"Alright Kris, thank you for participating in the scrims*." The voice on the headphones said.

*Practice matches done between professional gaming teams to test out strategies or new members.

"AC, I-"

"Don't worry, sometimes we just don't show up. It's understandable."

  The call disconnects and Kian breathes a heavy sigh. His head is pounding from the number of games he has played the past few days. Almost 12 hours, every single day not counting the hours he put in for practice. He takes off his headphones and looks up at his fan. The rotations seem to make him even more dizzy as his vision blurs slightly. He decides standing up and walking around would do him better. Maybe a good cup of Milo too.

"Mummy." Kian calls out as he exits his room.

He looks out the kitchen window of their apartment. The dark sky night was disturbed by the lit rooms of other apartments. He slowly shuffled to the kitchen while still looking out the window. His trance was suddenly broken when he saw something on the floor.

"M-mummy?" Mrs. Low was laying on the floor heaving with bated breath. Her hair covering her face. "Mummy!" Kian quickly rushed to the side of his mother.

"Call..." Mrs. Low's voice heaved with a deep pain. "Call...ambulance."

Kian quickly rushed to his room and tried to grab his handphone off the table. It slipped out of his hand, falling onto the floor causing the screen to crack. He picked it up again, his hands shaking and tears welling up in his eyes.

"911, apakah kecemasan anda?"

"T-Tolong, mak saya...d-dia...saya tak tahu...saya tinggal di apartment Villa Wells, Subang Jaya."

"Ok tak apa ye dik. Kamu tunggu sahaja. Ambulance akan datang dalam 15 minit."

"Tolong c-cepat. "At this point he didn't know whether the humidity in his face was because of sweat or tears. The call ended and Kian's heart was racing. He rushed back to his mother in the kitchen.

Kian turned his mother on her back and started pumping on her chest. "M-mummy. It's ok I called already. Stay with me, mummy."

Mrs. Kian coughed but didn't answer. Kian kept pumping on her chest. Was he even doing it right? He was sure he needed to do this but he didn't know whether it was the right way. He only knew he needed to pump her chest. He checked her breathing. Still there.

He continued pumping for ages, not even stopping as his arms tired out from the force he was trying to put on his mother's chest. He then heard a doorbell and thumping on the door.

"Adik! Kami sudah datang adik!"

▶

  The Thursday evening sun shone on the courts near the sports complex, most of them filled with students wanting to get the only sunlight they can before preparing for the upcoming assignments, projects and any other end of semester shenanigans. Kian and his group consisting of half of the gaming club was standing underneath one of the roofed walkways leading out of the sports complex. He looked out towards the courts then at his watch. 5.30 p.m.

"Kris, you sure this is going to work?" Goh said behind him. "What if they submit the proposal anyway?"

"Then we file a complaint of non-compliance and we make our own event. It's not like we need them anyway."

"So, if we don't need them, why not just do it ourselves?"

Kian turned around and looked at Goh and Meng, who both were dressed in black like him and the rest of the gathered club members. "It's about the message."

"Ok, Mr. Joker. But looks like Batman has arrived. Its them." Meng said pointing towards some cars. A number of girls came out from the cars and started heading towards the netball court.

Kian observed as they entered the court. He called out to his members, who Goh just picked out from the clipboard in the gaming room, to group up near him. "Listen guys! If you all want to keep the room for next year, we stay at that court until they bloody listen to us!"

All of the members, mainly consisting of guys who never got any exercise let alone stand in the sun started looking at each other in doubt. Kian sighed.

"Fine! If they manage to work with us. I will...I will request the uni to allow us to bring our own gaming gear into the room!" The group murmured and some shrugged and nodded in reluctance.

"They're getting on court, Kris! Quick!" Goh pointed towards the court.

Kian took in a deep breath and exhaled and turned towards the court. "Alright everybody. Let's go!"

The sight was amusing to say the least. People on the courts in the middle of a game were confused as to why a bunch of nerdy looking students dressed in full black were marching in unison.

You think they have a vendetta or something? Is this a protest? They've got to be sweating out of their asses right now. Isn't that the gaming club president?

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  The netball court was fenced like the rest of the courts with a narrow-caged gate for entering and exiting. The netball team were taking out their balls and some were already stretching or jogging around the court. Kian and his group entered through the narrow gate stopping one of the jogging netball club members in their tracks. The rest of the netball members started turning to look at the strange sight. Soon, 19 gaming club members were present in the centre of the netball court. The sun beat down on the players and the gamers as a silence fell on the court.

A drop of sweat started rolling down the side of Kian's face. He looked around trying to find a tall girl which was useless considering most of them were almost as tall as him anyway. Where is she?

"What are you doing here, gamer." That familiar, rough voice that Kian doesn't feel like getting used to called out.

A group of girls to the right of Kian started making way as Alexis stood near the edge of the court. She adjusted her track pants and sports bra exposing her built mid riff to the pleasure of the nerds. Her wavy fringe lifted a little as a gust of wind blew through the court.

"I'm here to finally discuss about the event." Kian walked towards her but stopped when she noticed the group of girls around Alexis might just pounce him if he got any closer. He didn't want to draw blood today.

"We already did. You're in charge of-"

"We're going to hold a gaming tournament. However, we need your collaboration."

Alexis was taken aback by Kian's sudden interruption. But she just shrugged. "It's too late to suggest anything. We already settled the proposal. The deadline is due tomorrow anyway."

"You mean the deadline you made up?" Kian crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows.

A sense of realization began to show on Alexis' face. "Hm, and I thought you couldn't care less."

"We, the gaming club would like to request-"

Alexis suddenly clapped her hands and shouted. "Alright girls! Time for practice!"

The court suddenly burst into activity as about 13 girls including Alexis ran onto the court into training formations at each half of the court forcing the gaming club members, situated in the middle of the court, to compress into a circle. Kian tried to run back towards his group when Alexis suddenly calls out a code. Balls started flying across each half of the court in some kind of practiced situation. The gaming club members in fear of getting struck by a stray ball ducked.

"Guys! Leave the court area!" Kian shouted. The members started moving towards the fencing farthest from the exit. Kian ran over to them. "You all ok?"

Suddenly a stray ball flew and hit him in the head making him lose his footing a bit. Meng steadied him as he rubbed his head. The shocking feeling was back. The sense of anger that he had every time he had to interact with Alexis.

"Prez, what do we do?" A voice suddenly called out from among the members. Kian stood up straight and looked at his members.

"We go late game."

▶

  The gaming club members were seated along the fencing. All of them covered in sweat and some even sun burnt at this point. A few have left after a while due to the futility of this effort (with Kian's permission, of course) but there were still enough members to make it seem like a crowd. Goh and Meng were asleep next to each other resting their heads on the fencing while the rest of the members, some of whom had brought umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun, were playing games on their phones.

Kian, however, did not take out his phone. He was postured right at the very edge of the court and not to the fencing like the others, observing Alexis. His legs were crossed and his hands joined over his mouth with his eyebrows furrowed as he looked at her.

  The past few days have been a stir to him. He couldn't have cared less about the club since he's been president at the beginning of this semester; even with the threat of shutting down looming over them. And yet here he was braving the evening sun for the past one and a half hours just because of...no. It couldn't be her. It's the club. Stupid Noel putting ideas into his head.

"When are you going to stop staring at me, gamer." Kian shook himself from his thoughts and looked up. The setting sun shone behind the tall build of Alexis.

"Was I staring at you?"

"I could call the university disciplinary board and file a complaint if you want."

"I'm still willing to discuss about the event," Kian looked down and sighed. "And please don't file that complaint."

Alexis squatted down so that her eyes were level with Kian's. She gave a smug look of approval. "Look...gamer. I'm impressed to say the least. You still have members here willing to follow you even if some left. And the fact you stayed stuck with me a bit." She stood up again. "I'll make a deal with you."

Kian looked up. A little bit of hope entered his heart. "And what do you want?"

"I'm still not convinced your club has what it takes to organize anything even with the effort you guys showed here."

"Bye Alexis!" A member of the netball club waved at Alexis. She turns to put her hand up and smiles at the member.

Her smile. It's the first time Kian has seen her do that in broad daylight ever since they've met. The orange light made her sweaty tanned skin shine and for once, Kian didn't really feel mad at her. Well, not until she opened her mouth to him again.

"To prove that you guys have what it takes," Alexis crossed her arms. "I want you guys to help my club with a friendly next week."

Kian quickly stood up. "Why should we help you? We don't have to prove anything and our club is perfectly fine going it alone. If you're going to suggest things like this then maybe I should file a complaint to the events board."

Alexis looked him up and down. "Oh, gamer boy. You think I'm a stranger to clubs backing out of a partnership with us?" She said in a mocking tone.

Kian gave a confused look. "What?"

"The netball club has never had trouble going through this partnership thing alone. All the clubs we've been drawn with eventually decided not to work with us. And you guys," She looked towards the members behind him, all staring at them, and then back at him. "Are just another one of them."

Kian balled his left hand into a fist and the both of them stared at each other. The tension was so strong that Goh and Meng woke up just in time to notice the situation in front of them.

"What the hell are those two doing?" Meng rubbed his eyes and yawned.

Goh adjusted her glasses. "I'm not sure myself. But I think something is about to happen."

Kian felt something in his heart tug at him as it raced, but he made sure he held back. He inhaled, held his breath and exhaled. Something within him tells him this is just utterly absurd but on the other hand, he felt like he really did need to prove something to this girl. His thoughts gathered and he made his decision.

"I'll accept your offer."

Alexis held her hand out and grinned. "Good. We'll shake on it then."

Kian looked at Alexis for a while, seemingly assessing her true wishes before trusting her enough to go in for the handshake. In that moment, Kian couldn't help but notice how rough her hand was. It felt like he was touching overused sandpaper. He assumed it was probably due to all the exercise and training she had gone through. After they shook hands, Alexis picked up her bag near the gate and exited.

"What happened. Did you all agree on something?" Goh said as she walked up to Kian's left-hand side. Meng followed and stood on his right while the rest of the members gathered loosely behind Kian.

"You could say that," Kian patted Meng and Goh's shoulders giving a determined expression. "We've got work to do."

GAME OVER: CHAPTER FIVE