Guild = Group of people you play a game together with more closely. You often band together to defeat dungeons and raids but also to just talk to each other or to help others out. Sometimes guild even get together offline…

I can’t believe I stayed up all night. All night! And I didn’t even realise it. But now I’m standing behind the counter of the flower shop I really do feel it. I’m exhausted and there is just not a lot to do. I don’t know if it’s the time of the year or what, but we’ve barely had any customers yet and it’s almost twelve. I’m nearly falling asleep standing up.

I’m not sure if levelling that new class was worth not sleeping all night, but talking to Alex was definitely worth it. He’s smart and funny and knows so much about Destruction of Elysium and other videogames. He totally made me forget about what time it was and it wasn’t until he mentioned it that I realised how much time had passed. Typical. Of course... I’m having to pay for that now.

Someone walks into the shop and when I look up I recognise one of my friends, Jade. She dawdles around the shop for a moment before she comes over to the counter. “Morning.” She looks me over.

“Ugh.” I have very few words this morning.

“You look like you haven’t slept in days.” Jade laughs.

“Just not last night.” I lean onto the counter, hoping that a change in position will help.

“Why?’

“Videogames.”

“Uh-oh.” She pulls a face. She doesn’t get my interest in them, but that’s okay, we share other hobbies, like TV show fandoms.

“Met a guy online yesterday and we played all night.” I want to talk to someone about this and no-way I’m telling my parents or one of my ‘mother approved’ friends.

“Is this like... normal play or adult play?” She looks at me with her eyebrows raised.

“Normal play...” I shake my head. “We just played the game. Nothing fancy.”

“Fancy enough to keep you awake all night though...” She wiggles her eyebrows.

“He’s just really interesting. He’s like a year older than we are, so in his final year of high school and he’s like really really good at the game.” I know it sounds silly, but I was impressed. And for some guy to be interested in me... That doesn’t happen often. Usually I’m just the girl in the corner that nobody pays attention to, the one girl at a party not to get much interest from the guys.

Jade laughs. “Well, sounds like your type then...” She turns around and looks at the shop. “What else do you know?”

“He plays a lot of videogames and he runs one of the best raiding guilds in Destruction of Elysium. And he invited me to play together with them last night.” I can’t help but squee a little. The thought that I may be good enough to run with them still foreign to me.

“That’s good, right? Like, really good?” She may not get my obsession with videogames, but she sort of gets that they mean a lot to me.

I nod. “Really really good.”

“How was it?”

“I can’t even explain. Running that raid... Wow. So much going on, but then these people with me were like veterans at this raid, so I had to make sure I kept up with them and all. And I’m still like this newbie and everything...”

“Well, if he thought you could do it.”

“He did. And he was right, even though it was insane... But we made it until the end.” I take a deep breath, frowning. “He asked me to play again this evening.”

“And that’s a bad thing, why?”

“I promised the girls I’d go out with them. I also told my mom that I would.” I sigh. “I don’t mind normally, but today... I don’t know. I wish I didn’t have to. But if I cancel now, my mom’s going to be annoying again all week.”

“True.” Jade sighs. “But still, you’ll be tired.”

“You don’t think my mom cares about that, do you? If she finds out that I stayed up all night again... I don’t know what she’ll do.” I don’t want to deal with that. Not now, not again. Last time was bad enough. I don’t know what ‘responsible’ way she’ll come up with to punish me this time. It’s just stupid. I’m sixteen, I can have some responsibilities, you know? But, of course not. Not me. Not little me. Little me with a track record of making stupid mistakes... Stupid forgetful mistakes.

“Well, then you’ll have to go.” Jade doesn’t exactly sound that sorry though.

“Yep.”

“Need me to get you some caffeine?”

“Yes, please.” My parents won’t like it, but I don’t care. Caffeine is on my ‘no-no’ list, but they’re not here and I need the energy to keep going today.

“I’ll be right back. Don’t fall asleep.” Like I can. Right as Jade walks out, two customers come in, each of them wanting bouquets of flowers, but, of course, none of the ones in the shop appeal to them, so I have to put them together myself. I do like doing this, the finding the right flowers together, making the bouquet the fullest it can be. It’s fun to do, but the exhaustions also pulls on me, which makes this all a little harder. “There you go.” I hand the bouquet to the second customer and she leaves the shop with a big smile. That’s the fun part, making people happy.

My boss, Andrew comes from the back. “How are you holding up?” He carries in two more bouquets and puts them into buckets.

“Pretty good.”

“Did I hear Jade earlier?” He comes over to the counter.

“Yeah. She’ll bring you a coffee too, don’t worry.”

“Too?” Andrew looks at me pointedly.

“I’m working all day and then I’m out with friends tonight. I need the caffeine.” I shrug. “It’s that or sugar.”

“Caffeine is fine.” Andrew rolls his eyes. I may only get a little jittery from caffeine, I seriously start bouncing off the walls after too much sugar.

Just then, Jade comes back into the shop, carrying three coffees. She hands me the iced coffee and then hands Andrew one of the other cups.

“Thanks.” He stretches as he walks to the back of the store. “You two, don’t go breaking stuff. Thanks.”

I look after him and roll my eyes. Right... because that’s what we do. Break stuff. Well, not normally anyway. I take a sip from the drink, the cool drink clearing my mind a little. At least this is nice. Now... if I could only survive the rest of the day...

***

I stumble into the house, it’s late, but at least I made it through most of the night... I’m just so exhausted that I slump down on the stairs to take off my shoes.

Dad opens the door to the living room. “You back?”

“What does it look like?” I sigh and I stare at him.

“You look like you’re home. You want something to eat or drink? We’re watching a movie, want to join?”

“No. I’m off to bed.” I’ve been awake for more than thirty-six hours by now and that includes a day of school and a day of work.

“Okay. Goodnight.” He goes back into the living room, closing the door behind him.

“Night.” I sigh at the door and then start climbing the stairs. During times like this I wished that I had a bedroom downstairs. I’ve been mainlining coffee all day and just crashed on my way home. Which is what happens after so much caffeine. I close the door behind me, slumping onto the bed, but even as I curl up, I reach out and hit the power button on my computer... I may be exhausted... but I still want to go onto Destruction of Elysium.

As the computer boots I pull myself out of bed and slide into the chair, then I open the game and log on, typing the password wrong twice before I get it correctly. Because, of course.

As soon as my character appears and the world forms around me, a purple message shows up and my heart skips a little.

AlexTheDestroyer: I thought you wouldn’t be online today?

I laugh, yeah, I remember saying that. But Alex’s been on my mind most of today and I just couldn’t not check in.

BelleFleur: Just checking my market place and messages.

Sort of...

AlexTheDestroyer: Did you survive today without sleeping?

BelleFleur: Ehh...

BelleFleur: Something to do with a lot of caffeine.

AlexTheDestroyer: Whoops.

BelleFleur: Yes.

BelleFleur: What did you do today?

AlexTheDestroyer: Hunted down some members for their contribution for the guild meet in three weeks.

BelleFleur: Meet?

AlexTheDestroyer: Yeah, the guild and some of the members who raid with us a lot get together and we’re having a barbecue and stuff.

AlexTheDestroyer: It’s fun. We get to see each other face to face instead of just talking through a program or seeing each other in the game.

Seeing Alex in person? My heart does that skipping a little thing again. Would it be too obsessive to ask where it is?

AlexTheDestroyer: Would you like to come? I know you’ve only been part of the guild for like... a day, but it may be fun.

Could I? Would my mom even let me? But at the same time... depending on when it is or where it is... if it’s already summer break, it shouldn’t be too hard to make this work...

Then again... I’d be able to see Alex, which feels a lot more exciting than even meeting the others.

BelleFleur: Where will it be?

AlexTheDestroyer: It’s in a barbecue grill place in Grunn. It’s just the afternoon and into the early evening, we’ve got people coming from all over the place, so we can’t make it too late.

BelleFleur: That’s just an hour away for me.

That close? Alex lives that close?

AlexTheDestroyer: Really?

BelleFleur: When is it?

AlexTheDestroyer: Saturday, three weeks from now.

AlexTheDestroyer: Though, I guess Saturdays would be hard for you...

Yeah. Saturdays aren’t the best for me to work with, but I get why they’d do it on a Saturday.

BelleFleur: I could see if I can leave early, and it’s only an hour away, so...

AlexTheDestroyer: So, you’d like to come?

Does he sound excited about that? Or is he just being friendly? I wish I knew, but asking would be a little weird, especially if he’s just a friendly person.

BelleFleur: Yeah. Though I don’t know if I’ll be allowed. Parents and stuff...

AlexTheDestroyer: I get that.

AlexTheDestroyer: I guess I could just write you down as a maybe. And if you do come, you can take money for the drinks and food and stuff then. Sounds good?

This is actually going to happen? Like. Actually?

BelleFleur: Yeah. Thanks.

AlexTheDestroyer: Great!

AlexTheDestroyer: You coming to join us in a dungeon or raid, or are you going to sleep?

BelleFleur: I’d love to do a dungeon.

BelleFleur: But I should go to sleep.

Because every time I type, I have to retype each word three times before anything makes sense. I may want to join them, but I need sleep.

AlexTheDestroyer: Sounds like a better plan.

AlexTheDestroyer: Sweet dreams, Flower.

This is flirting, right? I’m still for a bit, unsure how to reply and a little surprised by Alex’s words.

BelleFleur: Have a good raid.

I quickly log out. ‘Have a good raid’? What kind of dull answer is that?

But my brain may have gone into a little haywire status, because even though I’m so exhausted I’m almost falling asleep in my chair, my brain is in overdrive and my heart isn’t far behind. Dammit. I’m supposed to go to sleep, but now I’m not sure how easy that will be.

Seeing Alex in three weeks. I’m already excited.