Level 2 || Alex Gaskarth a.u.

Chapter 1: Blink 182 vs Mozart

"Don't do that!"

"Why not?"

"You're leaving our fort right open! Jesus Zack, are you purposely trying lose the game for us?"

"Just because I'm not an A-class Summon The Wicked player like you..."

"Shhh! I need to concentrate!"

I sit up on my red beanbag, my tongue poking slightly out of my mouth as I slam my thumb down on the X button of my classic pink Summon The Wicked (limited edition) controller. From my left side, Zack lets out a frustrated grunt as he rapidly moves his fingers across his own controller's grubby buttons.

It's STW Saturday, which basically means that Zack and I will be spending the day locked inside his cheap apartment, eating all the junk food that we can possibly get our hands on. On average, STW Saturdays are usually an estimated twelve hours (excluding toilet breaks) of intense gaming, so what Zack and I were currently doing was nothing new, nor was it uncomfortable for both of us.

"Zack! What in the name of Merlin are you doing?" I yelp as his character runs ignorantly past mine, his sword absent from his hand. "Stevie, I need you to cover me!" he orders, not taking his eyes off the screen. I roll my eyes at him, and prepare myself for game over.

Two minutes later, we're both dead.

"Dammit!"

In a moment of his inner twelve-year-old-boy-with-a-temper, Zack flings his controller on the ground moodily while I snatch a handful of popcorn from our favourite polka-dot bowl, trying to contain my laughter. Seeing Zack so heated is always entertaining, which makes it nearly impossible not to laugh at him (which pisses him off quite a lot, hence why I'm currently concealing my laughter).

"Well that was brilliant." I say, my voice laced with sneering sarcasm. At this, Zack just shakes his head. "It was a bad strategy, I know. But sometimes, you've got to take risks." he sighs, his usual words of wisdom going in one of my ears and out the other.

"Risks can be foolish." I scoff, stuffing the popcorn into my mouth. Zack uses the opportunity to roll his eyes at me, but gives me a slight smile, nonetheless. "And there's the cynically intelligent Stevie I know." he chuckles, making me instinctively throw the remaining pieces of popcorn at his forehead.

"So how about round two? And this time we'll use formation Cassiopeia." I say brightly, picking up my controller. Zack scratches his head--one of his nervous habits--which makes me frown, because Zack not jumping at the suggestion of retrying a failed STW level is not the Zack that I know.

"Okay, spill it Merrick. You're hiding something." I say bluntly, squinting my eyes and pointing an accusing finger at him. He winces at my tone, and begins to fidget with his hair. "Look...Stevie..I kind of have to work today--"

"Kind of have to? " I ask, furious. "It's Saturday, for Christ's sake! Saturday!" I complain, sitting up indignantly. "You don't work on Saturdays. I specifically remember you telling me that you work Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays." I rant, cutting him off before folding my arms over my chest, unimpressed at how fast my STW Saturday is being crushed.

Zack gives me an odd look, one of his I-know-Stevie-I'm-not-stupid looks. "We're not in High School anymore." he says, stating the obvious of the obvious.

I puff out my cheeks. "I know that."

"Then you should understand that my parents aren't paying the rent for my apartment like yours are. I need the extra money or else I'll be kicked out, and if I lose this apartment, that'll mean no more STW Saturdays." he says in a matter-of-factly kind of way.