Chapter 2

Falloff

Jessica and I had known each other pretty much since I had lived here. We were in each other’s classes, and soon became quick friends. She was also somewhat of a gamer too, but not in the traditional nerdy sense. She did it just because it was fun to do it. I mean, I guess that’s how all true gamers are. While the plot, graphics, and entertainment all add to the fun, a true gamer plays for the experience. She was just as much a gamer as me, and that’s how we found common ground.

In appearance, she had straight, amber hair that hung down past her shoulders. She was averaged height, but something told me she was going to push the six foot barrier before the year was over. She was almost taller than me. Her face was like that of a goddess, and don’t even get me started on those crystal green eyes. I had looked into them, and pondered on the level of depth they reached too.

So, why, you might ask, haven’t I hooked up with her yet? If she’s so beautiful, so perfect, and great friends with me, then why don’t I do anything? Well, there was a level of awkwardness about us. Ever since we entered our teen-years, things had steadily gotten stronger in our friendship, but there also a certain level of passion.

Several times I could feel it coming on, and I can’t begin to tell you how close it was to coming true. Afterwards we always kind of felt a little weird about it, but it never escalated. It was like a relationship taxing on the runway, never really ever getting in position to even try a takeoff. Then a couple months ago something interesting happened that only reinforced this awkwardness.

It was a house party (which Mark managed to show up to), and both Jessica and I had gone. Needless to say, there was sugar involved, and almost everyone got super energized. People bounced off the walls, danced like the dickens, and made-out in every available room. Jessica and I, having succumbed to the affects, were dancing on the stairs with about fifteen other people, and just up and kissed each other. Of course we were too buzzed to think anything of it, but the next day there was that awkwardness again. It was a little weird the first week, but then life went on as though it never happened.

But secretly I hoped that it would happen again. I had been smitten, but didn’t know how to proceed without our friendship falling off. So I kept everything in check. While we still goofed around, while we still had fun, and while we still did our crazy stuff, we never got close to that threshold again. Sometimes I wonder if she was ever thinking the same as I had, but I can never know for sure.

I finally pulled up to the house, and parked my bike up against her house. A quick ring of the bell, and there she was to greet me. That glitter in her eyes, that sparkle on her face, and that smile…

“Chris. What’s up?”

“Two things. First though, grab your bike.”

“Okay.” She quickly turned back around, and exited from her garage a minute later with her red bike. Today she actually had her hair in a pony tail.

We mounted our bikes, and took point up the street.

“So what’s going on?”

“Like I said before, two things. Firstly, we’re going to get Jake…Now don’t give me that face!”

She was making a pout-look, making sure her bottom lip was much bigger than her top. “Do we have to bring Jake along?”

“Yes, and you’ll soon hear why. Second; we’re going back to my house and playing Anon.”

“I thought Anon was a one-person game, and that if you wanted two people you had to get a supped up Internet connection.”

“Or fire-wire. Fire-wire is actually better.”

“Yeah, but that means I’d have to haul my computer all the way over to your place, or get a really long cord. Hope the neighbors don’t mind.”

“No, we’ll only be needing one computer.”

“Then how do you propose we all play?”

Damn. She just used the word propose again. She had been dropping hints like this for a little while now. At first I accepted it as one of her little mind games, but this was something bigger. She was thinking about a physical relationship. She was suggesting that she wanted more…

“Remember all that virtual-reality crap I told you my dad was working on?” Oh yes, this was going to rock her world.

“Yeah, but he’s just a supervisor, right?

“That’s what I thought, but they’re letting him test it…on Anon.”

“Wait, are you suggesting…?”

“Us, in the flesh, in Anon!”

“Holy crap!”

She nearly jammed on her breaks, but then changed her mind and sped up. I had to peddle just as quickly to keep up.

“Whoa! Jessica, wait up!”

“We’ve got to get to Jake’s house, and quick!”

“What’s with the sudden rush?”

“You idiot! It’s Anon, and in the flesh! Who wouldn’t want to play?! Plus Jake’s going to flip out, and fly to your house when he hears.”



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