Gamer Girl (8 page)

CHARACTER
NOT ONLINE

I let out the
breath I hadn't realized I was holding. Of course he wasn't online.
It was Friday night. He was probably on a date with some hot chick
who, in real life, looked like my Allora character--not even giving
the video game or me a second thought. Virtual life might be all I
had to keep me sane, but that didn't mean Sir Leo was as big a loser
as I was.

Dad evidently
had more of a life than I did as well, as he was not logged on
either. So I decided to take Allora adventuring by herself. We headed
over to the easy section, where the beginner quests were, and started
attacking monsters with her firebombs. It didn't take long until I'd
gained another level and was able to get some new, tougher armor and
a more powerful magic wand. I also got a new spell--a sort of
ice-shield thing that would help protect me. Pretty soon I was strong
enough to head out of the town's gates and attack those wolves that
had kicked my butt the day before.

"Whoo-hoo!"
I cheered as my firebomb blasted them dead. "You go, Allora!"

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[SirLeo]
Well done, m'lady. I see that the wolves are no longer a trouble to
thee.

My heart
fluttered with excitement as I read the message sent from Sir Leo. He
must have just logged on. Squee!

[Allora]
Why, yes. I have been busy learning some powerful new spells to
combat the evil wolves that once caused me so much pain.

[SirLeo]
I am impressed. Perhaps you would care to join me on a further
adventure? There is a small dragon in yonder cave that has been
hoarding much treasure. We could slay it and then split the reward.

[Allora]
That sounds like a most excellent plan.

[Allora]
(By the way, I'm sorry about last night. Mom switched off my computer
before I could stop her. Sooo annoying.)

[SirLeo]
(Ah, I was wondering what happened to you. I was worried that I'd
been boring you to death and you faked a disconnect in order to get
rid of me.)

I grimaced.
Stupid Mom.

[Allora]
(LOL. I've got better manners than that.)

[SirLeo]
(So, what, you'd just tell me I was totally boring and I should go
away?)

[Allora]
(Don't be totally boring and you'll never find out.)

[SirLeo]
(LOL. I will do my best!)

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Wow. I was
flirting. Actually flirting. It wasn't actually so hard to do, safe
at home, with a sexy elf as my cover. In real life I'd never be able
to talk to a boy like that, but since Sir Leo probably lived on the
other side of the country, I had nothing to lose.

[SirLeo]
Follow me, my fair and beautiful maiden, and I shall lead thee to thy
quest
.

I blushed a
little at his words. I knew we were just role-playing and that he was
keeping in character, but I liked how he flirted back with me all the
same. What if he knew how different I looked in real life? Would he
be totally turned off? Probably. Which sucked, actually. I wanted him
to like me for the real me, not some fake-o virtual character. But
that was stupid and unrealistic. I had to take this for what it was
and not get too attached.

[Allora]
(Now let's see how long we can play before Mom shows up and starts
yelling at me again. If I disappear suddenly, don't take it
personally, okay?)

[SirLeo]
(LOL! No prob. I know how parents are, trust me.)

[Allora]
(Well, my mom used to be okay, before the Big D.)

[SirLeo]
(Ah, I went through that two years ago. My mom met this other guy. It
was really horrible for a while. All the yelling and screaming. I was
almost glad when she moved out and it was just me and Dad again.)

[Allora]
(Oh, yeah, the yelling sucks. I remember all I

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wanted to do
sometimes was run up to my room and throw the pillows over my head.
You know, to drown it all out?)

[SirLeo]
(That's how I first got into this game. I could lock myself in my
room and play and no one would bug me.)

[Allora]
(Makes sense.)

[SirLeo]
(Anyway, hang in there. It does get easier.)

[Allora]
(Yeah. Well, you obviously didn't have to switch schools.)

[SirLeo]
(Oh. You did? That's rough. Though, in a way it must be nice.)

[Allora]
???

[SirLeo]
(Well, you get to start over. You can be whoever you wantto be. And
you get to pick brand-new friends. Anyway, we're at the dragon's
cave.)

We found the
dragon and between my spells and Sir Leo's sword fighting we totally
kicked its scaly butt. As it lay down to die, taking its last fiery
breath, Sir Leo gave Allora a big congratulatory hug. Even though it
was only a virtual squeeze, I got real-life tingles.

[SirLeo]
A most excellent fight, m'lady. Would you like to discover what
treasure the dragon has hiding in yonder chest?

[Allora]
Oh, yeah!

Allora opens
chest.

[Allora]
There's a wand in here. A really good one! And a few gems.

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SirLeo
bows.

[SirLeo]
All yours.

[Allora]
Are you sure? I mean, I know you can't use the wand. But these
gems...

[SirLeo]
Please, m'lady, do not insult this knight's honor by refusing his
gifts.

[Allora]
Cool--I mean ... lovely. Thank you, good sir knight.

[SirLeo]
Now let us take the dragon's head and bring it back to the village,
where they are sure to reward our brave deeds.

We started the
run back to the village. I swapped out my old crappy wand for the new
one I had just gotten from the chest. It had a blue glowing end to
it, which totally matched Allora's eyes, not that I was all into elf
fashion or anything.

[Allora]
(So how come you're home on a Friday night?)

[SirLeo]
(I was out earlier, but I have drama practice

tomorrow, so I
wanted to get a good night's sleep.)

[Allora]
(Ah, cool.)

[SirLeo]
(How come you're home?)

[Allora]
(Oh, uh, I'm not feeling well. So I didn't want to overdo it.)

Okay, so that
was a lie. But I didn't want him to think I was some total loser with
no friends to hang out with on a Friday night.

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Sir Leo
frowns.

[SirLeo]
I am deeply sorry to hear you are unwell, m'lady.

Let us stop at
yonder inn and ask the barmaid for some

chicken soup
before we turn in the quest. Perhaps it will

make you feel
better.

Allora
smiles.

[Allora]
Sounds like a plan.

[Allora]
Er, I mean that seems like a grand idea, good sir.
Sir Leo laughs.

Yup. A grand
idea, indeed. I was feeling better already! I had half a mind to
march downstairs and tell those annoying little munchkins that I had
a Friday night date after all.

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CHAPTER 9

M ADDY, GET
up!"

I groaned and
pulled the covers over my head. "Five more minutes, Mom."

Mom grabbed the
blanket and dragged it off my body. "No. You get up now. Your
father will be here in fifteen minutes to take you and Emily to
Boston." She looked down at me, an annoyed look on her face.
"Why are you so tired, anyway? How late did you stay up last
night playing that video game?"

I'd stayed up
way too late. Like one-in-the-morning late. But I wasn't about to let
her know that. "I don't know. Like . . . nine?" I mumbled.

"Then you
should have no problem getting up." Mom headed to the door. "And
no falling back asleep once I leave the room either."

I reluctantly
sat up in bed, rubbing my eyes. My head felt foggy, my stomach
growled. Even my fingers were sore from hours of typing with Sir Leo.
And now, instead of getting to

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sleep in like a
normal high schooler on a Saturday morning, I had to get up at the
crack of dawn to go visit my dad.

Not that I
minded visiting. It meant a weekend back in Boston, in his new
apartment. But we always had fun and there was a possibility I'd get
to see my friends, too.

Still, the
seven a.m. wake-up call was a bit rough. . . .

I forced myself
out of bed, glancing longingly at the computer as I passed it on the
way to the bathroom. I had such a good time playing last night.
Fighting "mobs," completing quests, joking around with Sir
Leo--it was awesome. So weird how you could have the best night of
your life hanging out with a complete stranger in a virtual world.

When it was
finally time to log off and say good night, we'd gone into the Elf
Tree Inn. There was only one bed, so Sir Leo gallantly offered it to
me and said he would sleep on the floor. Just like a real chivalrous
knight! He even blew me a kiss right before he logged off, which
let's just say got my real-life heartbeat up quite a bit.

I brushed my
teeth and slipped on a black skirt and sweater with black tights and
Chinese slippers. Then I grabbed my backpack and headed downstairs,
just in time for Dad to walk through the door. He gave me a big bear
hug and then turned to Emily, who squirmed and protested he was
messing up her hair. My mother hovered in the archway, looking
annoyed.

"Hello,
Denise," Dad said to her.

"Hello,
Bob," she returned in a cold voice.

They used to be
so happy together. I remembered sneaking

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downstairs late
at night when I was younger and catching them making out on the
couch. Or Dad would be telling some silly joke and Mom would be
practically rolling on the floor she was laughing so hard. We'd go on
family vacations to the mountains in New Hampshire. Dad would catch
us fish and Mom would cook them on the camp stove.

"Hey, how
about we all go out for breakfast?" Emily suggested in a bright
voice. Poor kid. Still unclear on the concept of divorce. "I'd
really love some pancakes. Wouldn't you, Mom?"

Mom shook her
head. "I've got a busy day ahead of me, Em. Maybe your father
will take you." She started to turn to walk away.

"Aw, come
on, Denise," Dad called after her. "You can follow me in
your car and we'll meet in the IHOP parking lot." He grinned his
goofy dad grin. "You can't be too busy for apple pancakes, can
you?"

Mom stiffened.
"Yes, Bob. Actually I can be. And, in fact, I am. Some of us
work around here, you know."

Ouch. I cringed
at her harsh words. It wasn't Dad's fault that he was between jobs
after his company laid him off a couple months ago, was it? And
besides, he still sent his child-support checks on time, so she had
nothing to bitch about. She really needed to at least try to be civil
to the poor guy. At least around Emily.

"Please,
Mom?" Emily pleaded with her big impossible-to-say-no-to eyes.
"Please?"

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"Can I
talk to you for a moment, Bob?" Mom asked, tight-lipped. Dad
nodded and followed her to the living room.

"Now
you've done it," I remarked, handing Emily her Dora the Explorer
suitcase. "You've made them fight again."

"They're
talking. That's different," Emily protested. "Dad's
convincing Mom to come with us for pancakes."

I rolled my
eyes. "Give up the fantasy, girl," I suggested. "They're
never getting back together."

Emily's face
fell and I instantly felt bad. Still, she needed a reality check. Mom
and Dad were done. She'd left him and she was never going back. And
we were stuck in this hellhole town and Grandma's house forever.

Dad walked back
into the room with a smile on his face that didn't quite reach his
eyes. "Let's go, kids," he said, grabbing our suitcases and
pushing open the front door. I looked back to the living room and saw
Mom standing in the doorway, her lips pursed in a frown.

Sorry Em,
I thought.
As much as it sucks, these two are done for good.

After setting
my bags in the guest bedroom that Emily and I shared while we were at
Dad's, I sprawled on the bed and dug in my purse for my cell phone. I
hadn't talked to Caitlin all week. Always got her voice mail every
time I dialed and she was never on IM anymore.

"Hello?"
my friend answered on the first ring.

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"Hey,
Cait!"

"Oh, my
God, Maddy, how are you? How's the new school? Does it still totally
blow? Did you make any new friends? Meet any new guys?"

I smiled into
the phone, feeling better already. Maybe I had been imagining her
cold shoulder. Maybe things would be all right after all. We could
meet up this weekend for coffee and maybe go to the movies. . . .

"School
still sucks. No new friends. Oh, but I got detention for punching
someone."

"No way!
That rocks." Caitlin sounded impressed. "What'd she do?"

"He,
actually."

"Whoa,
girl, you punched a guy? You rock my socks!" "Yeah, well,
thanks. Mom is a bit less happy about the whole thing."

"Heh.
Your
mom? I can only imagine. My mom probably would have taken me out for
pizza and ice cream to celebrate if I socked some guy for doing me
wrong."

I laughed.
"Anyway, I'm at Dad's this weekend. What are you up to? Did you
want to come by?"

"Uh, well,
maybe . . ."

I frowned into
the phone. "Maybe?" I questioned. "Did you want to or
not? It's not a hard question."

"It's
actually, well. . . I'm going snowboarding this afternoon."

"Snowboarding?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you snowboard?"