Gamer Girl by Mari Mancusi

and out of the auditorium altogether, never to return.
    Or at least
hang out and continue my conversation with Chad.
    A clapping and
wooting broke me out of my trance. Relieved, I jumped back, putting
as much space between Matt and me as possible. I looked out into the
audience to see who had interrupted us.
    Ah, it was
Billy. Of course.
    "Wow,
Matt. You're quite the actor," Billy said, walking slowly to the
stage, still clapping. "To make it look like you were actually
attracted to Freak Girl. That must take mad skills, man. I mean just
look at her! Are there any trolls in this play? She'd be perfect."
    I could hear
the snickering from backstage from the rest of the actors. Oh, yes,
hardy-har-har. No one would possibly be attracted to me.
    I waited a
beat, wondering if anyone (read: Chad) would stick up for me. Defend
my honor as the real Lancelot du Lac would have done for his lady
Guenevere.
    But no. Heaven
forbid anyone in this godforsaken school should stand up to the great
and wonderful Billy Henderson. Chad might have been sweet and nice
and interested in my manga, but at the end of the day, he was still
as spineless as ever.
    "I'm out
of here," I muttered, pushing past Matt and stomping offstage.
My face burned in fury and embarrassment. I was such an idiot. I
mean, what had I been thinking,
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    going up
onstage like that? Was I really that much of a glutton for
punishment?
    "Aw, where
are you going, Freak Girl!" Billy jeered.
    I heard Matt
calling my name as I dodged props and lighting equipment, heading for
the backstage door, but I ignored him. All I wanted to do was get the
hell out as quickly as possible. I never should have invaded drama
club to begin with.
    I retreated to
an empty classroom and sank down into a chair, head in my hands. This
was just what I needed to knock me back to Earth after what turned
out to be a pretty decent weekend, all things considered. Soon after
I'd sent Sir Leo my note, he'd logged into the game and we'd stayed
up way too late doing this quest where you had to collect ingredients
to make a special stew. Not the most exciting quest in the universe
and it involved a lot of brainless button mashing, but we'd made it
fun--chatting, joking, flirting throughout. When we'd finally
finished and sat eating our stews by the raging fire in the Elf Tree
Inn hearth, I looked up at the clock and was shocked to see it was
past midnight, real-life time. Time flew when you were adventuring
with Sir Leo.
    But now the elf
princess had turned into a pumpkin. Prince Charming had faded into
the virtual night. Reality had set back in. I felt like crying, but I
was too proud to allow the tears to fall. I was so sick of being a
victim. Of letting Billy and the rest of them torment me and make my
life hell. If you'd have told me last year this was the person I'd
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    become, I
probably wouldn't have believed you. And now, a year later, I could
barely remember the girl I used to be. The life I used to lead.
Hanging with friends, going to movies, trying on clothes, giggling
about boys. Being myself without worrying about being judged for it.
It was almost as if that were someone else's life. A movie I once
saw.
    A janitor came
by and kicked me out of the classroom, so I wandered into the library
and sank down into a chair. I pulled out my sketchbook and looked
down at the picture of Sir Leo I'd drawn. Funny how he'd taken on a
lot of the physical characteristics of Chad. Beautiful but
unattainable Chad. I traced a finger over the character's face. If
only I could become like my heroine and get sucked into a video game
and meet a dashing knight. I'd be much happier in there than in the
real world, I was sure.
    A girl I didn't
recognize entered the library. Redheaded, skinny, with a face full of
freckles. She sat down a few tables away near the door and I watched,
surprised, as she pulled a copy of Sojo Beat out of her book
bag and started poring over the stories inside. My eyes widened in
excitement. A