Aarav stared at his phone like it was a ticking bomb. The blue checkmark next to the name made his pulse race: Rhea Phoenix Strike—team captain, eSports celebrity, and someone he'd only ever seen on streams.
Kunal hovered over his shoulder, practically vibrating with excitement. "Bro, this is not a drill. She messaged you. Rhea freaking Kapoor!"
Aarav swallowed hard. "What do I even say?"
"Say yes. Say you're in. Say you'll marry her—okay, maybe not that last part," Kunal joked, grinning.
Aarav shot him a glare. "Not helping."
He opened the message again, reading it slowly:
'Interesting take on our rotation. You seem to know your stuff. Ever thought about playing at a higher level?'
His fingers trembled as he typed back:
'I'm just a college kid. Never played competitively.'
The reply came almost instantly, like she'd been waiting.
'Everyone starts somewhere. We need a sub for the upcoming season. Interested?'
Aarav's breath caught. This wasn't a casual invite. This was a door to the big leagues—a world he'd only dreamed of.
Kunal nudged him. "Dude, this is fate knocking. Answer before it walks away."
Aarav hesitated. "What if I'm not good enough? What if I choke?"
Kunal rolled his eyes. "You've been gaming since high school. You analyze strategies better than half those pros. You belong there."
Aarav stared at the blinking cursor. His mind was a storm—fear, excitement, doubt, hope—all colliding. Finally, he typed:
'I… guess I'm interested. What's the process?'
Seconds later, another ping:
'Come to our gaming house tomorrow. Meet the team. See if you fit.'
Aarav froze. "Tomorrow?!"
Kunal grinned wider. "Tomorrow. Bro, you're about to walk into the lion's den."
Aarav's stomach churned. He imagined the sleek gaming house, the pros with their confident smirks, the pressure of proving himself. Could he handle it?
He typed one last message:
'Okay. I'll be there.'
Rhea replied with a thumbs-up emoji and a simple:
'Don't be late.'
Aarav set the phone down, heart pounding like a drum. His quiet life—study, game, sleep—was officially over.
Kunal clapped his back. "Congrats, champ. You just levelled up."
Aarav managed a shaky smile. "Or walked straight into a boss fight."