---
The lights of the gaming hall reflected on Lavinia's face.
Her eyes were tinted with a blue gleam as she struck the keyboard at astonishing speed.
Her fingers moved lightly, and her features blazed with excitement.
As for Fred…
He was sitting beside her, staring at the screen with frozen features,
and his loss was repeating for the third time since he started playing.
Lavinia raised an eyebrow proudly and said, laughing with pure mockery:
"Ha! Loser… I didn't expect you to be this pathetic."
Fred sat with fake confidence.
He rested his cheek on his palm, as if his loss were part of a genius plan, then said in a tone full of arrogance:
"No, my dear Lavinia… I'm only trying to make you happy by winning against me. You remind me of my little dog… he was always trying to impress me just like you."
Lavinia gasped in anger, then screamed:
"Damn you! Just a loser who hates to admit it!"
She stood up abruptly from her chair…
Her hair swayed with her movement, and she said:
"Come on, let's go to another game."
---
---
They moved to the weapons-based fighting game section,
where loud sounds, strong lights, and giant zombie statues filled the place.
Each of them grabbed a plastic weapon connected to the large screen in front of them, and the game began: a zombie invasion from every direction.
Fred stood firmly,
holding the gun in an impressive way,
his shoulder slightly raised, his gaze focused, and his blond hair gleaming under the lights.
His appearance drew dozens of spectators who gathered around them.
As for Lavinia,
she was moving with astonishing agility, shifting between targets as if she were an action-movie fighter.
Both of them were firing professionally, and the crowd applauded every time they took down a new wave of zombies.
Lavinia laughed and said mockingly:
"Haha, you aim well… where did you learn that? World War II? Or the first one?"
Fred replied while cracking his knuckles:
"No… I just imagine the zombies as you and shoot. That's my secret to success."
Lavinia's eyes widened in anger:
"Idiot!"
The audience burst out laughing, and the two continued competing until they won the final stage.
---
After all the fun, they moved to another floor in the same building,
where a large neon sign read: "Karaoke Halls."
They rented a private room…
and Fred was the one paying.
He took out his wallet, which looked almost empty, and groaned as he stared at it,
while Lavinia ignored the expressions of financial despair on his face.
They entered the room, which was covered in colorful lights, giant microphones, and comfortable seats.
Lavinia chose a fast song, then grabbed the microphone and started singing…
or rather, screaming. She moved in random dance-like motions, her hair flying, her voice tearing through the speakers.
Fred raised his hands, covering his ears, and said:
"Damn… your voice is uglier than your face! There's nothing good about you!"
She turned sharply toward him:
"And what about you, old man? Come on, show me what you've got!"
Fred took the microphone, stood in front of the screen with exaggerated confidence,
and started singing with a voice that…
could only be described as catastrophic.
Lavinia screamed before bursting into laughter, collapsing on the floor while holding her stomach:
"Haha! Your voice sounds like a rooster crowing!"
Fred's face turned red, then he said:
"You're just jealous of me!"
She laughed even harder:
"Jealous of a rooster's crow? Impossible!"
Their bickering continued,
mockery from her side,
arrogance from his, until they both finally collapsed in laughter.
---
---
The two of them left the building as evening fell.
The crowded street was full of lights and music coming from the shops.
Fred walked ahead of her with his usual confidence,
until he suddenly stopped.
He lightly placed his hand on his chest and bent forward a little.
Lavinia raised an eyebrow:
"What's wrong? Are you trying to get attention?"
He didn't answer.
She approached him and placed her hand on his shoulder:
"Fred? If you're trying to dra—"
She didn't finish.
Fred collapsed to the ground, right at her feet.
Lavinia froze,
then screamed with a trembling voice:
"Fred!! Are you okay?!"
People rushed toward them…
A large crowd gathered around, and someone quickly called an ambulance.
Lavinia was shaking, holding his hand while her face looked so pale it seemed the blood had abandoned it.
---
At the hospital.
After what felt like ages, Fred finally opened his eyes.
He saw the white ceiling first, then Lavinia's exhausted face as she slept on a chair beside him.
Her head rested on the bed, her hand gripping his.
He lifted his hand with difficulty and flicked her head lightly.
She opened her eyes instantly:
"Fred!!!"
She lunged at him with a tight hug, as if she had been moments away from losing him.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
Fred pushed her away with his finger and said:
"Calm down… I'm fine."
She asked anxiously:
"What happened to you?"
Fred sighed and said:
"It's… just exhaustion from excessive use of magic. It affected my health."
Her eyes widened:
"And why do you force yourself to use magic? If you're trying to watch over me… I promise I'll be fine! Just stop!"
He raised an eyebrow mockingly:
"No! Not because of you, you idiot. You're not worth exhausting myself over."
Her eyes widened in shock:
"What?!"
He continued:
"Last night I was running an experiment… that's what drained my energy. And by the way… I think it's already late."
Lavinia turned toward the window and saw the dark sky.
She screamed:
"Impossible!! How did it become night already?!"
She leapt up, grabbed her bag, and ran to the door.
He watched her go, smiling wickedly:
"Idiot… thank you."
---
Lavinia ran out of the hospital without stopping.
Her breaths were heavy,
and the cold air slapped her face.
She pulled her phone out of her pocket, and what appeared on the screen nearly stopped her heart.
More than fifty missed calls… from her mother and Mikel.
She gasped loudly:
"Oh God… I'm dead…"
And she sprinted toward her house at full speed.
---