Ride Together, Die Together

If I was to go somewhere, I was not going without Nash. 

It was not that I was scared of being around the popular kids or anything. In my eyes it was all just kids being kids. There was no need to make any distinction between popular or not.

Some people are just louder than others. Yes, this is a nice interpretation. I liked this one more.

With a sigh, I called Nash up.

It took only two rings for him to pick the phone up.

(Edward?) The voice from the phone rang out. (Is that you? What is up! Do you want to play an online game?)

Huh?

Where did that come from?

I was not in any mood for an online game, but Nash seemed to be excited about playing a game.

Was he playing one before I called? I should have asked him first before calling. Why did I call him anyway!?

This was the first time I had called him in the night. Also without asking him beforehand. To be honest, it was one of the only few times I had called anyone up front.

I was more of a text person, but the invitation from the 'loud' kids had shaken me up enough to call someone. How shocking.

"Well, if it's an online game, sure? What are we playing?"

(I don't know? You tell me! What do you want to play?)

I crawled over to my laptop and pulled the screen up. I had just finished writing a while back so my eyes hurt a little.

"What? You weren't playing one?"

(Nope. I am just booting my PC. Just a second. What game?)

Hah…

This guy, maybe he thought I called him to have some fun?

"How about ShellShockers?"

(What is that?)

"A game where you are an egg and you kill other eggs. It's a multiplayer game, we'll party up and play."

(Oh! I thought you would say one of the more popular ones like call of duty or valorant. New games are great!)

Those were old school as hell? It had been well over 3 years since they were popular!

Well, Shellshockers wasn't any better.

"I don't have those ones. Give me your discord."

(I'll text you my ID. Send me a req)

To be honest, I was the type of person who did not enjoy games a lot. Everyone might know one of those.

The best I liked was a story game or a platformer. RPGs that focused on grinding and hunting were boring, so were shooters and FPS. But with friends, they became a bit fun… unfortunately, except my two friends from middle school I had never played FPS games with anyone else. Nash would be the first.

It was just annoying to me. Moba games were fun, but only to a certain degree. Games with a straight forward story were best.

A ding rang and I got a text from Nash. It was his ID. 

I quickly sent him a friend request on discord and we both got on a voice call.

(Can you hear me?)

"Yeah, just a second. Let me send you the link."

On the new tab, I made a private two-person party with Nash and sent him the link. He would have to sign up, so I took the time to customize my egg.

I gave it a cowboy hat and a mustache. For an egg with no eyes or a face, it was hilariously cute.

Nash, like the pro he was, finished signing up in moments and joined the lobby. We started the game right away.

"So, where did the game thing come from?"

I asked as I started controlling my egg through the map. It was a battle on the pyramids with thirteen eggs other than Nash and me. A general deathmatch, not a team one.

(Did you not call me to play?)

Nash seemed slightly surprised. So much for his attention to the conversation, the leaderboard was looking scary.

{NashXMash Pentakill!}

{NashXMash Godlike!}

{NashXMash Killing Spree!}

I had thought I would have to carry him…

"It's because Ray and his friends invited both of us to an amusement park."

For the first time since the start of the game, Nash's killing came to a small stop. What a machine.

I continued controlling my egg through the back of the map. Peeking out with just the scope.

(An amusement park? With those guys? What… why?)

"He said we're cool."

(I have seen you talking with Ray Smith now and then! Is this part of it?)

"Maybe?"

Oh. There he was. My scope finally found the sight of Nash's stupid killing spree egg. Now was the time to get rid of his combo.

(I am sorry… I don't think I can come to the amusement, I'll be sick that day—)

"I've already told them all that you'd come. Ray brought your tickets."

(Ah…)

{Combo-Breaker! EckartCheeseyCakes has SCRAMBLED NashXMash}

Quite literally.

Sorry dude. We ride together, we die together.