LOVE 1.0

CHAPTER 6: Joyful Celebrations

D' ZINGERS all went to the Solomon Residence along with Nikki and Irish. Tita Gina had already gone home ahead of them to facilitate the cooking of their favorite dishes for their victory celebrations.

They were all just so happy that they had won all their games for that day. But there will still be two more days.

Nikki said, "Everyone is raving about all of you."

Nate added, "Especially the three of you, Liege, Queen, Blaze!"

Irvin stated casually, "Guess, Bomb and I need to practice harder."

Geoff said, "There is no problem with your speed. The two of you are just lacking in your focus. Zach had to take over on our game for Battlefield because the two of you both have a grudge against some of its members. Then Ella needed a breather after all those offensive moves she had made at Blitz. You should not let your personal grudges affect your game performance. Next time in a group battle, the three of us should be doing the defense while Liege and Queen focus on the offense. Don't easily get so worked up with the trash talking of our opponents. We are there to play as a team."

Zach agreed, "Geoff is right. There will be more experienced players in these kinds of e-sports battles that we might face in the days to come. Our aim is for all the 9 championship cups to be ours. So we must stay focused. Our individual performances are all excellent. Ella still needs some pacing. And she is our secret weapon, so we must not let our opponents know all her abilities yet. We are still training her to be both an offensive and defensive player. She still has a lot to learn. So, we always need the two of you to be on the top of your game."

Nate expressed his commitment, "I will try my best. I will not be affected anymore by my personal grudges."

Irvin seconded, "I will stay focused as well."

Irish then broke the seriousness of the team, "So much for that, guys. Try to relax for now. You won all of your three games today. Tomorrow will be another tough day of rigorous battle. So let us enjoy the food, then all of us can rest afterwards."

With the joy of being with his friends, Zach had totally forgotten that he had to make an appearance at the wedding anniversary celebration of Kelsey's parents that evening.

He only realized that when he saw his phone with so many missed calls and unread messages from his mother. He was already home, when he checked his phone, which had been inside his backpack all along after lunch.

He immediately called up his mother.

His mother's first words were, "Finally!" Then she told him calmly, "I had been calling and messaging you the entire afternoon. We didn't know what you had been up to until your brother saw your games. Your Lolo and your Dad were not very happy about that, son."

He responded, "I had totally forgotten about the anniversary celebration. After lunch, I was only able to look at my phone now. I just got home."

His mother expressed, "I don't know how much longer I can cover up for you, Zach. I know that you just want to do what you really like and reach for your dreams. I also know how happy you are with this company and with this ongoing tournament, but you are still a Belmonte. The more you agitate your grandfather and your father, the more that they will not let you have your way."

He acknowledged, "I understand, Mom. I'll go home tonight. It is just past 8 PM anyway."

His mother informed him, "There will be no need for that. Kelsey had covered up for you. She told everyone that you told her about the tournament and that she fully supports you on this matter. She even told everyone in both our families that she just missed your games this day because of the anniversary of her parents. She told us that she would be at your every game. Does she really know about this tournament?"

He responded, "I don't know why she did that. But she had no idea that I had entered the tournament. She had probably just figured it out and now plans to use such to get closer to me."

His mother advised him, "I think you should give her a chance if you don't want to further agitate your Lolo and your Dad."

He said, "She is free to watch my games if she really likes. I will not stop her from doing so."

The following morning, Kelsey had gone to his residence.

He opened the door and let her in, "Why are you here?"

She responded with, "Will you not even thank me for covering up for you to our elders?"

He uttered an stoic, "Thanks."

Kelsey kept on talking, "Kiel is a huge fan of all your team. He watched all your games yesterday on his phone."

He figured it out – So you have found out about it from your younger brother! Then you pretended to know my dreams and aspirations. You are now even pretending to our elders that you fully support me in everything that I am doing. Let us just see how long you can keep up with this charade.

He told her formally, "Extend my gratitude to Kiel then."

Kelsey told him, "He got tickets for all your games today and tomorrow. Since he is still a minor, then I will be accompanying him."

He decided to follow his mother's advice not to be too hard on Kelsey and so she said. "All the players will be given some complimentary tickets each time they have a game. Tell Kiel not to buy tickets anymore. I will give him my two complimentary tickets starting next week. It will just be up to you if you will be accompanying him or not. You know that I don't like any drama, Kelsey. So let us just be civil with one another."

Kelsey felt somehow victorious – I will just let you be. But I will be closely watching that restaurant girl. She should better know where she stands in your life. I really don't care if she is Queen of D' ZINGERS or the resident artist of your firm. Once she crossed the line, then I would not just stay silent.

He continued speaking, "Only the organizers, teams, and their registered family members have a special lane for the arena. You should better leave now if you and Kiel do not want to line up in a very long queue. The earlier you go there, then you will have the chance to choose the best seats. The tournament organizers only sell tickets for general admission. You will have better seats next week with the complementary tickets. The VIP seats are only reserved for the organizers, team members and their registered families. Try not to make any scene that could ruin your father's reputation. There are so many sports media personnel there. One wrong move from you and your father's political career might come to drain."

Kelsey responded, "I know. I understand. So I will leave now. See you later."

And Kelsey left feeling happy – He is already warming up to me little by little! I should do more things in his favor. I just need to be more patient with you. And you will eventually be dancing to the tune of the music that I like. Thanks to my younger brother. If not for him, I would not know how serious you are about this game. You are ranked as the top player in the world. In order to maintain this, of course, you need to compete in the face-off battle to prove your supremacy.

When Kelsey and Kiel arrived at the V+ Tech Arena that morning, there was a long queue of people already.

Kiel was so angry, "I told you that we should be early, Ate. Look at this line, we will not be able to choose good seats anymore."

Kelsey said, "Then we will be early tomorrow. Don't be mad anymore. Starting next week, Zach will be giving us two complementary tickets, which means better seats for you and me. I told him that you are a fan of the entire team."

Kiel's mood had changed, "That's nice! Will I also be able to meet the entire team in person today? Will you arrange for me to meet all of them, especially Queen."

Kelsey responded, "I will try. But what it so special about Queen that you want to personally meet her?"

Kiel explained, "Well, besides the fact that she is very pretty, she is also the Top 2 Player in National and World Rankings in Cyber Wars, Blitz and Battlefield even though she has just been playing the three online games since April. She did not even play the preparatory levels for minors like me. As she turned 18, she had registered immediately for the prime league and she had quickly risen up in the rankings, even surpassing the ranks of Blaze, who is her older brother. And she is getting even better. If Liege is the number 1 male player, then Queen is his female counterpart. She is the number 1 female player."

Kelsey uttered, "I see." But in her mind – rank she must really be very good to be ranking second in the world in all those three online games. With her this good in those games, she will definitely have a lot of fans and admirers.

When they entered the arena, Kelsey immediately saw that Ella was seated between Zach and her brother. They were still able to have good seats because other fans didn't enter the arena immediately just to see their idols in the lobby first. They had a good view of the Glass Dome as well as the seats of D' ZINGERS.

In Kelsey's mind – She does not have that oily face and messy hair that I saw her with at the restaurant and at Zach's residence. Kiel is right. She is very pretty. And she is not even wearing any makeup. She has a fair complexion. She has got a very nice cleft chin and beautiful nose. She even has a deep pair of dimples on her cheeks whenever she smiles. I did not notice her braces last Thursday because I did not pay much attention to her that time. But she wasn't wearing dental braces when I saw her at the restaurant. It seemed that her aunt had been paying a lot of attention to her looks. Her hair wasn't arranged in a messy bun anymore but in a very neat braided updo instead, which showed her pretty face even more. But she still looked shy. But she seemed very comfortable with Zach already. She is even exchanging views about the ongoing battle with her teammates. And who are those two other ladies with her aunt just behind them? Why do they seem very close to D' ZINGERS as well?

Kelsey asked her younger brother, "Kiel, do you know who are those two young ladies behind D' ZINGERS?"

Kiel responded, "Yes. The two younger ladies are sisters of Bomb and Shark. Then the older lady is the aunt of Blaze and Queen. They are also the leaders of the official fans' club of D' ZINGERS. Why are you asking?"

Kelsey answered, "Well, Zach mentioned that the only ones allowed in the VIP seats were the organizers, the teams, and their registered families."

Kiel commented, "That is true! The organizers really made it that way so that the players would not have much distraction whenever they are in the actual battle. They just want the players to be surrounded closely by the people they are close to."

Kelsey uttered, "I see," but in her mind – I doubt if Zach's family would watch his actual games. He should have just registered me as a family member. I will be his wife in the future, anyway. But then I don't like mingling with the families of his teammates. I don't even know if I will be able to keep up with Kiel watching these games every weekend. I am now regretting why I told our elders that I fully support him and that I will watch his every game. I had to look after Kiel every time. This will reduce my time with my friends.

When it was already the turn of D' ZINGERS to play, Kelsey was like – What is so enjoyable with this E-Sport Battles? All I can see are just players using the computers while the big monitor shows up what is happening. And on the monitors are just animations of heroes or heroines fighting while getting through some obstacles. Is this really what I volunteered myself to watch every week? And the fans keep on cheering or booing the players as if they could hear them. They are enclosed in a Glass Dome. Hello! The players will only be able to hear those cheers or curses once the after the Glass Dome is opened up and they are quite delayed already. The players will just have a full view of what happened outside the Glass Dome once they watch the reruns of the coverage. But it is still not the full version of it. Haisst! This is so boring!

As usual, D' ZINGERS won again in their morning game of battlefield in a 'Group Battle' and no one was exterminated by them.

After their game, they left the arena. Kiel and Kelsey were not able to leave. Kiel opted to stay and watch the other games. They just left during lunch time and had it at the food court within the building of the arena.

In Kelsey's mind – Where did they go? Why didn't they stay and watch the other games? Kiel said that they still had two games in the afternoon. So I have to stay here the entire day just chaperoning my younger brother! Oh no! How could I be this unlucky? It seems that covering up for Zach was not a good idea. I will be suffering. Mom even decided not to include me anymore on her Paris trip so I could watch Zach's games and at the same time keep an eye on my younger brother while she is away. I hate this! I must be able to find an excuse. Or else I won't be able to do much of my school break except from Mondays until Thursdays.

On the other hand, D' ZINGERS and their three family members were at their usual lunch hideout. They talked.

Tita Gina said, "I might have noticed that young lady, who insulted Bri last time, in the crowd watching the games this morning, Zach"

Zach had acknowledged it, "Yes, Tita. That is her. She had informed me that she would be watching the games with her younger brother, who is a fan of ours."

Irish reacted, "Why did she insult Bri?"

Irvin answered his sister, "She is Zach's betrothed. Their elders had arranged their marriage when they were still young. She is the very jealous type of girl. So you should also better not get too comfortable with Zach or else you might experience her sharp tongue."

Nikki commented, "Jealous! Perhaps, insecure! Tita Gina pointed her out to us. Bri is definitely prettier than her. Her makeup is so heavy. Will you really marry that lady, Zach?"

Zach had answered, "I am trying my best to get out of the pact that our elders made. So I am just focusing now on the success of the firm and our team so we can all earn lots of money without depending on our elders."

In Ella's mind – So he wanted to be out of his arranged marriage. That is the reason why he had established the firm with Kuya, Nate and Vin. He wanted to have financial independence from his family. He also decided to form a team with us not just for the glory and honor that we might be able to bring to the country if we won all the championship cups, but also for the cash prize. I had been convinced to join their team not just for him but also for the cash prize and other benefit that it might possibly bring to my life. I also need to earn money so that I don't have to depend anymore on Tita and Kuya. I also want to have my own digital comics platform once I am done with my degree in creative writing. Well, it seems that Miss Mariano is behaving quite well already. She had thrown a tantrum again after seeing me in Zach's residence last Thursday but after awhile she became calmer. Now, she is calm as well. I just hope that Nikki and Irish will not experience what I had experienced from her. Coz Nikki and Irish will definitely fight back and it might be a very big problem. Zach mentioned that Miss Mariano is a Governor's daughter. He even asked Kuya to delete the CCTV footage of hers on our system after copying it. Why did he still get a copy of it if he wanted to avoid the issue going out publicly? Well, I think it is none of my business anymore. I am just happy that I can play side by side with him and my brother. All other things, including the cash prize, are just secondary. Spending time with him gives me so much joy. He might never ever be mine, but at least I can be by his side helping them out in the firm and also reaching for our common dream to bring honor to the country. I will really try my best for us to win.