David stretched out on his couch, feeling the weight of the day melt away. He reached for his controller, navigating to Fortnite, where the familiar loading screen greeted him. The chaos of training and the outside world seemed far away now, replaced by the colorful, unpredictable world of online gaming.
As soon as he loaded into a match, David's focus sharpened. He built structures with clumsy precision, trying to improve his reflexes. However, his practice session was interrupted by a familiar voice crackling through his headset.
"Mini Goat, what are you doing?"
David groaned, already recognizing the teasing tone. "Practicing, NotZoeyBlack. What does it look like?"
"Practicing? You just boxed yourself into your own structure. Bravo, Mini Goat. Bravo."
David gritted his teeth as her laughter rang in his ears. He had met NotZoeyBlack a few weeks ago during a random Fortnite match, and ever since, their games had been a mix of reluctant teamwork and relentless banter—mostly at his expense.
"I'm trying to get better, alright?" he shot back, feeling the heat rise in his cheeks.
"Better at making me laugh? You're succeeding there," she replied, her voice laced with mockery.
Before he could retort, a notification appeared: NotZoeyBlack has sent you a team-up request. He clicked to accept, and her voice immediately returned, this time more direct.
"Hey, Mini Goat, where've you been?"
"Training," David replied, adjusting his mic.
"Right," she said, dragging the word out with exaggerated skepticism. "You're an athlete. You need training."
"Why'd you say it like that?" he asked, frowning.
"No reason," she said, the smirk in her voice practically audible.
David sighed. "Don't you have school or something? How are you always online?"
There was a pause on her end before she replied, "Dropped out. I'm working now."
"Working?" David asked, incredulous. "How can you be working when you're always online?"
Her voice turned sly. "Tell me what kind of athlete you are, and I'll tell you how I'm working."
David hesitated. "Never mind," he muttered, unwilling to share.
"Thought so," she teased.
They launched into a few rounds of Fortnite, their characters navigating chaotic battles. Despite David's efforts, he found himself eliminated again and again, leaving Zoey to carry their team.
"You're bad," she declared after his character met yet another untimely demise.
"I'm not bad," David retorted defensively. "You've just been playing longer than me."
"Yeah, right," she replied, clearly unconvinced.
David, who hated losing, smirked. "Alright then, let's switch games. I bet I can thrash you in FIFA."
"You don't want to do this, Mini Goat," she warned, her confidence radiating through the headset.
"Oh, I absolutely do," David replied, his competitiveness kicking in. "Someone's gotta teach you some manners."
Switching over to FIFA 20, they set up an online Ultimate Team match. David grinned as he prepared his lineup, featuring the best players he'd managed to collect: Marcus Rashford and Timo Werner spearheaded his attack, supported by a midfield of Premier League stars and Zinedine Zidane on loan.
When Zoey's team lineup appeared, David's grin vanished. Her roster was stacked with ICON players: Ronaldo Nazário, Pele, Maradona, and a defense that looked almost impenetrable.
"Wait a minute," David said, leaning forward. "How do you even have a team like this? You must've spent a fortune!"
Zoey's laugh rang out. "Skills, Mini Goat. Skills."
David shook his head in disbelief. "Doesn't matter. I'm still winning."
"Sure," she said, her voice dripping with mock confidence.
The match kicked off, and David immediately pressed forward, using quick passes to break through her midfield. In the 12th minute, Rashford found the back of the net.
"Yes! Take that!" David shouted triumphantly, punching the air.
Zoey remained silent, but David could almost feel her stewing on the other end. A few minutes later, he scored again, this time with Werner.
"Two-nil! Who's bad now?" David gloated, leaning back with a satisfied smirk.
As the game reset, Zoey's voice cut through his celebration.
"Hey, Mini Goat," she said, her tone calm and measured.
"Yeah?"
"Since the game started," she asked, her voice carrying a note of curiosity, "have you had fun?"
David froze, her unexpected question catching him off guard. He hesitated, unsure how to respond.
"Uh… yeah?" he said cautiously.
"That's good," Zoey replied, her voice light but unreadable.
Before David could press her further, the match resumed. This time, Zoey's players moved with surgical precision, her Ronaldo slicing through his defense like butter. David barely had time to react before the ball slammed into the back of his net.
"Alright," he muttered, gripping his controller tighter. "Let's see what you've got."
The tension in the game mounted as they continued, but Zoey's earlier question lingered in David's mind. Something about it felt oddly significant, though he couldn't quite place why.