A wide, predatory grin was still plastered on Ethan's face when he logged off.
The sheer, beautiful absurdity of the draw was perfect.
It wasn't a grudge match against a faceless rival; it was a battle for bragging rights against his best friend, and it was for a place in the next round of a tournament that could change his club's entire future.
He sat up in the pod, the real world feeling a little less real than the one he'd just left, and immediately grabbed his phone.
He didn't even bother with a text.
He hit the call button for Leo.
Leo picked up on the first ring, his voice a breathless, laughing mess. "YOU SAW IT, RIGHT?! YOU SAW THE DRAW?!"
"I saw it," Ethan said, a chuckle in his own voice. "The game has a sense of humor, I'll give it that. Ready for round two?"
