Nerdalis Short Story (EQG)

>"Wow, what the fuck are you still doing up, Anon?"
"Reading the new hyperspace hyperwars codex. Wanna join me?"
>she smiles and sits next to you.
>about arms length away.
>you set the book between the two of you, on your legs.
> as you read together, she keeps scooting closer, little by little
>after about an hour, her hip gently bumps into yours
> her expression brightens slightly when you don't move away
>by nightfall, your arm is around her slender frame as you both read in silence
> it isn't long before she begins to doze softly
>you shift so her head can rest on your shoulder and feel your own eyelids start to get heavy
>For the first time, you finally understood what people meant when they talked of moments that they wished would last forever
>You whispered something sweet to your sleeping Queen as you drifted off to sleep
>It has been about a week.
>When you woke, Chrysalis was gone, she had left without a word.
>You haven't seen her since.
>Not in the halls and you shared no classes with her.
>You thought of visiting her to see what was up but you had no idea where she lived.
>Come to think of it, nobody did.
>It was if the girl didn't have any friends to speak of.
>Classes pushed her from your mind, thoughts reoccupied with studying
>Finals were around the corner.
>You found yourself in the library after-hours, face buried in a calc textbook when she sat down across from you.
>She smiled, the same warm grin she had when your hips bumped
>Her fangs peeked from behind her lips, somehow making her expression that much cuter.
>"I have something for you."
>She placed a tiny box on top of your book, pushing it gently forward with her slender fingers
>You carefully undo the red bow atop it and pop open the cardboard.
>Inside was a perfectly painted Sludgenoid acid spitter
>Even the tiny details you never bothered with were painstakingly accented and colored
>"I worked on it after school every day. You said you liked Sludgenoids"
>She fidgeted in her seat, her eyes drifting to the floor as you examined the miniature.
>You told her it was one of the most perfectly painted miniatures you've ever seen, even better than the hobby shop you frequented.
>She giggled and it became very obvious it was taking a lot of her willpower not to run away.
>"I was hoping once finals are over we could...maybe...get a game going? Over winter break? I have a few campaign ideas."
>You agree, eyes still fixated on the figure in your hand.
>"G-great! Well, I see you're busy so...meet you here next week? In the library after school?"
>You agree and you swear the crickets outside started chirping loudly
>She excitedly nodded and you thanked her for the gift.
>She said goodbye and was out of the library in a second, her footsteps echoing down the empty hallway
>As you expected, finals kicked your ass next week.
>Come Friday you finished your last exam, stumbled out of your last class, and went home.
>Straight home, right to your room, intent on going into a sleep-coma the second you hit the bed.
>Groggily, you enter your room, only to swear loudly as your folly dawns on you.
>Sitting on your alarm clock was the Sludgenoid miniature, it's hissing expression practically scolding you for forgetting your meeting.
>Your last class ended after three, and the bus ride you blissfully slept on was an hour long on a good day.
>The clock read past 5.
>Son of a bitch.
>There was no way she would still be waiting for you.
>It was pointless to go back.
>That's what your sleepy mind screamed at you as you barreled out of your house and down the street to the local bus stop.
>You caught a break and just made the 5:30 bus, you'd get back there before 7.
>Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!
>Thanks to rushhour traffic, it was after 7 when the bus pulled up to the stop a block from the school
>You ran as fast as you could to the building, but the lack of lights in the windows were your first clue the building was closed.
>The library was only open late during the weeks before finals, certainly not the Friday when they finished.
>As you expected, the doors were locked tight.
>You planted your head to the glass and sighed, sliding to the ground in total defeat.
>You never got her phone number.
>You never learned her address.
>Your plans for the entire winter break hinged on you being at the library after class, and you were too damned exhausted to remember.
>You can only imagine the look of rejection on Chrysalis' face as she sat alone in the library and realized you stood her up.
>So damned stupid!
>With a grunt you pulled yourself from the pavement, the winter wind kicking up and giving you a chill
>Zipping your jacket up, you decided to wander to the schoolyard.
>You needed to clear your head.
>You wandered around the perimeter of the football field, the gates locked and the lights off.
>Everything was deserted.
>Your hands were in your pockets and your head hung low.
>Images kept creeping into your mind
>Chrysalis so happy and nervous about giving you your gift, Chrysalis awkwardly cuddling with you
>And of course, your wonderful imagination put together a nice montage of Chrysalis alone in the library
>Trying not to cry, nobody giving a shit why she was sitting by herself
>And your stupid self asleep on the bus
>You stopped at the end of the block and kicked the chain-link fence in frustration
>This was going to haunt you the entire winter break.
>Worse yet, who knew when you'd see her after that?
>Who knows what she's going to think of you?
>Best case she accepts your apology and you two never talk again...
>Cursing again, you plod along the sidewalk.
>A little ways from the school is a coffee shop.
>Maybe you could stuff your face with something expensive and sugary to take your mind off how badly you fucked up.
>The place itself looked deserted, another victim of the school closing shop for the winter recess
>But its open at least, and the cold was beginning to make you want a warm drink too.
>Hell of a way to start the break, you think, overpriced coffee and sweets by yourself in a...
>You couldn't believe your eyes as you turned the corner and reached for the door
>Sitting alone in the back of the tiny shop was Chrysalis
>She was staring blankly into a cup of coffee
>You suddenly felt extremely nervous
>What do you do? What do you say?
>She had to be convinced you stood her up back at the library.
>So how do you even begin to say you're sorry?
>Would she even accept you forgot?
>What if she thinks its a coincidence you were here and you're trying to make an excuse for running into each other?
>What if--she were to look up right this second?
>What if she saw you, glared and got up and started toward the door?
>Fuck...
>You don't have time to think.
>In a moment she's at the door and pulls it open
>Without a word she pushes past you and starts down the block
>You follow after her.
"Chrysalis! Wait!"
>You call, she doesn't respond
>Just lowers her head and keeps walking, picking her pace up a bit.
"I'm sorry! I got so caught up in finals I forgot and..."
>She stops
>Turns around in a huff
>She looks pissed
>But her eyes are red and puffy
>Fuck, angry and crying
>You really screwed this one, Anon.
>"You forgot!? That's it? I waited till the librarian kicked me out! Then I stood in front of the school like an idiot, and all you can say is you forgot!!"
>She balls her fists and her breath hitches before she turns to the ground.
>You close the distance between the two of you
"I didn't mean to...I came all the way back as soon as it hit me...I just...I don't live around here and..."
>You see fresh tears roll down her cheeks
"...I'm sorry. I don't have your number or anything or I would have told you sooner...I really do want to try your campaign out."
>She shivers and pulls her arms tighter around herself
>For the first time you noticed she didn't have a coat.
>Must have left it in the coffee shop when she bolted out of there.
>You unzip your own coat and put it over her back
>She gasps when she feels the weight of your coat on her shoulders and looks back to you
>"You really...mean that...? I thought you thought I was just a weirdo..."
>You nod and suggest they go back to the coffee shop
>While trying not to shiver yourself, the weather isn't exactly springtime.
>She has the smallest smile when she sees you rub your arms, and agrees to head back with you
>An overpriced hot chocolate was in order.
>You feel her slender hand slip into yours as you made your way back
>Make that two.
>So that's how you ended up in a coffee shop, drinking hot cocoa with Chrysalis on the first night of Winter Break
>Any anger toward you was quickly forgiven
>She even managed to find humor in the fact her miniature was what ultimately reminded you to come rushing back.
>When she found out where you kept it, she blushed a little and looked away
>"I worked hard on that one..."
"It showed. Only time I ever saw a model that detailed was the forge world website"
>She must have felt her cheeks redden more and quickly put her cup to her mouth to hide behind it.
>She was really pushing the adorkable cliche tonight.
>Least you thought so, this display was nothing compared to when you asked about her future campaign.
>Her face lit up and before you know it the cute came pouring out
>She described in great detail how it would be a cross between rogue trader and the traditional tabletop
>You'd have to infiltrate a castle or something, attempt to overthrow the monarchy, and depending on how well you did would determine your unit placement when it moved to the tabletop
>That was the gist of it anyhow, it was hard to keep up, she was talking a mile a minute when she wasn't showing you scribbles and drawings from an old notebook
>By the time she was done, your head was spinning
>She folded her hands together and smiled
>"So, do you think you want to try the campaign? It's OK if you think its a little too complicated for a first try.."
"No, it sounds awesome. Is it going to be just me playing?"
>"We...I guess we could ask around the hobby shop to try and find other players but...it'll kinda be more fun if its...you...and me..."
>She trailed off, looking at everything in the coffee shop she could instead of you.
>Come on, Anon, don't be oblivious.
>You rested a hand on hers and smiled when she finally looked toward you
"Just us then."
>She smiled back and you felt her fingers tighten around your hand
>"Just us."