Page 39 of From Drummer to Gamer

The day I’d been secretly training for a year now.

The day that would decide the fate of my future.

The first step on the hard ladder that I had to climb.

And there was only one destination—the podium at the top.

I’d competed in events before, but nothing compared to this level.

This was nationals.

Only the best of the best competed head-on.

The prize wasn’t just about the money and the trophy. It was so much more than that.

It was about pride and prestige, and it was also about representing the country in the world championship. You’d be deemed as the gods of the gaming world.

The title made you untouchable.

Unbreakable.

It didn’t matter if I ranked sixth in the country; the games were always unpredictable.

It was all the trust and faith you put in the game.

In the team.

Till the very end.

Because nerves and fear didn’t have a place in the arena. If the opponents caught hold of it, they would sink in with their sharp teeth and eat you alive.

I dusted my cheeks with an excessive amount of pink blush, gliding it along my nose and my forehead as I stared at my alter ego, Daisy Luna, in the mirror.

Sierra Chan was too soft, bright, and innocent for the gaming world.

A world that demanded resilience, strength, and a stone-cold heart.

I was thirteen when I put on Daisy Luna’s cloak, and suddenly, I was a whole different person.

I became a version of myself that brought the unabashed, unapologetic side that Sierra Chan was too afraid to show.

They called me the “dagger princess,” and it certainly wasn’t because the spellcaster dagger was my favorite choice of weapon.

It was because I landed swift, smooth moves, never missing an attack while mastering the art of the game.

I wasn’t just good with it. I was the best at it.

“You’re wearing makeup.” A low, broody voice halted me mid-step in the living room.

I jumped.Shit, when did he get back?I only ventured out in my full-blown Daisy Luna costume because I thought Matty had gone out.

But he sat there on the couch, twisting a pair of drumsticks in his hands. His eyes trailed over me from head to toe.

I hope he didn’t suspect anything.

I didn’t look that different, but I looked like a typical e-gamer with glitter eye shadow, glowy pink cheeks with a heart stamp, and blush-pink matte lips. My hair was down, cascading down to my waist, with two thin braid pieces framing my face with black ribbons. And unlike my usual hoodie and shorts, I was sporting a skintight black crop top with a slither of skin peeking out from my waist and a short leather skirt with a cut in the front, all tied together with my knee-length socks and Vans sneakers.

“Hmm, yes. I’m going out with my friends. Hence the fashion change.” I let out a shaky laugh.