Hot & Nerdy

by Shannyn Schroeder

  In the back room, he saw why. Kraven was pummeling her. As Win came through the door, Kraven held Charlie’s avatar Laura by the throat. With one swipe of his hand, he tore away her clothes.

  What the fuck? Nothing in the program would allow that.

  Now you’ll learn why bitches don’t belong in game. A cunt’s only good for one thing.

  Jonah rushed forward and slammed Win’s little body into Kraven. Laura slumped to the floor, and Jonah used every keystroke and bit of health energy he had to send Kraven up in flames. As soon as Kraven was a pile of ash, Jonah watched his own avatar flop down.

  Jonah logged off and grabbed his phone while he entered the back end of the game. Something was wrong with the code. When Tim answered, he was already searching.

  “What’s up, Jonah? No luck picking up chicks?”

  “Shut up and listen. I need you to get into the system right now. Player named Kraven just tried to rape a woman in game. Find out who the fuck he is. Now!”

  Tim began to mumble as if just coming to attention, but Jonah heard him clacking away on the keyboard. While Tim looked for Kraven’s identity, Jonah searched for how the asshole modified the game.

  Sexual activity was allowed in the game, and players had choices to hook up, but nowhere would he have allowed a rape to happen. There wasn’t even nudity. They permitted some foreplay on screen and then it was pretty much fade to black. Jonah had no idea how much this guy fucked with the system in order to rip away Charlie’s—Laura’s—clothes. Jonah shook his head. It wasn’t Charlie, not really. It had been her character, Laura.

  He scrambled through lines of code, and allowing images of Laura stripped bare into his head caused another thought. He’d just abandoned Charlie.

  Again.

  His fingers froze and guilt smacked him. No, he couldn’t think about Charlie now. She was a tough girl. Finding how Kraven had been able to do this was a priority.

  Charlie stared at the screen. What the fuck just happened? She looked at her character lying on the dirty floor of the house. Her hand hovered over the keyboard, shaking. She didn’t know what to do.

  Win?

  She didn’t even know why she called to him. She’d watched him disappear almost as quickly as Kraven had. The burst of magic from Win had been surreal. She’d never witnessed anything like it, and she’d hung out with a lot of mages over the course of the last two years. None of them wielded that kind of power.

  Rather than use her last bit of energy to return to her cave, she just logged off, leaving Laura’s prone body on the floor. She’d deal with it tomorrow. All she’d wanted when she came back to her room was a little escape. Nearly getting raped was not on the agenda. The whole experience was bizarre. Nothing felt right in the game tonight.

  She closed her laptop and changed her clothes. Her eyes landed on her Laura Nim costume and her stomach churned. It wasn’t a fancy outfit like a lot of the cosplayers would have. It was a simple costume that matched her in-game persona. One that she’d just had ripped from her body.

  A shudder ran through her. First, Jonah popped up, then memories of Sylvie, now this. There was no way her night could get worse. She grabbed her room key and some cash and headed down to the bar.

  The hotel bar held an odd mix of people. Most were there from the con, but businessmen in their suits, ties barely loosened at the neck, also dotted the room. She saw their wary looks at the con-goers. Some were outright amused; others appeared concerned. She grabbed a beer and sat at a table by herself.

  Being alone here was much better than being in her room. Here, at least, she was among her people, even if she chose not to interact. Jedis, superheroes, and Trekkies surrounded her. The movie people talked to comic book people and gamers. No rivalries, just pure enjoyment.

  The first beer went down smoothly, and she waved a waitress over to order another. She couldn’t really afford to drink here. Beer that would normally cost a little more than a buck a bottle from the store was priced more than four times that. It definitely wasn’t in her budget. She scanned the room. Maybe she could start up a conversation with a guy who would buy the next round for her.

  Charlie felt him before she saw Jonah. That weird feeling of being watched without it being creepy. He took the seat across from her without invitation. As the waitress walked by, he pointed to Charlie’s bottle and held up two fingers. She wanted to be irritated by his presence, but she couldn’t. She needed a friendly face. Jonah’s was definitely friendly.

  She smiled. Look at that. I’m getting a beer, and I didn’t have to do any phony flirting.

  “Thought you had a date.”

  She lifted a shoulder. “Didn’t work out.”

  He scanned her face, starting at her eyes, glancing down to her lips, and back up. His gaze held there, searching.

  “What?” She barely kept the nervousness from her voice. When he looked at her like that, she felt like he was reaching all the way to her soul.

  “How are you?”

  “Fine.”

  He reached out and laid a hand on her arm. “No, how are you really doing? I know this week is hard for you.”

  Whoa. She hadn’t expected that. She raised her bottle. “Today is the third anniversary of Sylvie’s death.” She slugged back the last bit of beer. “I’m doing better than she is.”

  Sylvie had been her roommate freshman year. After she broke up with her boyfriend, he posted revenge porn. Sylvie couldn’t handle the repercussions, especially since she came from a small town and a religious family, so she committed suicide. When Charlie wanted to clear her name and erase the pics, it had been Jonah who taught her about hacking.

  Jonah shook his head. “How’s school?”

  Charlie plucked at the label on the bottle. The alcohol was hitting her and she enjoyed the slight buzz. She debated whether she should be honest, and really what did it matter? Jonah already knew all the rest of her secrets. But then he’d look at her like a loser. Someone who didn’t finish what she’d started. He’d know he’d been right to leave her, and she couldn’t stomach that disappointment now, so she lied. “Fine.”

  She moved back in her chair. Jonah sitting close was doing uncomfortable things to her. The waitress came and set the bottles on the table. Jonah signed the purchase to his room. 614. Two floors above hers.

  “That’s good. Any ideas about what you plan to do after graduation?”

  “Not really.” That’s why she needed the hackfest. Showing her skills to the right people might lead somewhere.

  “You should send your résumé to my company. We’re looking to expand.” He drank from his bottle and then asked, “So what have you been doing? Besides playing barista.”

  She squinted at him because she was pretty sure she hadn’t mentioned her job.

  “Relax. I’m not stalking you. You’re wearing your apron in your Facebook photo.”

  She hated that picture. “So you’re not really stalking, just online stalking? Yet you’re here, at my table in the bar.”

  “I came to the bar to get a drink. You told me you had a date. And as far as online stalking goes, are you really going to tell me that you don’t check on your exes from time to time?”

  Charlie knew it was more than a vague question. He was trying to open the door on their relationship. She saw it for what it was. In truth, she didn’t seek out information about other exes. Just him. He would always be the one who got away. “Sometimes.”

  She took the beer he bought her and drank. This whole situation should be awkward, but it wasn’t. She was having a beer with her exboyfriend and neither one of them acted like it was weird. Jonah always put her at ease. “So what’s it like being out in the real world?”

  “I’m working at Enigma, but I guess you know that since I told you my company was sponsoring the hackfest. I got the job right after graduation and I really like it. It’s a small company, but we’re growing.” He halted there, like he had to rethink what he was about to say. “I’m on a tea
m that checks security for some of our games. Most of the games are RPGs. You’d probably like them. Role-playing was always your thing.”

  “Yeah, what do you work on?”

  “Right now, The Order of Resskaar.” He took a drink and waited.

  She wanted to play it cool. He’d said he wasn’t stalking her, and there were, like, thousands of people who were logged on at any given time. “I play Resskaar. It’s my go-to for relaxation.”

  “Have you completed it yet?”

  “Nope. I’m not in any hurry.”

  They finished their drinks, and Jonah ordered another round. They spent the next hour talking and laughing. She was able to forget her in-game assault and her past. The night became filled with the enjoyment of hanging out with a friend. When the bottles were empty, Charlie reached for her pocket.

  “I think you’ve had enough. Let me walk you to your room.”

  Oh, man. Those were the words she’d wanted to hear, even though she knew it wasn’t wise, and his brain wasn’t working in the same direction. “Okay.”

  She was a little unsteady on her feet, so Jonah held on to her. He was quiet on the elevator ride, but she inched closer to him. The peace of being with him after her miserable gaming experience made her feel warm and fuzzy. Or maybe that was the alcohol. She looked at Jonah’s arm on her and spoke with honesty. “I missed you.”

  “I’ve missed you too.”

  The elevator dinged on the fourth floor, and Jonah ushered her out and down the hall. Their steps shushed against the carpet, and Charlie wanted to talk, say something, but she didn’t know what. At her room, she slid the key card in, and as she pushed the door open, she tugged Jonah inside.

  “What are you doing, Charlie?”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and breathed in his scent. “I don’t want to be alone.”

  Charlie held her breath, waiting for him to push her away, but he didn’t. His arms came around her and stroked her back. Memories flooded her brain. Jonah holding her, touching her, kissing her senseless. She’d give almost anything to have that again, even if it was only for a night. To feel grounded again.

  She turned her head slightly and brushed her lips against his warm neck, and his hands paused on her back. She pressed on, though, kissing his jaw and loving the rough feel of the stubble.

  “Charlie.”

  “Just kiss me, Jonah.”

  She didn’t look into his eyes, afraid to know what she’d find, but she knew he wanted to kiss her. If for no other reason, out of sheer curiosity. She kept her eyes closed as she tilted her head.

  His lips met hers with tenderness at first. Then they became more insistent, and she softened against him, inviting his tongue into her mouth. His hand reached up and cradled the back of her head, and she wanted more. This heady feeling wouldn’t last the night, but Jonah could give her more.

  She tugged at his T-shirt, searching for his warm skin. When her fingers met his flesh, he jerked back. “Charlie.”

  But she didn’t stop.

  He grabbed her hands. “Charlie.” Then he waited for her to meet his eyes. “We’re not doing this.”

  She swallowed hard. His steel gray eyes sparked with lust. She didn’t misread the signs. He wanted her. “Why not? Got a girlfriend?”

  “No girlfriend. You’re well past halfway to drunk. I don’t want you to do something you’re going to regret in the morning.” He grabbed her shoulders and turned her toward the bed. “Get some sleep and we’ll talk tomorrow.”

  “What if I don’t want to talk tomorrow?”

  He sighed. “Then I guess we won’t.”

  She crawled on top of the covers. “Will you stay and talk for a while if I promise not to molest you?”

  He glanced to the other side of the room. “Sure.” He scooted the armchair a little closer to the bed.

  “There’s room here.” She patted the bed beside her.

  He simply shook his head.

  “Who is it that you don’t trust—me or you? I already gave my word.”

  He laughed and stretched his legs out in front of him. The light from the hall cast him in shadows. Between his dark hair and black T-shirt and jeans, he blended into the dark.

  She tucked her hands under her head as she lay on her side to watch him talk. “Tell me about the people you work with.”

  Jonah accommodated her again and spoke in quiet tones until she became sleepy and struggled to keep her eyes open. He stood, leaned over, and kissed her head.

  “Hey, Best?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I’d never regret you.”

  Another heavy sigh came from him, but she didn’t know how to interpret it. Then she heard the door close with a quiet thunk.

  Chapter 4

  The following morning, Charlie woke with a slight headache and case of cotton mouth. Her gloom from the night before had lifted, and after brushing her teeth, she felt human again. She’d had a good time with Jonah. The anxiety she’d expected to feel around him never surfaced. It was like the last three years were erased, and they were just Best and Castle again. Without the sex.

  That part bothered her. She hadn’t been drunk. Maybe a little more than buzzed, but she was in control of her faculties and she remembered telling him to come in. And he hadn’t shied away from kissing her. But then he’d kept his distance. It was probably for the best. He’d left her so she shouldn’t want him. Damn hormones.

  But he made everything easy. After the way he’d left, it shouldn’t be so easy.

  She made herself a barely decent cup of coffee in her room and stared at her costume. Last night, she’d had a fellow player, a teammate, rip it from her body. She questioned whether she wanted to don the real thing. No one on the con floor would tear her clothes off, but it would be a reminder, wouldn’t it? She shook her head. She was overthinking again.

  Tying her hair back in pigtails, she began her transformation into Laura Nim. Long hair would get in the way of shooting her arrows accurately. Then she took her time spreading the teal body paint on. Unlike many others, her outfit wasn’t skimpy. Because of this, she only had to paint her arms, the top of her chest, her neck, and face.

  Once the paint was set, she shimmied into the faux leather pants and eased on her vest. She added her pointy ears that would signify her elven nature. With her costume in place, she studied herself in the mirror. The only thing that would really finish it would be the amulet that Win had given her in game. It was the only treasure that she’d kept for herself. Mostly because it had been a gift from Win.

  But she wasn’t creative enough to make jewelry in the real world. She wasn’t even a costume person. Her clothes came right off the rack, so she wouldn’t be winning any contests today, but that wasn’t really the point, at least not for her. She dressed up so that for a little while, she could escape reality. Before having to cover up and enter a den of dudes for the hackfest later tonight, she could be a sexy archer elf. She’d run into a few Resskaar players, and they’d have some drinks and talk about their love for the game.

  That’s what this week was really about. Being with like-minded people. The hackfest competition and the hope of networking to find a job were bonuses.

  She grabbed her bow and quiver of arrows to complete her ensemble. Then she headed downstairs for a day of panels and discussions and fun. She was determined to have some fun this week. Regardless of how Sylvie had ended her life, she would’ve wanted Charlie to enjoy herself.

  In the main hall, vendors filled the space, calling out to attendees, hoping to make sales. She stared at the crowd. The first panel she wanted to see didn’t start for another half hour, so she had time to wander.

  From behind her, she heard, “Hey, gorgeous.”

  Win. He came. Her heart swelled. She spun and her smile faltered. “Best. Hi.”

  He narrowed his eyes a fraction. “Expecting someone else?”

  “No, not really. What are you up to?”

  “No plans. Just though
t I’d scope out the action.” His gaze coasted over her body from the top of her head to the boots on her feet. “Who are you?”

  She smiled and extended her hand. “Laura Nim, elven archer, from The Order of Resskaar.”

  He shook her hand and leaned into a half bow. “Laura Nim. Still using an anagram?”

  “Of course.”

  As he straightened, he looked up in thought. “Still Star Wars?”

  “Luminara, Jedi.” She could’ve given him a few more minutes and he would’ve figured it out. When they’d played together, they both used anagrams of Star Wars characters for their in-game personas. His mind could catalogue possibilities at an amazing speed.

  “New hacker name, new RPG name. Anything else?”

  She shrugged. Of course she’d changed over the last three years. Who hadn’t?

  “Why’d you stop using Punisher for hacking?”

  Heat rose to her cheeks and she was glad for the paint. Jonah was the only person who knew her hacker name and why she’d chosen it. The vigilante comic book antihero seemed like a good idea at the time. “I was done being that person. It was time to move on.”

  He nodded as if he understood, but how could he? He’d left.

  “So, now you’re Rook?”

  “Like the chess piece. The top part looks like a castle turret?” She pointed at herself as if he was slow. “Castle. Get it?”

  “I get it. Just seemed too simple for you.”

  She gave him a slight shove. “I’m a simple girl, Best. Always have been.”

  “Not really.” He said it without humor. There was heat and attraction in his eyes and something else she couldn’t quite make out.

  “I’m headed to a panel on creating dynamic gaming characters. Want to join me?” Charlie had no idea why she would invite him to spend more time with her. It was a huge mistake waiting to happen. Or maybe it already did. A brief hour ago she’d convinced herself she shouldn’t be so easy.

  “I was thinking about that one. Let’s go.” He took a step forward to walk side by side. “You feel okay after last night?”