Gamer Girl by Mari Mancusi Page A
Authors: Mari Mancusi
Tags: United States, Fiction, General, People & Places, Family, Juvenile Fiction, Social Issues, Love & Romance, Massachusetts, divorce, School & Education, Sports & Recreation, Comics & Graphic Novels, Schools, New Experience, Marriage & Divorce, High schools, Moving; Household, Science & Technology, Games, Comic Books; Strips; Etc., Children of divorced parents, Cartoons and comics, Fantasy games, Role playing
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roast and I've made my
famous green bean casserole."
I glanced
longingly back at the computer, wanting nothing more than to log back
into the game to find Sir Leo and explain what happened. The last
thing I wanted was for him to think I was some total flake who got
his character killed. After all, he was my first new friend in
forever, even if he was virtual, and I wanted to play with him as
much as possible.
But Mom had put
the smack down and I knew better than to cross her. Better to let her
win this round and get back on her good side--even if that did mean
digesting Grandma's cooking.
"Pot
roast?" I said, smiling my widest, fake smile. "Sounds
delish. Let's eat!"
64
CHAPTER 7
GETTING THREE
days of detention sucked. Having detention fall on a Friday sucked
worse. Not that I had a hot date or anything. Though I was anxious to
get home to log into Fields of Fantasy. I wanted to find Sir Leo
online and beg his forgiveness for abandoning him to the wolves the
night before.
But I had no
choice and so on Friday I sat in Mr. Wilks's otherwise empty
classroom, watching the clock tick down the minutes to my freedom. I
was supposed to be doing homework, but I just didn't have the energy.
And Mr. Wilks made it clear there would be no drawing during
detention, so I couldn't even work on my manga.
"Um,
Maddy?"
I looked up and
my eyes widened as I realized that none other than Chad Murray had
walked up to my desk and was actually calling me by name. How did I
not notice the god himself wandering into the room? And how did he
know my
65
name anyway? I
thought I was permanently "Freak Girl" to the Haters.
My heart
skipped a beat. He was dressed in a gray T-shirt and a pair of
slouchy jeans. He looked gorgeous as always. I mean, if you were into
that sort of thing. Which I wasn't. Well, okay, fine, I was still a
girl at the end of the day and it was hard not to notice, but it
really didn't matter, did it? Chad was one of the Haters. The ones
responsible for sticking me in detention to begin with. This Billy
lackey was not a guy to have a crush on.
"What do
you want?" I demanded, narrowing my eyes. "Come to keep me
company?" The sarcasm dripped from my voice. So much for my
promise to Mom to be nicer and make friends.
Chad took a
step back, as if struck. "Um, nothing, really. It's just . . ."
He reached into his book bag and pulled out a piece of paper. He held
it out to me. "You left this in the cafeteria."
I looked down
at the paper. It was my drawing. The one Billy had destroyed.
"What do I
want this for?" I asked. "It's ruined. Your friend Billy
made sure of that." Against my better judgment, I smoothed the
paper out on my desk, looking at it longingly. My Gamer Girl, Allora,
smiled back up at me through the crinkles and paint smears. It had
been such a good sketch. . . .
"Right."
He shuffled from foot to foot. "But I thought
66
maybe ... I
don't know . . . you could, like, copy it or something. If you
wanted. Then maybe it wouldn't be a total loss."
"Oh."
I looked up at him, surprised by the gesture. He really was a lot
nicer than his friends. "Yeah, that's not a bad idea. Thanks."
"No prob,"
he said, still standing there, awkwardly. He paused, then added,
"Sorry about Billy. He can be a real jerk sometimes."
"Yeah,
just like the rest of the Haters," I muttered, putting the
drawing in my bag. "Haters?"
I blushed.
Hadn't meant for him to hear me. "Oh, just a nickname I have for
your crew," I explained. "The Haters. You know, since you
hate most of the school."
Chad laughed
appreciatively. "The Haters," he repeated. "That's
funny. And probably pretty accurate, too. I mean, at least for Billy
and the girls."
I looked at him
skeptically. "And you're different?"
Now it was his
turn to blush. "Well, yeah. I mean, I don't mess with people
like they do. I hate that kind of thing. I'm more of a
live-and-let-live kind of guy."
"So why do
you hang with them then?"
He shrugged and
looked embarrassed. "I don't know.
famous green bean casserole."
I glanced
longingly back at the computer, wanting nothing more than to log back
into the game to find Sir Leo and explain what happened. The last
thing I wanted was for him to think I was some total flake who got
his character killed. After all, he was my first new friend in
forever, even if he was virtual, and I wanted to play with him as
much as possible.
But Mom had put
the smack down and I knew better than to cross her. Better to let her
win this round and get back on her good side--even if that did mean
digesting Grandma's cooking.
"Pot
roast?" I said, smiling my widest, fake smile. "Sounds
delish. Let's eat!"
64
CHAPTER 7
GETTING THREE
days of detention sucked. Having detention fall on a Friday sucked
worse. Not that I had a hot date or anything. Though I was anxious to
get home to log into Fields of Fantasy. I wanted to find Sir Leo
online and beg his forgiveness for abandoning him to the wolves the
night before.
But I had no
choice and so on Friday I sat in Mr. Wilks's otherwise empty
classroom, watching the clock tick down the minutes to my freedom. I
was supposed to be doing homework, but I just didn't have the energy.
And Mr. Wilks made it clear there would be no drawing during
detention, so I couldn't even work on my manga.
"Um,
Maddy?"
I looked up and
my eyes widened as I realized that none other than Chad Murray had
walked up to my desk and was actually calling me by name. How did I
not notice the god himself wandering into the room? And how did he
know my
65
name anyway? I
thought I was permanently "Freak Girl" to the Haters.
My heart
skipped a beat. He was dressed in a gray T-shirt and a pair of
slouchy jeans. He looked gorgeous as always. I mean, if you were into
that sort of thing. Which I wasn't. Well, okay, fine, I was still a
girl at the end of the day and it was hard not to notice, but it
really didn't matter, did it? Chad was one of the Haters. The ones
responsible for sticking me in detention to begin with. This Billy
lackey was not a guy to have a crush on.
"What do
you want?" I demanded, narrowing my eyes. "Come to keep me
company?" The sarcasm dripped from my voice. So much for my
promise to Mom to be nicer and make friends.
Chad took a
step back, as if struck. "Um, nothing, really. It's just . . ."
He reached into his book bag and pulled out a piece of paper. He held
it out to me. "You left this in the cafeteria."
I looked down
at the paper. It was my drawing. The one Billy had destroyed.
"What do I
want this for?" I asked. "It's ruined. Your friend Billy
made sure of that." Against my better judgment, I smoothed the
paper out on my desk, looking at it longingly. My Gamer Girl, Allora,
smiled back up at me through the crinkles and paint smears. It had
been such a good sketch. . . .
"Right."
He shuffled from foot to foot. "But I thought
66
maybe ... I
don't know . . . you could, like, copy it or something. If you
wanted. Then maybe it wouldn't be a total loss."
"Oh."
I looked up at him, surprised by the gesture. He really was a lot
nicer than his friends. "Yeah, that's not a bad idea. Thanks."
"No prob,"
he said, still standing there, awkwardly. He paused, then added,
"Sorry about Billy. He can be a real jerk sometimes."
"Yeah,
just like the rest of the Haters," I muttered, putting the
drawing in my bag. "Haters?"
I blushed.
Hadn't meant for him to hear me. "Oh, just a nickname I have for
your crew," I explained. "The Haters. You know, since you
hate most of the school."
Chad laughed
appreciatively. "The Haters," he repeated. "That's
funny. And probably pretty accurate, too. I mean, at least for Billy
and the girls."
I looked at him
skeptically. "And you're different?"
Now it was his
turn to blush. "Well, yeah. I mean, I don't mess with people
like they do. I hate that kind of thing. I'm more of a
live-and-let-live kind of guy."
"So why do
you hang with them then?"
He shrugged and
looked embarrassed. "I don't know.
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