Anthea, who wasn''t usually into gaming, felt her interest piqued by Sarah''s enthusiasm.


    "I might as well download it."


    "Well,e on up to my room then!" Sarah suggested, her voice upbeat. "Thework is better


    there."


    "Sure." Anthea nodded and followed Sarah''s lead.


    Once they settled into Sarah''s room, Anthea finished downloading the game.


    "Just log in and skip the tutorial. I''ll show you the ropes!" Sarah dered with a grin, her confidence


    not at all diminished by her modest status.


    "Ann, I sent you an invite. ept it, will you?"


    "Got it."


    The game seemed simple enough on the surface, but as soon as Anthea entered the fray, she was


    promptly taken out by an opposing champion.


    "It''s cool! Just stick with me, Ann. I''ve got your back!" Sarah reassured her, slipping into the role of


    the protective teammate.


    "Okay." Anthea, resurrected in the game, obediently shadowed Sarah.


    But as luck would have it, even with Sarah''s limited prowess, they were no match for the opposing


    team. After three consecutive defeats, Sarah''s rank tumbled.


    Silence hung heavy after the third loss, with Anthea staring down at her screen, a crestfallen


    shadow over her face.


    Sarah, eager to keep the mood light, offered aforting smile. "Don''t sweat it, Ann. Everyone is a


    rookie at the start. I was way worse on my first try."


    Anthea lifted her gaze, her clear eyes shining with resolve. "Enough talk. Let''s queue up again,


    Sarah. This time, I''ll carry you."


    Sarah blinked, taken aback not just by the bold im, but also by Anthea''s striking beauty in that


    moment.


    "Carry me?" Sarah was skeptical. She had evidence, after all. Gaming required quick reflexes and


    sharp wits. It was rare for someone to excel at both on their first try, especially someone who hadn''t


    even reached the primary rank.


    To avoid discouraging Anthea, Sarah nodded. "Alright, let''s do this."


    As theyunched into another game, Sarah braced for even a marginal improvement from Anthea.


    Instead, Anthea charged headfirst into the fray just as before. "Ann, slow down! That hero is super


    strong early on. You can’t beat him alone!"


    Before Sarah could finish her warning, the game announced a kill: "First Blood!"


    Holy smokes!


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sarah blinked, thinking she was seeing things. "Ann, did you just take down their champ?"


    "Yep." Anthea nodded, casual as ever.


    Sarah swallowed hard, wondering if it was a fluke. But as she was lost in thought, her character met


    an untimely demise.


    "Damn!" Sarah couldn''t help but curse. "Sneaky assassin!"


    "Don’t worry, I''ll avenge you," Anthea dered, her fingers dancing over the controls. With a series


    of slick moves, she avenged Sarah’s death.


    No way! Sarah turned to look at Anthea, her eyes wide. Was she gaming with a professional?


    The game''s announcements kepting, "First Blood! Double Kill! Triple Kill! Quadra Kill! Penta


    Kill!"


    For the first time, Sarah realized that girls could totally dominate gaming.


    So she was totally carried by Anthea to victory.


    Sarah felt her cheeks burn with a mix of embarrassment and awe.


    Meanwhile, in the living room.


    Carole and Latonia were deep in conversation over steaming cups of coffee. Latonia was happy for


    her friend after hearing about the recent sess of Carole''s diner.


    "Carole, you''ve worked hard for so many years. Your good fortune''s just around the corner."


    Carole, ever the optimist, patted Latonia''s hand. "You''re blessed too, Latonia. You''ve got a


    wonderful family. Sarah is a sweetheart and so responsible, and Walter just got into a great


    college!"