The Unleashed Spark

Azure Marin

"Noooooooo!"

"Yessssss!" I pumped my fists in the air, almost knocking the chair out with the force I stood up.

"It's not fair, you win everytime"

"I won fair and square"

I grin looking over at my friend Aaron, who was clearly unhappy with my playing skills. I won everytime we both had a match. It was the fifth match we had today and I still won.

"Joshi pass me the lemonade" Noah spoke, chuckling at Aaron and supposedly at my annoyed face.

"Stop calling me Joshi, it feels childish" I grumble passing him the lemonade.

"And stop laughing at me, I can clearly beat you" Aaron added.

"Are you challenging me?" Naoh narrowed his eyes.

"Are you questioning my skills?"

"I am"

"Then so am I"

"Let's have a challenge then"

"Count me in"

"I'm in too" I declared with a slight grin on my face already knowing their reactions.

"Nooooooo!" Aaron groaned.

"You stay out"

"Why" I questioned feigning innocence.

"Because you always win" well that was true.

"Fine, losers," I murmured, turning around.

"You didn't.....Just call us- "

"I did" I say, glancing at them over my shoulder.

"You're on"

"That's what I thought"

I grabbed my controller and sat on the couch again with Naoh on my left and Aaron on my right.

"Let's see what you got Joshua, I practiced for weeks" Noah commented.

I snort, I wasn't the arrogant type but I knew well and was confident in my skills.

"Alright, Noah, let's do this!" Aaron exclaimed, his competitive spirit already fired up.

"No mercy!" Noah chimed in, grinning mischievously.

I smiled calmly, my focus already on the game. "We'll see about that."

The match began, and our controllers came to life. The room filled with the sounds of explosions, gunfire, and our own whoops and shouts.

Aaron and Noah were tough opponents, but I'd been practicing. My character dodged and weaved through the virtual battlefield, taking down enemies with precision.

As the match neared its end, the tension in the room grew. Aaron and Noah were neck and neck, but I'd managed to pull ahead.

"No! Come on!" Aaron yelled, his character making a last-ditch effort.

"No way!" Noah shouted, his eyes fixed intently on the screen.

I remained silent, my eyes locked on the prize. One final shot, and it was all over.

The screen erupted in a blaze of color, and the words "PLAYER 2 WINS" flashed across the screen.

I let out a triumphant whoop, pumping my fist in the air. "Ha! Take that, guys!"

Aaron and Noah groaned, tossing their controllers aside. "Rematch!" they chimed in unison.

I grinned, basking in the glow of victory. "Anytime, guys. Anytime."

"Joshi" I turned hearing my not so liked nickname being called.

"Yes mom" I didn't miss adding the annoyance in my tone.

She chuckled lightly looking at my face, "Is your stuff packed?, your dad said we'll be leaving by 8"

"It's packed.. And I still don't understand why can't we take my gaming system?"

"We'll buy you a new one, it's more expensive to carry it around, Joshi"

"Mom, stop calling me Joshi" instead of annoyance my voice rather came out as a whine, mostly because I knew she would never stop calling me that.

"Stop being melodramatic about it, you used to love it when you were a kid"

"When I WAS a kid mom, I'm freaking twenty now"

Noah and Aaron burst out laughing while my mom kept her usual stern and a mix of playful expressions on her face. She knew I hated that nickname but she still called me that. My friends knew that too and they insisted anyways, just because they think my mother calls me that and it's lovely... To tease me of course.

"You may be twenty but you're still a kid for me"

"Mom-"

"No"

I groan in annoyance, firstly because no one can convince her, secondly because I know what's coming.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _🦋

I took my luggage from the baggage claim area. Walking ahead I caught up to my parents who were already at the airport, again... Why do they think that just because I'm a twenty year old man, I can't get lost or I may not be able to find them... And then again my mother will tell me, smartphones exist.

"Mom!, a person would have waited" I say rushing up to her.

"For who? You?" she replied in mock disbelief.

"Grow up kid" My father added... Which was an insult. I get it.

"So-"

"We'll be going to meet your aunt Nari, at the hospital, your cousin got ill" My mother continued.

"You mean Aeri" I say dryly.

"Yes, Aeri"

"I don't want to go"

"Stop acting like a child, you will go" My father spoke sternly.

They both knew how much I hated that human, she wasn't even a human, she was a pure example of why animals lived between humans. Or why bees stick to you like glue. I hate that goddamn bi-

"Joshi stop making faces" My mother glanced at me.

"Not my fault, and I'm telling you I won't hesitate this time if she-"

"You won't do anything, am I understood?" my father added, with his usual stern voice.

"I understand, dad" I could do nothing less than reply like a robot.