.:1:.

I stared at the clock, anxious to go home. My heart pounded, wondering what I would get. Two more minutes until the bell rings…

"Serena, what are you thinking about?" asked my friend, leaning over my shoulder.

I jumped. What the heck was she thinking, leaning over my shoulder like that!

I looked at her. "Oh, I'm just thinking what I'm going to get…" I sighed. One more minute left.

Lexi looked at me, you know, my friend, and nodded, like she was agreeing with something.

DING! DING!

I ran to my locker, twisted the dial, 43-22-1, grabbed my things, and slammed it shut. I rushed to pack up, cutting my finger on one of the annoying homework papers that were hanging out of my binder.

I ran down the halls, even though I wasn't suppose to; and rushed out the main door in the lobby of our school.

My house was a couple of streets away, but I really didn't care. I wasn't going to wait for my bus to come! It always comes near three o'clock anyway, so it's always last.

I ran, still wondering what I'd be getting.

Well, you see, I have this thing for Japan. One of my friends introduced it to me, and I got sucked in. She's got this weird theory that in a few years; almost everyone will like Japan and its culture. I don't really know if that's true or not, but It's almost better to get into it now then later.

Drip Drop

Oh great, it's raining…I thought as a slowed down. I sighed. I don't like to be superstitious, but this isn't a good sign.

I put my lunch box over my head, to cover myself from the rain, but it didn't work very well.

"Welcome home!" shouted my mom, running up to me, hugging me. I coughed.

She put on to much perfume again…I thought, coughing still.

My mother clapped, seeming quite excited. "I can't wait until the guests get here!" she sang.

She doesn't need to sing, I thought, going up into my room.

Tick Tock Tick Tock

I heard the clock in my room go back and forth and back and forth. I looked over at it.

The hand swung back and forth, hypnotizing me. I felt my eyes slowly shut on me.

.:2:.

I shot straight up in my bed, looking around. My room was pitch black. I looked for the light, but couldn't find it.

"Now where did that light switch go?" I asked under my breath. I touched the ground with my hand. I cut my hand on something sharp. Ow, I thought.

I finally found a flashlight.

BANG!

I jumped. It was thundering out. I turned on the flashlight. I walked down the stairs. It was silent as if a ghost was going to come out from right behind me.

I finally reached downstairs, sighing. I looked around. No one was there. I mean no one. I went over to the counter.

Serena,

I'm so sorry! All of your guest had to cancel. The news is predicting very bad weather. Your father and I had to go out to the store to by a special tool since the generator broke, sorry.

Love,

Mom.

I looked at the ground. No one was coming? And why didn't they wake me up to go to the store with them?

I walked over to the couch. I heard something move. My heart pounded. Tears started to form in my eyes.

"SURPRISE!" The lights came on.

"AH!" How embarrassing. I screamed at nothing.

Lexi walked up to me. She stuck out her tongue. "Nah. We tricked ya!" She teased. I giggled, feeling a tear roll down my cheek.

My mother grabbed me. "I'm so sorry! We didn't mean to make you cry!"

I smiled. "Cake and Presents."

My mother nodded. She clapped, which everyone knows that means to gather around the couch.

They all sang that annoying, "Happy Birthday to You!" song. I've heard it more then fourteen times already!

We ate the disgustingly delicious cake my mother made, and then we opened presents!

Most of my friends got me gift cards to places like Suncoast and Barnes and Noble.

Lexi got me a new CD by one of my favorite Japanese Artist.

Another one of my friends made me a CD with a bunch of random music on it, mostly in Japanese, Spanish, French, and Russian.

My heart pounded. My mother's and father's present. I ripped open the package VERY fast…and I was shocked…and not happy. "The…World?" I asked, very clueless.

Then I realized what it was: The World; The insanely weird online game that all the computer geeks played.

I slapped my face. What were my parents thinking? I know it's Japanese, but I'm not a computer geek.

I smiled and said thank you. Inside, I was crying. The party ended.

.:3:.

My mom and dad sat at the foot of my bed.

"We know you don't like it. Please tell us why."

I looked at them. "I'm not a computer geek."

"We know that."

"Then why did you get me that?"

"We thought it'd be fun."

"Fun? Fun!"

"Yes, fun."

"How could it be fun?"

"Did you read the back and the front of the box?"

"No…"

"Then here."

I looked at the front. In one of those exploding looking labels, it said, "Over 10 Million Players!" I blinked. So? Ten Million Players. Probably slows down the servers.

When I looked on the back, one of the facts completely defeated what I just said. This game even lets me design how my character looks, and I can be in first persons view or third.

"Wanna try it?"

"…"

I was silent. I didn't want to be labeled a computer geek! Yet again, people think I am one because I like Japan.

I sighed and smiled. I did thumbs up, meaning I would try it. My parents smiled at me.

A few hours later, the game was all hooked up to my computer. It looked like one of those weird futuristic things from Sci-fi movies. I put the head set over my head. I turned on the PC. I sighed.

I stared at the screen, wondering what to do next. I looked through the instructions manual.

A field came up on my screen.

Name:

I blinked. Now what should I put?

"Nami!" I shouted without realizing it.

I typed Nami into the box. I filled out the field within five minutes; well, I think I did at least…

.:4:.

So, my characters name is Nami and I'm a Twin Blade person. My girl, Nami, has long, flowing, Black hair. My head had a golden circle, almost like a halo. The tips of my hair were dyed green.

Nami wore a bikini like top, which was also black, yet again; she had LONG baggy sleeves that reviled her shoulders. They were black and the main part was clear. She wore a mini skirt, a black one, and right in the middle was some really random diamond.

Her boots were also comfy looking and black.

She had a black choker on and held two blades, one in each hand.

I took a deep breath, and entered The World for the first time.