Chapter 2-The Cost Of Playing

That day when I got out of school I immediately gave my best friend Dong Seng a call.

“Hey Dongdong what are you up too,” I said over the phone in a happy tone.

“Long I told you to stop calling me that,” he answers in an annoyed voice.

“Hey you know those virtual reality games that you’ve been playing?”

“Yeah what about it?”

“I heard there is a new game coming out and I wanna give it a try,” I said in the most serious of tone.

“I thought your dad hates all that virtual reality stuff?”

“Yeah but who cares what my dad thinks. He always have a problem with everything I do,” I said. Thinking back my dad has never once praised me for anything I do. I remember in middle school when I got all A+ except in Chinese which was an A. Instead of saying great job Long all I heard was “why no the A plus in Chinese. Why only A?” Then there was a long rant about how only the best of the best gets a job in this economy. Well, I guess I can understand where he was coming from through. Then one day in 8th grade I got into a car accident. I was rushed to the Hospital and needed a blood transfusion. He asks the doctor what blood type I was. The doctor replied B positive. He looks at me with this disappointed look in his eyes that made me feel so worthless at that time. Thankfully my mom gave him a good scolding and I laughed about it afterwards. Anyway back to the conversation.

“It’s not about Wenxin again is it?”

“What do you mean?” I asked innocently.

“Well last month,” his voice dragged on, “you heard Wenxin said she was going to sign up for the gym and you just so happen to also forced me to sign up with you the day after.”

“This time its different,” I pointed out.

“How?”

“She said and I quote word for word that unless the number one guy in the game is butt ugly to the point where it could break mirrors, and lives just by walking down the street she will love that person.”

Pow! I heard on the other side of the phone. It was probable him face palming himself at how much of a genius I am. Still I wonder how he stays this good looking considering how many times he has done that before.

“Can’t you be like any normal guy and try to talk to her? Then confess?”

“HELL NO! I’m not trying to get rejected,” I bellowed into the phone.

“And thats why your still a virgin.”

“Wow! That is low. Really low right there,” I sobbed in the corner.

“Fine!” Dong Seng said giving in, “what do you need?”

“I need you to help me order a helmet and that new game from the Heavenly Corporation,” I said with a 180 reverse of mood. (Happy mood)

“It is going to cost you,” he said.

“Sure how much?”

“Lets see. The helmet itself is 800$ for 128 gb or 1000$ for 256 gb which one do you want?”

“I’ll take the cheap one 800$ who needs 256 gb for virtual reality anyway?”

“The game itself is 100$ plus 20$ subscription a month.”

“Ok…”

“And there is a 6 month plan for 120 or a year plan for 200$ even. They give you a 40$ discount if you sign up for a year.”

“A year then…”

“Alright. So 800 plus 100 with an 8 percent tax comes out to 972 plus the 200$ subscription I would need 1172 for you to get started.”

I was crying inside. Its like being tied up and watching your own house get robbed.

“One more thing I need to tipped 100$.”

“Ugh. Ok. Its for my future,” I said gritting my teeth. This was basically everything I had saved up in my bank from new years and such. Secretly saved up anyway. My parents took everything else to save up for my college tuition, fees and etc.

“Come meet me at Mcburgers and i’ll give you the money,” I said a little bit unwillingly.

“Long buddy you could just talk to her and you wont need to go through all this trouble ya know?”

“Not everyone is 6 feet tall, and have the blessing of the Gods,” I replied in jealously.

“Fine, fine, fine, but if you don’t get her by the end of senior year its my turn,” he said in a gleeful voice.

We have a brothers code where we will not interfere in each other’s personal business. Meaning if he dates I girl I will not interfere or anything. Well its not like I could anyway. Its more like his way of looking out for me. Dong also promised two years ago that he will not go after Wanxin until after we graduate. Basically meaning if you can’t get with her in high school then college is a distant dream.

“She’s not that kind of girl anyway,” I said glumly.

“Haha whatever. Are you coming over later? I can help you get into virtual reality mode.”

“Wish I can but my dad has something for me to do plus my mom will probable beat my ass if I don't finish my homework.”

“Alright bro, I’ll catch you in PE tomorrow.”

“Later.”

I hung up the phone and got on the bus for the ride home. I took a seat in the back and nearly zoned out. The ride was about 40 minutes long with all the stop and traffic.

When I finally got home it was 3 o clock. My house was decent size. We have a garage, and two floors. 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, two living rooms, 1 kitchen, 1 laundry room, and 1 office. We would be considered in the upper middle class family. My parents make about 350,000 a year together. So I don’t really lack money but my parents are very strict about it through. I have never once asked my parents for money and they have never once even tried to give me any aside from when I was in middle school and junior high. Well, they gave me money for lunch and that was it. Plus my dad just opened up a new restaurant and needs me to help out down there today. What sucks is I don’t even get paid minimum wage of 10 dollars an hour working there. I get 3 dollars an hour and they keep telling me the other 7 is going towards my college fund.

Whippeeee! I guess.(sarcasm)

When I got home I opened the door and went upstairs. My room is still a mess like aways. It is messy but clean if that makes any sense to you. Basically it means my clothes are everywhere and I have no idea where most of my stuff are half the time but it is clean. Not dirty but clean. My dirty clothes are in the dirty pile but my clean clothes are in the clean pile. Then there is everything else. I pulled out some black pants and a vet to wear since I am a waiter today. I don’t know if other people do this when you have strict parents but waitering is my favorite job in the restaurant. Especially when I get to slip an extra twenty to thirty of my tips in my pocket before my parents take seventy percent of it. I have the feeling my mom knows but kept quiet about. I might as well tell you what happened today because I thought it was interesting and it might be funny to you guys.