Against All Odds: Legacy Of A Football King
Chapter 110: Play With Fire And Get Burnt

Chapter 110: Play With Fire And Get Burnt

In the living room, the TV’s glow cast soft shadows across the couch.

Sophie was seated with the Xbox controller in her hand while her legs crossed casually beneath her.

She turned her head as Benjamin and Adam walked in, her red hair catching the light.

"Well, well, look who’s here," she teased, a smirk tugging at her lips. "You up for a match, Benjamin? Or are you too scared to showcase your meager skills?"

Benjamin chuckled, stepping closer. "Playing with fire there, young lady," he replied, grabbing the second controller. "Don’t get burned."

Sophie’s grin widened. "Bold words for someone who’s about to lose."

Adam, who was settling on the other couch, tried and failed to stifle a laugh. Sophie shot him a glare, her lips pressed into a pout. "Traitor," she muttered under her breath before turning her attention back to the game.

After the pre-match settings, the match began and soon, the sound of the game’s commentary filled the room.

Sophie’s Bayern Munich squad moved sluggishly compared to Benjamin’s Tottenham Hotspur team despite their higher ratings, and within minutes, Benjamin had scored twice.

"Come on, Sophie," Adam teased from the sidelines, his tone light and dripping with amusement. "At least pretend you know how to play."

"I do know how to play!" Sophie snapped, mashing the buttons on her controller. "But someone," she shot a pointed look at Benjamin, "is clearly cheating."

Benjamin smirked, his focus never leaving the screen. "Cheating? You’re the one who kept pausing the game to Google how to sprint."

"That was one time!" she defended, her voice tinged with desperation as he scored yet another goal. "And in my defense, your instructions were useless."

"I told you to press RT," Benjamin replied, his tone calm but laced with subtle humor. "You decided to press LT and back-pass it to my striker instead."

"Heartless," Sophie muttered under her breath, her cheeks burning as the score hit 4–0 before halftime.

She tossed her controller onto the couch with a dramatic huff. "You’re heartless, Benjamin! Is this how you treat a lady?"

Benjamin paused the game and turned to her, leaning back with an amused glint in his eyes. "Adam hyped up your gaming skills," he said, his tone light, "so you can’t blame me for putting in a little extra effort. Besides, I just gave you a first-half free trial—doesn’t that prove I’ve got a good heart?"

Adam, who had been quietly observing, burst into laughter, nearly dropping his phone. He slapped a hand over his mouth, his shoulders shaking as he tried to contain the sound.

"Don’t you dare laugh, Adam!" Sophie warned, pointing an accusing finger at him. "You’re supposed to be on my side!"

"Sorry," Adam managed between chuckles, his voice muffled. "It’s just—watching you rage is priceless."

Sophie’s eyes narrowed as she grabbed a cushion and hurled it at him. "Traitor!"

Adam caught the cushion with ease, grinning as he leaned back. "I didn’t hype you up that much," he teased. "Maybe I exaggerated... just a little."

Sophie groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I hate you both."

Benjamin glanced at her, his smirk softening into a faint smile. "Don’t take it so hard, Sophie. You’re... improving."

She peeked at him from behind her fingers, her pout still firmly in place. "Really?"

"Sure," he said, his tone teasing. "You only gave me the ball six times in the last ten minutes. That’s a major improvement."

Her pout deepened as Adam erupted into another fit of laughter. "You’re both the worst," she mumbled, crossing her arms.

Benjamin leaned forward, picking up her abandoned controller and placing it gently in her lap. "Come on," he said, his voice softer. "One more half. I’ll go easy on you this time."

Sophie looked at him suspiciously. "You promise?"

"Scout’s honor," Benjamin replied, holding up three fingers.

She studied him for a moment before reluctantly picking up the controller. "Fine," she said, her tone reluctant. "But if the score increases too much, I’m rage-quitting."

Benjamin smirked, turning back to the screen. "Deal."

As the second half began, Sophie’s determination was palpable. She pressed the buttons furiously, her tongue poking out slightly as she concentrated.

For a moment, Benjamin let her take control of the ball, letting her pass it around midfield without much resistance.

Sophie’s confidence quickly grew, and she leaned forward, her eyes lighting up as she saw an opening to score.

"Here we go," she muttered, her voice filled with excitement as she dribbled toward the goal.

Just as she was about to shoot, Benjamin’s defender swooped in, intercepting the ball effortlessly. Within seconds, his striker was racing down the field and slotting the ball into the net.

The score now read 5–0.

Sophie stared at the screen in stunned silence before letting out a frustrated scream. "You’re impossible!"

Benjamin laughed, leaning back with a victorious grin. "And you’re predictable."

Adam, watching the exchange, shook his head in amusement. "You two are like an old married couple."

Sophie turned to him, her cheeks flushing. "Shut up, Adam!"

But Benjamin just laughed harder and the sound of his laughter only seemed to fuel Sophie’s frustration.

She glared at him, her grip tightening around the controller like it was the only thing stopping her from launching it at his head.

"You think this is funny?" she snapped, her voice rising above the game’s background noise.

Benjamin wiped a fake tear from the corner of his eye, his smirk unrelenting. "Oh, absolutely. You’re the most entertaining opponent I’ve had in years."

Sophie groaned, leaning back against the couch. Her red hair fanned out over her shoulders as she crossed her arms, still clutching the controller. "I should’ve known better than to trust you."

Adam decided to stir the pot. "To be fair, Sophie, you’re not exactly putting up a fight."

Sophie shot him a deadly look. "I don’t see you stepping up, Adam."

"I don’t need to," Adam replied, shivers spreading across his body as he recalled his past few games against Benjamin.

Benjamin chuckled again, shifting in his seat to face Sophie more directly. "Look, if it makes you feel better, I’ll give you a handicap next match."

Sophie raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued despite herself. "What kind of handicap?"

"I’ll play with my eyes closed," Benjamin said, deadpan.

Adam barked out a laugh, nearly choking on the sip of water he’d just taken. Sophie threw a pillow at him, but her lips twitched, betraying the hint of a smile.

"You’re so full of yourself," she muttered, turning her gaze back to the screen. "Fine. One more match. But this time, I pick your team."

Benjamin raised his hands in surrender. "Not that it’d matter much but it’s fair enough. Go ahead."