A/N: General disclaimers that I don't own anything about VGHS and blah blah blah. A second disclaimer for all those too serious minded individuals that go about picking apart stories because the stories aren't real. This is fanfiction and not real life so certain creative licenses were taken.
A/N 2: Johanna Braddy is one smokin' chick and is a huge part of how this story was written in one weekend.
Jenny Matrix stared at the back of her Panther's team jacket with her name emblazoned on it in bold white letters and gripped the fabric tightly to prevent her hands from shaking. The limo she sat in steadily drove closer to Video Game High School (VGHS), her old stomping grounds and Jenny didn't know what to expect once she arrived. Two years had passed since she could come back to her one time comfort zone for an extended period of time and she smiled fondly as her friends' faces popped up in front of her minds eye.
"This is your home Jenny. You know you can come by anytime and we'll be here."
Ki's words from last year had been a comfort to Jenny over this past year and Jenny hoped that her friend's sentiment would hold true. When the eccentric red head had spoken those words, the two girls had been sitting in Ki's dorm room a few days after Brian's mother's funeral.
"Brian…"
Jenny spoke her best friend/boyfriend/lover's name with a mixture of longing and apprehension. The two former star crossed lover's hadn't really spoken about anything meaningful in two years, ever since Jenny had left to join the professional gamer's team the Panther's and Jenny hadn't been clueless as to why. Brian had loved her, truly loved her and letting Jenny go so that she could fulfill her dreams had apparently broken his heart.
"We're here miss."
"Oh. Thank you."
The limo driver's voice startled Jenny out of her troubling thoughts and she stepped out of the limo in front of VGHS. The red step blocks in front of the flagpole made her smile wistfully at the memories she had created there and she thanked the driver when he handed her her luggage.
"I'm good from here. Thank you."
"Have a good vacation Ms. Matrix."
The driver left and with a deep breath Jenny walked towards the front doors of her former high school. The closer she walked to the doors, the more people noticed her and soon a crowd had gathered. This was expected of course, as Jenny's journey on the pro circuit had been one of ups and downs and her dominant, forceful personality had garnered her quite the reputation. With her developing reputation, Jenny had garnered quite the fan base and she smiled indulgently at the students' that flocked around her.
"Jenny! I'm so sorry that I'm late. I was busy in my Real Time Strategy classes (RTS) and time got away from me. A fascinating subject for sure but…hey! Give her some room to breathe you mongrels! Shoo! Off you all go! I'm sure you all have somewhere else you're supposed to be!"
Ki Swan swept onto the scene like a tornado, red hair flying all about her face and her ever present tablet clutched in her hands. The distinctive badge of head RA shone proudly on her chest and her motherly glare sent most of the eager students' running. She clucked her tongue and pointed at the more die-hard student fans and soon only Jenny and Ki stood in the quad. Just as soon as the motherly expression came onto Ki's face it left and all the warning Jenny had before Ki glomped her was an excited squeal.
"Jenny! I'm so glad you're here!"
"I'm glad to be here too Ki."
Hesitantly, Jenny wrapped her arms around the curvier red head and she felt her eyes tear up as she hugged her friend. After a long moment, the two girls let go and stepped away. They both chuckled as each one of them wiped their eyes and Ki grabbed Jenny's hand as she dragged the blonde further into VGHS. Jenny just barely grabbed her luggage as she followed after Ki and she smiled as Ki started talking a mile a minute. Despite her friend's exuberance, Jenny kept glancing around, looking for a glimpse of Brian but she couldn't see any sign of him.
"Brian is busy teaching a class Jenny. He won't be able to see anyone for at least another two hours."
Jenny blushed at Ki's comment, even more so when the other girl didn't stop walking or look at Jenny and Jenny let her hair fall in front of her face for a moment. While she had come back to VGHS for a well-earned vacation and to see her friends, deep down, Jenny knew that she had come to see Brian. She wanted to see his soft smile he reserved just for close friends, to see his unruly hair and hear his adorable stuttering whenever he talked to the opposite sex.
"He teaches classes now?"
"Well duh! He beat out The Law for the number one FPS gamer here at VGHS in his sophomore year and took to his schooling like a man possessed. His determination to master all of his classes is second only to mine and now in our senior year, both of our work ethics have paid off. Since VGHS can't really provide a challenge for either one of us anymore, we receive special tutoring from different professionals or outside experts in our chosen fields."
Ki's words made Jenny stop walking and look at the other girl in wonder. Ki smiled at her and tilted her head to the side. The sheer fact that Brian had beaten out The Law so soon after Jenny had left was an amazing feat in and of itself, but for Brian to have developed his skills as a gamer to the point where he couldn't learn anything more at VGHS was unprecedented. Completely unheard of.
"Ki that's amazing! Do either of you have any job or team offers as soon as you graduate this spring?"
"Well…I have been carefully researching and screening all of my offers and have narrowed it down to three possibilities. My final decision rests on where Ted is going to land this spring and he hasn't decided yet either. There's really no pressure though because the deadline to decide is a long way off."
Jenny noticed that Ki spoke carefully and she wouldn't look at Jenny. The girls started walking again but at a much slower pace and Ki kept glancing around. Jenny raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything for a moment to let Ki continue. When the other girl didn't, Jenny's heart clenched a little bit tighter because she knew that Brian had made a decision and the fact that he hadn't told her about any of this over the past two years hurt Jenny a lot.
"And where is Brian going? Has he made a decision yet?"
"He…well, Brian is being rather private about all of this. He is always super busy, helping out student's and teacher's alike and really doesn't get any time for himself."
"Ki…."
"I promised him that I wouldn't say!"
Jenny sighed but squeezed Ki's hand where the two of them were still linked. Ki squeezed back gratefully and stopped walking to glance inside a classroom. Jenny did as well and her breath caught when she saw Brian at the front of the classroom. He sat in the usual gamer station that VGHS offered but he seemed to be in his own little world. His eyes constantly roved across the screens in front of him and his fingers were a blur over the controls. Four student's sat in front of Brian and when Jenny looked up at the viewing screen she smiled.
"Yes, Brian is the teacher's assistant for Teamwork 101 and this is one of the most sought after classes here at VGHS. The four student's are a team and their goal is to beat Brian. On occasion, he does let them beat him but he doesn't let them know that he lets them win. It boosts the students' egos and confidence but when student's get too big headed, Brian will challenge them to a game and annihilate them."
"Sounds just like him…"
Ki tugged on Jenny's hand and the two girls walked away from the classroom. Jenny sighed and her heart fluttered in her chest at the image of Brian in his element. The two girls stopped outside of Jenny's old dorm room and Ki unlocked the door. Jenny's old room was sparse and empty and Jenny raised an eyebrow at Ki. Ki laughed and handed Jenny her old key.
"Calhoun let us know that you were coming back and ordered the student bunking here out. He figured since you would be here for an extended stay this time that you would need a room and someone of your status shouldn't have a roommate. In fact, everyone in this hallway is of the elite here at VGHS and you should meet up with them soon. Ted and I are sharing a room down the hall if you need anything."
"And Brian?"
Jenny didn't beat around the bush, knowing that someone as smart as Ki would see through it anyway and Jenny trusted her old friend. Ki smiled softly and pointed to the door right across from Jenny's.
"Brian had to move when he beat the Law for the number one gamer spot because the two of them would have some pretty epic fights. Silly boys and their testosterone filled chest thumping. A word of warning though, this hallway is always busy at night because people come to see Brian and I all the time. Good luck and I'll come pick you up for lunch in two hours."
Ki left with a waggling of her fingers and Jenny walked into her old dorm room. She felt bad that Calhoun had kicked out the other students that had stayed here but she was grateful that she had something familiar to fall back on. She decided not to think about the fact that Brian dormed right across the hall and focused on unpacking.
Exactly two hours later, Jenny heard a knock on her door and she opened the door to see Ki standing there with a bright smile on her face. Jenny laughed and waved the other girl into her dorm. Jenny turned down the music on her iPod in the docking station and watched as Ki evaluated Jenny's room.
"Well? What do you think?"
"It's nice to see that not much has changed. Ready for lunch?"
"Definitely. I'm starving."
As Ki grabbed her hand and led her out of the hallway, Jenny couldn't help but notice how cold and impenetrable Brian's door looked as it remained closed. She sighed and shook the thought from her mind as Ki rambled and led them to the cafeteria. The fact that the cafeteria remained loud and crowded even when Ki and Jenny entered soothed some of Jenny's anxieties and she neatly sidestepped Ted as he sprinted at them. Ki giggled as Ted picked her up and spun her around in circles a few times. The hopeless romantic in Jenny melted as Ted kissed Ki sweetly and they had a whispered conversation for a moment. Then, as Ki must have mentioned her name, Ted looked over at Jenny and his face split into a wide grin.
"Jenny!"
Jenny smiled and hugged Ted back briefly. Ted hadn't changed much over the past two years except to grow taller and fill out into a man's body. He remained slim and his dark hair fell into his eyes all the time. In fact, Ki had changed more than Ted had and Jenny was surprised that she hadn't noticed it until now.
"Ki you've changed!"
"Just now noticing Jenny?"
Ki giggled and pirouetted. She slapped Ted when he wolf whistled and Jenny took this moment to appraise Ki. She had slimmed down a little but the curves of her breasts and hips had matured into the perfect hourglass figure. Ki even had a few highlights in her hair and her clothes were more sleek and business attire like.
"Yeah, I guess. Wow."
The sudden appearance of Brian saved Jenny from more amusing comments from a suddenly confident Ki and the number one gamer in VGHS sat down with a heavy sigh on the other side of Ki. Jenny was grateful that he didn't seem to notice her yet but she grew concerned at the dark circles under his eyes and his sluggish movements.
"Rough day in class today B-man?"
"Yeah, but its that time of year so it's all right I guess. Hey Ki."
Jenny's mouth twisted up in amusement at Ted's new nickname for Brian and she supposed that it fit. Ki rubbed a hand across Brian's back and a flare of jealousy churned Jenny's stomach but she reminded herself that Ki was heads over heels for Ted and there was nothing between the two except a strong friendship. Brian looked up at that moment and his dark brown eyes met her dark blue. Neither of them said anything and everything else zoned out except for the two of them.
"Hey Brian."
"Hey back….Jenny."
Jenny felt proud of herself for the fact that her voice didn't crack or waver when she spoke but she did notice the pause and overwhelming sense of emotion when Brian spoke her name. The only other time in recent memory that she had heard him speak with such emotion was at his mother's funeral and he had seemed so broken then. He didn't seem as broken now and his tone wasn't as lifeless but there was still a broken aspect in the way that Brian spoke Jenny's name.
"What are you doing back at VGHS?"
"Well, um…my team, the Panthers are having a much needed break and I decided to take a vacation of sorts. You know, get back to my roots and all and see my friends."
Jenny so badly wanted to say that she came back to VGHS to primarily see him but Brian's unblinking gaze and the intensity of it left her a little breathless. She remembered how passionate his kisses were, how soft his hands felt as they caressed her body and she cursed herself for leaving him without giving herself to him when she had the opportunity. Jenny wanted to kiss Brian again, to see if his lips still felt and tasted like she remembered but that didn't look like it would be happening any time soon. Brian almost seemed resigned to see her and Jenny knew that she hadn't left this kind of impression on him the last time they spoke.
"Hey Brian! My friends and I have a question for you before we meet up at class and we…whoa. Hey there. I'm Jake and-"
"Come on Jake. Let's get going and you can ask me your questions when we meet up with your friends."
A scrawny looking kid had skidded to a stop behind Brian at their table and immediately started talking like if he didn't get the words out fast enough then he would be ignored. The kid looked like a freshman but as soon as his eyes landed on Jenny his whole countenance changed. Jenny scoffed because she wouldn't give this kid the time of day and it looked like Ki and Ted were both going to intervene when Brian stood up. He led the kid away, without a backwards glance over his shoulder and Jenny's heart squeezed a little tighter. Something or someone had definitely gotten to Brian and her former boyfriend was not the same.
"I'm sorry Jenny. I know that's not how you wanted to meet up with Brian again but like I told you earlier, he really has no time for himself. I would have told that kid to come back later but Brian swooped in before I could."
"No, no it's…okay. Really. I know that he is super busy and all."
Jenny looked down at Ki's understanding and concerned expression but she was thankful for it at the same time. Still, she wondered about Brian's attitude and countenance because it scared her.
"Brian is a little unsettled right now and is going through what Ted, you and myself went through two years ago. He lost his mother just last year and…he is graduating this spring with so many different people fighting for his skills."
"You were going to say that I left him two years ago and wasn't here when he needed me."
"No! No, not at all. I mean yes, that had a small part to do with it but-"
"Ki. Just stop."
Silence fell over the table when Jenny raised her hand to cut Ki's ramblings short and her eyes teared up again when some more of the fallout of her departure two years ago became apparent. She felt Ki reach over and take her hand but Jenny didn't have the energy to squeeze back.
"He just told me to go. That he wanted me to fulfill my dreams. He said that he was fine with me going."
"I think the saying that if you truly love someone then you'll let them go comes into play here Jenny."
"Yeah."
Jenny dabbed at her eyes with her jacket sleeves and gave a watery smile at Ted and Ki. They smiled back at her and Ki gasped as she looked at her watch. She stood up with a start and Ted and Jenny stood up with her.
"Ted, we're going to be late to class and Jenny you still need to see Calhoun. Come on!"
Jenny laughed because even with all the changes that had happened to her three closest friends (one of them being her former boyfriend), it was nice to see that not everything had changed. She tossed out her lunch and walked after Ted and Ki who hurried out of the cafeteria.
"Jenny I'll stop by your room at the end of the day okay?"
Jenny waved the happy couple on and made her way to where she remembered Calhoun's office to be.
Later that evening, after classes had ended for the day, Jenny once again opened her door to reveal a pajama clad Ki on the other side. Dressed in some old VGHS sweats herself, Jenny waved the other girl in. She watched as Ki took a look around Jenny's recently refurbished dorm room. Jenny sat down on her bed and motioned towards the soda on the counter.
"You can take a soda if you want."
"Thanks but no. So where to start…."
Jenny clutched a pillow to her chest as Ki stood in the center of her room and wrapped her arms around her middle. To see the usually cheerful girl so saddened tugged on Jenny's heartstrings and she cleared her throat with difficulty.
"How about at the beginning?"
"At who's beginning though? The beginning after your departure? The beginning after Brian's mother's funeral?"
Jenny closed her eyes at Ki's harsh questions and once again she realized how much her departure hurt her friends. When she felt a hand on her shoulder Jenny opened her eyes and saw a misty eyed Ki standing in front of her.
"I know you needed to leave, to realize your dreams, and none of us truly blame you for that but yes, your departure did hurt. We rebuilt and restructured VGHS without you and Brian felt it the most."
"Why is he so distant and closed off?"
Ki sat down and Jenny scooted over to make room for the other girl. Ki scooped up another of Jenny's pillows and ran her fingers over the soft fabric.
"After you left, the other girls in VGHS started flirting with Brian like hussies. Yes really. It was a shameful display and I am happy to report that Brian didn't fall for it. He realized the difference between a fan girl and a girl that liked him for him. I may or may not have had a hand in helping him learn the difference as well."
Jenny smiled at Ki's indignant snort and vindictive tone of voice. It would seem that when Ki came back to VGHS after her self-exile she had grown a backbone and then in the past two years she had cultivated her force of personality and presence quite well.
"Anyway, after the girls realized that Brian is a true gentlemen, most of the initial wave backed off but a few of the girls wised up and changed tactics. They befriended him and got themselves on Brian's radar. He was steadfast in refusing all dating opportunities, still holding a torch for you and that's when Jacks dragged him and Ted to the gym. For an entire six months after you left, Brian didn't date a single girl and spent most of his time in the gym or honing his skills."
Jenny looked back on when she saw Brian earlier this afternoon and she remembered how he filled out his shirts a little more and ;how much broader his shoulders were. His gait was slinkier and more pronounced as well. Ki giggled and swatted Jenny on her shoulder.
"Yes, as you have just realized and so many of the other girls have, Brian is developing into quite the young man. Seven months after you left, Brian started to hang out with a student by the name of Devon and it caused quite the amount of gossip amongst us girls. Soon, their friendship developed some sparks and nine months after you left Brian started a relationship with Devon."
"What is she like? What does she look like?"
"She's pretty Jenny. Very pretty. Where you are slender and blonde, Devon is a little curvier and a brunette. Where your eyes are very blue, hers are a dark brown and the only thing the two of you share in common is that you both are FPS gamers."
"Of course it is."
Ki laughed as Jenny brushed a piece of hair out of her face with a frustrated gesture and Ki sighed. She fiddled with the corner of Jenny's pillow and wouldn't look up.
"Their relationship became pretty serious Jenny. They dated for almost a year and it seemed like Brian was finally beginning to heal from you leaving. I caught them making out several times on my rounds as head RA and I also saw him coming out of Devon's room a few times."
"Were they…did they…?"
"Did they have sex?"
"Yeah."
Jenny felt her face heat up and she hurriedly took a gulp of her soda. Ki didn't laugh at her embarrassment or inquisitiveness and Jenny looked up at Ki's silence. The other girl seemed uncomfortable and looked up at the ceiling.
"No, no they didn't have sex but I'm not sure if they didn't fool around a little."
"Ki what's wrong? What aren't you telling me?"
"I don't want to potentially ruin your chances of getting Brian back and I certainly don't want to ruin us becoming fast friends again Jenny."
"You won't. Promise."
Jenny reached out and grabbed one of Ki's hands in her own. Ki took a deep breath and finally looked into Jenny's eyes.
"Ted and I were not always as steady and as in love as we are now. In fact, up until a few months ago we were not even dating for a period of eight months."
"Oh Ki. Why didn't you tell me?"
Ki waved her free hand and blinked her eyes rapidly. She fanned her face and cleared her throat.
"Jenny, you are a professional gamer and on the fast track to stardom. You needed to focus on your career as much as possible and you needed friends that would support you. Although Ted and mine's second breakup was a pretty big deal, Ted and I knew that it would affect your game pretty seriously. So we kept it quiet and very few people actually knew. Sure the school gossiped and many boys tried to make their moves on me but I refused."
"Yeah I can understand that feeling."
Ki smiled at Jenny's statement and the two girls fell silent for a few minutes. The more that Jenny talked with Ki, walked around VGHS and watched the happenings going on around her, the more she realized what she had missed. This hurt Jenny more than she had realized or prepared for and she chewed on her bottom lip in apprehension of Ki's continuing tale.
"Well, with my breakup with Ted and you not having Brian's heart, we ended up…"
"No way. You and Brian slept together?"
Jenny couldn't be mad at either one of them because of how insane the fact that Brian and Ki slept together was. The sudden closeness between Brian and Ki made sense and although she knew she had no grounds to, Jenny glared at Ki.
"When?"
"I don't think that you really want; or need to know the details Jenny. Yes, I know that we broke one of the cardinal rules of friendship but with both of our lovers out of reach and reconnection almost uncertain, we decided to ease the pain. There was no serious attraction between the two of us Jenny and he actually called out your name in a whisper when he was done. He then proceeded to break down horribly afterwards and soon after Ted and I got back together."
The undercurrent of steel in Ki's tone let Jenny know that if need be, Ki would fight Jenny on this but really didn't want to. Jenny took a deep breath, let it out and nodded.
"Thank you for understanding Jenny."
"What about Devon? Where does she fit into all of this?"
"Well, I told you that Brian and Devon never had sex and that wasn't for lack of trying on Devon's part. Us girls like to make our man feel indebted to us by sleeping with them and even though he appeared to be over you, Devon knew that the moment you showed up on the TV, were on the radio or called, she would be second to you. Everyone knew that Devon was a rebound for Brian but she desperately tried to make their relationship work. Her overreaching and clinginess was one of the main reasons that Brian ended up breaking up with her."
Jenny nodded as everything Ki told her made sense and she took a few seconds to digest all of the information. She was thrilled that Brian's heart had such a hard time letting go of her even while in the midst of a so called serious relationship with another girl and Jenny told herself that she would meet Brian where he was at, both mentally and emotionally.
"A few months ago, Devon got the call that she had been waiting for from one of the professional teams across the country. The Six Shooters. They were forming an all girls team and offered her a spot to tryout for the team. Needless to say Devon took the offer and left a few days later. Brian had gotten word of it a few days before Jenny left and immediately ended their relationship. He claimed that he couldn't and wouldn't do a long distance relationship and Devon threw a little temper tantrum."
"Oh boy."
"Yes, even with his developing maturity, Brian wasn't able to handle Devon in one of her emotional rants and had taken their ensuing argument somewhere more private than the quad. He told me later of some of the spiteful things Devon had told him and she shattered Brian's heart for a while. Their breakup was so very reminiscent to yours and Brian's and I think Brian knows that."
"So that's why he's so cold."
"I think that Brian's distance is a combination of multiple factors but yes, his breakup with Devon is a major one. And now I bid you goodnight because I have an early start to the day tomorrow."
Ki stood up and set the pillow down. She nodded once to Jenny and left Jenny's room. After a few moments to catch her thoughts, Jenny stood up and walked out of her room. She walked over to the common area for her floor, hoping that there would be snacks there but she didn't expect to see Brian standing in front of the microwave. His shoulders were slumped, his head hanging low and he rested his entire weight on his hands on the counter. Brian must have heard her because he turned around and for the second time that day, their eyes met.
"Um, hey Brian."
"Hey Jenny."
The awkwardness of the situation left an uneasy feeling in Jenny's stomach and she looked Brian over again with a new perspective. He hid it well, no one that didn't know the entire story would be able to tell of the pain that Brian carried around with him and he gave her a weak smile. The beeping from the microwave broke the tension and Jenny sighed as he turned around again.
"So Calhoun tells me that you're here on vacation. You could go anywhere in the world and you choose VGHS?"
"Well, you know, this place is one of my few comfort zones and every one else on the team was going back to visit their friends and family so…."
"Your mom…."
Jenny shook her head no and Brian looked down at his hot chocolate. Even with Jenny making the pros before she finished high school, Jenny's mother only sent critiques and suggestions of how Jenny could become a better player. It really came as no surprise when Jenny didn't go home to see her mother because except for that one moment a few years ago at the bus stop, Jenny's mother still hadn't behaved like a mother since.
"Ah well, I hope you enjoy your vacation then."
"Brian…"
Before she could think about it, Jenny reached out and grabbed Brian's wrist. Her action stopped Brian and he stared down at her. That also came as a surprise because at one time they were the same height and Jenny found that she actually liked Brian being taller than her.
"Can we talk?"
The neediness in Jenny's voice surprised her but she swallowed her nerves and did her best not to blink as she continued to meet Brian's gaze. The corners of his mouth tugged upwards in a small smile and he gestured to his room. Both teenagers walked inside and Jenny sighed with relief when she saw that Brian's room hadn't changed from a few years ago. The soft click of the door shutting behind her drew Jenny out of her thoughts and she looked over at Brian who sat on his bed.
"So what did you want to talk about?"
"Well, the more I listen and the more I see, the more I understand just how much you have changed and how much you haven't been telling me over the past two years. Why don't you fill me in on the past two years of your life?"
As she spoke, Jenny slowly moved forward and gingerly sat down next to Brian on his bed. When he didn't tense up or move away, Jenny rested against the headboard next to him and looked at him expectantly. Brian took a sip of his drink and looked at Jenny with searching eyes.
"What else do you need to know? I know you've been hanging out with Ted and Ki. Calhoun would have filled you in on the comings and goings of the remodeled and revamped VGHS."
"I want to know what you think of it all. Anything you want to tell me."
Brian's gaze softened and he set his drink down on the bedside table. He clasped his arms behind his head and smiled.
"Well…"
Jenny woke up the next morning with sunlight streaming onto her face and she wrinkled her nose in annoyance. She was pretty sure that she had closed her blinds the night before so that this wouldn't happen and she turned her head to bury her face in her pillow. Except her 'pillow' rose up and down at a steady pace, smelled ridiculously good and had a new firmness to it.
"….level up….fire attack…"
Jenny eased off her 'pillow' and looked down to see Brian muttering in his sleep. His hair was tousled, half of it in his face and he had one arm wrapped tightly around her waist. Jenny smiled, half-laid back down and brushed Brian's hair out of his face. The sense of comfort about the whole situation made Jenny smile again and she watched him sleep for a few moments.
"That's kind of creepy you know."
"Hey you. Sleep well?"
Brian nestled further back into his bed and sighed. He kept his arm wrapped around Jenny's waist and she bit her lip but didn't move away.
"Best sleep I've had in a while actually. I didn't mean to keep you here but when you fell asleep last night…"
"It's all right Brian. I rather…enjoyed it."
Brian's eyes shot open at Jenny's comment and although she flushed and chewed on her bottom lip some more, Jenny didn't look away. The two teenagers stared at each other for a few moments but neither one of them said anything. Brian's alarm went off and he nearly tossed them both out of his bed in his attempts to turn it off. Brian rolled out of his bed and stood up with a groan. He stretched his arms above his head and gave Jenny quite the view as he stretched to wake up.
"Don't you have class to go to or a class to help teach?"
"Nah, today is my late start and early finish day."
"Oh….well that's good."
Brian turned around and his eyes roved up and down Jenny's form. Jenny blushed but resisted the urge to shy away because she knew that she was decent. Still, it felt nice to be able to cause this reaction in her former boyfriend and she stood up. She knew that her sweatpants were riding low on her hips but she didn't pull them up because of the sleeping shorts she had on underneath. Her t-shirt bared the smooth expanse of her bare shoulder and she bit her bottom lip again as she stared up at Brian.
"Guuuuh, I'm going to brush my teeth. Yeah."
Jenny giggled and stood up on tiptoe to kiss Brian's cheek. She pulled her sweatpants up and rearranged her shirt. As she walked over to Brian's door she looked over her shoulder and grinned.
"Sounds good. I'll meet you in the common area in ten minutes okay?"
Brian nodded and Jenny left his room. She hurried back to her room and got ready for the day. When she opened her door though, she wasn't met with Brian's cute face but Ki instead. The redhead went to grab Jenny's hand and lead her to who knows where when Brian cut in and squeezed Ki's shoulder.
"It's all right Ki."
"Only if you're sure Brian."
"We'll see you later Ki."
Brian grabbed Jenny's hand and led her out of the hallway. They didn't speak and due to the late morning hour, almost all of the students' were in class. Jenny followed after Brian, content with him leading and she noticed that their fingers had linked together. After a short walk Brian led them into a storage room on the second floor that overlooked the quad. He didn't turn on the lights, which left the room in a murky, half-lit darkness, and he sat down on a stack of black AV equipment crates. Jenny followed suit and rested her chin on her knee as she looked out onto the quad from the clear window in front of her.
"I come here to get away from all the craziness and when things get to be too much. I can see everyone and everything happening below but I'm not part of it."
"Yeah I had one of these places in Paris on the team bus."
The tension and electricity that crackled between the two teenagers set Jenny on edge but she didn't want to lose Brian just as things were starting to look up for them. Last night they had talked for hours about everything from Jenny's departure, to Brian's mother's death and their fondest memories from VGHS. Brian had called her a good friend just before she had passed out for the evening and even though it hurt, it was progress and Jenny took the title gratefully.
"What do you want Jenny?"
"Excuse me?"
Brian's question threw Jenny for a loop and she looked up at him. He sighed and looked down at his hands from staring outside the window.
"I know that you said you were here on vacation and that you wanted to see your friends but I don't think that you are telling me the whole truth."
"Well, um…"
Jenny looked up, her throat suddenly closing up and tears misting her eyes again. She had forgotten how quickly Brian could cut through her façade and how he gently demanded the truth from everyone.
"The truth is Brian, that…I miss you and I feel….empty inside. I tried to fill that emptiness with my pro career and maybe another boy or two but none of it worked. I felt like I was becoming more and more like my mother every day and I didn't like it. I called my dad and he asked me a simple question. When was I the happiest I had been in the past year or two? The answer hit me even before he was done asking the question and I am happiest when I am with you."
Jenny tried to blink away the tears but they kept coming and her voice broke a couple times during her response to Brian's question. She couldn't make out his facial features in the half-lit darkness of the room and she felt alone even though he sat less than a foot from her.
"I came back to VGHS for you Brian."
"Really?"
Jenny laughed at Brian's incredulous tone and did her best to clean up. She sniffled and laughed again.
"Yes you dork. No one else makes me feel like I'm a girl and not just the legacy of one of the best professional gamers in the world."
Before Jenny could put herself back together and feel comfortable facing Brian again, she found herself pulled into his lap with his arms wrapped tightly around her. Her face naturally fell into the crook of his neck and she could feel his thundering heartbeat. Hesitantly, just in case this was a spur of the moment thing, Jenny reached up and wrapped her arms back around Brian as she settled more comfortably into his lap. She gripped his t-shirt tightly in her fingers and pressed herself more into Brian.
"Thank you Jenny."
Brian's heartfelt words of gratitude made Jenny cry again and she whispered her own thanks into the side of his neck. Time passed them by and if it wasn't for Brian's cell phone going off Jenny would have fell asleep. Instead the constant buzzing ruined the intimacy of the moment and she voiced her displeasure. Brian sighed and pulled out the offending device.
"It's my reminder that I have to teach class today because the regular teacher is sick."
"Just cancel class."
Jenny mewled in pleasure when Brian rubbed her back and he pulled her with him as he leaned back against the crates. His comforting scent soothed the inner turmoil going on inside of her and she closed her eyes again.
"I don't think Calhoun would appreciate me canceling class on such short notice."
"You're a student of VGHS still Brian. You may be the best gamer at the school but you are still a student. Take a personal day. Please."
"Okay."
Jenny breathed a sigh of relief into Brian's neck and made herself more comfortable in his arms. He got more comfortable as well and Jenny fell asleep again with a smile on her face.
"Brian why was class canceled?"
"You all right Brian?"
"Hey Brian you want to play a pick up game in the arena?"
Jenny watched from her seat in the quad as countless students approached Brian to try and get a piece of his time. For once she wasn't the center of attention and not as many people were trying to get at her for some reason or another. Jenny figured it was because she had a permanent 'screw off' stamped across her forehead and Brian was too nice of a guy to tell everyone to leave him alone.
"So I know that you are the cause for Brian to cancel his afternoon classes today. Care to share the why?"
"Hey Ki."
Jenny looked up from her tablet when Ki sat down next to her and she smiled for a second at the other girl. Ki started messing around on her own tablet but kept sighing every few seconds when Jenny didn't immediately answer. Jenny laughed and threw up her hands after the tenth sigh.
"All right fine. Yes! I am the reason that Brian canceled his afternoon classes. Happy now?"
"No because I already knew that. I would like to know the why."
"Well…Brian and I are friends again and we…talked. A lot."
"Just talked?"
Jenny flushed red in embarrassment at Ki's innocent expression and she pushed a piece of her hair out of her face. Jenny nodded and Ki made a noncommittal sound.
"Since when did you become the little gossip?"
"You and Brian are my only real friends and I like to know about everything going on in your lives. Asking questions seems to be the only way to get answers so…"
Brian chose that moment to sit down, away from the center of the quad and Jenny scooted over to make room for him on the low wall. His hand covered hers for a few seconds and then he looked over past Jenny to Ki. Jenny flushed at Brian's gesture but continued to read some of her team's plays on her tablet.
"Feeling better Brian?"
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
"Well you must not have been feeling well to cancel all of your afternoon classes."
"Uh huh. Yeah about that…oh! Got to go!"
Brian jumped up and dragged Jenny up as well by her hand. Jenny just caught her tablet before it fell and then followed after Brian with a confused look on her face. Brian waved over his shoulder and hurried out of the quad.
"See you later Ki! Just remembered I have somewhere to be."
Jenny ran after Brian as he weaved in and out of the throngs of students and he steadfastly refused to answer her questions as to where they were headed. She laughed, feeling like a normal kid and they stopped running outside of the FPS locker rooms. Brian led Jenny into them and stood in the middle of the hallway halfway between the door and the lockers.
"Brian what is going on?"
"Ssh. Just creating memories again and reliving some of the old ones."
That was all the warning Jenny had before Brian backed her up against the locker room wall and kissed her. The hole in her heart that Brian solely occupied melded back together and Jenny grabbed Brian's forearms to both steady herself and pull him closer. His warm hands cupped her cheek and the back of her neck as the two reunited lovers got lost in the kiss.
"Whoa…"
"Yeah…"
Jenny kept her eyes closed, afraid that this would all be a dream but her lips tingled and Brian's forehead rested against hers. She took several deep breaths of air and she felt like her heart would beat out of her chest. Brian chuckled and looked at his watch.
"Come on. We have somewhere else to be."
"Okay. Just one second."
This time Jenny initiated the kiss and stood up on tiptoe to press her lips against Brian's. Once again the two teenagers got lost in the moment and it wasn't until Brian pressed Jenny fully back into the locker room wall with his body pressed tightly against hers did they break apart for air. A piece of paper couldn't fit between them and when Jenny rolled her hips against Brian's a groan left the both of them.
"W-we have to aah…go."
"Can't we stay here and…oh yes…"
"It'll be worth it. T-trust me."
Reluctantly Jenny let Brian lead them out of the locker room and she giggled as they ran past a small group of students. Brian didn't stop to acknowledge them and Jenny giggled at their shocked expressions. She had an inkling of an idea of where they were headed and her grin grew wider as they turned down a certain hallway. Brian didn't get a chance to say anything suave as Jenny shoved him into the janitor's closet and shut the door behind her.
"I don't think I need to remind…oomph."
Jenny crushed her mouth against Brian's and pushed him back against the shelves. He eagerly met her passion with some of his own and flipped them around so Jenny was pressed against the shelves. Whether intentional or not, he slipped a thigh between Jenny's legs and she tore her mouth away from his with a gasp. Her head snapped back and her eyes closed as pure desire coursed from her lips to in between her legs. Brian took this opportunity to ravish her neck with kisses and his lips, tongue and teeth worked in tandem to drive Jenny's pleasure levels that much higher.
"You've got to be kidding me…."
The pleasurable haze cleared slowly from Jenny's mind when Brian tore away from her and as her senses returned Jenny could hear Brian's phone ringing. He snatched it from his pocket, took a deep breath and answered the call. As Brian tried to get off the phone, a wicked thought entered Jenny's mind and she began a slow grind against Brian's hips with her own. She traced a line up from the base of his throat to just underneath his ear with her tongue and gave a breathy chuckle at his lapse of control. He ended the phone call a second later and pinned her against the wall with his hands holding her arms by her head. Their eyes met and Jenny grinned.
"Was I distracting you?"
"Tease."
"You deserved it for all the times that you teased me."
Brian stepped away from Jenny a little, just enough for them to breathe and for their bodies not to be touching. Jenny pouted but Brian shook his head. Jenny wrapped her arms around his neck and he grabbed her hips.
"That was Calhoun. He was wondering if I would be able to give a guest lecture tomorrow because some of VGHS's sponsors are coming and it has become a golden opportunity for us to showcase how we've become stronger and better."
"Look at you sounding all official. It's. Kind. Of. Hot."
Jenny punctuated her last sentence with a roll of her hips on each word and held her mouth a few millimeters from Brian's. He moaned but retained his control and he tightened his hold on her hips. Jenny smirked and kissed him again for a moment before stepping back. She fixed her hair and grinned at him with her hands on her hips.
"Well, shall we go?"
"Yeah but one thing first…"
Before Jenny could ask or move, Brian stepped in and gave her a sizzling kiss. The move surprised her but she welcomed the gesture in kind and just as she stepped in closer to return the passion Brian stepped back. He grinned at her and then ran out of the janitor's closet. Jenny stood there dazzled for a few seconds but when the haze cleared from her mind she realized that Brian had one-upped her and Jenny ran out of the closet after him with a battle cry.
"Brian you get back here right now!"
Brian stood smirking at her with his hands clasped behind his head at the end of the hallway. Jenny grinned evilly and ran at him. Brian laughed and ran further away back into the depths of VGHS.
"When I get my hands on you Brian it's over!"
Even as Jenny chased after the boy that had stolen her heart twice now, she couldn't help the big, dopey smile on her face and that her heart beat wildly in her chest. She didn't care if the other students were watching them, whispering and staring at them with confusion or jealousy. Jenny Matrix had snagged Brian Doheny's heart and she didn't plan on letting it go anytime soon.
A/N: After watching all 3 seasons of this show and then coming to this site and seeing that there were so few stories written about this quirky mini-series I couldn't resist. To all those that read this, I encourage you to write your own VGHS fic and to encourage the other authors that have posted stories here about VGHS.
A/N 2: The sequel to this story is currently being written and will be an Mature story. Check back here to this story for an update right here where this AN is or check my profile.