Against All Odds: Legacy Of A Football King
Chapter 85: Xbox 360 2

Chapter 85: Xbox 360 2

Benjamin stopped drying his hands and turned to face Adam, his expression serious. "Xbox 360? Really? You’re one of ’those’ guys?"

Adam feigned offense, clutching his chest like Benjamin had wounded him. "Excuse me? One of those guys? The Xbox is elite, my friend. Superior controller, better multiplayer experience. You know, the works."

Benjamin leaned against the kitchen counter, crossing his arms. "Better multiplayer? You mean the kind where your console red-rings after a month?"

Adam gasped, pointing a finger at him. "Low blow, Ben. That was one time! Besides, we both know PlayStation’s controllers feel like toys."

Benjamin smirked, grabbing his phone off the counter. "Guess we’ll just have to settle this the old-fashioned way."

Adam raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And how’s that?"

Benjamin straightened up his posture, and a mischievous glint appeared in his eye. "Rock, paper, scissors," he declared while holding up a fist.

Adam narrowed his eyes, his competitive spirit kicking in. "Okay then, three rounds. No cheating."

Benjamin rolled his eyes. "Like I need to cheat to beat you."

They stood facing each other with their hands ready. "Alright, on three," Benjamin said.

"One, two, three!"

Benjamin threw rock, but Adam smirked as his hand formed paper.

"Ha! One-zero!" Adam crowed, pumping his fist in victory.

"Beginner’s luck," Benjamin muttered, resetting his stance.

"One, two, three!"

This time, Benjamin went with scissors, slicing through Adam’s paper.

"Evened up," Benjamin said with a smirk.

Adam frowned, shaking out his hand like it would help. "Alright, this is it. The decider."

Benjamin focused, his gaze locked on Adam’s hand. "One, two, three!"

Benjamin’s rock was crushed by Adam’s paper again.

"Yes!" Adam shouted, throwing his hands childishly in the air. "Two-one! Xbox reigns supreme!"

Benjamin sighed while shaking his head as Adam broke into a victory dance, his arms flailing and his feet shuffling in an exaggerated fashion. "You’re ridiculous," Benjamin said, unable to suppress a small smile.

Adam stopped mid-spin, pointing at Benjamin. "And you, my friend, are a sore loser."

"Hardly," Benjamin replied, heading toward the door. "Let’s go get the console before I change my mind."

Still grinning, Adam grabbed his jacket and followed. Outside, the late morning sun bathed the streets, and the two flagged down a passing taxi.

As they climbed into the backseat, Adam leaned over to the driver and rattled off to take them to the nearest electronics store. He settled back with a smug expression.

"You know, I’m not even going to gloat," Adam said, his tone anything but humble.

Benjamin shot him a sideways glance. "You’ve been gloating for the last ten minutes."

Adam shrugged, leaning his head back against the seat. "Well, I earned it. Rock, paper, scissors is a game of skill, after all."

Benjamin let out a dry laugh. "Right. Pure, top notch skill."

The cab weaved through the city streets and their conversation eased into a comfortable banter.

By the time they pulled up to the store, the tension had eased off and only the indecision of selecting a game filled their thoughts as they stared at the library of games.

***

As Benjamin and Adam stepped into the electronics store, the cool blast of air conditioning hit them, a sharp contrast to the warm buzz of the streets outside.

Rows of shiny gadgets and devices stretched out before them, and the sound of chatter from patrons and soft background music filled the air.

Before they could even decide where to go, a store attendant approached them.

He was a scrawny looking youth, probably in his early twenties, with a thin frame that seemed to swim in his oversized track suit. His glasses perched precariously on his nose, and his sneakers squeaked faintly on the polished floor as he walked.

"Hey there, need any help?" the attendant asked, his voice tinged with casual friendliness.

The outspoken Adam, immediately stepped forward. "Yeah, we’re looking to get an Xbox 360."

The attendant nodded while adjusting his glasses. "Good choice. Follow me."

He led them through the maze of aisles, weaving past shelves stacked with headsets, controllers, and other gaming accessories.

Finally, they reached a section where rows of boxed consoles gleamed under the fluorescent lights.

"This here’s the latest batch," the attendant said, while gesturing to the neatly arranged boxes. He bent down, retrieving one, and handed it to Adam, who grinned like a kid handed his favorite candy.

Benjamin looked at the box with his arms crossed. "This better not red-ring on us."

Adam rolled his eyes but said nothing, clearly too thrilled with his prize to argue.

The attendant straightened up, brushing invisible dust off his track suit. "Anything else? What kind of games are you looking for?"

The question hit like a curveball. Both Benjamin and Adam froze, turning their gazes toward the massive wall of game titles that loomed before them.

There were hundreds, maybe thousands, of games staring back enticingly at them, with each promising endless hours of fun.

"Well..." Adam began, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Uh..." Benjamin echoed as his eyes darted from one section to the next.

The attendant smirked, clearly used to this kind of indecision from patrons. "Take your time," he said before stepping back, giving them space to deliberate.

Adam grabbed the nearest box and held it up. "What about this?"

Benjamin glanced at the cover. "Dance Central? You’ve got to be kidding me!"

Adam laughed, putting it back. "Alright, fair. Let’s be serious."

They scanned the shelves, occasionally pulling out a box, examining it, and putting it back. The sheer variety overwhelmed them.

"Why are there so many shooter games?" Adam muttered.

"Because they’re awesome," Benjamin shot back.

After what felt like an eternity of bickering and indecision, they finally settled on a selection: Halo 4, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Assassin’s Creed III, FIFA 13, Forza Horizon, NBA 2K13, and Far Cry 3.

Adam held the stack of games triumphantly. "I’d say we nailed it."

Benjamin nodded, though he looked slightly skeptical. "Let’s hope some of them live up to the hype."

The attendant returned, glancing at their choices with an approving nod. "That’s a solid lineup. You guys are all set?"

"Yeah, I think we’re good," Adam replied, his grin wide.

Benjamin paid for the console, splitting the game costs with Adam. The console cost him just €260, and summing up the split payment for the games, it added up to €400.

After purchasing the final and most important item, a €1800 55-inch Full HD 3D LED LCD TV, they headed out of the store without an ounce of regret on their faces.

’It was all worth it’ They continuously repeated in their mind as they left the store, their haul safely tucked into a large shopping bag.

As they climbed into another taxi, Adam glanced at Benjamin. "First game we’re playing?"

Benjamin didn’t miss a beat. "FIFA, obviously."

Adam chuckled. "Alright, but only after I demolish you in Halo."

Benjamin smirked, settling back into his seat. "We’ll see about that."