' usernames.

That's when I was transported into the world of war.

▶︎

"You're late," Craig said, shooting a guy who tried to get me from behind. "The game's almost over."