To The Next Level

-Christopher “Hey Chris, do you have any interesting plans I can join tonight”, a random boy loudly asks while grabbing Chris’s shoulder from behind. It was none other than one of his classmates acting as if they knew him on a personal level. Chris found them to be all the same. Day after day, acting as if he gave two shits about anything they had to say or do. Out of annoyance, he lifted the boy’s hand off his shoulder and then sent him a glare before continuing to exit the school building. You could say it was rude or call him an asshole, but truthfully, all Chris wanted was for suck-ups like that classmate of his to be as far from him as possible. Sadly, in Chris’s case, the school was filled with other students and classmates who were similar. Sons, daughters, and heirs of rich men and women with status being of more importance than their own achievements or effort. A fact Chris grew to feel used to yet no less annoyed by. His life was like any typical rich boy attending a prestigious school filled with other rich children would be. Uncultured and boring, he thought. With most students going only for business connections instead of education or true friendship. Chris’s father was one of the wealthiest endorsers and an overall big deal. Making him a center of attention he never asked for, and causing a whole lot of unnecessary fake interactions. Inwardly he’d cringe at the waves and greetings of those that’d pass him by as if they knew him. He did his best to ignore them, though the staring and giggles from the girls, or “what’s up”, and “hey” of the guys proved to be an obstacle. Chris was tired of the life that sucked out his peace of mind. He was tired of others only wanting to be friends with him because he had money. He had to weave his way through the halls and towards the exit just to get home when the school day came to an end. Chris was always being surrounded by people who felt no shame at receiving his cold neglect. He tried to accept the reality of it. Stuck trudging his way along the school's halls with a sigh. The only person worth wasting his time on is his best friend, Mason. Seeing Mason on the way out, Chris fist-bumped him goodbye, before continuing his way towards the parking lot. The small glimpse of home helped him land in a better mood. A smile warmed his face as he met face to bumper with his sleek black La Voiture Noire. The beautiful car meant a whole lot more than it should’ve. It was a sort of thrill for Chris, which would help keep him sane at times when he felt the world testing his patience. He started getting inside, hoping but failing miserably to go unnoticed by those standing around watching him as he tried to escape. The only relevant part about being a super-rich guy he could find was having the ability to bask in the glory of cars at any time. He enjoyed hearing the engines roar to life and loved the feeling of speeding through the streets. That sense of rush served him a similar amount of dopamine he received from video games. The two worked together to distract him from his very principled reality. In the car, Chris turned the key and listened to the engine out of satisfaction. Immediately, the radio played and his Bluetooth connected. He then chose his favorite playlist that was on his phone. Bobbing his head softly along to the music, Chris drove towards the massive space his parents called home and exited the car upon arrival. " Guess it's home sweet home", he stated with a sigh. Walking straight to his room in hopes of not being bothered. Unfortunately, Chris’s simple wish was delivered unfulfilled as he was stopped by one of the housemaids who held the house phone in her hand. "Young Mr. Ford, your parents told me to inform you that they won't be coming home until next week. They said you need to check on the company while they're absent to make sure it’s in the proper condition”. Chris scoffed listening to the maid relay the message from his parents, not surprised to see that they couldn't send a text directly to him. He’d be surprised if they did, especially since talking to their son was insignificant to them. At least when comparing him to their oh-so-important work. "Thank you, Martha, but please just call me Christopher. I'm not my father", Chris told her. The title Young Mr. Ford made him greatly uncomfortable. Martha was much older than him, and being addressed as Mr. Ford made Chris feel as if he were forty-five instead of sixteen. Age is one of the scariest things for any young person to admit. Even adults struggled to adapt to the unsettling part of life that was age. Nonetheless, Martha smiled gently at him, giving a nod before making her way most likely into the direction of the kitchen. Chris had to admit that with her around, the overly sized house didn't feel so lonely. That and the fact that her presence was more tolerable than the others who’d hung around him on a daily basis. He enjoyed being around people who didn't view him simply as a way to leverage up their status. Chirs and his parents were never close. He was saddened to say it had always been that way and probably always would be. Truthfully, the only times they’d speak to Chris or take some time to spend with him was when we’d talk about their company. Their top priority was not the child, but the idea of lifelong success. It proved they had achieved what others couldn’t. As for Chris, he was a tool set in stone. The one who could take over and continue their meaningful legacy. Being the only child made this destiny certain, at least momentarily. The Fords owned one of the most influential law firms in the country, but despite being their one and only son, Chris had no care for the family business. Of course, what he cared for never mattered in the slightest. His desires and choices were seen as nothing more than a waste of time and child’s play in their eyes. It was a shame that he lived in a world where people believed money to be the only way to happiness. Was it too much to ask for a little human decency in day-to-day life? Chris could hear what other people would say. They’d tell him “it’s useless to complain when you’re rich. Life could be a lot more difficult without money to spare”. From that standpoint, he knew it was unfair of him to keep complaining. Instead, he’d work towards changing his destiny. He would no longer be his parents' little guinea pig. Entering his bedroom, Chris stepped into his private bathroom. Another long day ends in a blissful shower; he uses it as a chance to gather his thoughts. The warmth-like water gave a sense of freedom he normally would find it difficult to obtain. But in the shower Chris could watch all his worries and grievances flow along with the water and down into the drain. These rare moments were times that a feeling of contentment would hit him. Times of peace, where he could enjoy the things he liked, rather than having to be someone else. As mentioned before, Chris loved to play video games; smiles forming on his naturally cold face the second a console was in his hands. You wouldn't be able to tell if you saw it for yourself, but the teen boy became excited like a little schoolboy towards the thought of playing games. Like cars, they served in a special place in his heart. A place where he could be his true self. Chris had gotten himself a new game the day prior. He set it up quickly, waiting in anticipation for the loading screen to finish serving its purpose. It was a multiplayer role-playing game, a genre Chris usually wouldn’t participate in. Mostly because multi-role plays had multi- people multiple people, which meant that Chris would have to communicate with people he didn’t even know. But this game became an exception for him from the start. The graphics, concept, and overall design, were enough to pique his introverted interest despite his normal gaming ethics. Chris knew he could learn a few things from exploring different types of game genres once in a while. It would be needed in order to invest time in all genres, since he wanted to create a game company of his very own one day. That happened to be his dream, and something his parents strongly disagreed with. But Chris vowed to find a way to make it happen. ———————— “Welcome to Hero's Playground! Join others to fight against enemies, hang out with friends, and help your hero league grow through the ranks. Please enter your hero's name below", the game instructed right after the loading screen. Upon hearing this, Chris couldn't help but stare in awe. He was entranced by the new world he was about to step into. The game was a welcoming feeling and Chris could already tell it was a great game to base on future development ideas. Continuing on, he entered a username. Chris_ShowsNoMercy. He then clicked the next button and was met with the words, "Now, Design your character". The game gave more instructions and Chris willfully followed its orders without hesitation. Surprised by the endless amounts of options to choose from in their character catalog. Realistically, the best options required some sort of experience in the game, but despite that, it was good to know you wouldn't have to look the same, and there were chances to level up as you played. In excitement, Chris got to work making his avatar. He took time to create something he thought he would be pleased with. Choosing features close to his own, and a simple pair of jeans with a white polo shirt. His character selection was basic, but he liked it just like that. He wanted to be a character he hoped to relate to some day. After he finished designing his character, Chris clicked to enter into training; ready to start the journey lying ahead. “I'm glad you could make it to our hero training. To officially be a hero, you will need to train in the following categories. Speed, Strength, Telekinesis, Teleportation, Regeneration, and Element Manipulation." “These powers will allow you to battle against villains, monsters, and other evildoers. The higher you are in a field, the more you grow in rank, as each ability succeeds in different situations. Now let's begin". Finally, Chris was playing an RPG game, which genre he so particularly avoided soon became one of the most addicting to play. He would be unable to put the console down for far more reasons than one. -Aziza "You're such an asshole, why the hell are you still here!? Get your things and get your ass out already". “It takes time, Melinda, but I'm finding a place that's for sure. I definitely can't stand to be around your negative self any longer"! “Good Ben, hurry up then." Aziza tried to ignore their bickering and did her best to pretend she couldn't hear every word they said. In reality, even the neighbors most likely could hear. They had received a report from them before, and Aziza hoped it wouldn't happen again. “Honestly though, who wouldn't”, Aziza thought. Her parents didn't get along, but "for her sake," they tried to stay together. She could commend the effort but truly only wished for them to end their suffering, so at the same time, it could be the end of hers. If she had known then that every day was going to be like a brutal fight at the bar, Aziza would have advised them to be separate sooner. Yes, Aziza told her parents it’d be best for them to break up, but they didn’t agree. Both cared for her in their own way, and she understood that, but to their dismay, she was not blind to their obvious dislike towards each other and being in the same house. It had been like that for a year since the financial stability of Aziza’s family only seemed to decrease . They’d often come home and start attacking each other for no reason; sometimes being for things as simple as why water was left inside of a cup on the counter. In no way was Aziza’s family the best when it came to financial status. Both parents worked, but it was barely enough to get them through. Eventually, Aziza started getting jobs just to help them out. Through the process of working, she ended up becoming less dependent on her parents. It was a good and bad thing, since their family relationship grew more strained, along with the physical distance they put between themselves. She no longer needed to be reliant on them, or even on their care. It only proved that their frivolous attempt to be together, meant that their relationship was nothing but worthless. Most of the time, Aziza would responsibly spend her money. Saving up for the day, she could leave her wretched household. She was ready to start depending on herself, though that didn’t mean she never gave in to her wants. When it came to gaming, Aziza saw nothing wrong with spending a little money on herself. She’d buy things to help drown out the noise that filled her household. Glad to have a distraction that could release her from the suffocation. Regretfully, Aziza held the disk in her hands. It read Heroes Playground in bright red letters and tons of characters littered the background. She was unsure whether she had made a wise decision with its purchase, but Aziza knew it was officially going to be one of the most expensive things she ever owned besides her game console and tablet. Games and designing were most enjoyable in her eyes. They served as rightful ways for her to escape the bitter walks of life. She entered the disk and read through the instructions. When they asked for her username, Aziza entered herself as A-Zender. Right from the beginning, she trained and practiced to build up character skills. For Aziza, gaming was a self-taught talent she somehow possessed. Being competitive was always a trait she had, though no one knew so, since Aziza didn't own any friends and she was going to a school with people that outclassed her when it came to financial abilities. But it was worth it given the benefit of the education she was receiving. Aziza was smart. The school is enough to at least keep her thirst for knowledge satisfied. She would soon be graduating from school at the age of a junior. Aziza had to endure being around entitled rich kids all day long. She dealt with it though, as long as it meant preparing respectfully for her future. There were moments that made her wish she could just go to a school more fit for her status. But Aziza had built a tough shell around those that thought they were better than her just because they had money. She was bullied, annoyed, and stepped all over the first year that she attended school. But the next year she decided that it was going to be different. She promised to herself that she wouldn’t let things stay, whenever they got tough. Such set hacks soon became a part of her past mighty quickly. The sweet and innocent first-year student that once was, disappeared, and out came an Aziza who would use her voice to stand up for herself. She had grown from her young age and naive thoughts, learning fast how the real world would treat a pushover. The thing for Aziza was that she kept quiet for most of her life to herself. She was afraid of letting anyone in and the disruption of her past always haunted her. Reminding her of the weak girl she truly was inside, her insecurities ready to come and suffocate the very small thread of confidence she carried around. Aziza was awkward, broke, and a bit of a nerdy girl that nobody wanted to hang out with. Games served as the only place she could be herself without feeling judged. It was as if she belonged in the game alone. When you're allowed that opportunity to be yourself without judgment, it's no surprise another part of yourself comes out as well. Who you truly are, starts to blend in together, and pretty soon no longer can you tell the difference between you and your facade. For Aziza, playing games was not just her being a different person, but it was who she felt she could become deeply inside. She was tired of being a stepping stone that allowed others to come in and do as they please. Aziza didn’t want to be pushed around anymore. Once Aziza Walker found the intense world of gaming, a new her; no, an updated version of herself formed. "Game on", she stated. A warning to anyone who dared to face her wrath.