TW: I don't think there is one

C’mon, just open the door Chris.” Jenna urged gently but Christine shook her head quickly.

“I can’t...I’m too nervous for this.”

“Well Chris you don’t have to do this...but I’ll make fun of you for forever if you don’t.”

“Did you really just….you did you’re smiling okay that was good I should just stop talking and open the door.” Christine gently put her hand on the knob and turned it, Jenna giving her a thumbs up as she walked into the auditorium.

The first thing she noticed was a grown man who looked strikingly like her adopted father but she shook it off, observing as he sat up old timey arcade games on the stage.

“Is this where we meet up for the tournament?” She asked and Jeremy seen her from his chair and walked over.

“No this is where you meet up for swimming practice.” What did he just…”I’m joking, I'm joking.”

“Oh. Well I'M Christine.” She smiled awkwardly and Jeremy coughed a bit into his hand.

“You okay?”

“What?” Christine was taken back by the question a bit.

“Like you seem nervous. You're very sweaty.”  Christine looked at her hands and realized how sweaty they were.

“O-Oh I...I always sweat this much.” She laughed awkwardly and Jeremy was staring at her intently.

“I get it.”

“What do you…”

“You’re a virgin!!” Jeremy exclaimed and while he was right, Christine turned so red that she felt like she could explode. “This is your first tournament isn’t it?”

“O-Oh you think I’m nervous a-about the tournament.”

“Why else would you be shaking like that?” Jeremy asked and Christine took the seat next to him to try and ease into the awkwardness. “I kinda envy you, you never forget your first tournament, even if you don’t win, it’s always memorable just due to the friends you can make...and just because what it means to you. Doing these tournaments is the highlight of my-”

“Day?” Christine asked and Jeremy shook his head.

“No. My life. This is the best thing in my life because I can be the hero when I play these games. I can save the girl or save the kingdom or stop the bad guy and it just feels so amazing when all those fictional characters love you the way they do...because in the game, you aren’t yourself. I just love these tournaments, even though I don’t always win, it’s still fun to try, it’s kinda like...kinda like playing pretend, in a way. You act as if you’re the character until you beat the game. For me it helps ease basically any trace of anxiety I have.” There was a long pause, Jeremy and Christine not making eye contact. “But do you get what I mean?”

“Y-Yeah it’s kinda like me when it comes to my single person play rehearsal at home. I only ever have one other person who acts with me, and playing a-all those characters is rather fun and interesting.”

“Oh cool.” Jeremy smiled at her and she felt her heartbeat begin to get faster and faster. His smile was so adorable

“Okay s-so….are there other people c-coming or is it just us?” Christine asked, bouncing her leg gently to calm herself.

“I honestly don’t-” The door was kicked open and they turned to see the popular kids. Christine sighed because her private conversation with Jeremy just ended. “I’ll be right back.” Jeremy told her, standing up and heading behind the stage, and when he came back out from behind, the man from earlier was with him. That man was his father, aka Mr. Canigula(GOD THIS IS SO WEIRD!!). “Alright people! Sit down so me and my father can explain how this is going to work.” Jeremy yelled through a megaphone, and everybody sat down, a few rows behind Christine...of course. “Thank you. My dad will now take the stage, so listen up okay!?” Jeremy handed the megaphone to his father and sat back next to Christine.

“Thank you son. So you students may refer to me as Mr. Canigula, I am Jeremy’s father as he stated multiple times.” He eyed his son, who waved happily. “Now this year the tournament is gonna be a little different. While we still have arcade machines, we’re also going to be including speed runs of certain levels to Jeremy’s choosing, since he knows more about this than me.” There was a loud embodiment of groans from the popular kids, who knew that Jeremy was inherently good at video games. “That’s all we’re going to discuss for today, the official practicing and training begins tomorrow.”

The students filed out, except for Brooke Dillinger, who came over to where Jeremy and Christine were.

“Hey, you were in last year’s tournament, weren’t you?” She asked and Jeremy nodded. “Okay, so about that, can I say something kind of stupid about it...not about you, but like, something stupid I thought.” She was twirling a strand of hair in her fingers and Jeremy nodded. “So when you lost, and got upset like you did, I felt...really bad. Like I actually felt my heart break a little inside for you. You looked so sad and it really made me think, why haven’t I tried to get to know you before then? Because I wanted to comfort you, a complete stranger. Oh by the way, I’m Brooke.” She held out her hand and Jeremy just pushed it down, smiling awkwardly.

“I know and...that isn’t stupid at all.”

“Hey so a bunch of us are gonna go hang out at the mall together and stuff, and I was wondering...you wanna come?” She asked and Christine noticed Jeremy blushing and sighed...He stood up and waved goodbye to her, following Brooke out the door.

Christine heard her phone buzz and looked down.

Dear Chrissy Heere: Hey how’d practice go?

Dear Jenna Mell: Oh...there was a takedown...I’ll say that

Dear Chrissy Heere: What’s up?

Dear Jenna Mell: Jeremy likes Brooke Dillinger…

Dear Chrissy Heere: Aww that sucks. Hey how about you text me when you exit the school, I’ll come pick you up, and we can hang at your place?

Dear Jenna Mell: sounds cool.

Dear Chrissy Heere: See ya then Chris, love u no homo

Dear Jenna Mell: ILY2 No Homo.

Christine sighed, picking up her bag and looking at it. She should probably go and wash off the ‘Girlf’.