For The Win (Gamer Girls, #6) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,17
it. "But I kinda didn't come up with the idea. See, um, you know about Jason, right?"
"Cyn," she said, nodding.
"Yeah, well, he told Dez he needed a persistent-world shooter so he could catch the bad guys. We pushed Flawed back so we could make that happen. After someone tried to blow Dez's brains out on the loading dock, it just felt more important. But, that gave us the parameters. We needed a game where people didn't disconnect after a match. Where they'd keep playing for hours, like they did with a MMO. And, um, the only thing I could think of was war. Like, the historical kind, not the digital."
"Ok?" She looked confused.
"Well, if you look at some of the oldest wars, the control of territory fluctuated on the regular. One side would take a town, and the next week, the other would take it back. If we made three sides, then there wouldn't be a stalemate. So, I said we should make towns. Why? Because I watch the History Channel to relax. I'm not a cool guy. I wasn't the popular one in school; I barely scraped my way through college. I played football in high school but hated it, and spent most of my university years stoned."
"Explains the scraping by," she teased.
He chuckled, knowing she had a point. "Yeah, but what I'm saying is that the one thing I have that sets me apart is that some desperate indie game owner saw my resume. All the big names refused to hire me. Chance offered me a job for next to nothing, and I took it because of the experience. And, well, then Dez happened." He paused as their meal arrived. "The one thing you have that sets you apart is that you can keep up with the top gamers in the industry. Look, you're good. You're damned good in those tournaments."
"And still don't have a sponsor," she reminded him. "I've been on the circuit for a year. I've saved up and flown out to every match, but PBJ got an offer before I did, and I kick that guy's ass on the regular."
He nodded. "I know. Trust me, I've been watching. The thing is, Knock got a sponsor because of Void. Kitty got in on a group deal because Riley's changing the rules. You? What have you done to be noticed outside of your kill counts?"
She opened her mouth, paused, then looked at the waitress. "More coffee?"
"Sure," the girl said. "But I didn't know you were trying to be one of those pro gamers, Ethan."
Rhaven let out a breath, but it was too subtle to be a sigh. "Getting closer every match."
"Cool. Maybe I'll see you on one of the streams."
"Probably not," she said. "Only the money-makers get featured."
"The high table," Braden agreed. "That's what we call it, anyway."
"Are you on there?" the girl asked, smiling at him again.
"Nope," Braden said. "I'm the one operating the server controls. Can't play in those PLG tournaments because of contracts."
"Oh." Her eyes raked over him. "Let me get your coffee."
"You should get her number," Rhaven teased.
"Not really interested," he promised. "Already got the one I wanted." He looked over to make sure the girl was far enough away, then kept going. "I know who you are, Rhave. I know 'what' you are too. I'm not scared, and I'm not going to back off until you tell me you want me to. I don't give a shit what anyone else thinks about me except this one amazing gamer girl, ok? So, do what you want with that, but I'm not the kind of guy who picks up a chick at a bar or restaurant just for a little attention. I'm the kind who works hard to get what I want, and I don't care how many times I fail before that happens." Then his eyes returned to Rhaven. "What about you? What are you working so hard for?"
She swallowed. "I want to get out of this town."
"Easier said than done, am I right?"
She nodded slowly. "I need a better job. I could try the long way, and work up to manager, then head to the next town over, but I don't want to be forty and still trying to find myself. So, I am putting everything I have into getting a pro contract. That should get me the finances to move to a bigger town, like in California or Texas. Someplace the game designers are located."