My Best Friends

After dinner, I went back upstairs and got back on the game. I needed to find the bandit hideout so that I wouldn't waste anytime looking for it after work. After work, once I log back in, nearly 5-6 days would have passed in the game, leaving me with only one day to complete the quest from Ark.

Once I found the bandits hideout, I hid deeper in the forest. I sat down and began to look through and read the spell books.

I first read the book, "Intro To Magic" which allows a player to learn magic and use mana. Then I read the "Basic Spells" which contained three spells that didn't require a rank to learn. Finally I consumed whatever magic cores I had left so that I could raise the total amount of mana I had.

Once I finished all of this I was ready for tomorrow. I logged off and went to sleep.

-

8 a.m. the next day

"You're going to be late for work Roman!!"

I woke up to the sound of my mom yelling. I checked the time and saw that it was 8.

"Ughhhhhhhh! MOM! I don't work until 9!! I have plenty of time before then!!"

"Oh? Is that so? Well, since you're up, could you help me?"

I was speechless. This woman had no shame.

"Fine! I'm coming."

After I spent 30 minutes helping my mom and another 10 minutes getting ready, I was out the door and headed to work.

I work in the mall at an ice cream shop. Today I was working with Jared and Dante. I should convince them to play as well… I remember they didn't play until the year was already halfway through. They both died trying to save Clem from the Crazed Oni gang…

Before I knew it, I reached the mall and headed towards the shop. The two boys were already there. I quickly threw on my apron and joined them.

"Damn bro! You almost didn't make it!"

Jared called me out the moment he could. He smacked my back as I walked passed him to clock in.

"Don't worry. I missed you guys so much, I would come even if it was my off day."

"Woah man, you don't have to confess all that."

Jared and I joked with each other. I needed the laugh. The game and the thought of the world ending again has been stressing me out.

I saw Dante standing in the corner watching us, I called him over.

"You alright man? You look tired today."

He slowly walks over and sort of slumps over the counter.

"I'm okay. It's just that Anna has been driving me crazy, haven't you checked your phone?"

"Now that you mention it…"

I remember seeing her text and thinking that I should answer it later. I got so busy last night that I forgot to reply.

"I was busy last night. I ended up playing that new game for hours without checking my phone."

I let out a carefree chuckle. Even though I was training and preparing for the end, it was still fun. Dante nods.

"I figured as much. But… did you really need to drop out of school?"

He had suddenly changed the subject. Jared was now listening too. Dante looked at me, waiting for me to answer him. Ah. I forgot, I was pretty ambitious about getting my degree.

"Haha, you knew huh? I guess Anna told you…"

I paused for a moment, trying to figure out what to tell them. It's unfortunate but I had to lie to them.

"I just needed a break. It's been hard ya know, it's been mentally draining and I just want to take a step away from it all."

The two look at me for a moment, it was as if they were trying to understand what I said. After that, Dante just nods in agreement.

"Ah! You're right. It is stressful. It feels a bit suffocating for me to since my parents always asked me about school."

He does look a bit tired and he even had bags under his eyes. I guess it hasn't been easy for him either.

Jared patted him on the back.

"Don't worry buddy. Come to my place this weekend. We can hangout, Roman, you come as well man!"

Jared gleefully pulled me into a group hug along side Dante. This man has always been so touchy.

"Alright alright! I'll be there. As long as Dante is there too!"

Jared looked at Dante with hope. Dante sighs.

"Fine, I'll be there too."

"Yes!! Let's gooo! The boys!!!"

As Jared shouted in excitement, customers began lining up. I push him forward and let him deal with it. While he worked the cash register, Dante and I made the orders. While we were working I spoke to him.

"Ayo Dante. You and Jared should play the new VR game. It's so fun."

He answers me while he keeps moving around.

"Yeah, Jared and I actually got it yesterday. We've been grinding and questing. Anna also told me this morning that she wanted to play too."

Anna wants to join too? Good, I was wondering how I was going to convince her to join. I want Anna to be strong enough to protect herself.

"Cool! That means we can all player together! My sister actually said the same thing last night so I got it for her."

"Oh? Is that right?l

Dante stopped for a moment when he heard that Clem would join us. I couldn't help but tease him a bit.

"What? Still have a crush on her?"

"Whaaa…? No! It's been years man!"

I couldn't help but joke around with him. He use to have a crush on Clem when we were younger. Since Clem was only two years younger than us, Clem and Dante ended up spending a lot of time together. I remember the idiot confessing to her and asking her to marry him!! HAHA!

After a bit of back and forth, we continue with our work.

Once we finished helping the last customer, we got to relax a bit again. Jared walked over to us.

"We were grinding that game last night. We saw that world message so-."

Before Jared could finish, the door to the back of the store swung open. The three of us look to see who it was.

The person who walked through was Todd. He a year older than us but is a complete asshole that acts like a child. Oh yeah, he's also the ass manager of this place.

"Ah! Morning guys! Dante, I can't wait to see your sister later!"

Dante just ignores the last thing he said. Unfortunately, Todd and Anna are dating but Dante never liked Todd. Jared and I both don't like him either. We've all heard about the bad things he's done but since he was dating Anna, we never said anything.

I hate him even more though. I won't ever forget what he did in the past. This bastard… I'll end his life right before the world ends.

Tod looks my way. It would seem that he felt my hateful glare.

"What are you looking at asshole? Jealous that I'm gonna see my bitch later?!"

Yeah, forget about the end of the world. I'll just end him now!

I was ready to confront him. Jared however, quickly pulls me in and laughs.

"Hahaha! It's nothing Todd. Roman just feels sick so his mind is a bit foggy."

Jared then snaps his fingers.

"Ah! He was actually going to call you and let you know that he was going to go home."

I look at Jared, I didn't understand what he was doing. Dante then leans in behind me and whispers to me.

"Anna actually wanted to meet you in person. You said you didn't check your phone so you must not have seen her texts. This is your chance to go see her since she didn't go to school today."

Ah! Is that why Jared is doing this? I guess I could go, I don't really need money anymore. I gave him a small thumbs up.

"Alright, I'll go see her right now."

Dante gives me a nod. I turn back to Todd.

"Yeah… *cough* *cough* I think it's contagious. It's probably that new virus going around."

Todd looked at me in horror and began backing up.

"Alright! Go! Just go!"

He quickly gets grabs hand sanitizer from his pants and begins to clean his hands.

'Ugh. He's still a clean freak.'

I give Jared a thumbs up as well. The two boys just smiles back.

As I head to my car I check the time.

'Hm. It's only 11. If I don't take long at Anna's place then I should be able to get a few extra hours to do that quest for Ark.'

It's time to see Anna.

-

A/N: Next chapter will be a flash back. I will name all the chapters 'Memory Vault' for future references.

Also, character age! I think I messed up somewhere when I was writing it so I'll have it here for the main characters.

-Roman, Jared and Dante: 19

-Anna: 18

-Clem: 17

Roman's parents: mid 40s

I will reintroduce other side characters once they appear/reappear