Melee =  A type of class who does primarily or exclusively physical close-range damage. Think about a boxer hitting someone in the face or a knight cleaving someone with his sword. That kind of stuff. While with casters, you’re basically always under threat of getting hit, with these guys, you need to get into range of their weapons (or their fists) to get hit.

I watch Fleur drive off with her mother, and, for a moment, I don’t want to return to the party just yet. Watching her leave, seeing her get into that car and drive away, it makes my chest tighten, even though I know I’ll see her soon again. How did this happen? I take a deep breath, looking around for a moment. How did I fall for that girl even more, especially when she looked at me and smiled, when we laughed together about both having ADHD. I don’t know what, but I feel like this may be something special.

“Alex.” Cerise is standing a little while off.

“Hey.” I put my phone away, turning to Cerise, waiting for her to reach me.

“And?” She smiles and I know she worries about me.

“I think we’re having a date next week.” I can barely believe it myself.

“A date?” Cerise’s eyebrows rise.

“Okay, we’re going to see a movie together. But it could be a date.” I lick my lips. “She’s... really special.” I feel that tightening again, and at the same time a flutter in my stomach. “I really like her.”

“I can see that. Everyone can see that.” Cerise laughs softly. “She seemed interested too, though she may not have realised it herself.”

I nod. “Maybe. We exchanged numbers, so I’ll see, I guess.” Just then, my phone buzzes and I take it. When I unlock the screen, I see it’s a picture from Fleur. It’s from her shoulder, where she pulled the strap of her dress to the side and you can obviously see that she got a sunburn today. I let out a laugh.

Then I get another message from Fleur. ‘So red. That’s going to burn!’

I reply quickly. ‘Looks like it hurts. Take care of it!’

‘Will do. You also make sure you take care of yours.’ Yeah, I guess I may have gotten a sunburn too, especially since we sat so near each other most of the day.

“You’re in so deep.” Cerise’s voice is soft. “Don’t get hurt.”

I nod. “I’ll try.” Then I look back at the rest of the group. “Let’s see if we can stir up some trouble together.” I grin. It’s not a guild meet without us doing something stupid.

“Good idea.” Cerise walks in front of me. “Wouldn’t want to disappoint the masses.”

***

It’s already late by the time I finally get home, but I still turn on the computer. Some part of me hopes that Fleur will be online. Even though I have no idea if she will be. She hasn’t sent me another message yet, but I also was really busy at the meet, so that’s not totally on her.

As soon as I log on, I do get a purple message.

BelleFleur: You’re here!

AlexTheDestroyer: Yeah. Checking in a little.

Hoping to see you. Though I don’t type the last bit.

BelleFleur: It was so cool today!

BelleFleur: I never expected there to be so many different types of people.

AlexTheDestroyer: Gamers really are all different. Yeah.

I lean back in the chair, exhaustion settling in.

BelleFleur: Hey, ehm...

BelleFleur: Did you mean what you said about going to the movies?

AlexTheDestroyer: Yes. If you want to.

Is she going to cancel on me? Is she going to say that she was just caught up in the moment?

BelleFleur: Cool. Just... you know. Wanted to make sure.

BelleFleur: I wasn’t sure if you really meant it.

AlexTheDestroyer: Yeah. I do really mean it. If you still want to, that is.

BelleFleur: Yes. I’d love to.

Oh, this is weird. I’ve never felt so nervous before. How can this be so scary? I’ve been on dates before, it’s not like this is the first time I’ve asked a girl out.

But a little voice in my head tells me that I know why this is different. This is different because I may know Fleur from playing a video game online, and we’ve already chatted so much, and I know so many things about her, but today was finally the first time I actually met her. This was the first time that I could talk to her face-to-face and maybe, just maybe, I’ve already fallen for her.

But I’m also strongly aware that she didn’t realise that I was a girl, and seeing me kind of freaked her, even if just a little. And I don’t think she’s ever been in this position with another girl. Not ever. Which makes everything a weird combination between trying to have a friendship and also trying to let her know that I’d like more from her...

I want more from her, especially after I saw her today. The butterflies still haven’t settled and I can’t stop bouncing my leg with the nervous energy.

BelleFleur: Alex? I’m going off. I need sleep.

I let out a little laugh.

AlexTheDestroyer: Good. Me too. Night night!

BelleFleur: Sweet dreams!

AlexTheDestroyer: You too!

I see her log off and I sit up too, closing the game and then shutting down my computer.

Just as I’m about to climb into bed, my phone lights up.

I grab for it, finding a message from Fleur, well, more like a picture. She’s sent me a picture through her window, looking out over the back of her yard. It’s beautiful and dark, but there are some lights visible. Then, a moment later, a message comes in. ‘Kind of calm and quiet here, so different from the meet.’

I sit up, looking out my own window, but it’s just the street in front of the house, which is not interesting at all. Instead I turn to my computer and take a picture of my desk and the way I have multiple lights on it that swirl around, even when the computer is off. Then I send the picture, quickly following it up with a message. ‘I don’t know which lights are more interesting.’

Fleur sends me a winking smiley. ‘Well, I guess we’re going to have to compare that some day.’

My heart beats loudly, having Fleur in my room? Would that really happen? ‘Sounds like a good idea. Sweet dreams!’ Because if I keep thinking about this, I probably won’t sleep at all tonight, and I’m really exhausted, especially now that my medication has worn off.

‘Sweet dreams!’ Her message lights up the screen before I put the phone away.

I curl up on my side, closing my eyes. Meeting Fleur today. Spending time with her. And she actually wants to see me again... I guess that may be more than I could have expected.

My heart keeps beating loudly, Fleur’s smile popping into my head and her laugh running through my mind. She’s captivated me, more than she did before. Knowing her mind, her thoughts, that was one thing, knowing her whole personality, spending time with her… That’s a whole different thing.

***

“Alex?” Mom’s staring at me as she sits down at the table.

“Yeah?” I look up, trying to keep my voice normal. I’ve been zoning off as I’m eating breakfast, my mind both stretched too thin from all the impressions yesterday and at the same time filled with a certain girl.

“How was yesterday?”

“Good.” I feel a blush creep up my cheeks.

“Hmm? What happened?” She raises an eyebrow as she smiles a little.

“A girl from the game also came. She’s a new member, our new healer.”

“I think I heard you and Troy talk about her before. But I take it she’s even more interesting in person than she was online?” Mom knows that I’m into girls, she may not get it, but she knows that I’ve fallen in love with girls before. She even knows I’ve dated a few.

“Yeah. She was very interesting to talk to.” Understatement of the year.

“Talk... Right.” She winks.

“Sure. Fine.” I roll my eyes as I let out a dramatic sigh. “She also looks good. And she was very sweet.”

“Good.” Mom stands up again. “Don’t forget to drop by Troy’s today, his mom wanted to borrow a book, I put it on the table in the hallway.”

“Will do.” I quickly finish my breakfast. “Anything else?”

“Do I get to meet her?” Mom turns around in the doorway.

“Maybe. Some day.” I put my plate on the counter and then push at her a little so she’ll step out of the doorway and I can pass her. “But not right now. I don’t want you to scare her off.”

“I don’t scare people off.”

“Yes, you do. You’re a psych. You can’t help asking questions and that scares people.” I sigh, standing on the stairs. “I love you. But I’d like to ease this girl into our little world of insanity.” I wink and then bounce up the stairs.

Sure, I’ll drop by Troy later, but first, I get to play Destruction of Elysium, since school is over and I get to do whatever I want.

Win! Win! Win!

***

When I got online, Fleur wasn’t there, which was a bummer. Though, I guess she may have been sleeping in. I don’t know. I consider sending her a message, but if she’s really still asleep, I may wake her up or just disturb her while she’s doing other stuff. So, instead, I run a couple of Titans and even queue for a raid. But as I’m waiting for the raid invite to pop up, which, even as a tank, can take a while, as you need multiple tanks and healers for this, I hear a sound in the background.

It takes me a moment to recognise where it’s coming from, and even then, a moment longer to respond to it. It’s the voice chat program and someone is trying to start a voice call with me. I don’t generally get calls, as the guild just has a group voice chat server, so we don’t have to call in, we just drop by by logging on. Which I hadn’t even done yet, enjoying a little quiet.

I tab out of the game and in the middle of my screen I find a message, a calling screen, telling me that Fleur is trying to call me. My heart starts beating like crazy as I click on the green ‘connect’ button.

“Alex!” Fleur’s excited voice nearly deafens me. “Guess what I did?”

“Call me?” I laugh, then I click back into the game, not wanting to miss a pop-up screen for the raid.

“With my new headset!” Her excitement is cute, and very contagious. Then it dawns on me what she’s saying.

“You bought a headset? Just to chat?”

“Yeah!” Which sounds more like ‘duh’ in tone. “I went out this morning to get one. This way I can still talk to everyone, even when I’m at home.”

Everyone. For a moment that stings, she bought the headset so she could talk to the guild, not just to me. “Right. Well, I could probably walk you through setting up the guild server connection, if you want to.”

She’s quiet for a bit. “Thanks. But I like talking to you first. Ease into this and all that.” Her voice is softer now, not as sure.

“Well, I’m happy to do that too. Though, I am waiting on a raid, so I may have to focus on that in a bit.” I check the screen again but nothing is showing yet.

“I can wait on that.” I hear her move a little. “Hey, I really liked meeting you. That was so much fun and I thought that everyone there was awesome.”

“Thanks. I loved meeting you too.” Though, I’m pretty sure we’ve had this conversation before. “Did you think about the movie yet? Did you ask your mom?”

“I haven’t… yet.” She lets out a little laugh. “I thought to let her get used to the idea that I went to a guild meet first, before springing on her that I want to go out and see a movie with someone from there. Though, she thought you seemed responsible.”

“Wow, high praise.” I laugh too. “Well, I haven’t asked my parents yet either. But we should, soon, or all the tickets will be sold out for the first days.”

“Yeah. Hey, would it be okay if we like... go eat together before, or after?” She sounds a little bit nervous.

“You want to spend more time with me after being cooped up in a dark room, in slightly uncomfortable seats, for hours?”

“If you put it like that... Yeah?” She lets out a laugh again. “It’s just... I don’t get to meet many girls who also play videogames, at least not as much as I do.”

Again, that friends thing... That ‘you’re cool because you’re a girl who plays games too’ not ‘you’re cool because you’re you and I would like to get to know you more intimately’. I don’t know what to think of it. Am I misreading what she’s saying? Am I misreading what she means?

Arg. Why is this so confusing? If she’d been Cerise, or any of the other girls I’ve met online, I wouldn’t have worried about this. But I do with her.

Fleur’s making my brain go all crazy.