Before I had a chance to pull away from the group to ask Joshua how he knew I went by Z, he was gone and another representative from the company was sitting at the table. Intriguing enough was the simple fact that the name tag on the new spokesperson was also Joshua, but I am sure that is just a coincidence. The same way that I am sure that my stomach pains after consuming copious amounts of ice cream have nothing to do with lactose intolerance.

“Did you all hear what he said to me at the end?” I asked my friend and female companion of the evening.

“No, sorry I was busy dissecting every frame of that game trailer, in my head,” Shane said to me.

“Well, I am pretty sure that he just called me Z, but I swear that I introduced myself to him as Zeph to him earlier,” I responded. However, maybe I introduce myself as Z, I thought.

“Well either he forgot your name and mumbled the first letter, you introduced yourself as Z, or he knows you,” Iris stated matter-of-factly while staring off into space, obviously somewhere in her head.

“I guess it doesn’t matter,” I said under my breath. “Let’s get out of here, why don’t we?”

“Ice cream?” Iris ventured, but then glanced at Shane. “You are welcome to come along, new friend.”

“Nah, I will leave you guys to it, but I don’t think I mentioned thank to you Z on that little help this afternoon,” Shane mentioned, going in for another hug.

Side stepping the hug and going in for the other standard male greeting, a unique handshake I said, “No worries, I am always glad to help.”

“See you guys around soon, I hope,” Shane said, accepting the awkward handshake, squid impersonating gesture.

“Bye,” Iris and I retorted and gave Shane a few minutes head start before we also left the venue. Therein by avoiding the awkward social encounter where one says toodle-loo and then continue walking in the same direction.

After leaving the venue, about five minutes after Shane's departure, we walked elbows locked towards Iris’ car. The evening has rapidly gotten cold but being native Coloradoans, we were prepared with our beanies and respective jackets.

“Bonnie Brae?” she asked?

“No doubt, I responded,” opening her driver's door for her and shutting it as she got into the car. Waiting for the car to turn on before walking away I began to dive back into my own head to process the announcement of this evening, amongst other intriguing topics. First off, Iris was amazing. She was into the same games I was, she had spunk, and was just chill. Second off, what is the deal with the game Fabula? Can it be as impressive as Joshua was implying? Lastly, what was the deal with the Rinc dude knowing me as Z. It is not like I am sensitive about being called Z, obviously the majority of the world is not going to bother pronouncing Zephaniah, thanks, mom. However, I just got the distinct impression he knows me, and that is what made me rather uncomfortable. As I thought about this, I had reached my car and threw my body into the car while simultaneously turning on the car and heater. It is one of the only talents that I am able to do all three tasks at the same time. With that impressive task done, I pulled out of the driving lot pulled onto Speer, and attempted to catch up with Iris. After all, I couldn’t afford to leave her alone with her thoughts for too long or she might begin to debate agreeing to continue the date night.

Driving towards the best ice cream shop in the United States I received a text from Iris, fortunately I was pulling up alongside her a few minutes after her arrival. Getting out of my car I could notice her jumping up and down in the line that stretched a full city block to get my attention. I scampered off to her, you know, to avoid any unintentional jiggling of the face cheek region.

“You already this far into the line?” I asked her with a rising suspicion that she is one of those line cutters we hear about from the east coast.

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“No, but I did just get here just in time,” she responded, at which point we entered the greatest ice cream establishment.

‘What will you all be having?” asked the college-aged gal behind the counter in her uniform, the same uniform that has existed for all ice-cream associated since the dawn of man.

“I will be having butter brickle,” I responded.

“And I will take chocolate,” answered Iris. “With the gummi bears, if you can.”

“For sure,” she responded already handing me my ice cream and directing us to the counter for payment. Being an individual who was raised by a rather strict mother I did not give Iris the opportunity the play the game of check and just immediately paid for both our totals.

“Thank you, but you did not have to do that,” Iris said once she saw me taking back my credit card.

I shrugged, knowing that it was of course expected of me to be courteous in these situations. I gestured towards the outside and we both headed out and found an empty bench alongside the wall of the building. After finding the exact position that brought comfort, I was able, to begin with the game of twenty questions.

“Favorite game?” I asked, beginning the game.

“Zelda: Majora's Mask”

“Favorite book?” I continued.

“Now that is just unfair, cut it out,” Iris responded with a tiny laugh.

“Favorite TV show?”

“Isn’t The Office the only correct answer?” she asked, in response.

“I would have also accepted Supernatural or any other decent show with justification,” I responded to her challenge.

“How kind of you, okay, but enough questions. Tell me what your thoughts are on that new game from Riverlight?”

“Fable? Fabula? Whatever it’s called?”

“Ya, like what do you think that they meant by returning to traditional tales and the whole virtual simulation mumbo-jumbo?” she asked.

“I honestly do not know, but have you ever heard of the anime Sword Art Online or read that book, Ready Player One?”

“Okay, I know that we barely know each other, but come one, of course I know one of the most popular books of this century and one of the most successful anime shows to exist,” she retorted with a mocked expression of pain at being so gravely misjudged.

“LOL,” I said, and yes, I said in sequence the letters L, O, and L. “I imagine that it is something along those lines, minus the whole getting stuck in the game or an evil corporation coming after us.” As I said those words, I realized that was what I now expected of such a gaming empire as Riverlight. In the real world, since we are not residing in a science fiction novel, I doubted it would be that grand. Success, you have just set the highest bar in the gaming world, Zephaniah.

“That would be utterly fantastic. Imagine, a new world with all the fantasy races, magical abilities, and everything. It would literally, and I mean literally, one of the coolest things to experience.”

We talked along these lines for several more hours. About the types of things, we would attempt to do in a world such as that. It got so late into the evening that Bonnie Brae had closed its doors and the employees were doing that awkward eyeing of our bench. The signal was becoming clear, please vacate so we can stop pretending to clean and go home already. While there were no hand signals exchanged between me and the employees the message between was as clear, just five more minutes. With that, we concluded our conversation with a disagreement between who would win in a fight, Gandalf, or Dumbledore. I needn’t go into details, but it got nasty.

“Thank you for taking me out tonight, I really enjoyed myself,” Iris said as I walked her back to her car. “Will I be seeing you tomorrow morning for your usual?”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world and thank you for conceding the fact that Dumbledore is a far superior wizard,” I said. At that last remark, she gave me a not too serious shove and climbed into her car. After flipping me off through the window she smiled and drove off, and I headed back to my car. However, before I left, I made sure to thank the employees for their patience.

Upon pulling into my apartment’s underground garage, I immediately began to feel uncomfortable. You know the feeling when you can swear that there are eyes on the back of your neck. This feeling is then followed up by the mental game of chicken where one side says, “if you look behind you then your chicken” and the other side says, “if you do not look behind you, then it isn’t real.” In the end, I realized and embraced the identity of a chicken and turned around with a loud clucking sound. I honestly was unaware I was capable of such a feat, but it did help reassure me as I evaluated the half-lit room and realized that I was indeed alone.

Returning to my cozy apartment I went straight for my computer. I sat down for a second and sent out texts to Iris, letting her know I was home since she had told me she made it back safely fifteen minutes prior. I then proceeded to boot up my computer and turn on the screens. My intention was to put a few more hours into an adventure game or look up news on Fabula, but neither intention occurred when I received an email notification. All I could see from the top right corner of my screen was the following: Opportunity – Joshua from Rinc.