~Chapter Sixteen~

"My goodness Marbles!" Archimedes exclaimed as he and his roommate were getting ready for the first day of classes, "You dress so well. Like yer goin' for a job interview."

"Thank you, Archimedes," Marbles said as he buttoned his vest, "Some of Ada's family traditions have rubbed off on me, it seems. Her mother always told us all to 'dress to impress.'"

"Well that advice certainly never hurt anyone," Archimedes said as he got his book bag, "So, you ready to introduce me to the girls?"

"Yes," Marbles answered as he also got his book bag and the two of them headed to the girls' dorm building.

-Cyber University is the biggest college in all of Cyberspace, so big that its campus takes up the entire cybersite. Everything on the site, aside from a gas station and a nail salon, is owned by the school. Of course, the vastness of the campus could cause potential problems for students, as far as finding classes goes. For this, the owners of the university separated the campus into six 'semi-campuses': freshmen campus, sophomore campus, junior campus, senior campus, graduate school, and academically gifted. This last semi-campus was for underage students like Ada, Archimedes, and the Bensons to separate them from older students that could potentially be a bad influence on them. It was the smallest semi-campus and its occupants remained learning there until they were eighteen.-

Marbles and Archimedes took an elevator to the second floor, where Ada and Melissa resided. Marbles knocked on the door.

"Coming," Ada called from inside the dorm.

When the door opened, Marbles expected to see Ada in one of her beautiful floor length dresses with several petticoats, which he had always thought made her look like an elegant princess. His jaw dropped when he instead saw his friend in a red and white polka dot, spaghetti strap dress that came down to her knees with white high heeled flip flops. In her left hand was her favorite fan, in her right hand her purse, and over her right shoulder was her book bag.

"Ada?!" Marbles asked, shocked at the sudden change of fashion, "Is that you?"

"It is Marbles," Ada said blushing, "I decided to try something new with my wardrobe, since I'm on my own now."

"Y-you l-l-look..." Marbles stuttered stunned by her beauty (though he already thought her gorgeous), "... beautiful."

Ada smiled and curtsied. Archimedes nudged Marbles discreetly, reminding him that he had not yet introduced them to each other.

"Oh," Marbles said, "Ada this is my roommate Archimedes. Archimedes, this is my long-time friend Ada."

"Pleased to meet you Ada," Archimedes said shaking her hand.

"It is a pleasure to make your aquaintance as well," the girl said in her most polite manner.

"Ada where is my sister?" Marbles asked.

"Melissa," Ada called into the dorm, "Your brother is here."

Melissa came to the doorway with her book bag slung over one shoulder and her small purse in her hands. She wore the same turquiose dress that she had spent the last of her 'fun snelfus' on and had an identical pair of Ada's heels on.

"Good morning Marbles," she said to her brother. She then noticed Archimedes. "Well, are you going to introduce me to your friend?"

"Of course," the fourteen-year-old answered, "This is my roommate Archimedes. He is from Poddleville and is a double major in chemistry and mechanical engineering. Archimedes this is my older sister, Melissa."

"It is a pleasure to meet you Archimedes," Melissa said.

"Same here Melissa. Marbles has told me a great deal about both of you ladies."

The two girls giggled shyly.

"Oh he did, did he?" Melissa said glancing at her younger brother.

"Well isn't that sweet," Ada said smiling nervously at her crush whilst covering half her face with her fan, "I hope he said nice things about us."

"Oh yes," Archimedes replied, "Not one bad word."

Marbles gave Archimedes the 'please stop' look and Archimedes changed the subject.

"So what do you ladies have first today?" Archimedes asked, even though he already knew that the four of them shared their first class together.

"Advanced Calculus," Ada and Melissa said simultaneously.

"Ah same as us," Archimedes said.

"And we best be on our way there," Marbles added looking at his watch, "Class starts in fifteen minutes."

"As I look at the clouds above

I think about my one true love

As the sun sets and brings the night

I remember how I fell in love at first sight."

It was 7:00 PM at Cyber University and the first day of classes was done for Ada Lovelace. Having already finished all her homework, she now sat near one of the campus water fountains, watching the sun set as she wrote yet another poem.

"Handsome he was, handsome he is

But will there be a day when I become his?"

Ada had seen so many beautiful girls in several of the classes she shared with Marbles. She was sure that her dear Marbles would fall for at least one of them.

"Life is changing everyday

Tomorrow someone could come his way

And take my Marbles far away."

Ada closed her poetry book, not wanting to dwell on her insecurities any longer. She closed her eyes tightly and let a few tears fall as she thought about the possibility of him falling in love with another girl, after they had known each other for so many years.

"But perhaps that's the problem," she thought to herself, "All he sees me as is a close friend, nothing more. He loves me, but he isn't IN love with me."

As she thought about this, she felt a hand come on top of hers. She opened her eyes and turned to see Marbles sitting next to her.

"Marbles!" she said, surprised that he was there, "I didn't hear you coming."

"You were too wrapped up in your poem," he said as she tried to pat her eyes dry, "And this whole time, I was afraid someone would take YOU far away."

Ada's eyes widened. "He saw the poem? He's been here that long and I never noticed?"

Yes. He had been there nearly the whole time.

"Marbles," the young blonde girl said nervously, "I...I...I have to tell you something."

"So do I Ada," Marbles said just as nervous.

"You first."

"I...I was going to wait," Marbles said, "But after... accidently reading your poem, I have to tell you now." He took a deep breath. "Ada I...I love you."

Ada's eyes filled with tears again, but this time they were tears of joy.

"Oh Marbles," she said choking her words, "I love you too... And you're not just saying this now because I changed the way I look?"

Marbles was shocked at this question. "Not at all Ada! I love you whether you're in modern day clothes, old fashioned clothes, or a... a garbage bag. It doesn't matter to me! I've loved you for so long Ada," he said, "And there isn't a single woman in all of Cyberspace that could EVER compete with you."

The fourteen-year-old girl smiled with relief and happiness. Marbles was also beyond relieved as he wiped his lover's tears dry with the back of his hand. The two then gazed into each other's eyes and, as if played out in the perfect romance film, the two leaned in and kissed as the sun was still setting and the water fell from the water fountain before them.

Melissa had just gotten out of her history class and was walking by the fountain when she saw the two kiss, stopping her in her tracks. She smiled to herself as she continued walking back to her dorm.

"Its about time."