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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fellow manga lover! Who would have thought they existed
at Hannah Dustin High? I wondered if I should go over and introduce
myself. Would she think that was weird?
I realized I
had to take a chance. Otherwise I was doomed to be friendless Freak
Girl for the rest of the year. So drawing in a breath, I rose from my
seat and walked over to her table. She looked up at me expectantly
and I suddenly felt
112
awkward, not
sure what to say. Half of me wanted to run the other direction, but I
planted my feet firmly on the ground and forced myself to speak.
"Um, hi,"
I stammered. "I'm Maddy. I noticed you have the latest issue of Sojo Beat. I haven't gotten mine yet. How is it?"
"Oh, it's
so good," she exclaimed, her eyes shining. "There's an
awesome bonus Vampire Knight this month. I just love Vampire Knight,
don't you? Yuki is the coolest girl ever. I wish I could be her. Then
I could hang out with Kaname. How cool would that be?"
I laughed.
"Pretty much the coolest thing ever," I agreed. "He's
so dreamy."
"I'm
Sarah," she said, throwing me a grin. "I don't think I've
seen you around."
"I'm
Maddy. I just moved here a few months ago."
"Cool.
Where did you come from?"
"Boston."
"Oh, the
city. Nice. You must hate it here. It's so boring."
"It's
okay," I said with a shrug. Didn't want to come off like a
big-city snob to my potential new friend.
A car pulled up
outside the library doors and beeped. Sarah looked over and waved.
"That's my mom," she said apologetically as she gathered up
her books. "Gotta go. It was nice to meet you though. Always
looking for more manga fans."
"Are there
others?" I asked curiously. "Here at Hannah Dustin, I
mean."
"Oh, sure,
there's tons. Not everyone brings their books
113
to school like
I do. But, yeah, there are lots of kids into it." The car
outside beeped again. "Okay, she's ready to kill me." She
laughed. "I'll catch you around."
I watched as
she skipped through the library and pushed open the glass doors,
exiting the building. How lucky that I ran into her. A manga fan. And
she said there were others, too. Who would have thought? It would be
great if we could get everyone together. Maybe do a manga club like
Caitlin and I had back in Boston. And this time I could make it
official. Just like we'd always wanted to. I wondered how you started
up something like that. I guess I'd have to ask a teacher. Maybe Ms.
Reilly. She was into manga. . . .
What was I
thinking? I shook my head. This wasn't like Boston. No one at Hannah
Dustin was going to join a club run by Freak Girl. I'd end up sitting
at that first meeting alone in an empty classroom, praying
someone--anyone-- would show up, avoiding the pity in Ms. Reilly's
eyes when she realized no one was coming. It'd be humiliating,
embarrassing, and an utter failure.
Unless it
wasn't, a small voice inside me encouraged. After all, Matt would
probably join; he liked comics. And maybe Luke, if Matt could tear
him away from his video games. And that girl Sarah I just met would
probably show up. And she might bring some of her friends. She did
say she knew others who liked manga. . . .
I squared my
shoulders and firmed my resolve, deciding to go for it. After all,
what did I have to lose? I already had no friends and no life--if it
didn't work I wouldn't be any worse
114
off than I was
now. And if it was successful? I'd have a whole score of potential
new friends.
Excited, I
grabbed my stuff and headed down the hall to Ms. Reilly's classroom,
crossing my fingers she hadn't left for the day. But my luck held.
She was at her desk, working, when I walked in.
"Hey, Ms.
Reilly."
She looked up.
"Maddy!" she said, smiling at me. "You're here late."
"Yeah,
just waiting for the second bus," I said. "Mr. Wilks let me
out of detention early 'cause of some family thing."
Ms. Reilly did
a double take. "Detention?" she asked. "Why would you
have detention?"
I sighed. I
knew I shouldn't have brought it up. But then again, she did say I
could come
at Hannah Dustin High? I wondered if I should go over and introduce
myself. Would she think that was weird?
I realized I
had to take a chance. Otherwise I was doomed to be friendless Freak
Girl for the rest of the year. So drawing in a breath, I rose from my
seat and walked over to her table. She looked up at me expectantly
and I suddenly felt
112
awkward, not
sure what to say. Half of me wanted to run the other direction, but I
planted my feet firmly on the ground and forced myself to speak.
"Um, hi,"
I stammered. "I'm Maddy. I noticed you have the latest issue of Sojo Beat. I haven't gotten mine yet. How is it?"
"Oh, it's
so good," she exclaimed, her eyes shining. "There's an
awesome bonus Vampire Knight this month. I just love Vampire Knight,
don't you? Yuki is the coolest girl ever. I wish I could be her. Then
I could hang out with Kaname. How cool would that be?"
I laughed.
"Pretty much the coolest thing ever," I agreed. "He's
so dreamy."
"I'm
Sarah," she said, throwing me a grin. "I don't think I've
seen you around."
"I'm
Maddy. I just moved here a few months ago."
"Cool.
Where did you come from?"
"Boston."
"Oh, the
city. Nice. You must hate it here. It's so boring."
"It's
okay," I said with a shrug. Didn't want to come off like a
big-city snob to my potential new friend.
A car pulled up
outside the library doors and beeped. Sarah looked over and waved.
"That's my mom," she said apologetically as she gathered up
her books. "Gotta go. It was nice to meet you though. Always
looking for more manga fans."
"Are there
others?" I asked curiously. "Here at Hannah Dustin, I
mean."
"Oh, sure,
there's tons. Not everyone brings their books
113
to school like
I do. But, yeah, there are lots of kids into it." The car
outside beeped again. "Okay, she's ready to kill me." She
laughed. "I'll catch you around."
I watched as
she skipped through the library and pushed open the glass doors,
exiting the building. How lucky that I ran into her. A manga fan. And
she said there were others, too. Who would have thought? It would be
great if we could get everyone together. Maybe do a manga club like
Caitlin and I had back in Boston. And this time I could make it
official. Just like we'd always wanted to. I wondered how you started
up something like that. I guess I'd have to ask a teacher. Maybe Ms.
Reilly. She was into manga. . . .
What was I
thinking? I shook my head. This wasn't like Boston. No one at Hannah
Dustin was going to join a club run by Freak Girl. I'd end up sitting
at that first meeting alone in an empty classroom, praying
someone--anyone-- would show up, avoiding the pity in Ms. Reilly's
eyes when she realized no one was coming. It'd be humiliating,
embarrassing, and an utter failure.
Unless it
wasn't, a small voice inside me encouraged. After all, Matt would
probably join; he liked comics. And maybe Luke, if Matt could tear
him away from his video games. And that girl Sarah I just met would
probably show up. And she might bring some of her friends. She did
say she knew others who liked manga. . . .
I squared my
shoulders and firmed my resolve, deciding to go for it. After all,
what did I have to lose? I already had no friends and no life--if it
didn't work I wouldn't be any worse
114
off than I was
now. And if it was successful? I'd have a whole score of potential
new friends.
Excited, I
grabbed my stuff and headed down the hall to Ms. Reilly's classroom,
crossing my fingers she hadn't left for the day. But my luck held.
She was at her desk, working, when I walked in.
"Hey, Ms.
Reilly."
She looked up.
"Maddy!" she said, smiling at me. "You're here late."
"Yeah,
just waiting for the second bus," I said. "Mr. Wilks let me
out of detention early 'cause of some family thing."
Ms. Reilly did
a double take. "Detention?" she asked. "Why would you
have detention?"
I sighed. I
knew I shouldn't have brought it up. But then again, she did say I
could come
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