~Chapter Twenty-Three~

"Dear Diary,

I really should be winding down right now, since I have to be up early for an 8:00 A.M class, but I simply must write about everything that happened tonight. (Or last night technically). I went to that masked ball I had written of in the last entry and I am glad now that Ada had convinced me to go. We ran across a boy from my history class. His name is Antoine Klemmons and he asked me to dance with him. We had never even spoken to each other yet he wanted to dance with me! I, of course, accepted. Until tonight I never had noticed just how strikingly handsome he is. I suppose I've been too wrapped up in my studies to really socialize much with anyone.

Anyway, he asked me to dance with him and I accepted. We spent the whole of the ball dancing only with each other. I can't quite say why, but it felt as if I were dancing on air. Perhaps it was his gracefulness in the waltz or perhaps it was the sweet violins of the orchestra. And every time I looked directly in his eyes it felt as if I were melting, but I strangely didn't mind it. I felt so very safe in his arms. Oh dear! Just listen to me. I sound like... well... a fool! That's what I sound like. You would think I was in love with the man, and we've only just spoken to each other tonight! But then again, we have been in the same class for two months and I can tell by the way he answers questions that he is very intelligent. Oh, and he wants to start hanging out with me! Finally I won't feel so terribly alone on this campus.

He told me I was a wonderful dancer. And he said that I looked beautiful tonight! Just recalling that one moment in my mind is making my circuits run on autopilot. But I can't possibly be in love? Its much too soon. But then why, when I danced with him, did it feel like we were the only ones there? Why can I feel my h-drive going faster just by thinking about him? ... It must have been the atmosphere of the ball. Yes, surely that is it. It was such a romantic setting. Of course it would feel like I've fallen for anyone I end up dancing with.

Still, it will be nice to have someone to talk to finally. Unfortunately, I don't have History class again until Friday. But perhaps I'll run into him somewhere. Oh I should've given him my cy-phone number while we were there. Oh well. I suppose I'll just have to be patient. And I better go to bed now. After all that's transpired I shall need extra time lying down to go into sleep mode. Good night."

Melissa closed her diary and sat it on her night stand. As she got up from her bed to change into a night gown, she let out a small grunt of pain. Her feet were terribly sore from the hours of dancing without rest. After she had said her prayers, she climbed into bed and lay still for about thirty minutes, her mind still racing with thoughts of the past few hours. She thought about the various adaptations of Cinderella that had been read to her as a child.

"This is just like that!"

When Melissa finally did fall asleep, all her dreams were of her new friend.

Melissa's alarm clock woke her at 7:00 A.M. on Friday. She was rested, but disappointed. In her dreams she had been walking through the Forever Forest of her home site Pompadoria. How she missed that place! She was walking with none other than Antoine and he was just about to say something to her when she was stirred by the unpleasant buzzing. As Melissa stretched, she suddenly realized something. She never had picked an outfit for today. As she rushed over to her closet, she stopped in her tracks.

"What am I doing?" Melissa asked herself, "I'm never this frantic over finding an outfit!"

Truthfully, in the back of her mind, she was wanting to look her very best for when she saw Antoine today. But she insisted to herself that she was simply tense, for whatever reason. After showering she decided on a white, long-sleeved dress with a pink sash around the waist and puffed slightly around the upper arms. She smoothed down the skirt of the dress and slipped on a pair of transparent tights. After doing her makeup and giving a final look at her reflection, she put on a pair of flats, threw her book bag and purse over her shoulder and went out to get her bike.

As Melissa rode her bike across the campus, she felt the cold November air blow past her, making her shiver.

"Drats! I should've brought my pea-coat," she thought to herself as she pushed the pedals on her bike harder in an attempt to warm herself.

Antoine straightened his red sweater and gave himself one last glance over in the mirror.

"Antoine!" his roommate Brian exclaimed, "Will you relax already?! You're just going to class. Its not like the two of you are going on a date or anything!"

"I know," Antoine sighed, "But now that she actually notices me I want to really impress her."

"DUDE! Every girl in this school has a crush on you! I don't see how Melissa would be an exception."

"Because most of these girls haven't met guys like me," Antoine answered.

"Oh you think you're so high and mighty all of sudden?" Brian asked sarcastically.

"No," Antoine said realizing how arrogant he sounded, "I meant..."

Brian laughed. "I'm just kidding man! I know what you were trying to say. Most men aren't as reserved or as smart as you. You have class and are more mature. That's why girls like you. You're different. But because Melissa is CLEARLY just as smart and reserved, you think that she thinks she's too good for you. Am I right?"

Antoine nodded.

"Look," Brian explained, "I've said it before and I'll say it again. If she doesn't like you for you, then she isn't worth it."

"That's not how you were at the ball," Antoine replied, "There you just treated her like she was some prize I was after!"

"I was just teasing! You know that!" Brian said, "Antoine, I've known you since high school and you're a great guy. Just relax, go to class, talk to her. If it eventually turns into something, great. If not, there are plenty of other women out there."

Antoine sighed. "You're the only person I know that's been encouraging me in any way about this."

"Hey that's what best friends do," Brian said patting his friend on the back.

Antoine smiled. "Well we better go now. Its 8:45 already."

The two young men put their jackets on, got their book-bags, and headed to their classes. When they got to the building, they saw Melissa locking her bike to the bike rack. Antoine felt himself blush upon seeing her. In her flowing white dress she looked like God's most perfect angel visiting from Heaven.

"Just play it cool Antoine," Brian whispered to his friend and roommate as they got closer to where she was, "Ask her how she is or something."

Melissa was just closing the lock on her bike when the two boys got to her.

"Good morning, Melissa," Antoine greeted.

Melissa let out a small gasp and turned around. "Oh, good morning, Antoine," she said.

"I'm sorry," he said, realizing he'd snuck up on her, "I didn't mean to frighten you."

"Its alright, Antoine," she said.

Antoine found himself gazing into Melissa's blue eyes for a moment before noticing the awkward silence and clearing his throat.

"This is my best friend and roommate Brian," he said.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Melissa said as she shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you too Melissa," he said smiling and then turned to his friend, "Well Antoine. I've got a science class to go to."

With that Brian turned to go into the building, leaving Antoine and Melissa alone.

"Well," Melissa said laughing nervously, "I suppose we better get to class as well."

"Yes," Antoine said just as nervous, "Yes of course."

"Thank you," Melissa said as Antoine held the door open for her.

"So how have you been?" Antoine asked as they walked up the stairway to their History class.

"I've been very well thank you," Melissa answered, "And you?"

"Fine," Antoine answered, "I got back my grade for my Inter-Cybersite Relations presentation. I got an A."

"Congratulations!" Melissa said, "I take it then that you're also a Political Science Major?"

Antoine nodded. "And you?"

"Double major," Melissa answered as she pushed back a strand of hair from her face, "Political Science and Computer Science."

"Oh wow!"

Melissa smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "Its really not as time consuming as you may think. I've been pouring over college level books since I was five."

Antoine's eyes widened in amazement. He knew she was smart, but he had never imagined this. "Oh! So all this is basically Elementary school for you."

Melissa laughed. "I guess you could say so..."

The two got to their classroom, where the lecture was to begin in about two minutes.

"Well we better get in there before we miss that history movie the professor is showing us today," Antoine said.

"Yes," Melissa said as they both stood to the side of the door.

"Perhaps we can see each other after classes," he suggested, "Do you have anything after this?"

"Not until 11:00," Melissa answered, "I have an hour gap between this and my Computer Organization class."

"Great!" Antoine exclaimed, "I have an hour gap between this and my Political Thought class. We can meet up right after class... If you want to that is."

"Sure," Melissa said, trying to contain her excitement.

"Alright class," the History professor said as he paused the movie, "We'll finish this up tomorrow. Remember, there will eventually be a quiz on this so continue to take notes. Have a good weekend."

"Have a nice weekend Sir," Antoine said politely as he and Melissa left the classroom.

"Thank you, Antoine."

"That was a swell movie I must say," Antoine said as he and Melissa walked down the stairs.

"Yes," Melissa agreed, "Its one thing to read about the Great Cyber War. Its a completely different thing to see it portrayed on screen like that."

"It certainly seems to have been a horrible time for everyone."

Melissa was quiet a moment, remembering her late father comparing Abaddon's attacks to the Great Cyber War when she had eavesdropped on his conversation ten years ago. But she quickly pushed the thought from her mind as she nodded in agreement.

"Is something wrong?" Antoine asked in a concerned voice, noticing the quick change in her expression.

"Oh no," Melissa answered, "I was just... thinking that yes it must've been a hard time for Cyberspace."

"Oh..." Antoine said. He was sure that wasn't it, but he didn't want to be nosy.

The two continued walking and they decided to sit on a bench outside.

"So where are you from?" Melissa asked, ignoring the cold air.

"Pompadoria," Antoine answered sitting down next to her, "I transferred here from a private college. I wasn't exactly ready to be so far from home yet."

Melissa's eyes widened. "My brother and I were born in Pompadoria!"

"Really?! You don't look Pompadorian."

Melissa laughed. "Nor do you," she said pointing out his short brown hair.

"I know," Antoine laughed, "I wanted to look a bit different so I started getting my hair cut short back in high school. But you though... you don't even have the hair texture."

"Well," Melissa began, "My family isn't from Pomapadoria. My parents moved there a year or two before I was born. My mother was from Memoryville and my father was from Factoria."

"Was?" Antoine asked.

"They both died many years ago," Melissa said quietly as horrible memories flooded her mind once more.

"Oh Melissa, I'm so sorry!" Antoine said.

"Its alright, Antoine. It was ten years ago. Besides," she said as she clutched her locket, "I try to keep them close."

"Its beautiful," Antoine commented, "Um, may I?"

"Of course," Melissa said, not really thinking as she opened the locket.

"You resemble your mother a lot," Antoine said.

Then, dawning came over him. Antoine had always been interested in being a politician and, as a result, had done quite a bit of research on the political advisors of various cyber rulers. He'd seen this face before.

"And Melissa said she was from Memoryville," he thought to himself, "And that she died... that both of them died..."

"Wait a minute," Antoine said as he put the pieces together, "That's Eileen-"

Melissa shushed him aggressively, belatedly realizing her mistake. Melissa had shown few people the photos inside the locket. She didn't see any need to hide their faces, seeing as they were certainly no celebrities. She had felt so comfortable in Antoine's presence, she'd forgotten that, as a political science major, he would likely know who her mother was.

"Yes, it is," Melissa whispered, "But you must keep it a secret. I wasn't thinking. Not many people know who my parents were."

"Of course," Antoine said, "I promise I won't tell... But I read that everyone in that house was killed."

"That's what the public has been told," Melissa replied, "But, my brother and I made a narrow escape. Abaddon's army lied to him that we were dead and Sir Dalhart went with the lie to protect us. We live somewhat of a secret life as a result with my maternal aunt. Every school we've been to was ordered to keep our records as private as possible, showing them only to other school officials."

"And... what about during Abaddon's reign?" Antoine asked curiously.

"It was the most dangerous time in our lives," Melissa said, her voice dropping low, "Right before Dalhart left office, his last order was for the school to keep our records locked where nobody could find them. And my brother and I could not go beyond the premises of our town. Unfortunately, it simply won't ever be safe for us until Abaddon is permanently stopped."

"How many people know you're the Bensons' daughter?" he asked.

"Just my brother's roommate and my aunt's next door neighbors," Melissa said, "And the heads of the school district we went to, of course. For everyone else, its just a coincidence that our names end with Benson."

"Don't worry, Melissa. I won't tell anybody," Antoine said before remembering another part of Melissa's secret, "Wait, did you say you live with your mother's sister?"

"Yes."

"I've been living with my mother's brother since she and my father died."

"You lost your parents too?"

"Yes," Antoine said as it was now his turn to recall his darkest memories, "My father died of illness when I was five. Then four years later my mother was killed during a tornado."

"Oh my!" Melissa exclaimed.

"I don't remember much about my father, but I know my mother must've loved him dearly, "Antoine said, "She had gone back to the house to grab their photo album, lest it be destroyed in the storm, but she never came back to the cellar. Once all had cleared, I came out to see our house completely demolished and she was..."

Antoine had to blink back tears as the image of his dead mother's body flashed before him.

"Oh Antoine," Melissa said, placing a hand on his shoulder, "I'm so sorry."

Antoine shook his head, clearing himself of the mental image, "I still have nightmares about it to this day. I don't think I'll ever get over it."

"I understand the nightmares all too well," Melissa said quietly.

"Yes," he said, "I'm sure you do."

"To be honest," Melissa said shyly, "Its nice to have someone who understands."

Antoine smiled and nodded before noticing Melissa was shivering.

"Where's your coat?" he asked.

"I forgot it," Melissa replied hugging herself to keep warm.

Antoine took off his jacket and covered her slim shoulders with it. "Here. My sweater's really warm. I don't need the jacket right now."

"Thank you," Melissa said.

The two gazed at each other for a while before...

"Hey Antoine buddy!" Terrence shouted from outside the building across from theirs, "Are you coming to class or are you just gonna sit there lookin' pretty?!"

Antoine sighed. "He is so immature! Please forgive him... Maybe I'll see you at the end of the day?"

"Maybe."

"Here. I'll give you my cy-phone number" he said pulling out his cy-phone from his pants pocket.

Melissa got her cyber-phone out as well and the two exchanged numbers before he left for his next class, letting her keep the jacket for the day.

When Melissa went to her Computer Organization class, she found it was cancelled due to a family emergency. The girl rode her bike back to her dorm and fell back on to her bed holding Antoine's jacket against her chest and sighed dreamily.

"There's something about him," she said to nobody, "He's just so perfect."

While Antoine was in his Political Thought class, politics were not his thoughts. All he could think of was Melissa.

"What is it about her? She's just so perfect."