Chapter Three: Geek Chic

Hannah stood opposite Petey, shifting though the comics. She had never been much of a comic book girl herself, but Petey had told her that the Dragon's Wing also sold Grottos and Gremlins as well. Plus she wanted a chance to ask Petey about this Gary guy Ivy had mentioned earlier.

"Petey, mind if I ask you something?"

"No, I'm not gay," he answered.

"Not what I was going to ask," Hannah laughed, "but good to know." She didn't really believe that Petey was gay, but she didn't think he was strait either. "What I was going to ask was… Who's Gary?"

Petey tensed up, "Nobody," he choked. "It's nothing, last years drama that's all."

Hannah wasn't much for personal drama, but she couldn't help but like this Gary a little, if only because he wasn't a fan of Jimmy's. Hannah moved up to the counter to look at the Grottos and Gremlins cards.

"Do you play," she heard a voice from behind her. Hannah turned to she a lanky girl slightly taller than herself. She had dirty blond hair that she had tied a pick bow into and brown eyes that kind of got lost behind her green cat-eyed glasses. She had on a white shirt with a green dress over it.

"Not really," Hannah answered, "I mean I collect them and I've always wanted to learn, but I move around so much that I've never learned."

"Hi Beatrice," Petey called coming over to meet the two girls.

"Hi Pete," Beatrice responded shyly. It was kind of obvious that Beatrice had a crush on Petey.

"Beatrice this is Hannah. Hannah… Beatrice."

Hannah waved, "Nice to meet you B."

Beatrice giggled, "Nice to meet you too. Maybe you could join us sometime… Grottos and Gremlins I mean. I don't play, but I watch the guys play here all the time."

"That'd be cool! Thanks." Hannah picked up the newest starter pack and walked with Beatrice and Petey over to the register.

"You girls done in here," Jimmy called, "Hi ya Beatrice."

"Almost Jimmy," Petey answered. Jimmy turned back out of the doorway. Hannah couldn't believe how impatient he was being. They had told him he could go back to the school with Ivy, but he insisted on staying behind and waiting. It only fueled Hannah's theory that Jimmy and Petey were more than friends. Not that she minded, she had made plenty of gay friends in her travels and found them to be better shopping buddies than any girl she had hung out with.

"Petey, I'm going to head up to my aunt's after this. There's some stuff I want to pick up."

"Okay, you want Jimmy and Me to ride with you?"

"Does he really have to come Pete?"

"You don't like him much do you," Beatrice asked.

"No not really, he doesn't seem very nice. And in my experience I've learned guys that popular cause nothing but drama… and I prefer my drama on the stage."

Beatrice and Petey laughed as Hannah paid for her cards. She tried to picture the two of them as a couple. It seemed kind of odd seeing as B was taller than Petey, but stranger things had happened. She of all people knew that. Petey paid for his comics and the two of them headed for the door. "You coming B," Hannah asked.

"No, I'm heading downstairs to hang out with Algie and Earnest."

"Okay… hey when do they get together to play G&G?"

"Every Saturday unless they say otherwise."

"Thanks again, will I see you around school."

"Yes," Beatrice answered. She waved at them as she headed downstairs. Hannah and Petey waved back as they headed out the door.

Hannah looked though every box labeled linen looking for her sheets. Hannah had been a bit of a tomboy growing up and preferred Dragonball Z to all the girly cartoons. So, during one of her aunt's overseas trips to Japan, she had found Hannah a Dragonball Z bedroom set.

"Are you so sure you want to take those to school with you," Grace asked.

"Auntie trust me, it's better than the sheets they have on that bed now. Besides, my roommate has her own sheets on her bed." Hannah found the box with her sheets in them and pulled them out, then started open up other boxes.

"What are you looking for now?"

"My posters, I managed to get the type off of them and pack them up without tearing them."

"Well good for you, but why are you looking for them now?"

"Ivy said they didn't care if we put poster up. Just so long as we didn't mess up the paint taking them down or painted over where we did. Besides I don't know if I can sleep in there with those bland walls."

Grace laughed, she had never known Hannah to be this concerned with trivial things. "Are you going to need a hand carrying that back?"

"No I'll just make Jimmy do it," Hannah answered, 'at least he can be good for something.' Despite her protest, Jimmy had insisted to ride with her and Petey over to her aunts.

"Jimmy," Grace asked subspecialty, "Who's Jimmy?"

"His Petey's "friend" and I use that word lightly," Hannah answered.

"And Petey?"

"Oh he's just the cutest thing Auntie," Hannah responded, jumping up from the box she had been searching. "I think he maybe Bi and has a thing for Jimmy and Jimmy's all open about the fact that he makes out with guys well one guy and really just the once and I think he only brought it up cuz Ivy has a crush on Trent who I haven't met yet and then there's Gary who I haven't met yet either…"

"Slow down Hannah, I can barely keep up!"

"Sorry," Hannah said. She turned and opened up another box, "Ah Ha! Here they are." Hannah put her sheets in the box with her posters and picked up the box. "I'll try to come by tomorrow and help unpack a little." She started toward the door.

"Can I meet these new friends of yours," Grace asked following her niece to the door.

"Yeah, if you want." Grace opened the door for Hannah. She walked over to Jimmy and shoved the box into his hands.

"Bring the whole house with you," Jimmy asked.

"No, just a few things I needed. Jimmy, Petey this is my Aunt Grace. Auntie this is Petey," she said giving the smaller boy a hug, "and this is Jimmy," she scoffed pointing at the other boy.

"Well it's nice to meet you both. It's good to see Hannah making friends."

"It's nice to meet you too miss," Jimmy said putting the box down to shake her hand.

"Hello," Petey added shyly. Hannah giggled at that. She couldn't help but think Pete was too adorable for his own good.

"It's getting dark, we should head back. Love you muchies Auntie."

"Love you too dear," Grace responded giving Hannah a hug. Hannah picked up the box and shoved it back into Jimmy's hands. "You can manage can't you Jimmy?" Petey laughed which earned him a mean look from Jimmy. The three of them made their way to there bikes and rode off.