Early Beta Access To A New Game

Ace laughed nervously. "I don't know, I just keep getting this weird vibe today. Like something's off."

Mia tilted her head, giving him a skeptical look. "Like what kind of vibe? Ghosts? Aliens? Or just... bad pizza vibes?"

Ace smirked but felt the unease creeping back in. "Maybe it's just the quiet, but I've been hearing things. Little noises. Like footsteps, but... I'm probably just imagining it."

Mia shrugged, clearly unfazed. "If there's one thing I've learned from hanging out with you, it's that your mind plays tricks on you. You've been gaming all day, right? Probably just burnout or something. You need to take a break from staring at screens."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Ace said, forcing a smile. He wanted to believe it was just his imagination, but something about the atmosphere in the house felt different—he couldn't put his finger on it.

As the game continued, he tried to push the feeling aside. But deep down, a part of him knew that whatever it was, it wasn't going away anytime soon.

As the game finally hit a lull, Ace sat back in his chair, stretching his arms above his head. "Alright, I'm starving," he said, glancing over at Mia. "How about we take a break and order some pizza? We've been gaming nonstop."

Mia, who had been intensely focused on the screen, looked over and smiled. "Now you're speaking my language. Pizza sounds perfect."

Ace reached for his phone, pulling up the pizza place they always ordered from. "What do you want? Same as last time?"

Did you think this was her first time coming over? Definitely Not.

"Yeah, I'll take the usual—pepperoni and mushrooms," Mia replied, already kicking back on the bed. "Maybe extra cheese this time?"

"Got it." Ace quickly placed the order, selecting the large pizza with the works, a side of garlic bread, and a couple of sodas. He set the phone down, feeling a small sense of relief. There was something calming about knowing food was on the way. It felt like the kind of thing that could reset the weird vibe he'd been feeling all day.

He glanced at Mia, who was already getting comfortable, kicking her shoes off and spreading out on the bed. "It'll be here in about 30 minutes," Ace said, stretching his legs out. "Plenty of time to get back into it."

Mia grinned. "Well, I'm definitely not complaining. I think you've earned it after all that intense gaming."

The conversation shifted back to the game as Ace and Mia got into a rhythm again, each of them laughing at the ridiculous moves they were pulling off. The lightheartedness of their banter filled the room, and for a few moments, Ace was completely immersed in the game again.

"Watch this!" Mia exclaimed as she made a wild move, her character narrowly dodging an attack. "I told you, I'm on fire today!"

Ace laughed. "Yeah, yeah. You're just lucky the game's practically giving you all the good moves."

Mia rolled her eyes dramatically. "Oh, please, admit it. You can't keep up with my skills."

Ace raised an eyebrow. "You're not that good," he teased, leaning back in his chair. "But fine, I'll give you this one."

They both continued playing, and the game soon had them so absorbed that time passed without either of them realizing how much. Ace's phone buzzed, breaking the concentration they had both been lost in.

"That's the pizza," Ace said, grabbing his phone. "I'll go grab it."

He stood up and quickly walked to the door. A few moments later, he returned with the pizza box and a couple of cans of soda, handing one to Mia as he set the pizza down on the table.

"Here you go. Feast your eyes on this," Ace said with a grin, flipping the box open to reveal the large, cheesy pizza.

Mia's eyes lit up as she picked up a slice. "Looks amazing. I was getting seriously hungry."

Ace sat back down and grabbed a slice for himself, sinking into the chair with a satisfied sigh. They both began eating, talking about everything and nothing as they enjoyed the food. It was a familiar rhythm that made the day feel normal again.

"So, when's the next tournament coming up?" Mia asked between bites, clearly eager to dive into their favorite topic.

Ace grinned. "Not sure. But if it's soon, I'm definitely ready. I've been practicing nonstop."

Mia raised her eyebrows. "Oh really? You might actually have a chance this time, huh?"

Ace laughed. "Hey, I'm always a threat in those tournaments. You know that."

They continued to chat and laugh, their attention split between the game and the pizza. Time flew by, and for the first time all day, Ace felt completely at ease. With Mia there, the day was back to normal, and he could focus on the fun, not the strange feelings he'd had earlier.

As they polished off the pizza, Mia glanced at the screen. "Ready to take this thing to the next level?"

"Always," Ace said, finishing his last bite of pizza. "Let's do it."

Mia wiped her hands on a napkin and grabbed her controller again, leaning forward with an excited grin. "Alright, time to see if all that practice you keep bragging about actually means something."

Ace smirked. "Oh, you're about to find out."

They jumped back into the game, this time raising the difficulty. The once casual co-op session had turned into an intense competition, with both of them fully focused, fingers flying over the controls. Ace could feel the adrenaline kicking in as they dodged attacks, countered enemies, and fought their way through the game's toughest levels.

"Stay on my left," Ace instructed as they entered a tricky section.

"Got it," Mia replied, her eyes locked onto the screen.

Their teamwork was on point, their movements synchronized like they had played together a hundred times before—which, to be fair, they had. It was moments like this that reminded Ace why he loved gaming so much. The rush, the strategy, the friendly rivalry—it was exactly what made him feel alive.

Then, out of nowhere, Mia's character got hit by a surprise attack.

"NO!" she groaned dramatically. "I was doing so well!"

Ace burst into laughter as her character collapsed on the screen. "And here I thought you were a pro."

"Oh, shut up and revive me," Mia huffed, crossing her arms.

Ace chuckled, making sure to revive her before they continued. The next few rounds were just as intense, with Mia making a strong comeback, proving she wasn't going down that easily.

After another hour, Mia finally flopped back onto the bed, stretching her arms. "Okay, okay. I'm calling it. My hands can't take anymore."

Ace leaned back in his chair, stretching too. "Not bad, not bad. You put up a decent fight."

"'Decent'? I wiped the floor with you at least twice," Mia shot back with a smirk.

Ace laughed. "Alright, fine. I'll give you that. You're decent... sometimes."

Mia playfully threw a pillow at him, which he dodged with a grin.

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the only sound in the room being the faint hum of the console still running.

"So, what now?" Mia asked, glancing over at him.

Ace shrugged. "Dunno. You sticking around for a while?"

Mia checked the time on her phone. "I probably should head home soon, but I can chill for a little longer."

"Cool," Ace said, leaning back. "Maybe we just relax for a bit. No games, no competition. Just vibes."

Mia smiled. "Sounds good to me."

They both settled in, the excitement from their gaming session fading into a more relaxed atmosphere. It had been a good night—just another normal, fun hangout. Nothing strange. Nothing weird. Just gaming, pizza, and laughter.

And honestly, Ace wouldn't have had it any other way.

–––––––––––

Ace glanced at Mia, a smirk forming on his face. "By the way, there's a new game we should try out."

Mia raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? What game?"

"It's a multiplayer game." Ace said, leaning forward. "It's a beta game dropping tomorrow, and everyone's losing their minds trying to get access. The developers are only letting a limited number of people play before the official release."

Mia sat up, suddenly more interested. "Wait? I've heard of that! It's supposed to be next-level. Insane mechanics, crazy AI, and some kind of experimental system no one knows much about."

Ace nodded. "Exactly. People have been hyping it up for months, saying it's going to change the gaming world. And guess what?"

Mia narrowed her eyes. "What?"

"I managed to get access just like everyone else and you can too." Ace said with a smug grin, tapping his phone.

Mia's jaw dropped. "No way. You're lying."

"Nope. Got it this morning," Ace said, flashing his screen. "Early beta access. We get to play before the release time."

Mia's excitement was instant. "Dude, why didn't you say something earlier?! That's huge!"

Ace shrugged. "I wanted to wait for the right moment. And, you know, build up the suspense."

Mia groaned, throwing a pillow at him. "You're the worst. But also, you're my new favorite person."

Ace laughed. "I know."

She leaned forward. "Alright, so what do we know about it? Any leaks, gameplay footage?"

"Barely," Ace admitted. "The devs have been super secretive. The only thing people know for sure is that the game adapts to the players in real-time. It's supposed to be the most immersive experience ever."

Mia's eyes widened. "That sounds insane. But also kinda... weird?"

Ace nodded. "Yeah, people are saying it's on a whole new level. Like, almost too advanced for a beta. Some even think it's a marketing stunt, like the devs are hiding something big."

Mia smirked. "And we get to find out first."

"Exactly," Ace said, leaning back. "We'll start playing as soon as it drops tomorrow. Get ready, because I have a feeling this game is gonna be wild."

Mia grinned. "I'm so in."