Playing Her Secret Crush

by Casey Griffin

“Nothing more than a few demos. We plan to record a full album in the spring. That way we’ll have something to promote when we go on tour.”

  “Tour? Like around California?”

  “No. Cross country.” His arms flung out to the sides, nearly knocking over her coffee. “We want to spend a year dropping into random places like small cafés and local hangouts. We’ll do it all for free of course, just living on the road. It will help us build a bigger fan base than strictly Java Byte customers.”

  Katie nodded like that made total sense, but it gnawed at her academic side until she couldn’t hold her tongue any longer. “So you don’t plan on going to college next year?”

  “Nah. I’m not really the college type.” He leaned back in his chair, clearly not as passionate about that particular subject as Katie.

  “Not everyone is,” she said diplomatically. “It’s cool that you’re following your passion.”

  “Besides,” he said, “what do we really learn in school that we can’t learn out there?” He gestured his wiry arms at out there. “School isn’t as important as they pretend it is.”

  “Right. Totally,” she lied, just to keep them from slipping back into total date awkwardness.

  School was one of the most important things to Katie. She wanted to go to college and maybe even grad school to get her master’s in English. She couldn’t imagine being with anyone who saw education as unimportant.

  But this was only a date, right? She was just getting her feet wet, putting herself out there. It wasn’t like she was going to marry the guy.

  Silence fell over their little corner table again, and they sipped their coffees. The bell above the café door jingled, announcing a new customer. Katie instinctively turned toward the sound and nearly spat out her coffee when she saw Alex.

  Alex’s eyes swept across the place, finally landing on her. They flicked from her to Ben before his brow creased. Weaving through the tables, he headed toward them.

  When Ben noticed him, he waved. “Hey, Alex.”

  “Hey.” He gave him a dismissive head nod before turning to Katie. “You’re not answering your texts.”

  Lexi appeared behind him and stared at Katie expectantly. Katie was surprised to see her, although she probably shouldn’t have been. It made her realize that they were starting to spend time alone together. Step four: Get closer.

  Katie looked from Alex to Lexi, confused by the sudden intrusion. “Umm. Sorry, but I was kind of busy.”

  Pulling out her phone, she opened her texts. It said she had seven unread messages. She scanned them.

  But it’s really important

  It will only take five minutes

  Katie please

  Katie?

  Katie! Katie! Katie! Katie!

  Okay, we’re coming to you

  She sighed and shoved her phone back into her pocket. They were here now, so she couldn’t ignore them. “What’s so important?”

  Alex gripped Katie’s shoulders. “We think we know where the key is.”

  Katie sat up straighter. “Really?”

  Lexi shoved her way into the corner, crowding their romantic little nook. “Yeah, see? It was an emergency.”

  Katie felt a surge of excitement grip her, and her hands shook like they were ready to hit that keyboard—or maybe the shaking had to do with all that caffeine. Then she remembered where she was and why: The Plan. Conquerors was important, but so was this. She couldn’t ditch Ben in the middle of their date. Sure, he might understand because he was just that sweet, but it didn’t feel right.

  “That’s awesome, you guys,” she said, suppressing the desire to hop on a computer and race for the key. “You’ll have to show me later this evening.”

  Alex jerked back like he’d been burned. He straightened up. “Later? But it’s the key. To the tournament.” He spoke slowly, like maybe she didn’t understand English or something.

  “And I’m on a date.”

  “But it will only take five minutes to show you,” Lexi said.

  “Sorry, guys. I’m busy.”

  “That’s okay,” Ben cut in. “I don’t mind. Why don’t you guys log onto number five?” He gestured to the closest computer. “I’ll set you up with fifteen minutes.”

  Katie was about to argue, but Alex clapped Ben on the back. “Thanks, pal.”

  Ben picked up their empty coffee cups, maybe out of habit. “Can I grab you another coffee?”

  Katie hadn’t realized she’d downed hers already. “Yeah, sure. Thanks.” If they continued to go on more dates, she’d have to switch to decaf.

  When she turned around, Alex was already sitting at station five, waiting for Ben to add internet time from the café’s main computer. When a message flashed across the screen that they had fifteen minutes, Alex’s fingers raced across the keyboard as he logged on.

  No one said anything as Conquerors of Caroon booted up. Finally, the game loaded and they were staring at Alex’s dark elf avatar, clearly in the middle of the Bogs.

  “There,” he said, folding his arms over his chest and leaning back, as though that explained everything.

  Katie frowned at the screen. “Where?”

  Alex zoomed his viewpoint in on the Bog’s low-lying mist. He tapped a finger against the screen, and Katie finally saw the monstrous tree far in the distance.

  Katie made a face. “The Great Tree? In the Woodlands? But that’s practically the beginning of the game. Why would it be hidden there?”

  “Because no one would think to look in the easiest place,” Lexi said. “People would be looking for the key in a newly added area, not integrated into something that already exists.”

  Katie chewed on her lip. “That’s possible.”

  “It’s definitely where the key is hidden,” Alex said firmly. “Remember what the herald told us? His message contained all the hints we needed. Valhalla, the sky’s the limit—”

  “Like nothing to walk the face of Caroon,” she added in a hushed voice, running it through her head. It all lined up. “Oh wow. You’re right.”

  “It was actually Lexi’s idea,” he said.

  Katie blinked. “Lexi?”

  Lexi nodded excitedly. A sudden twinge of jealousy pulled at Katie’s smile. She was usually the planner of the group, “the idea girl,” the one who solved the puzzles. And that expression on Alex’s face, the one of amazement and awe, was usually reserved for her. Instead, he was beaming at Lexi.

  Alex clapped his hands together. “So what are we waiting for? Let’s go get it.”

  Sighing, Katie shook her head. “Sorry guys. I can’t. Not right now.”

  Alex froze, and his face fell. “What?”

  “I’m on a date,” she said, in case he’d forgotten in the last five minutes. “With Ben.”

  “But this is it, Katie. This is what we’ve been working so hard for.”

  “I’m sorry. I have plans,” Katie told him simply. “You’ll have to wait until I’m done.” And because she wasn’t going to change her mind, she waved goodbye and returned to her date, who was setting fresh cups of coffee on the table.

  When she glanced back to the middle of the café, her friends were still standing there, stunned by her decision. Lexi looked disappointed. But Alex, well, he looked like he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. Katie Warner saying no?

  She realized this might have been the first time ever that she’d told him no, that she’d put her own wishes before his. Sure, she wanted to go to the tournament to win money for college. The team was relying on her, and Alex needed this for his brother, for his healing. But this afternoon wasn’t about any of them. It was about Katie’s goal to be a better her.

  It wasn’t like she was turning her back on the team. She was just taking a break for a couple hours to follow through with the plans she’d made with Ben. By the expression on Alex’s stunned face, though, it was like she’d just told him she never wanted to see him again. His face crumpled, and Katie felt so bad that she had to look
away, but she still didn’t cave.

  Katie smiled at Ben over her cup of coffee, feeling her eyes sting with tears, but she pretended not to hear the bell that dinged over the door as Alex left.

  Chapter Eight

  The dark elf sprang lightly from branch to branch as gracefully as someone performing parkour. Far below, the Woodlands spread out like green carpet, one tree indiscernible from the next. At least, it did when Alex could see it. They’d climbed so high up The Great Tree that the occasional cloud would drift across his screen, obscuring his view.

  “Hey, you guys,” Katie said. “Hurry up.”

  Alex angled his point of view to find Fairy_gurl dangling upside down from a branch like a trapeze artist. She was already way ahead of the group.

  “Easy for you to say,” Trevor said. “You can fly. One wrong move and you’re not hurdling toward a pancake-like death below.”

  “I’d imagine it to be more pizza-like,” Lexi said. “You know, messier.”

  Penny made a noise. “You’re probably right. But eww.”

  Alex may not have had wings, but he loved the agility of his character, how quickly and easily he moved. He hit the jump button and the elf leapt over a gap between branches to land on a leaf the size of a giant’s hand.

  “Nice move,” Katie said.

  Alex glanced up from his laptop. Katie was watching his screen from the other side of the couch while she waited for everyone to catch up. It was the first time they’d played alone together in a month, but they weren’t in their usual playing positions. In fact, nothing had been usual since he’d almost kissed her at paintball.

  Things felt strained between them. She’d actually sidelined them when they’d discovered the location of the key. His old Katie never would have done that. Or maybe the weirdness between them had more to do with him feeling sidelined.

  Instead of playing with them here, Lexi was joining them from her house. After they’d left Katie to her date at the internet café earlier that day, Lexi spent the entire trip back to Porterville in silence. Then she asked Alex if he could drop her off at home again, mumbling something about chores.

  The purple ogre grunted as he finally scrambled onto the same branch as Alex. He downed a potion to regain his stamina. “There can’t be much more, can there?” Penny asked. “We’ve already slugged through the Sulfur Swamps, battled the ant army, and made it through the Minotaur’s Maze. Besides, my bedtime is soon.”

  “I’m not sure,” Trevor said. “But I hope we find the key soon.”

  Not wanting to waste time, Alex maneuvered his elf through the group and took the lead. “We can’t quit yet. It’s now or never.” Whether it was by getting to the top or falling to their death, one way or another, they’d reach Valhalla that day.

  The remainder of the climb was perilous. The closer they got, the harder the wind tugged at their avatars and the weaker the vines grew. A heavy fog wrapped around them until Alex could barely see his next handhold. Three times, Dark_Prince nearly fell to his death.

  Everyone was concentrating so hard that no one spoke, so when Katie’s cell phone dinged, it made Alex jump. She picked it up, responding quickly before focusing on the game again. She did this a couple more times before he finally peeked at the screen. It was Barista Ben.

  He must have made some kind of sound, because Katie looked at him funny. She seemed almost euphoric about her recent dates with Ben. And that should have made Alex happy, but it didn’t.

  She covered her microphone with a hand so the others couldn’t hear. “Is everything okay?” she whispered.

  He covered his mic, too. “Yeah. I’m just anxious about finding the key.”

  She nodded. “Me, too.”

  Alex was about to tell her that she needed to focus and stop texting Ben when his screen suddenly brightened with a golden light. It evaporated the damp fog, and the scene around him revealed itself. Alex spun his character to take in the new region. They’d climbed right through the clouds where he could look down on their fluffy tops.

  It was a heavenly place, beautiful, with clean white clouds blushing in the sunset that didn’t seem to have a source. The pink light reflected off the tranquil water held in a pool surrounded by statues of women with wings. Giant marble pillars surrounded the calm space, but beyond their boundaries, the scene was forlorn in its vast emptiness.

  With light taps of his directional keys, he inched his avatar off the Great Tree to discover the fluffy clouds were in fact solid ground. Once everyone had joined him, a shadow fell over their group, and they all looked up to find a dark silhouette in the sky—a woman with two great, white wings like the statues around the pool. As she flew closer, her spear and shield glinted in the light.

  Heavy metal armor formed to fit her female figure perfectly, and a helm with two decorative silver wings covered her golden hair. By the dents and scratches in the scuffed metal, it looked like she’d seen many battles.

  She touched down lightly on the clouds in front of them. “Welcome, warriors. Your worldly suffering is now over. I am the Valkyrie sent to bring you to Valhalla.”

  As her impossibly blue eyes roamed over their rag-tag group, her smile faded. “I sense something’s amiss. You have not been released from your earthly shells.”

  “What?” Penny asked.

  “I think she means we’re not dead,” Trevor said.

  “Oh.”

  Alex was too impatient for chitchat. He flicked his cursor over to the next button above the Valkyrie.

  She reached beneath the low neckline of her tunic and drew out a delicate gold chain. Dangling from the end of it was a jewel-encrusted key. “I suppose you have come in search of this.”

  Penny squealed and Trevor cheered, nearly busting Alex’s headphones. He shared a look with Katie, and by her expression, she obviously didn’t think it was going to be that easy. They both sat up straight on the couch, getting ready for whatever came next.

  The Valkyrie’s eyes narrowed, a sardonic smile creeping over her pretty face. “I’m afraid I can’t give it to you. None who still belong to the living may partake in the treasures found here in Valhalla. A dilemma I can quickly rectify.”

  Penny gulped. “Rectify how?”

  The answer came as a thunderous boom that sounded in the distance. Moments later, the cloud beneath their feet trembled. The sound came again and again. The vibrations grew stronger until the glowing mists of Valhalla parted and a giant leather boot came to rest directly in front of Alex, followed shortly by its partner.

  Cranking his camera angle, Alex looked up. Way up. Their opponent was a giant Viking. His red hair and beard glowed in the sunset like his head was on fire beneath his horned helm.

  The Valkyrie smiled. “He will rectify it for me.”

  Alex equipped his biggest and strongest sword, which felt as useful as a toothpick at the moment. “Well, we wanted to get to Valhalla,” he said to the others. “Let’s just hope we don’t become permanent residents.”

  “Heads up!” Katie yelled as a golden axe the size of a bus came down on the group.

  Everyone scattered just as the axe cleaved the cloud in two where they’d been standing. A tremor ran through the ground, the jolt stunning everyone but Fairy_gurl who had taken to the air. Muscles spasming, it froze them to the spot. Unable to move his avatar, Alex could only watch as a rippling shockwave blew toward them.

  Wham! It knocked his avatar over, and he tumbled across the clouds, half his hit points depleted. He downed one of his healing potions; not a great start to the battle.

  Katie’s cell chimed again. She glanced at it for only a second, her sudden smile twisting Alex’s gut. She didn’t see the axe sweeping toward her.

  “Watch out!” Alex snapped.

  Katie looked back at her screen and tapped the keyboard. Her fairy ducked just in time. Narrowly missing her, the axe busted apart the pillar behind her. Debris flew through the air, taking several more of Alex’s hit points.

  A cloud of
dust swallowed Fairy_gurl, and for a minute he thought she was a goner. A second later, she flew into view, casting a healing spell on herself.

  Alex used up another healing potion and pulled off his headset. “Keep your head in the game. We’re in the middle of a battle. The battle. It’s kind of important.”

  She scowled, covering her mic. “Yeah. I get that. I know how important this is. You know I do.”

  “Are you sure?” he asked. “Because you weren’t exactly running to the nearest computer earlier today.”

  Her mouth fell open, and he bit the inside of his cheek. He wasn’t being fair. Why shouldn’t she have been on a date with Ben? He’d been with Lexi, after all.

  “The tournament is important to me,” she said. “But so was my date.”

  Alex snorted. “With Ben?”

  “What?” She flashed him a look. “Do you have a problem with Ben?”

  “Barista Ben? No, he’s cool. I just didn’t think he was your type.”

  “Not my type—” She was interrupted by a shout from Trevor.

  “Hello, guys! Are you there?”

  Alex put his headset back on. “Yeah. Yeah, sorry. We’re here.”

  “Hurry up,” he said. “The Viking’s open.”

  Alex spun his camera angle. The giant was struggling to remove his axe from the pillar’s rubble. He kicked aside chunks of marble and pulled on the handle of his weapon to free it.

  Equipping her bow, Katie had her fairy nock three arrows at once. Before the Viking could recover his weapon, she aimed for him and released. Two arrows were deflected by his armor. The third hit its mark.

  Alex raced Dark_Prince forward to help Lady_L and Sugarplum hack and slash at toes and ankles while Pizzalover’s spells sailed over their heads. But it wasn’t long before the Viking recovered his weapon. Swinging it around, his muscles tensed as he braced to bring it down on the group again.

  “Quick. Get to high ground,” Katie said.

  Alex scrambled up the nearest pillar and the others followed suit. This time they all avoided the paralyzing tremors and the resulting shockwave. When the giant swung at Alex’s pillar, he clung on until the very last moment. Just as the axe came down, he hit the jump button, and Dark_Prince leapt into the air.