1 New Champion

"The finals of this tournament has left the crowd screaming as the challenger has the current champion cornered!" The commentator announced as the last two contestants that made it to the finals were about to put an end to their battle.

"You've got skills I'll admit, no wonder you were able to keep the championship all this years."

Neo's fingers danced across the keys of his keyboard and the mouse glided effortlessly over the mousepad. Each click of the mouse button echoed through the room, leaving a rhythmic percussion to the intense digital battlefield.

"Tch, don't ever assume a brat like you could take away my title!" Jake replied to harshly his kind comments, he seemed drunk and the reason was unknown.

The crowd cheering increased as they watched from their seats the final battle between Neo and Jake on the extremely large TV placed in the middle of the game hall. Every two years the W.G.O — an acronym for World Gaming Organization held a gaming tournament. For the past 6 years Jake has been the one and only champion.

Each tournament the game used depends on it's popularity, so each year it changes.

This was the year 2017 so the game selected for the tournament was the Dragon Ball XenoVerse 2.

"The challenger's got the champion cornered! He's got got the champion cornered!"

Neo's character was an OC of his creation — Saiyan Max who had awakened the Ultra instincts sign and Jake chose the Super Saiyan Blue Gogeta.

"A Kamehameha! A Kamehameha!! KO! The champion's down!!" The commentator shouted into the microphone leaping to his feet.

The crowd roared, atlas Neo defeated Jake to attain the championship title of the W.G.O for the next two years. Neo's mom ran towards him from backstage and embraced him tightly with tears rolling down her cheeks from her eyes. It was his dream to become the W.G.O gaming champion and after years of struggling, hardwork and dedication, he finally achieved it.

Neo was awarded a trophy along with the cash price of $50,000. He raised the trophy over his head and the crowd roared even more loudly as his mom attempted to strangle him with a hug.

"I'm so proud of you Neo, I knew you could do it." Neo's mother whispered into his ears.

Tears rolled down Neo's eyes as well, his life long dream had finally been fulfilled after all the hardwork and dedication he put in these past few years. Each loss he made drove him to become better, more vivid and the experience paid off.

"There's someone waiting for you at the back."

Neo's mom interrupted his moment with that news, her smile convinced him it was something good. They went backstage as the cameras which filmed the whole event went off-air. As they arrived backstage Neo couldn't believe his eyes.

"Congrats Neo!"

It was Sonia, his friend and the girl he has been crushing on for the past two years. She ran to Neo giving him a tight hug. Neo's mind was clouded and his eyes wavered like the best moment of his life was been replayed over and over again in a constant loop.

He didn't realize when the trophy wasn't in his hands anymore, his mom took it having the knowledge that he wasn't paying attention to anything the second Sonia hugged him. Neo was her friend and they talked a lot, but the main reason he hadn't come clean about his feelings for her revolves around the fact that he was shy to approach her about it, what if she didn't love him back? A conclusion he was afraid to come to.

Anyone would be shy too if they met this dazzling and breath-taking beauty. She withdrew from hugging him and her face beamed with excitement.

"How about a celebratory dinner? Come on it's my treat."

Slowly Neo's eyes widened with joy, from his perspective she was asking him out on a date.

"Sure! why not."

His mom gave him a nod of approval as he turned around to face her, truly all his dreams were being fulfilled tonight.

Neo and Sonia walked through the streets after leaving the building the gaming event was held in, his mind was still clouded at the events that had already taken place.

"How does it feel to be the champion?"

Neo's attention returned back to the world as Sonia shook his hand noticing he was lost in his thoughts.

"It's, it's a dream come true."

He replied not being able to contain his happiness, all of his dreams were actualized in the biggest way possible.

"I can tell, you can't seem to stop smiling and I get it. I know the feeling of wanting something knowing your going to achieve it sooner than you expected."

Sonia interlocked her hands with his before they came to a stop in front of a gift shop. Neo's heart pounded heavily as he realized what was going on.

"Neo um, I have something I need to say. Something I have been keeping a secret for some months now."

What was it? He thought he knew what it was but it was too good to be true.

"I broke up with Jake a year ago, I thought my main reason for it was because he treated me badly on several occasions but that wasn't it. My feelings had changed, I fell in love with someone who was always there to support me, he made me smile when I was down. And he showed me the world was nothing to be afraid of."

She smiled gazing into his eyes, Neo knew she wanted him to finish things off by accepting his feelings. It wasn't hard for anyone to tell that Neo had feelings for Sonia.

"I also have something I need to say Sonia."

She held his hands tightly and gazed into his eyes awaiting his confession.

"For the past two years I developed a crush on you after you supported me in my gaming career, it started out like that but after we graduated my feelings changed. Even after every loss I encountered you still supported me given you were dating the champion."

It was now or never, life is too short to back out from any opportunity. Who knows what would happen to us in the next hour, like Neo mom always told him. Life is too short to worry about what was going to happen next so take risks and enjoy the outcome.

"The truth is Sonia, I love you, I always have but I was too worried how it might affect our friendship. But I'm standing here to tell you I don't care about my worries anymore."

There was a brief moment of silence, for a minute he thought it was a huge KO on his love life for sure but her answer surprised him when she finally spoke up.

"I know, I've known for months now. But what I didn't know was the man I fell in love with back then wasn't Jake, It was you Neo. It always has been you."

In Neo's mind It was too good to be true, the most alluring girl in school had fallen in love with someone like him? He couldn't believe it.

"I love you Sonia, I always have. So if it's alright with you..."

He tried to gather the most suitable words for this but just couldn't find it, maybe the fear of rejection still had him dancing to it's tune.

That was all shattered the moment Sonia placed her right hand on his cheeks.

"It is Neo, it always have been."

That assurance shattered every thought of rejection Neo had. As that was the case he decided to take his mother's advice and grab life by the horn.

"What do you say Sonia? do you want to explore a relationship with me? Will you be my girlfrien-"

His request was cut short by a tight hug given by Sonia. She wasn't even going to wait for me to finish his question.

"Yes, yes I will."

She accepted after giving Neo a kiss, it really was a dream come true. First he won the first place championship of the W.G.O and now this.

"So it was you after all!"

There's always someone who tried interrupting the good moments, but as the newly created couple turned around to find out who it was. To their greatest surprise, it was Jake.

"So it was you after all, Neo."

He spoke his name with malice, who knows what Neo did to him, beat him fair and square? Or the reason for his break up.

"What's good Jake, good game by the way you drove me to my limit."

Instantly Jake brought out a gun from his pocket and pointed it at Neo.

"W-whoa whoa whoa whoa dude!"

Neo stumbled backwards in great shock as Jake held him at gunpoint.

"What are you doing Jake!?"

Sonia shouted in confusion but Neo stretched his hands sideways to keep her from coming forward and getting caught in a crossfire.

"Since the day Sonia broke up with me, I knew, I knew it was because of you! I didn't want to believe it all this years, then you took my championship and now you took my girl."

Jake was visibly drunk so he wasn't acting in his right senses, the alcohol had fueled his malice for Neo and drove him to do this.

"It wasn't my fault she broke up with you, and after years of training I finally beat you at your own game since you refused to train thinking you were unbeatable, so don't go around blaming me for your own goddamn losses!"

Neo thought to himself that he probably shouldn't have said that to someone who wanted to kill him but it was the truth.

Jake didn't want to hear anything anymore. Out of malice he shot the gun at Neo but swiftly he pushed Sonia out of the way while simultaneously jumping as well.

Sirens coming from the vehicles of the police were heard but drunken Jake couldn't care less. Neo rolled away from where Sonia had fell since he was the one who had the momentum.

"If I can't have you Sonia, no one will."

Jake aimed the gun at Sonia who cowered in fear being held at gunpoint.

"Don't do this Jake.."

Sonia pleaded with him but he was completely driven by hate he didn't realize he fired the gun at the girl he loved the most.

"No!"

Neo jumped swiftly towards Sonia thinking he could save her and he did, however.

"Neo!!"

Sonia shouted in shock as Neo fell to the ground with a bullet hole at the side of his head, a headshot. Jake aimed the gun again at Sonia but was stopped by a shot to his shoulder as the police finally arrived at the scene but a little too late.

"Neo..Stay with me Neo!."

Sonia cried out loudly, Neo was fading fast after all it was a headshot. There was no way to save him, once the brain's been shot it's game over. His pupils dilated and turned blank as Sonia wept bitterly placing her head on his chest.

"Neo!!!"

Neo's only regret in this world was that he wasn't able to come clean earlier about his feelings for Sonia till the fateful end, now he realized why there was a lesson related to taking risks. Life was too short to worry about what happens next, take the risk and enjoy the outcome even if it doesn't turn out alright. That makes anyone realize their still human, so they wouldn't end up like Neo.

"Farewell Sonia, mom, till next time."

With his last thoughts, his consciousness faded away completely leaving a smile on his face.