In a rather empty cafe Ray stared at his best friend confused as he drank his coffee. He wasn't particularly good looking, nor ugly. He was just your average guy with eye bags under his eyes.
"A new… virtual reality game?"
"Yeah! Isn't it exciting!?"
His best friend, Mark, spoke up enthusiastically. It was a wonder how he was this chipper so early in the morning.
"There's no need to announce it to the world…," He commented on his friend's enthusiasm.
The few glances and curious stares from the people around them proved his worries right.
"I thought I had already told you though? I only play MMO's like First Fantasy. And last I checked, VR games ain't up to speed for that kinda stuff yet."
Ray scratches the back of his head, taking another sip of his coffee. Not really too invested, but a little confused as to why this was the topic.
"Well… here's the thing Ray. You'd be right… a month ago," Mark spoke with an odd dramatic effect, that didn't quite sit well with Ray.
"Huh?"
"You see, a month ago a new startup company appeared in the gaming field, with an out of this world game idea."
Mark stared at Ray enthusiastically. Ray, however, not amused, stared at his coffee. Checking his watch occasionally, before sighing. He ran his hand down his face, hoping to rid himself of at least some signs of exhaustion.
"You're shooting me an ad aren't you?"
Mark froze on the spot, spitting out the sip of coffee he had just drank. Ray's soft glare through the spaces between his fingers wasn't helping.
"H-how'd you know…?"
"If I didn't it'd be stranger, we have been friends for like 10 years or something," Ray responded, waving off his friend's question.
Mark thought for a long second, a few minutes at most. Wondering if he should really go through with this. He opened his mouth to speak, looking back up at his life long friend, but before the words could leave his mouth Ray slid a cup of coffee over. A reassuring smirk on his face that made Mark reassess his thoughts and go through with it.
"This is my dream, and my company's newest startup. So please Ray, help me out this one time."
"You have my attention, but I can't say you have my interest… I was never one to be invested in VR games, but since it's you I'll give it a try."
The two smiled at each other, a small understanding rekindling.
"You really are terrible though, first talk in a month and it's about your job. We couldn't do this over some drinks or something?"
Mark chuckles, drinking some of his coffee. The new cup that Ray slid over was the same kind he always had, a caramel latte with light sugar. The two caught up, the morning hours ticking by as the calm mood in the cafe eased their work worn minds.
-_-
"Ever thought about going back to the good days?"
"Good days?" Ray questions.
The two men in their middle twenties walked along the sidewalk. Cars passing by, and the occasional honk of road rage in the city traffic were the normal background noise.
"Like high school, when we used to still have our free trials…"
"Free… tria- Pfft! You mean taxes!?" Ray laughs at Mark's joke, nudging him with his elbow.
"Good old days my ass, we were in detention 24/7. Surprised we even graduated," Ray reminisced.
Stopping in his tracks, the alarm on his watch goes off. Having lost track of time, Ray was late to his meeting. A heavy sigh leaving his lips.
"Ray… Come work for me, my company can give you a good wage and paid overtime with plenty of PTO." Mark pleads, expressing his thoughts and worry.
"Mark, I'd love to. But even with all the overtime, I can't just jump ship to a boat that could sink at any time. You don't know if it'll wor-"
"It will," Mark cuts him off, his usual teasing and lighthearted smirk gone to the wind as the cars pass by.
His light brown eyes focused and determined.
"I promise you, it will succeed."
Ray stares into his determined eyes a bit longer before shifting his attention to his watch, the alarm still blaring before she silences it. A long deep breath in, and an even longer exhale, his thoughts settled.
He lifts his right hand up to Mark, his fist clenched and a smirk on his face.
"Let's do this then, like old times?"
Mark's eyes visibly soften, his smile returning but his determination never leaving. He raises his fist, connecting it with his friends in a soft bump.
"The freaks of Timber High School back at it!"
"Okay, do not call us that…," Mark snickers as Ray starts to have second thoughts about his decision.
-_-
I search through my bag, pulling out my keys as I finish my last day of working for my old company. Unlocking and opening the door to my apartment I throw my bag to the ground, stretching my arms above my head.
'It's been about two weeks since I gave in my resignation letter.'
Throwing my shoes off at the door as I pick up my bag, putting it down on the desk next to my bed. I sigh, looking at my small apartment. It wasn't much at all, a small bed to the side, a bathroom, and a small kitchen with a bit of walking room.
I walk into the bathroom and wash off the exhaustion from my face, placing my phone on the edge of the sink. I lift my shirt and flex my arm, smiling at all the muscles I had.
'Yeah right…'
By muscles I meant fat. I was slim and skinny, but due to a lack of actual exercise I was starting to get a bit of a belly. I poked it a few times before sighing, my laziness in this specific area was too strong to overcome.
My phone buzzes against the sink, catching my attention as its screen lights up with a notification of an email. I tap on it to open it up, finding it to be from Mark. More specifically his company.
Over the past two weeks he's taken me to see the company's official office. It was bigger than I thought, it seemed like he had gotten plenty of investors to contribute to his company funds. His game was pretty much finished as well, it seems like he's been working on this for several years.
Which makes me wonder why he hadn't mentioned it sooner, and why he had even asked me at all to begin with. It's not like I had much to contribute or invest, at least anymore. I had given all I had to his last projects, which was why I was in my worst-for-wares job in the first place.
'I'm a little stupid for agreeing to this, thinking about it.'
He had many other ideas and projects like this in the past, all of which had gone up in flames, one quite literally so. But remembering his eyes full of determination made me scratch my head, unable to refuse his request for help.
Looking into the email it seemed like he was sending me some equipment for the job. I was supposed to be a game tester, which means I get to play the game before anyone else. Though I'm the only one, which in all honesty is a little odd. I can admit that I'm pretty observant, but I'm human so I can still miss some bugs that would affect gameplay.
I could feel my pride growing as I imagined him thinking I was the only and best one for the job.
I step out of the bathroom, finishing my self approval session as I head to bed watching the news on my small tv.
-_-
I'm scared awake by a loud knock on my door. Rubbing my eyes as I take a look at my clock, flinching as I notice it was already well past noon.
"Guess I needed that sleep more than I thought…," I remark, climbing out of bed as I scratch my stomach under my shirt.
I opened my front door, seeing who was knocking. It was a deliveryman, he gave a small wave and had me sign some papers.
"A big package you got here man, are you… sure you can fit this through your door?"
I could only give him a confused look in response.
"Yeah? I got it."
I replied, assuming it was the console that Mark had sent me. It probably wasn't all that big, VR headsets usually weren't. Though that very same thought seemed to be the exact opposite of the truth.
Around the corner of the apartment complex, a box that was about double the size of my front door. My face filled with shadow as reality dawned upon me.
"Hey, I actually do need he-..."
I looked around, looking for that very same delivery guy. Only to see the place where he should have been standing to be oddly empty.
"You're joking..."