Gamer Girl by Mari Mancusi Read Free Book Online Page B

sound of that. I also liked chatting with Sir Leo. It was
as if I'd just met a new friend. Something I hadn't managed to do in
nearly a month of attending Hannah Dustin, I might add. So glad Dad
got me the game for my birthday.
    [SirLeo] One rule, though.
    [Allora] ?
    [SirLeo] Don't think this is dorky, but if we're going to adventure together,
we've got to role-play.
    [Allora]... Role-play?
    [SirLeo] Yea, like, keep in character. Like, you're actually Allora. You need
to give her a personality--what she's like, where she comes from, why
she's decided to go adventuring, etc.
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    [Allora] Oh-kay.
    [SirLeo] Hmm. You think I'm a total geek, don't you? ROFL.
    [Allora] No! No, not at all. I think it's a kewl idea, actually.
    Sir Leo
smiles.
    [SirLeo] Okay then, let's give it a try.
    SirLeo bows.
    [SirLeo] Good evening, young maiden. I fear you may be lost in these here
woods? Art thou in need of my assistance, mayhap?
    [Allora] Aye, good and noble knight. I am fair happy to make your
acquaintance. These wolves have gotten the better of me fair self, I
fear.
    Sir Leo
laughs.
    [SirLeo] (Not bad, not bad! You've got the hang of it already.)
    [Allora] Hang of what, oh, good noble sir?
    [SirLeo] (LOL. You're good! But it's okay to talk out of character if you use
parentheses like this. Then I'll know it's you in real life saying
something and not your elf.)
    [Allora] (Ah, good to know.)
    Sir Leo
smiles.
    [SirLeo] M'lady, art thou new around these yonder parts?
    [Allora] Aye, good sir. I am a simple elf orphan whose parents were tragically
killed when our town was attacked by wolves. And now I seek nothing
in life but to avenge their deaths!
    [SirLeo] I see. Well, m'lady, I am a brave and noble elfin knight, sent to
this land to claim it for my king. And of
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    course save all
the pretty young elf girls who might need
    rescuing.
    Allora
blushes.
    [SirLeo] (Um, by the way, you're really a girl, right? I mean, in real life?)
    [Allora] (Heh. May-be. I guess you can't tell, huh?)
    [SirLeo] (Nope. Online you can be anyone.)
    [Allora] (LOL. Well, yes, I'm really a girl. Are you really a boy?)
    [SirLeo] (Yup.)
    [Allora] (You're not like ... old ... are you?)
    [SirLeo] (Ha-ha. No, I'm sixteen. You?)
    [Allora] (Ooh. I'm sixteen, too. Actually I just turned sixteen yesterday.)
    [SirLeo] (Really? Happy birthday!!!!!)
    [Allora] (He-he, thank you!)
    It was so easy
to talk to him. Maybe it was the online thing. In real life I was so
shy--always worrying that people would judge me when I opened my
mouth. But here I could be anyone. Act any way I wanted to. After
all, I'd never meet Sir Leo in real life. He probably lived across
the country--maybe even across the world.
    We chatted a
bit more and then I had Allora follow him over to the beginner area,
where the monsters were more my level. At first I assumed he'd leave
me there and go off to do his own thing, but instead he stayed. And
with his help, I was able to gain three levels within fifteen
minutes.
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    "Maddy,
I've been calling you for the last ten minutes! What are you doing in
there?"
    My mom's voice
startled me out of the game. I'd been having so much fun with my new
friend online that I'd effectively shut out the real world. But now I
heard her footsteps padding up the stairs. Great.
    "Nothing,
Mom," I answered, crossing my fingers she wouldn't barge in.
    But it took a
lot more magic than mere finger-crossing to keep the momster out. A
moment later she was pushing open the bedroom door--Grandma refused
to let me get a lock for it!--and staring disapprovingly at my
computer.
    "Don't you
have homework you should be doing?" she asked. "I don't
want you up here playing that . . . game." I caught her taking a
quick peek at the screen, probably wondering if I was talking to Dad
online. Not that she needed to worry about that. He still hadn't
signed on.
    "No, I did
my homework in detention, Mom."
    "Detention.
Right." Mom sighed. "Turn off the computer. We've got to
have a little talk."
    I