CHAPTER 4

The supermarket was unusually crowded for a Saturday afternoon. Aisles were jammed with tired moms, toddlers throwing cereal boxes, and college kids hunting for ramen like it was buried treasure. Somewhere between the instant noodles and discount soda stood Sophia Patel, wearing oversized sweats, messy bun secured with a pencil, and a hoodie with a cute bunny on it , it's glasses resembling Sophia's

She’d just come for snacks. Nothing major. Chips, maybe a soda. The usual gaming fuel.

What she didn’t expect was to round the corner of the snack aisle and come face-to-face with a walking smirk: Alex Chen, in a backwards cap, casual tee, and a half-empty basket filled with popcorn, gummy worms, and—was that three energy drinks?

They froze.

Sophia blinked.

Alex grinned.

“Oh, look,” he said, leaning casually on his cart like a model in a snack aisle ad, “if it isn’t the queen of rebuttals. Here to debate the nutritional value of hot Cheetos?”

Sophia raised an eyebrow. “I could, but it’d be a short argument. They're clearly superior to that microwave popcorn you’re hoarding like its currency.”

He held up a bag with mock reverence. “Popcorn is a classic. You don’t mess with perfection.”

She smirked, pushing her cart past him. “I’d argue your taste in snacks reflects your festival planning—unimaginative and slightly stale.”

“Ouch,” Alex replied, spinning to walk backward alongside her. “Coming from someone whose debate booth idea was literally just ‘let’s argue in front of an audience.’”

“It’s called intellectual engagement,” she replied, tossing a pack of gum into her cart. “Not everyone’s impressed by haunted lockers and dance-offs.”

They ended up side by side at the checkout, baskets loaded with sugar and sarcasm. As they waited, the conversation shifted—just slightly.

“You ready for next week?” Alex asked, glancing at her. “The festival’s coming fast.”

Sophia nodded. “We’ve been prepping nonstop. The juniors are more stressed than I’ve ever seen them. I had to confiscate five highlighters and one existential crisis yesterday.”

He chuckled. “You know, for someone who claims to hate council meetings, you sure talk like a student leader.”

“And for someone who loves attention,” she said, “you’re surprisingly decent at logistics.”

Their eyes met for a bit too long.

The cashier didn't let the opportunity slide, with a smug smile on her face she made a hand gesture like those royalties

"OMG are you two a couple??"

Both Alex and Sophia stood there as if still processing what she just said and then simultaneously yelled NO with embarrassed and flushed expressions. The cashier laughed, and the moment passed.

Later that evening…

Sophia Patel stepped out of the shower, a fluffy towel wrapped around her hair as she padded barefoot into the kitchen. The air was cool, and the familiar weekend hush filled the house. She opened the fridge, grabbed a cold soda, then reached for a bag of spicy chips from the cabinet—gaming fuel secured.

The memory of running into Alex lingered longer than it should’ve. Not in a romantic way, obviously. Just… surprising. Unexpected. He looked different outside of school. More real.

Anyways she shook off those thoughts quickly and settled onto her favorite spot on the couch, nestled beneath a worn throw blanket, her laptop balanced neatly in her lap. A content smile tugged at her lips. This was her little sanctuary. Her space to disconnect… and reconnect.

More specifically: with him.

Logging into Eternal Realms had become second nature by now. Her fingers flew across the keyboard as she entered her login, her heart giving a tiny skip as her avatar flickered onto the screen.

There she was—DarkEmpress—clad in dark crimson armor, sword at her hip, eyes glowing with quiet power.

“Back at it, Empress,” Sophia murmured to herself, popping a chip into her mouth. “Let’s go.”

Across town, the vibe was completely different—but the ritual? Almost identical.

Alex Chen flopped dramatically into his gaming chair, popcorn bowl in hand and a lazy grin already on his face. He tossed a few kernels into his mouth, hitting play on his favorite lo-fi mix as he booted up the game. The light from his monitor cast a soft glow across his room, illuminating the half-scribbled to-do list for the school festival that he was definitely not thinking about.

Not tonight.

Not when he had a quest waiting… and a partner he couldn’t stop thinking about.

The screen lit up. Starlight, his level 78 warrior-mage, loaded in with a shimmer of cosmic energy. Almost instantly, a message pinged in the party chat:

DarkEmpress:

Took you long enough, slowpoke. Ready to get crushed today?

Alex chuckled, fingers already on the keys.

Starlight:

Confident for someone I had to rescue three times last dungeon.

DarkEmpress:

Tactical retreats. You wouldn’t understand.

Starlight:

Oh, I live to carry you.

And with that, they were off.

The quest today was part of a newly unlocked campaign: The Forgotten Peaks. Treacherous mountain cliffs, snow wolves, glitchy rope bridges. The whole digital drama.

Their avatars moved like poetry—Empress darting ahead to slash through enemies with precision, Starlight hanging back, casting buffs and firing lightning spells with calm mastery. They knew each other’s rhythms now. Anticipated moves without needing to speak. Covered for each other without missing a beat.

It was teamwork.

It was trust.

It was… fun. Real fun. The kind that made hours disappear like smoke.

At one point, DarkEmpress got surrounded near the edge of a frozen ravine, her health bar blinking red.

DarkEmpress:

Uh-oh. Okay. Slight situation. May or may not have aggro’d an entire wolf pack.

Starlight:

You didn’t.

DarkEmpress:

I did. Come save me, hero.

Without hesitation, Starlight teleported to her side, unleashing a burst of AoE fire and shielding spells. Wolves exploded in pixelated glory.

Starlight:

You’re lucky I like dramatic entrances.

DarkEmpress:

I’m touched. Truly. I’ll name my next sword after you.

Starlight:

Make it a legendary weapon, at least.

Their laughter echoed through the chat as they regrouped and climbed toward the mountain’s peak, where a towering frost guardian waited. It was a brutal fight—but they were in sync, weaving between attacks, timing heals and strikes with pinpoint accuracy.When the guardian finally crumbled into code, dropping rare loot and a pile of XP, DarkEmpress let out a triumphant cheer IRL, nearly spilling her chips.

DarkEmpress:

We are unstoppable.

Starlight:

Dynamic duo strikes again. Told you I was feeling lucky.

DarkEmpress:

And humble, as always.

After splitting the loot and salvaging materials, they guided their avatars back to the cozy in-game tavern they always used as a hangout spot—The Hollow Ember—tucked into a valley lit with golden lanterns and pixelated fireflies.

Their characters sat by the fireplace, flickering flames casting a warm glow on their digital faces.

DarkEmpress:

You ever think this game is more relaxing than real life?

Starlight:

Literally all the time.

People don’t interrupt you here. Or ask you to organize fundraisers.

Sophia laughed out loud, recognizing the veiled reference to real-life school chaos. She hesitated, fingers hovering over the keys.

DarkEmpress:

Today was fun. I mean… it always is with you. But especially today.

Starlight:

Yeah. Same. It’s weird, but... I always look forward to this.

Playing with you just makes everything lighter.

Sophia laughed out loud, recognizing the veiled reference to real-life school chaos. She hesitated, fingers hovering over the keys.

DarkEmpress:

Today was fun. I mean… it always is with you. But especially today.

Starlight:

Yeah. Same. It’s weird, but... I always look forward to this.

Playing with you just makes everything lighter.

A soft smile crept onto Sophia’s face. Her stomach flipped in the smallest, strangest way.

DarkEmpress:

You’re not so bad for a flashy mage.

Maybe we should do a night raid later?

Starlight:

You ask me like I’d ever say no.

DarkEmpress:

Then it’s a date. Dungeon style.

When they finally logged off—nearly three hours later—Sophia sat there, blinking at her darkened screen. The glow of the monitor faded, but the feeling lingered.

She set her soda aside, pulled her knees up to her chest, and stared up at the ceiling.

She didn’t even know his real name. Didn’t know what he looked like, or what school he went to, or if he liked pineapple on pizza. But somehow… she knew Unknowingly a sweet smile spread across her face.

His humor. His timing. His kindness.

That was enough—for now.

Back in his room, Alex leaned back and ran a hand through his hair, eyes still on the screen even though the game had logged him out. The world outside felt louder all of a sudden.

He smiled to himself, remembering her little typed “It’s a date.”his cheeks turning slightly red.

He’d flirted online before. He’d teased plenty. But something about her? About DarkEmpress?

It felt different.

And somewhere in between strategy and sarcasm, a line had begun to blur.

Neither of them knew how close they were to discovering the truth.

But one thing was certain—

They were falling. Fast.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***