Geekhood Read Free Page B

agirlyou’reagirlyou’reaPRETTYgirl…
    The Beautiful Goth smiles in a way that makes me want to stare at her mouth for ever.
    “Hi.” Her voice is like tinsel. I don’t know any other way to describe it.
    IM: OhGodohGodohGodohGod…
    “Hi.” I sound like I’m gargling with sand.
    “Sorry to bother you, but … what is this place?”
    “It’s a shop.”
    IM: Ten points for stupidity!
    “Yes, but what sort of shop?”
    IM: Don’t make it sound like you know too much!
    “It’s a games shop. Role-playing games – that sort of thing.”
    IM: That alone was WAAAY too much!
    “Oh, right.” She looks vaguely disappointed and all my major organs feel like they’re melting in sympathy. “So none of this is … it’s not ‘real’, then? Not … you know…”
    IM: What? What do I know?
    “…to do with…”
    IM: WHAT? TO DO WITH WHAT?
    “…magic?” She says the last word quickly and quietly.
    While it’s a weird question, my memory bank briefly reminds me that my dad once showed me how to pull a coin out of someone’s ear. This may be the wrong time. Besides, I’ve only got a tenner.
    “No, it’s not real. It’s all games and models. Just make-believe. You know.”
    “Oh, OK. Thanks. Sorry to bother you.”
    IM: It’s no problem at all because I think I love you. Can we forget I’m a Geek and elope?
    “No worries.” My EM gives one of those stupid shrugs that’s supposed to suggest that I’m friendly andapproachable, but in reality probably looks like I’m having a minor fit of some sort. She goes with a shy smile and a quiet “thanks” and a part of me leaves with her.
    There’s a tap on my other shoulder. I can’t take much more of this.
    I turn round to be confronted with a much more ordinary sight: Beggsy, Matt and Ravi.
    “Dude! What was that ?” says Beggsy, grinning.
    “Just some girl.”
    Matt smirks darkly. “Another dream consigned to the scrapheap.”
    “Yeah,” I sigh.
    What I hate about him most right now is that he’s absolutely right.

    “Is that a gargoyle in your pocket – or are you just pleased to see me?”
    “Ha, ha. It’s definitely a gargoyle.”
    We are heading home, and Matt hasn’t relented for the past fifteen minutes. It’s not surprising, really. Given our Geek status, none of us have had any real exposure to girls, and the fact that I have just been involved in something that might almost be considered a conversation with one does make me an easy target.But we all know it’s just an unconfessed way of expressing envy.
    My meeting with the Beautiful Goth has eclipsed pretty much everything else; Beggsy got a runner’s-up award in the painting competition and Matt nearly won a war-game tournament. We’ve even forgotten our usual favourite topic of conversation: Kirsty Ford.
    IM: But now, “There is another.”
    Matt’s the first to peel away, firing off a few more Goth-based parting shots before he reaches his house. Ravi’s next – a couple of streets later – leaving me and Beggsy. Before the move, I would’ve been the next to break away, cutting through Davenport Road to the shoebox that me and Mum called “home”. I’m now grateful for the extra ten minutes I’ve got to walk to the new house; it allows me time to give all my Anti-Tosser Systems TM a quick service.
    “Dude – we still gaming at yours next weekend?” Beggsy’s voice covers three octaves in one question.
    “Yeah, I just want to see if I can get the Olds out for the evening.”
    “Why? Your mum and Tony are cool.”
    Beggsy’s got a real hate-on for his parents at the moment, which could be down to the fact that his Olds seem to be living in a 1970s time warp. He works in insurance and she is a teacher whose preoccupationwith the house being über clean and tidy verges on OCD. It’s one of those “shoes-off” houses, which always makes me a bit uncomfortable as my feet can have a way of announcing themselves – especially if I’ve been wearing trainers. Which