Gamer Girl (14 page)

Sir Leo
grins.

[SirLeo]
(You're a great friend, too. I had been thinking of quitting the game
altogether till you came along. Now I'm rushing home from school just
to meet up with you to play.)

My celebratory
butterflies launched into another parade. Even though we'd never move
beyond this online friendship, relationship, whatever you wanted to
call it, we'd always have Fields of Fantasy. And maybe that was
enough.

[SirLeo]
(Anyway, let's play, okay? All this heavy talk... I

think I need to
be mindless for a bit.)

[Allora]
(kk. Let's go do that Archmage Vernon quest. I am

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in total need
of more Upper City rep so I can get keyed for Carathon. Oh, and I
want to farm some Bird People,too, if we have time--see if we can get
any air elementals to sell at the AH. Need to start saving my gold
for my mount. Though I have been eyeing that BoE Staff of the Night
Owl. IDK if I wantto just buy it or see if we can get itto drop off
the boss in HeavensGate. I thotbotted it and it looks like it's a
pretty rare drop...)

[SirLeo]
(LOL. kk. Funny. You'd never know you were a complete noob just a
short time ago! Now you're a total gamer girl, huh?)

Allora
grins.

[Allora]
(Someone taught me well.)

[SirLeo]
Well, then that noble someone should be rewarded. Greatly. Showered
with much gold, I should think.

Allora
shoves Sir Leo playfully.

[Allora]
(Yeah, right. You wish.)

Sir Leo
laughs.

[SirLeo]
(Fine, fine. No respect. I see. Go ahead and be that way.)

[Allora]
(Thanks! I will.)

Sir Leo
sighs deeply.

[SirLeo]
So, my fair maiden, where wouldst thou like to adventure today?

We slipped back
into characters, forgetting the real world once again. Together we
worked on quests, won treasure, gained skills, then finally settled
down on the top of a cliff

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not far from
the Elf Tree Cafe, overlooking a cascading waterfall. The game
crickets chirped happily as Sir Leo and Allora sat side by side,
gazing at the virtual sunset, a rich, fiery display that only a
high-end graphics card could offer.

Sir Leo cuddled
closer to Allora, putting his arm around her shoulder.

[SirLeo]
It's so beautiful here. So peaceful.

[Allora]
No monsters to spoil it.

[SirLeo]
(Or homework, or friends, or any real-life crap.)

[Allora]
(Too true.)

[SirLeo]
You are truly beautiful, m'lady. I am very lucky to have met you.

[Allora]
And I, you. For I would have been still battling those wolves.

Sir Leo
laughs.

[SirLeo]
Well, I am honored to have been of some sort of service. But you have
paid me back tenfold already.

Allora
smiles.

Sir Leo
kisses Allora tenderly
.

I stared at the
screen, heart drumming against my chest a million miles a minute. He
kissed me. He just actually kissed me. Okay, so it was really Sir Leo
kissing Allora. But still!

Crazy how a
video game could get my pulse racing. What to do, what to do?

There really
was only one thing.

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Allora
kisses Sir Leo back.

Sir Leo
sighs contently.

I let out my
own real-life contented sigh. It was clear that our characters were
falling for each other. And I had to admit Allora's feelings for Sir
Leo weren't so far from the ones I felt for the hoy who played him.
Whoever he was. Wherever he lived.

If only it
were
possible for us to meet. Would it be awkward? Would we both be shy?
Or would the connection we'd made over the game hold and cause us to
instantly fall in love? Was he cute? Would he think I was pretty? Was
he a good kisser? Did he like to cuddle in real life?

We said our
good nights and I reluctantly logged out of the game, then headed
over to my bed. I curled up under the covers, hugging my stuffed bear
against my chest. I tried to tell myself for the millionth time that
this was enough. That my virtual relationship was very fulfilling and
was all I really needed. That there was no reason to want to meet Sir
Leo in real life, even if he did, by some freaky random chance, live
in the same town as me and go to the same school.

But
unfortunately my heart wasn't buying it. Because I was in love with
Sir Leo.

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CHAPTER 13

Ms. reilly was
as good as her word. By Friday, she'd gotten all the necessary forms
signed to start the first ever manga club at Hannah Dustin High
School. I'd finished the flyers and, as soon as I got the go-ahead
from her, started posting them around school. They had come out
looking really cool, though at the last minute I decided against
using my own artwork. Didn't want to offer up free ammunition for the
Haters to use to make fun of me with. Instead, I found some cool clip
art from the
Sojo Beat
website and decorated using that
instead. We scheduled the first meeting for Wednesday, to be held in
the school library. Up until the last moment I still wasn't convinced
anyone would show up. Even if Sarah was right about there being other
manga fans at school, that didn't mean they'd necessarily jump at the
idea of joining a club to talk about it. Especially a club run by
Freak Girl.

Still, it was
probably worth a try. Because if it did work, if people did come,
it'd be great. I'd finally meet kids in this stupid school that cared
about something besides the latest

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sale at the
mall. We'd all become friends and start hanging out. People would
actually say hi in the halls and I'd have friends to eat with at
lunch.

This really was
a great idea. I'm so glad I suggested it to Ms. Reilly.

"Whatcha
doin', Freak Girl?"

Oh, great.
Billy. Just the person to put a damper on my day. I finished pressing
the flyer against the wall, making sure it was properly stuck before
turning around to deal with my dearest BFF. He stood behind me, arms
crossed, wearing a Bruins jersey and a big scowl on his face, glaring
at me expectantly. At least he was without his little posse for once.

I considered
walking away. But something inside of me stirred, stopping me in my
tracks. Some sort of weird sense of self-respect, long buried. I
remembered Ms. Reilly's words.
You've got to get to the point
where it really doesn't bother you. You gotta stop giving them your
power.
I'd made a vow. I was following Ms. Reilly's advice from
now on. And I wasn't going to let him bother me anymore.

"What does
it look like, brainiac?" I shot back, even surprising myself
with the force of my jab. "I'll give you three guesses. No,
wait. Don't strain yourself. Wouldn't want to hurt your head." I
waved a flyer in his face, channeling my inner mean girl. "See
these? I'm hanging them . . . on a . . . wall!" I spoke the last
part slowly, as if addressing a dim-witted child. Which wasn't far
off the mark, now that I thought about it. "With tape," I
added, waving the dispenser. "You know--sticky, sticky!"

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A thrill
tickled my stomach as Billy took a step back, a confused look on his
formerly arrogant face. He certainly hadn't expected that reaction
from me.

Woot! Score one
for Maddy!

"Uh, yeah.
Got that," Billy retorted. He ripped down the flyer I'd just put
up and studied it with narrowed eyes. "But what the hell is a
manga club?" he asked, pronouncing it "mahn-jah."
"Does that mean 'vampire' in Swahili or something?"

"Funny,
no. It doesn't. But I wouldn't expect your pea brain to know any
Japanese, so don't feel too bad." I was impressing myself with
my witty comebacks. Who knew I had it in me?

"Ooh,
you're so smart, Freak Girl. I wish I could be a nerd like you and
start a mahn-jah club at school."

"It's
manga," I corrected. "Hard 'g.'"

"Oh, yeah,
hard, huh? That's just how you like it, don't you? You like it hard,
Freak Girl. Hard and dirty," Billy taunted, dancing around and
making obscene gestures. He looked so pleased at his delicious wit
that for a moment I was almost certain he'd figure out a way to give
himself a high five.

I rolled my
eyes and moved down the hall, looking for the next place to hang a
flyer. This was the guy who practically the whole school worshipped?
Suddenly he seemed like nothing more than a pathetic little twerp. He
followed me, standing way too close for comfort as I affixed tape to
the paper. Obviously trying to unnerve me.

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Don't let
him bother you,
I reminded myself.
Don't let him win.

"You still
haven't told me what manga is," he reminded me, leaning against
a locker.

"Learn to
Google," I replied. "Wikipedia is your friend."

Billy looked
down at the flyer. "Oh, it's lame-o comic books, isn't it?"

"Brilliant
deduction." I clapped my hands for him. "Though manga is a
Japanese art form. So it's not like we're covering Superman or
anything." I didn't know why I was bothering to explain, really.

"Wow,
Freak Girl. That sounds way cool." Billy crumpled up the flyer
and tossed it, quarterback style, down the hall. I kept my face
blank, forcing myself to stay calm. I pulled out another flyer from
my bag and hung it up a few feet away. Good thing I'd made plenty of
copies.

Billy followed
me, still scowling. Probably pissed he hadn't been able to make me
cry yet. Hope he wasn't holding his breath waiting, because it was so
not going to happen.

"So who do
you expect to join your little geeky comic book club?" he
demanded. "Last I checked we don't have many
Japanese
students here at Hannah Dustin."

I almost burst
out laughing. He couldn't be that stupid, could he? "Do you live
under a total rock?" I asked incredulously. "Have you ever
been to a bookstore? A library? Man-ga's huge. Tons of American kids
read it."

Billy's face
darkened. Evidently I'd struck a nerve. "I don't. . . waste my
time in bookstores," he retorted. "Libraries are for
chumps."

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"Right."
I gave him my sweetest smile. "It's okay, Billy, really."

"Shut up,
Freak Girl."

"I know
you're only trying to hurt me because you feel very angry inside."

Billy stared at
me like I had three heads and a carrot for a nose. "What?"
he cried, his face red with rage. "What the hell are you talking
about?"

Wow. He was
just as easy to get a rise out of as the people he abused each day. I
chuckled at the irony.

"Why are
you laughing? Huh, Freak Girl?" he demanded, totally losing his
cool at this point. "You're stupid. You're a freak. No one likes
you. They all think you're a loser."

I shot him an
unconcerned smile and walked farther down the hall. He didn't follow
me this time. Out of the corner of my eye I say him rip down my
flyer, throw it to the ground, and stomp on it with his foot.

"Wow,"
remarked a pretty blond upperclassman who stood nearby, watching his
temper tantrum. "Looks like Billy has some anger issues to work
out."

I laughed.
"Totally," I said, my insides warming. "He can be such
a freak boy."

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CHAPTER 14

WEDNESDAY TOOK
forever to come and then the school day dragged on endlessly. I could
barely pay attention to my teachers as my mind raced in nervous
anticipation. Would anyone show up? Would they be cool? Would they
want to be friends with me? I tried to tell myself that it didn't
matter. That I'd be fine either way. But my heart wasn't buying it
this time. I wanted this to be a success. Badly. To show the Haters.
To show everyone.

After what
seemed an eternity, the last-period bell finally rang and everyone
jumped from their seats, eager to abandon the building or start
whatever after-school activity they had planned for that afternoon. I
didn't even give my usual early bus a second glance as I headed
straight to the library, psyched there was finally an extracurricular
I could pad my college application with that wouldn't have me
cringing with boredom and pain.

When I got
there, I saw that Ms. Reilly had already arrived and was in the
process of positioning a cart that held

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a TV/DVD combo
along with three precariously balanced pizza boxes in front of a
large circular table with lots of chairs.

I raised an
eyebrow. "Three pizzas?" I queried. "Seems a bit
optimistic, don't you think? I mean, we don't even know if anyone
will show up to this thing."

Ms. Reilly
laughed and set the pizza boxes on the wood table. "You worry
too much, Maddy," she scolded. "And besides, what's the
worst that can happen? We'd have to eat all the pizza by ourselves?
What a tragedy."

"True,"
I said, opening the box and helping myself to a hot slice. The cheese
burned the roof of my mouth and I quickly set it down on a paper
plate. "What books did you get?"

"I thought
we'd start with a little
Fullmetal Alchemist"
she said,
reaching into a cardboard box and setting a stack of manga on the
table. "And maybe, if there's time, we could watch some anime. I
brought in
.hack//SIGN.
Have you heard of it? It's based on a
video game--sort of like Fields of Fantasy."

"Nice,"
I said, impressed by her selections. And here I had been worried
she'd whip out a
Pokemon
or
Sailor Moon
in a lame,
misguided adult effort to be cool. But Ms. Reilly, she was the real
deal.