6. Lydia
As I begin wrapping up for the day, I hear Landon talking to someone on the other side of my office door.
“Have you been to our esports computer room before?”
“No, I haven’t. This is awesome.”
“Yeah, it’s been a work in progress, but Lydia’s been doing a great job of making it all come together.”
I gasp quietly and start stuffing my laptop and other papers quickly in my bag. A little bit of notice would have been nice, Landon! Should I freshen up? Do I look like a mess right now?
I ruffle through my bag. I know I have some blotting papers in here somewhere to at least do their job with my oil-ridden face.
“Hey,” Landon pops in. “Are you ready?”
“Huh? Oh yeah.” I jump a little bit, all frazzled. “Yep. Ready to go!” I make a sweeping motion with a thumbs up and immediately want to cringe at my awkward response. Great first impression, Lydia.
“Awesome. Lydia, this is Dr. Brosamer. Dr. Brosamer, this is my older sister, Lydia. Also, the Director of Esports here at LGU. The first Director of Esports, I would like to add.”
“Mark.” He holds out his hand, and I shake it. “Great to meet you, Lydia. Uh, Landon’s been telling me a lot about you.”
“Oh, that’s great.” I blush. Seeing Dr. Brosamer, or Mark, in person, I can definitely see why he has a chili pepper rating on RateMyProfessor. His hair is voluminous and swept back, and he has a muscular build that really does great things for that button-down shirt he’s wearing. I see a hint of a well-trimmed beard covering the bottom half of his face. I didn’t think I’d like beardy facial features, but he’s growing it out well.
“Well, we talk a lot about video games in our spare time, and he always mentions how you’re the school’s first Director of Esports, which is awesome. You’ve definitely got the dream job of teenage me right here. What made you want to go into esports?”
“I used to be a part of the Esports Club here when I was a student. And even after I graduated, it was a big part of my life. I watched all the major tournaments when they came around, and one day, I decided to take a chance and use my sales and marketing experience and applied to be the first Esports Director here. There are good days, and there are stressful days, but I can definitely say I’m living the dream.”
“Lydia’s great at her job,” Landon notes. “She’s already gotten almost fifty thousand in alumni donations to get this program to where it is.”
“Eh,” I shrug. “I just want the team to be successful.”
“God, stop being so humble,” Landon says. “Some people refuse to believe she’s good at this, so I need to hype her up sometimes.”
Mark laughs, and it’s oddly reminiscent of a particular hearty, full belly laugh that I’m trying to remove from my brain as we speak.
“Hey, the same thing happened to me when I started out. You’ll have students who really love your teaching style and some who will just not agree with it.”
“Oh really? Are there students who don’t like you?”
“I mean, I’m sure they tolerate me, but yeah, they aren’t huge fans of mine. Maybe because I am kind of hard on grading, and I give a lot of homework. But that’s how you’re going to learn. And coding is a lot of learning by doing.”
“Ah, that makes sense.”
Landon chimes in. “So, should we leave? I want to make sure we have enough time to grab food and drinks before the game starts.”
“Yeah,” I say. “Let’s start making our way out.”
We walk out from the student union to the parking lot, where Landon’s car, more specifically, our old trusty Toyota Camry that my dad bought when we were kids, is parked.
“You sure you don’t want me to drive?” I ask Landon. I know we’re not far from the arena, but sometimes I wonder when Ol’ Reliable will inevitably break down completely.
“No,” he says. “You’re supposed to be my guest. Besides, Ol’ Reliable is doing just fine. I just got a new transmission put in last month.”
“You did? How much was that?”
“More than a college student should be spending. But Dad helped. Besides, I can’t afford a new car right now. I don’t work full-time like you do.”
“But...never mind.” It might just be better if I let him figure things like this out on his own. But if we break down on the freeway, I’m not hesitating with the I told you so.
Mark and I hop in the back seat while Landon and his girlfriend, Alyssa, sit in front. The car is mostly clean, save for a few receipts scattered around the floor. Landon turns the key in the ignition and starts her up. We start making our way to the arena and thankfully, despite the slight bumper-to-bumper we face getting into San Jose, we make it in relatively good time.
When we turn and enter the parking lot, we’re already stopped behind a line of cars trying to get in. It’s decently full already, with fans in their hockey jerseys making their way into the arena. I realize, looking at my entourage, that I’m the only person who isn’t wearing any Stingrays fan gear. I’m not even wearing any Stingrays colors. Unless you count my black blouse.
We scan our tickets and get a sheet of temporary tattoos that say “Stingrays Gamers!” on it. Huh, I didn’t even think about sports teams having esports programs.
“Landon!” I shout for him as he’s walking towards our section. “Did you know about this?” I flash the sheet in front of him.
“Oh. Yeah, that’s part of the reason why I wanted you to come.”
“What’s the Stingrays Gamers?”
“It’s this program that a few leagues are doing, where they play competitive video games. So, the Stingrays have a team that plays hockey online against other NHL teams.”
“Wait, that’s really cool!” I didn’t even know something like this existed. I guess you can take any competitive game and make a league from it. “Do you know who runs the program for the Stingrays?”
“No, but I’m sure they’ll mention something about it between periods. Or they might have a table for advertising it.”
“I’ll have to check it out then.”
We take our seats, and I am amazed by how close we are to the ice. I don’t ask how much Landon may have forked over for this to happen, but once I sit down, I’m propelled to a different zone, feeling a little lighter once I see players stretching and doing shooting drills on the ice. My eyes fixate on how easily they’re skating back and forth in their uniform.
I take a sip of the seltzer I bought, hoping I can take my mind off things and focus on having a good time.
“Hey, y’all. It’s Griffin Markey and I’m here to welcome you all to Stingrays Gamer Night here at SAP Center.”
I almost choke on bubbles. Why does that voice sound so familiar? I look up at the jumbo screen to see one of the Stingrays players, Griffin Markey, talk about his gaming experience.
“Growing up, video games were such a huge part of my life. I remember the first console I got when I was a kid. I would play games like Mario and Zelda for hours on end. And now, I really like to play this game called Hero Seek.”
No. No no no no no no.
It CAN’T be.
“Which is why I’m excited to tell you all that I’m partnering with Hero Seek for their new Winter Expedition release! All Stingrays fans attending tonight will receive a code to unlock a special new minion, the Abominable! To redeem, use the code SEEKSTINGRAYS, and you’ll be able to unlock your new minion today! Go Stingrays!”
“Motherfucker!” I yell.
Mark jolts. “Is everything okay?”
Shoot, I just realized I said that out loud.
“Uh...yeah,” I stammer. “I just...am so excited about the new minion, but did they really need to do an abominable.” I let out a hearty chuckle. “I mean, why couldn’t it have been like a reindeer?”
“Uh, yeah, I guess so. Although I think an abominable is going to be really cool. Don’t you? That’s gonna look badass with the new map.”
I turn my head to face him. “Wait, do you play Hero Seek?”
He shrugs. “Here and there. I haven’t played in a while. But since Griffin Markey just announced he’s the new ambassador, I’m definitely going to pick it back up this season. He’s one of my favorite hockey players.”
“Oh.” Apparently, he’s a shady son of a bitch too. I know that voice. I’ve heard it for hours on end. I’ve smiled at the sound of it ringing in my headphones. Shit, and to realize that I might have been falling for a...hockey player?
“Um, I need to ask Landon something really quick. Up on the concourse. Landon!”
He leans over and raises his eyebrow at me. “What’s up?”
“I need to talk to you. On the concourse. In private. Like...now.”
“Now? But the game is about to begin! Can it wait until the end of the first period?”
I groan. “When is that going to be?”
“Maybe like a half hour? I don’t know? Depends on penalties!”
I bury my face in my lap. “Ugh. Fine. But as soon as the period ends.”
Unable to hold in my shock, I pull out my phone and text him.
Lydia Goh: hey, u remember the guy i was talking to on hero seek? ya know THE ONE that turned me down?
Landon Goh: yah what about it? do you see him here???
Lydia Goh: yeah. I think it’s Griffin Markey.
The three dots indicating that Landon is still typing remain on the screen, and Landon leans over again with his mouth agape.
“What?!” he mouths. His eyes quickly shift back to his phone.
Landon Goh: Really? No way
I shake my head. I know it’s hard to believe, but I think I would recognize that voice anywhere. Before I can formulate my response, the announcer’s voice booms over the arena.
“Get ready, Stingrays fans, to welcome your San Jose Stingrays!”
The arena goes dark, and a Stingrays mascot glides onto the ice as fire shoots up from the posts around the arena.
“Number 18, Griffin Markey!”
The crowd roars, including Mark, who jumps out of his seat and claps wildly. Landon, who is a little more chilled out than his usual fanfare, eyes me and mouths, “Are you okay?” I shake my head slightly. Certifiably, no. I am not okay.
We stand for the national anthem, and Landon beckons his head to the aisle, asking if I want to get out of here immediately.
I nod furiously and excuse myself.
Mark gently taps my arm. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. It will be. Don’t worry about me. Landon and I...just need to talk about something.” I feel bad because he looks genuinely concerned. I am not saying that he doesn’t have a chance, and that I immediately don’t like him because I can see with my own eyes that PianoPuck18 is actually Griffin Markey, All-Star hockey player, very good-looking and making my heart go thump, thump, thump. He doesn’t even know I’m here, and I’m not under the delusion that he’ll look up at the stands and know it’s me.Amidst the noise of eager fans cheering and shouting, the clink of the puck dropping, I can’t stop sucking in breaths or the tears streaming down my face. Again, the wrong place to be crying for the second time this week. We get to the top and scurry over to a spot near the restrooms where there is less foot traffic. Landon doesn’t say anything but wraps his arms around me and rubs circles on my back.
“It’s okay,” he tells me. “Let it out.”
“I just can’t believe it. Of all the people that live in the South Bay, hell, that live in the Bay Area—hundreds of thousands of people—it just had to be him!”
A gorgeous, dimple-faced, stubbly player who is one of the top scorers of the NHL and has played in the All-Star team twice.
“I can’t believe I looked up to that man.” Landon shakes his head while resting it atop mine. “Besides being the new ambassador of Hero Seek, he’s also one of the faces of API Heritage Month in the NHL.”
I didn’t even realize he was Mixed. That’s an even bigger blow to people like us, who gets so excited when Mixed Asians are represented in sports and the media.
“I didn’t know he’s Mixed.”
“Yeah, he’s half Japanese. There’s only, like, ten players of Asian descent active in the NHL right now.”
“I’m sorry,” I tell him. “I feel bad that it’s someone you look up to.”
“What? You shouldn’t be feeling bad. You did nothing wrong. He’s the one who turned you down.” Landon says that last part with a little more bite, which makes me jump a bit.
“Landon, it’s okay. I can see now that he might have had good reason for rejecting me. I mean, come on. A famous hockey player? I’m sure he has a lot of people watching his every move.”
“Still, I wish he told you who he was instead of keeping things vague with an ‘it’s complicated.’”
I feel slightly guilty for getting Landon so angry over this, so I try to calm myself down so he can simmer as well.
“I’ll get over it, Landon. I don’t want you to get upset about this.” When Landon gets a temper, it can easily get explosive. “I feel more at ease now that I know who he is. That’s good, right?”
“Yeah, I guess,” he mutters. “I’m still mad. But...I’ll try calming down. Since you said so.”
I smile. “Good. Come on, let’s go watch some guys beat each other up. Hey, maybe Griffin will get into a fight with someone on the other team. That’d be fun to watch, right?”
He nods. I pat him on the back and lead him back to our seats.
“Everything okay?” Mark asks upon our return. Before I open my mouth to respond, a siren blares throughout the stadium and everyone’s cheering. For what?
“Stingrays goal! By Number 18, Griffin Markey!”
Of course.
“Yup!” I shout over the roar of the crowd’s screams for the golden boy, who’s pumping his fist in the air and chest-bumping his teammates.
We sit through the remainder of the game and I try to set any distractions that I might have aside to focus on Mark. I genuinely feel bad that he’s trying so hard to make conversation and explain to me how hockey works, but my eyes and mind continue to fixate on Number 18, who has scored three goals and assisted with two more, making this a blowout of a game. Yay for Stingrays fans and the team, boo for my bruised heart and ego.
The game ends with a Stingrays win, and we make our way out of the arena with the other fans. Mark and I start heading towards Landon’s car, who calls out to us to stop walking.
“Why? Your car is this way.”
“We’re not going to my car yet.”
Weird. “Did you forget something in the arena?”
“No. Just follow me.”
Landon leads the pack around the arena to a gated waiting area where fans holding signs and pieces of paper, likely to be autographed, are patient and eager for who’s coming out of that door.
“Oh no. Landon, what are you doing?”
Players begin exiting to sign autographs, and I lock eyes with Griffin. He doesn’t know who I am yet. But this is the closest we’ve physically been to one another, and I start to feel my heart beating faster.
Griffin passes, and an excited Mark waves at him.
“Mr. Markey, you did such a good job tonight! Can I get a photo?”
“Yeah, sure,” Griffin says, and Mark politely asks me if I can take a photo of him. My hands are shaking as I try to grip the phone and shoot the picture.
“Your hands are shaking a lot,” Mark says.
“Sorry, just...cold.”
“Her hands are shaking because you fucking rejected my sister!” Landon shouts.
“Landon,” his girlfriend scolds.
“I’m sorry, what are you talking about?” Griffin asks.
“I can’t believe I fucking looked up to your scumbag ass! You’re a disgrace to hockey and a disgrace to the API community.”
I want to shrink away right now. Do I think Griffin is a scumbag? No, but he isn’t really on my nice list right now. I get that Landon wants to defend me and tell Griffin that what he did affected me negatively, but this is not the way to do it. His inebriation mixed with anger is upsetting and, frankly, embarrassing. I try and mouth apologies to everyone who’s staring at us right now over Landon’s uncalled-for outbursts.
“Landon, please,” I beg. “You’re being more dramatic about this than you should be.”
“Wait,” he turns to me. “Your...voice. You sound like...” He points to me. “Lydia?”
I silently nod and give him a sheepish wave. “Hi.”