Daily Life Of A Gamer

ShadowFang wasted no time, dashing forward with a flurry of attacks. He was fast—faster than Ace expected—but speed wasn't everything. Instead of dodging, Ace let him attack, watching his movements, feeling out his patterns. Mia tensed beside him.

"What are you doing? Hit him!" she whispered.

Ace ignored her, focusing. ShadowFang was fast, but predictable. He was throwing out the same combos, the same setups. That was his mistake.

Ace's fingers moved lightning-fast. In an instant, he countered with a perfectly timed block, then launched into a brutal combo of his own. His character moved with precision, punishing every mistake ShadowFang made.

Mia gasped. "Whoa. Where was that when I was playing?"

Ace smirked. "You were panicking. I don't panic."

The match quickly turned in his favor. ShadowFang tried to adjust, but it was too late. Ace had already figured him out. Within moments, he landed a final crushing blow.

K.O.!

Mia's phone buzzed with a notification—Victory! You have climbed to second place.

Mia stared at the screen, wide-eyed. "You actually did it!"

Ace leaned back, handing her phone back with a satisfied smirk. "Told you I didn't need luck."

Mia grinned, clearly impressed. "Alright, I admit it. You're insane at this."

Ace crossed his arms. "Now, about that favor you owe me…"

Mia laughed. "Fine, fine. I'll pay up when you need it."

Ace smirked. He didn't know when he'd need it, but favors had a way of coming in handy—especially in a world where games were more than just fun. Sometimes, they were everything.

Ace pocketed his phone, satisfied with his victory. Mia was still staring at her screen, probably rewatching the match in disbelief. He had to admit, it felt good to prove a point—not just to her, but to himself. Gaming wasn't just fun; it was skill, strategy, and knowing how to stay ahead of the competition.

As they made their way toward the cafeteria, Mia nudged him. "So, what are you gonna make me do for this favor?"

Ace smirked. "Haven't decided yet."

Mia groaned. "Great. You're one of those guys who hoard favors until the worst possible moment."

Ace shrugged. "I like to keep my options open."

–––––––––––

After finishing lunch and the rest of the day's school activities, Ace stretched his arms and let out a tired sigh. "I'm heading home," he told Mia as they exited the cafeteria.

Mia raised an eyebrow. "Already? No more gaming in the lounge?"

"Nah. I need a break."

Mia smirked. "Wow. The great Ace choosing to take a break? Never thought I'd see the day."

Ace rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. See you tomorrow."

With that, he left the school and made his way home.

The walk was quiet, the evening air cool against his skin. His parents were always away on business trips, leaving him with an entire house to himself. Some people might have hated the loneliness, but to Ace, it was perfect—no interruptions, no rules, just him and his games.

Unlocking the door, Ace stepped inside, greeted by the familiar silence. He kicked off his shoes, dropped his bag by the door, and headed straight to his room.

Collapsing onto his bed, he let out a deep breath.

Finally, peace.

His fingers instinctively reached for his phone. He still had a few games to grind, maybe even a tournament to enter later.

But before he could even unlock the screen, his eyelids grew heavy. The exhaustion of the day caught up with him, and within moments, he drifted off into sleep.

–––––––––––

Ace woke up a few hours later, disoriented by the darkness of his room. The soft glow of his phone screen illuminated the night, and he rubbed his eyes, realizing he'd fallen asleep without meaning to. The game he'd been planning to check was still open on his phone, but his grogginess made it hard to focus.

He sat up slowly, stretching his arms and trying to shake off the sleepiness. His stomach growled—he hadn't eaten since lunch. The house was still silent, as it always was when his parents were away on business trips. It was a comfortable kind of solitude.

Ace glanced at the clock. It was nearly 9 PM.

He sighed, feeling the weight of the day catch up with him. Gaming had always been his escape, but tonight, he wasn't sure he had the energy for it. Maybe it was time for something different.

Standing up, he decided to grab a quick snack and watch some TV. The familiar comfort of the living room awaited, and for once, he didn't feel like rushing back into the digital world.

As he wandered down the stairs, Ace couldn't help but smile to himself. It wasn't often he got these moments of peace, when everything felt simple and easy. No distractions, no obligations—just time to unwind.

He grabbed a bag of chips from the kitchen, sat down on the couch, and switched on the TV, feeling the quiet contentment of the evening wrap around him.

Ace flicked through the channels, absentmindedly munching on his chips, when something caught his attention. An Italian drama had just started—its deep, emotional soundtrack already setting a dramatic tone.

He paused, curious. The characters on screen were arguing in fast-paced Italian, their expressions intense, their words full of emotion. Subtitles appeared at the bottom of the screen, translating their words.

Ace wasn't usually into dramas, but he kept watching as the show unfolded. The plot seemed to revolve around two people from opposing families, caught in a complex web of love and loyalty.

"I must be out of my mind, watching this." He mumbled, shaking his head.

For a moment, he was distracted from his usual thoughts of games and the quiet house around him. He reached for his phone, glancing at it briefly before setting it down again. The sound of a door creaking upstairs broke his focus, but Ace shrugged it off. The house was always a little creaky when his parents weren't around.

Still, the drama played on as Ace ate his chips, letting his mind wander between the TV and his own thoughts.

–––––––––––

"Escobar, you can't leave me!" the woman on the screen cried, her voice rising with desperation as she clutched at the man's arm.

Ace raised an eyebrow, amused. "Dramatic much?"

The man, Escobar, looked down at her with a mix of annoyance and sadness. "I have no choice, Maria. This is the end."

Ace chuckled to himself. "Okay, okay. We get it. He's gotta go. But why does every dramatic exit have to be like this?"

Maria fell to her knees dramatically, throwing her hands up in the air. "Escobar, don't do this to me!"

Ace couldn't hold back a laugh. The over-the-top melodrama was a little much, even for him. "You sure you're not just trying to get some extra attention?" he muttered under his breath, mimicking the scene with exaggerated gestures.

As the camera zoomed in on Escobar's serious face, Ace snorted. "Just once, I want to see someone leave quietly, like, 'Hey, I'm leaving now,' and then walk out. No tears, no kneeling, just... peace and quiet."

The scene cut to a wide shot, and the woman dramatically fainted. Ace burst out laughing. "Okay, now she's really committed to the role."

He leaned back on the couch, shaking his head. "What is this, an Oscar-worthy performance or a soap opera audition?"

Escobar stood there, frozen, watching as Maria fainted dramatically onto the floor. Ace couldn't stop laughing. "Seriously? Who faints like that? Not even a little grace, just—thud—down she goes."

The camera lingered on her motionless form for a moment, giving Escobar time to do… absolutely nothing.

"This guy's just going to stand there?" Ace muttered, sipping his soda. "Come on, dude, at least check if she's alive."

But no, Escobar didn't budge. Instead, he sighed dramatically, glancing at the ceiling as though burdened by the weight of the world. The overly serious expression on his face made Ace laugh even harder.

"Yeah, okay, man. The world's a heavy place when you can't leave a woman without her falling over. But really, you're just gonna stand there like it's your problem, not hers?"

Escobar finally kneeled beside Maria, gently lifting her head. "I didn't want this," he muttered. "I never wanted this..."

Ace mimicked him in a low, gravelly voice, "I didn't want this... but here we are, I guess. It's all your fault, Maria!"

The ridiculousness of the whole scene had Ace doubled over in laughter. It was like they were trying to make a dramatic exit from the world's worst telenovela. "I swear, if he starts crying next, I'm out."

Escobar gently shook Maria's shoulder. "Maria… Maria, wake up!"

Ace sat up, wiping tears from his eyes. "Okay, I'm calling it now. He's about to shout 'Nooo!' and then it'll cut to commercial."

Sure enough, Escobar dramatically shouted, "NOOOO!" as the camera zoomed in on his face.

*******

Ace burst out laughing again. "I knew it! They can't help themselves."

Just as he was catching his breath, the scene cut to black, and the opening credits started rolling.

"Perfect timing, though," Ace said, still chuckling. "I was ready for a nap, but now I'm wide awake thanks to that. I gotta admit, it was hilarious."

"Well, that was... something," he muttered to himself. He grabbed his phone, half-watching the credits, thinking it was about time to get back to gaming.

But then, just as he was about to pick up his controller, a sudden noise came from upstairs. It was sharp—a thump, followed by the faint sound of footsteps.

Ace paused. His parents were out of town, and the house was supposed to be empty. He froze, listening intently.

Another thump.

His heart rate quickened. Could it be the wind? The house was old, after all. Things creaked and shifted all the time. But there was something unsettling about it tonight. He put his phone down slowly, trying not to make any noise.

The footsteps came again—this time closer. Ace stood up, his mind racing. He couldn't shake the uneasy feeling creeping down his spine.

'What the fuck is going on?!'