The morning air was crisp and invigorating as the sleek black Osborn car glided to a stop in front of the imposing iron gates of St. Liora's Private Academy.

The rising sun bathed the campus in a warm golden hue, its manicured gardens sparkling with early dew like a treasure trove of glass beads.

With a soft click, the back door swung open as Liz stepped out of the car, clad in her school's sharp uniform,a dark blue pleated skirt that fell neatly to her knees, a crisp white button-up shirt, and a blazer adorned with the school crest embroidered in silver.

Her long golden twin braids danced lightly behind her as her polished shoes made contact with the pavement.

She adjusted her bag and surveyed her surroundings, her face radiating brightness.

Suddenly, a voice broke through her thoughts.

"Hey....Liz over here!"

Two girls hurried toward her, both sporting identical crisp uniforms. One wore round glasses that threatened to slip down her nose, with her hair pulled into a tidy bun.

The other was shorter, with a chubby face and a smile so wide it made her cheeks glow.

"Clara! Mina!" Liz exclaimed,her eyes sparkling with delight as she run towards them.

They clasped hands and erupted into laughter as though they hadn't seen each other for years, instead of a single night.

Their chatter flowed rapidly,video games, memes, and the latest silly arguments from their group chat spilled out like fireworks.

After a few minutes they reached their classroom, stepping inside the classroom,it felt like stepping into a whirlwind of noise.

As Liz entered alongside Clara and Mina, three boys at the back called out enthusiastically.

"Oi! Our pro-gamer squad has finally arrived!"

Dylan stood tall with his messy brown hair and the kind of grin that made him look both cocky and harmless.

Beside him sat Leo, his tie casually loose while doodles of game maps filled his notebook.

The last member of their trio was Hugo; sharp glasses perched on his nose gave him an air of seriousness but his quick smile revealed how easily he got swept up in their antics.

The five of them : Clara, Mina, Dylan, Leo, and Hugo are Liz people. Not the elite social circle, not the cold achievers but the nerdy, gaming, anime discussing, competition watching heartbeat of her school life.

The six quickly sat together in one corner of the room as their laughter sometimes rose above everyone else's in the classroom.

As for today's hot topic it's last night Grand Fantasy Cup Finals.

"Man! That sniper clutch at the end was insane!" Dylan exclaimed dramatically as though replaying the shot in slow motion.

"I still feel bad for Team Eclipse though," Clara chimed in while adjusting her glasses nervously. "They trained so hard but just fell apart at the finish."

"They weren't falling apart," Hugo corrected calmly yet firmly. "They were simply out-strategized."

"Strategized my foot," Mina interjected, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "They totally choked!"

Laughter erupted around the table as the debate heated up, names of pro players flying back and forth alongside favorite teams and unforgettable moments from the match.

Then Leo leaned back in his chair, a contemplative expression crossing his features.

"You know… wouldn't it be awesome if we could enter something like that? Not the finals, obviously, but one of those smaller competitions?"

A hush fell over the group for a moment before Dylan slammed his palm on the desk with enthusiasm. "Yes! Finally, someone said it!"

Mina's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait, wait. Are you serious? Us? Competing in a real tournament?"

"Why not?" Leo replied calmly, though his grin betrayed an undercurrent of excitement. "We play every night together! We've got synergy; we just never took it seriously."

Clara adjusted her glasses nervously, her brow furrowing. "But… what about training? Scrims? Don't you need a team house or something?"

Liz, who had been quietly listening until now, suddenly leaned forward with infectious energy.

Her golden braids swayed as she grinned widely. "That's no problem at all! You can train at my place,we have a gaming room!"

Everyone blinked in surprise.

"A… gaming room?" Mina echoed cautiously, unsure if she'd heard right.

Liz nodded confidently. "Yep! We've got proper rigs, wide monitors, VR setups,high-speed internet,the works! If we're going to do this, let's do it right."

The others exchanged excited glances; Dylan's grin stretched wider while Hugo raised his eyebrows in astonishment. Clara nearly lost her glasses from sheer shock.

"…That's…" Dylan began.

"…actually genius," Hugo finished.

Leo crossed his arms thoughtfully as plans began to form in his mind. "If we start tomorrow after school, we'll have time to warm up before the regional qualifiers in two months."

"Regional qualifiers!?" Mina shrieked incredulously. "Hold on! We haven't even designed a logo yet!"

Laughter bubbled up again as their energy surged through the room like electricity.

By the end of their spirited brainstorming session, they had sealed the deal: training would commence at Liz's house tomorrow!

Just then, an unexpected ripple of noise swept through the classroom.

The laughter faded away; conversations stalled as Liz and her friends exchanged curious looks.

"What's going on?" Clara whispered anxiously.

Dylan craned his neck toward the door and disappeared into the crowd for a moment before reappearing with an annoyingly casual tone: "Oh, it's Benjamin again, confessing to Lucia."

Groans filled the air around them.

"Again?" Mina rolled her eyes dramatically. "Doesn't he ever get tired?"

"Dude's relentless," Hugo muttered, a mix of admiration and annoyance in his tone.

Liz turned her head just as the classroom door swung open, revealing a figure she knew all too well.

There stood Benjamin,tall, broad-shouldered, and radiating that cocky confidence that only the good-looking seem to pull off effortlessly.

His dark hair was styled to perfection, and his tie was knotted with an almost obsessive neatness compared to everyone else's.

He leaned casually against the doorframe, as if he owned not just the hallway but the entire school.

And infront of him is Lucia.

Lucia was stunning in that effortless way that made other girls roll their eyes,long dark hair flowing like a waterfall, her uniform crisp and immaculate, and her stride exuding grace.

She looked up when Benjamin called her name; her expression was a mystery wrapped in elegance.

Liz couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Here we go again," she muttered under her breath.

Mina leaned in closer, curiosity piqued. "Think she'll turn him down again?"

"Definitely," Clara whispered back with a smirk.

Liz barely spared them another glance. She turned back to her friends, brushing off Benjamin and Lucia like they were mere background noise in their lively world.

"Anyway," she said decisively, steering the conversation back on track, "tomorrow after school? We're heading straight to my place. Deal?"

Excitement lit up their faces as they nodded eagerly.

In the background, Benjamin's voice faded into a dull hum, drowned out by the laughter and chatter of six kids plotting their next gaming adventure,a little team ready to conquer virtual worlds together!

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