Authors' Note: For the curious among you, Lestat is the name of the vampire from the Anne Rice books (we've never read them, but apparently Edward has), Arrwyn is Bella's variation of Arwen from The Lord of the Rings
About the MMO (massive-multiplayer online) : one of us has played three different MMOs, but the one in this story is purely fictional, although based off the usual standards. However, there is a slight tendency to lean toward a Maplestory-ish style, if you want to imagine it like that.
Special thanks to our MMO player for telling us about his Guild Karaoke coming up.
Disclaimer: blah blah blah we don't own Twilight or The Shop Around the Corner
"Oh wow, now I feel like a movie star," Bella grinned into her headset, in response to the immediate chorus of her screen name led by Pixie's high-pitched ecstasy.
"Just as good as," MoodMan chuckled.
Bella smiled even more, having already matched both MoodMan and Pixie's voices to their screen names. She wondered if his face matched her expectations as much as his voice did. If only this thing could let you see as well as hear.
"Hey, Arwynn, it's good to have you back," a musical voice with no French accent exclaimed joyously.
"Lehstat, is that you?" Bella breathed in excitement, knowing already. She succumbed to the urge to close her eyes and drink in his tones. She was, after all, hearing the voice of her best friend for the first time ever. It was one of those moments you had to store in your memory. Even if that voice had some slight distortion due to the internet channels.
"Yes, of course. Don't I sound familiar? We've known each other for months," Lehstat laughed.
Strangely enough, he did. Almost as if she had heard him in a past life.
"How is the new town?" MoodMan asked for the rest of them, and Bella could almost hear everyone's anticipation.
"Pretty good, I guess," she answered half-heartedly.
Pixie, however, was obviously not satisfied. "That doesn't sound very enthusiastic at all!"
"Well, you know, everything's fine, I mean in terms of my dad and the school and all that... it's just that everything is very... different."
"Weren't you expecting that?" laughed a softer voice, and Bella felt compelled to respond with an incredulous, "Angela?"
Angela was the only player whose name she actually knew, and as her username, Angelmage, so much resembled it she didn't feel that bad about cluing them all in.
"I know, sorry I haven't been on in a while," she sighed. "Everything's been very hectic, but Pixie got a hold of me with her claws of steel a few days ago... and so here I am."
"Wow, this really is a party," Bella said, leaning back in her chair happily. "I can completely understand the hectic...ness, my life's been a little hard to swallow lately. BUT! Before you guys start sympathizing, I have to say that the first day of school was a success. Almost everyone here was very friendly and helpful." Almost.
"Yeah, same here," Lehstat agreed, "Although... I have to say that there was the occasional exception." At this point, his tone made it pretty clear he had a few thought-worthy first day moments much like Bella's.
She grimaced into the headset, brought back to the thoughts she had wanted to forget. "Well, me too. But, you know, there's no helping it. Some people... there's just no understanding them."
"Very true," he said, in such a way that Bella knew he somehow understood completely.
"Enough with the commiserating!" Pixie laughed into the line, breaking through Bella's gloomy thoughts. "I want to see some celebrations, and I want to see them soon."
"Why?" Angela asked, amused.
"Because I said so!" the French voice commanded. Then came a small exclamation. "I know the perfect thing! How about we plan... a karaoke night!"
"How in the world can we possibly do karaoke?" questioned Bella. "The lag would be terrible if we all tried to sing at the same time, and where would we get the words?"
"Well, maybe it won't be traditional karaoke," chimed Pixie, "but we must all choose a song to sing for the others."
Everyone shook their heads in their own separate rooms and sighed, thinking she was nuts.
But by the end of the night, the date was set.
-----------------------
"So," Mike said as he sidled up to Bella, "have you settled in here yet? I heard that you were quite the hit in Statistics the other day."
"I don't know about that." She knew that at least one person hadn't really been impressed.
"Well, let me just say that everyone keeps telling me how much fun they had thanks to you. Makes me wish I were taking the class."
Bella just laughed in response. She actually was enjoying her classes this year… although the computer science teacher was a bit annoying with his fawning over Edward Cullen. Still, they were due to cover some interesting things and she was looking forward to it.
"I guess I'll be seeing you later then," Mike said shaking her out of her reverie.
"Oh, yes. See you later," Bella responded as she headed off to English.
Bella liked English class a lot. Even though she had a penchant for math and science classes, she was a huge fan of literature and generally read everything she could get her hands on. It wasn't as if she had some overwhelming desire to write a bunch of essays (she wasn't a masochist) but she loved being exposed to new writings and ideas.
Although it was early in the year, Mr. Edgar decided that now was the time to assign some group projects. Each group was given a different book to critique and present back to the class. Bella was assigned to a group with Jessica Stanley and Rosalie Hale. She hadn't really met Rosalie until now and was a bit nervous. It wasn't just that she was beautiful, which was an understatement, she was also so very sure of herself. Bella wished for even a tenth of that confidence.
"E. M. Forster – I love his writing," she told her group when they met. They were supposed to read A Passage to India and report back to the class. She had been somewhat intimidated by Rosalie being in her group, but she was much more comfortable knowing that it was an author with whom she was familiar.
"Really? Does that mean you've already read the book?" Jessica asked her. Bella could just imagine what she was thinking. Probably something along the lines of 'just summarize it for us and we're good to go!'
"Yeah, I have. It's very good," Bella said.
"Thank goodness," Rosalie smiled in response, brushing back a strand of glossy hair. "I always get nervous about this sort of assignment. I often feel like I'm missing out on something that the teacher wants me to report, you know? But then again, most of the time the books they assign are… not worthy of the reread it would take to catch that."
Rosalie was nervous? This self-assured, drop-dead gorgeous girl got nervous about English assignments? And she actually cared whether or not she caught everything in the book?
"Wow," Bella blurted, before pulling herself together. "Well, you know, we can all get together before the report and discuss it. Everyone gets worthwhile ideas at the end of a book, all we need to do is work off that."
Rosalie cast a doubting look at Jessica, and Bella silently conceded the point. The brunette, although she was very friendly, did not look like the type to even finish the book.
"That sounds like a good idea," Rosalie acknowledged. "How about next Friday? We can arrange everything next week."
"Sounds good to me," Bella agreed, just as Jessica cried, "Are you crazy? The assignment is due half a week after that!"
Rosalie and Bella both exchanged knowing glances. They could already sense their companionship growing. Which Bella found surprising.
"If you want to get started earlier, that's fine," Rosalie stated, her plump lips twitching. "I know that this cuts it awfully late, but I wanted to make sure we all had enough time to read the book. You know, schedules can get busy."
Jessica stared at her for a moment as if unsure what to say.
"Friday it is," Bella laughed.
