Page 67 of From Drummer to Gamer

It took two more tries, and in the last one, he luckily outmaneuvered the boss and captured the enemy base, finally winning the game.

Even then, he showed no reaction, just a simple nod of acknowledgment to himself.

“I didn’t know you playedFantasy Legends?” As far as I knew, it wasn’t in the public records, but Matty didn’t share much about his personal life. The only glimpse we would get is from the rare magazine interview here and there. And I’d never seen him play, and it’d almost been a month since I started living here.

“Yeah, I’ve been keeping myself away from it till I wrapped things up with the launch. It’s a treat for me,” he said, his head rolling down the back of the couch as he shifted his eyes to me. “You don’t play, but you know the game, though?”

“Yeah, a friend of mine is really good at it.” Only the friend was my alter ego living inside me. “So I know quite a bit about it. Is this the only game you play?”

“Among others, but this is the one I’ve always stuck to.”

“Is it for fun, or do you follow the pro leagues?”

His eyes never wavered from me as he answered, “For fun, but I do watch some gameplays.”

He did?Swallowing, I asked, “Like streamers?”

He nodded. “The pro streamers, so I can learn, but most times, I watch it for fun.”

My heartbeat picked up a notch. That meant there was a chance that Matty could’ve watched me, could’ve seen me play!

I’d always kept my face hidden while streaming and attempted a deeper voice, so it was hard to connect me in real life, just in case Mommy dearest got wind of it. Yes, people did see my face in tournaments, but it was a different crowd, and media coverage during the events was very minimal and limited to gaming blog posts. Unless you went to the deep depths of the internet, you wouldn’t find a picture of me.

“My friend streams too, so I watch with her sometimes,” I lied as if trying to make a conversation, but my insides were on the edge, bursting to know everything he knew. “Do you have a favorite?” I asked, holding my breath.

“Like a gamer?”

“Yes,” I replied, licking my dry lips. He paused, his eyes dropping straight to that motion before his gaze focused back on my eyes. It was quick, a fast second, and I almost would have missed it if I hadn’t been watching him so closely.

I somehow always caught him staring at me.

Did I have something on my lips, and he was too polite to voice it out? Knowing me, I probably had some Cheetos crumbs stuck somewhere on my body.

“I do have a few favorites, but there is one I really like.”

“Who?” I asked, leaning over. “I do know a few players.”

“I like the Shadow twins,” he started, and the balloon of hope deflated from my heart like it had been shot with a ton of needles.

He liked Vincent and Alice, the arrogant siblings with pompous heads. I wish he’d said anyone else instead of my main opponents.

“They’re so fast that it’s engrossing to watch their gameplay. I’ve seen them knock a game out in a mere five minutes, but still, I think they’re a bit too confident at times, and it makes them slip a lot. And I think as a pro gamer, that’s the worst attitude to have.”

“I agree.” I nodded along with him before I even realized what he had just said. “Wait...” I said, my eyes widening. “So your favorite is someone else?”

“Yes,” he replied in a grumpy tone. “I do like the twins, but personally, Daisy Luna is my favorite.”

“What!?” I shouted, cupping my hand over my mouth.

What the fuck did he say?

Me!?

I was his favorite?

A confused look crossed his eyes. “Yes, Daisy Luna, do you know her?”

I schooled my expression, trying to tame my wild heart, which skipped a beat and another before banging against my rib cage. It was so loud that I almost feared that he could hear it. “I do know of her. My friend is her fan,” I muttered, blinking. “What about her do you like?” I asked before I could stop myself.