Chapter 42
Things have been going well. Today, I'm sitting for my SAT exam—mid-October, a little earlier than I would've liked, but after a streak of perfect scores on the mock exams, there was no reason to put it off. I'd been crushing those practice tests, and honestly, the real thing felt more like a formality than a challenge. It was almost funny how calm I was, considering how much pressure everyone else seemed to be under.
I know some students who took the SAT even earlier to meet early action requirements, but that wasn't in the cards for me. My academic record up to senior year wasn't exactly stellar—not terrible, but nothing that would make Ivy League admissions counselors sit up and take notice. It wasn't until my "gamer awakening" that my grades shot up. So, I figured I'd wait for regular action and apply with a much stronger resume. Leonard was also taking the SAT today. He'd been acting more confident lately, carrying himself with a new sense of responsibility that came from managing the game team. It was a good look for him—he didn't freeze up over little things anymore, and I was genuinely happy to see him growing. He even started dressing better, wearing shirts that actually fit, not some anime t-shirts.
So, on a perfectly normal Saturday morning, I drove my Mustang to the school. My car is still making heads turn and girls are still giving me a longer look, but I ignore those like a pro. I parked in my usual spot and texted Alex, who was already waiting for me by the side entrance. She wore her hair in a ponytail and had that mischievous glint in her eye that always made my heart race a little faster.
"Ready for your good luck charm?" she whispered, grabbing my hand and pulling me into an empty classroom. The place was quiet, sunlight filtering through the blinds, the air thick with anticipation. I knew what was coming but still played along.
I grinned. "What did you have in mind?"
She leaned in, her lips brushing mine, her hands slipping around my waist. "Just a little something to help you focus," she murmured, kissing me slow and deep. For a few minutes, the world faded away and it was just us. Exploring each other's mouths like we were searching for something important there, her fingers tangling in my hair, my hands tracing the curve of her back. It was great to kiss her and I just squeezed her butt before finally we broke apart.
She straightened my collar, her eyes soft but teasing. "Now go ace that test, Reed."
I laughed, feeling lighter and more ready than ever. "With you as my lucky charm? I got this."
Alex has been busy with her own projects—music, school, volunteering, you name it—but we still find time for each other. I've gotten used to her body, but honestly? What I'm addicted to is just being with her, especially after sex, when we're lying in bed, tangled up together. Honestly, that's the favourite thing for me. She's got this perfect, huggable body—like a human-sized teddy bear—and there's nothing better than holding her close
The exam itself was… honestly, a breeze. Three hours of standardized testing, but with my INT stat and perfect recall, it felt like a speedrun. I filled in the bubbles with confidence, barely breaking a sweat. I expect a perfect score this time—way better than the 1180 I scored last year, back when I was just another average kid. I even finished with time to spare, spending the last ten minutes just double-checking my answers and watching everyone else sweat bullets.
Basketball has been the biggest change in my life, aside from the whole "gamer" thing. We practice four days a week—drills, scrimmages, old tapes, and weight room sessions. The alternating cycle of workouts and skill drills has pushed my physical stats up, finally tipping them over into a new tier. Just one point each, but every stat change feels like a mini-evolution. There's something addictive about seeing those numbers tick up, knowing I'm getting stronger, faster, and tougher. I also found one other thing about Game Changer, my new active skill: it can't be leveled up, but it's already helped me a ton by letting me play at a higher level than I could and which made me learn from myself only. I look at my stats and they look like this:
LVL: 21
HP: 96
MP: 80
STR: 6
AGI: 6
END: 6
INT: 11
WIS: 5
LUK: 6
SP: 0
With team practice came new friendships. I mostly talked to Andrew and Jackson, but the other guys were chill too. I knew some of them from classes, but being on the team together changed everything. We started hanging out after practice, grabbing burgers or pizza, talking about games, girls, and life. The stereotype that athletes only hang with the "cool" crowd? Total myth. These guys were all over the social spectrum, and none of them cared about cliques. I never felt pressured to abandon my OG friend group, even if I couldn't hang out with them as much as before. They understood—real friends always do. Balancing it all was a challenge, but it was worth it. I was slowly widening my comfort zone without losing the people who mattered most.
Money isn't a problem anymore, which is wild to think about. Sometimes I laugh, remembering how I started coding Flappy Bird just to buy a few books. Now, I have to remind myself to actually order new skill books every day, and it's almost annoying how much time it takes to pick them out. I'm not complaining about absorbing new skills, but it's funny how the small stuff becomes a chore when your life levels up. Maybe I am just being a bitch and complaining needlessly. Still, there's something weirdly satisfying about opening a new package of books, knowing that each one could give me a new skill or level up an old one.
Lately, I've shifted my focus to language skill books. Spanish was my first target, and I leveled up my Spanish fluency by singing Spanish songs, grinding both skills together. Now I could hold a conversation with a local, order food, ask for directions, even flirt a little if I wanted. Now, I'm working on French and Mandarin. Mandarin's tough, but it's in demand, and I figured it couldn't hurt to have another rare skill in my arsenal. I even thought about starting a YouTube channel to teach Mandarin, but let's be real—I barely have time to sleep, let alone film and edit videos.
But then, as I was scrolling through my phone, I suddenly got a new idea and immediately messaged Josh to meet up with me after school.
—
After the exam, I found Josh waiting by the parking lot, leaning against the hood of my Mustang, scrolling through his phone. He looked up as I approached, grinning.
"Yo, Lucas! Survived the SAT?" he called out.
I laughed and tossed him a fist bump. "Crushed it. Hop in, I want to run something by you."
He slid into the passenger seat, buckling up as I pulled out of the lot. We drove for a bit, windows down, just talking nonsense—arguing about which superhero would win in a fight, debating the best burger joint in town, the usual. Eventually, we ended up at our favorite burger place, grabbing a couple of greasy cheeseburgers and sodas.
As we sat in the booth, I finally brought it up. "So, I'm thinking of starting a YouTube channel. And I want you to help me."
Josh perked up, eyebrows raised. "Cool, cool. And what's it about? You finally gonna stream your chess games and put those nerds in their place?"
I grinned, shaking my head. "Nope. Music."
He made a face, mockingly skeptical. "Music?! Do you even know anything about music, bro?"
Instead of answering, I reached behind the seat and pulled out my guitar. Josh's eyes widened as I tuned it quickly and started strumming. I looked him dead in the eye and started singing:
"All my friends are toxic, all ambitionless
So rude and always negative
I need new friends, but it's not that quick and easy
Oh, I'm drowning, let me breathe…
I'm better off all by myself
Though I'm feeling kinda empty without somebody else
Oh, I hear you crying out for help
But you never showed for me when I was ringing your cellphone
Oh, you don't know how it feels to be alone
Baby, oh, I'll make you know, I'll make you know, oh
I'm drowning, let me breathe
I'm drowning, let me breathe
I'm drowning, let me breathe
I'm drowning, let me breathe"
I didn't sing the whole song—still working on the arrangement—but I hit the chorus, letting my voice fill the small space. When I finished, I looked up. Josh's mouth was hanging open, eyes wide, burger forgotten in his hand.
"Man, that was fucking good. Like, real good!" he finally blurted out. "How the hell did you do that? You've been hiding this from me? Fucking bitch!"
I burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the car. Josh always had the best reactions. Loud and funny. Actually all black people have the best reactions. Maybe stereotypical but I didn't know a single black guy who was not like that..
Once he'd calmed down, I explained my idea. "I want you to be my manager—cameraman, editor, hype man, whatever. You're already good at editing, and you've done those gigs for extra cash. I need someone I trust."
Josh was already nodding, excitement lighting up his face. "Hell yeah, man! I am in."
I grinned. "Meet me tomorrow morning at my house and I will show you how serious I am."
He clapped me on the back. "Don't forget me when you get big, superstar"
He teased me but I just grinned.
I decided on this channel after noticing how I always get new skills for some achievements, and I just know I'll get something after my song hits a million views or 10 million views. I don't want to sign with a record company—they'd take away my freedom. I'd rather be an independent artist, even if it means not being as big or making as much money. At least I'll be able to do my own thing, spread my songs, and have fun with it and I will have my own schedule according to me. More importantly I don't want to be Taylor swift'd by someone
______________________
Power stones fuels the motivation bar to write this story for me.
Hey! Thanks for reading and supporting the story. If you want early access to advanced chapters, check out my Patreon.
[patreon .com /amrev] (no blank space)
If you are not capable no worries-you'll get the chapters soon enough. Appreciate you being here!