That same day, Rui and Jade talked a lot, but not about anything important. Just random chatter. Jade had hoped they'd talk about what was growing between them, but every time she tried to bring it up, Rui switched the topic. It was frustrating.
The next morning, Jade finally texted him, trying to be brave:
"Hey, good morning! I was thinking, maybe we should form an affinity in the game."
His reply was quick, casual:
"That's a nice suggestion. What affinity do you want?"
Jade froze for a moment, nervous to tell him what she truly wanted,what she really hoped for. A partnership. But instead of saying that, she texted back:
"Confident."
Rui's next message made Jade's heart race:
"Why? What happened to your partnership space?"
She quickly smiled, a small laugh escaping her as she replied:
"Nothing."
Then, a message that made Jade's chest tighten:
"I want your partnership space in the game."
Her heart skipped a beat. It was exactly what Jade wanted, even if she hadn't had the courage to say it aloud. With relief flooding through her, Jade hit accept. They were partners. Officially.
They spent the rest of the day gaming together, laughing and exploring different moods in the game. It felt effortless, fun. When they ranked up, they joined Rui's friend, Lidox, who had been playing with them for months. Lidox and Jade had grown close, mainly because he was like a brother to Rui, and since Rui accepted Jade, Lidox did too.
As they climbed the ranks, they used mics to chat. The fun of it was contagious. But then, Rui said something. Jade didn't even remember exactly what it was, but it made her angry. She didn't want to fight, so she decided to log off.
When they asked why, Jade lied.
"I'm just tired of gaming."
Rui's response was short:
"I'll talk to you later."
Jade waited for his text, but when it came, it was colder than she expected.
"Hey, why did you really leave the lobby? Is it mood swings again or something?"
She smiled, though her heart wasn't in it.
"Nothing. I'm just tired and need to rest."
He responded with a simple:
"Okay, I'll be in the game then."
Jade replied, "Okay, later." But inside, she felt like she had just been brushed aside. She wanted attention, care, something more than what she was getting, but instead, she was left waiting.
Jade watched as they kept playing without her, her mind racing with questions: "What were they talking about? What was she missing?"
She felt left out, abandoned. So, Jade reached out to her friend, Deja Vu. He had always been there for her. Every time Jade felt down, he was like a brother who knew exactly how to comfort her.
She told him everything about Rui and her about the frustration, the confusion. Deja Vu tried his best to offer comfort, but Jade couldn't cry. She didn't want to seem weak, even though everything inside her felt shattered.
After a moment, Jade pushed her emotions aside and told him to start the game. They began playing and chatting over the mic, and for a while, the game was the only thing that kept Jade's mind off the mess that was happening with Rui.
Eventually, Jade grew tired. She thanked Deja Vu for helping her clear her head. He smiled and said, "I'll stone you." Jade couldn't help but laugh.
"Goodbye, we'll play later," she said.
"I was about to tell you that," Deja Vu replied, and they both logged off.
A few hours later, Jade was bored, and still no word from Rui. He hadn't texted her, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. So, Jade messaged him:
"Wassup? You didn't text me after your game."
His reply was quick and cold.
"You said you were tired. That's why you left the lobby."
Confused, Jade responded:
"Yeah, so?"
Then his tone turned harsh.
"You left the lobby to play with Deja Vu, didn't you?"
Jade tried to explain, but he didn't want to listen. He snapped at her again, and they ended up arguing.
Jade sat there, tears filling her eyes for the first time in a long time. "What did I do wrong?" she asked herself. She was surprised by how deeply she felt for him. She barely knew him, yet her heart ached with a weight she couldn't explain.
What hurt more was the fight over something so small. And now, Rui wasn't being gentle with her. He stopped talking, and days passed without a word. Jade kept waiting for him to reach out, but nothing came. It felt like he didn't care anymore.
They both carried on with their lives, as if nothing had changed. Rui spent his time with Lidox, and Jade kept replaying their conversations, trying to figure out where it all went wrong.
As the days dragged on, Jade kept breaking down. Her heart still ached for him, but she couldn't do anything about it. He refused to respond.
Weeks passed before Jade finally mustered the courage to text him again. This time, she kept it simple:
Can you please get Dias for me? By the way, good morning!