Lovers: Boarding School

D:1

"Oh, how I missed you so much," he whispered before ripping his arms away from her and placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Uh. Um. Looks like I, uh, wasn't the only one that grew up," he said, his voice now quiet and his ears a bright pink. Violet noticed the boy was trying to look everywhere that wasn't her face...or her chest.

Well that's cute. Violet covered her mouth to hide her creeping smile.

"Oh no! You're gonna get wet!" said the boy as he scrambled to pick up the umbrella that was dropped on the ground during their quick hugging session. Violet didn't realize she was getting "wet" in the VW (virtual world) as she couldn't feel the rain and looked down at her uniform--more specifically, her white wet blouse.

Great, she thought, her lips tightening into a thin line. My first day at boarding school and I look like I'm entering a wet t--shirt contest.

XOXO

When Violet finally entered the school, she was finally able to access her game stats. Apparently avatar Violet was a second year student who transferred from a nameless ordinary high school. The boy that met her at the front entrance of the school was her best friend since childhood, Jack Invidia who was also a second year student and a vice-captain for the academy's basketball team. Other than that info (and that he calls her "Vivi"), Violet didn't know much about Jack. Violet wasn't bothered too much by the lack of character info though. She'd probably unmask more about him as the game progresses.

One interesting thing that Violet noticed once entering the school was when she was flipping through her game menus (via blinking). She noticed that one frame had hearts above Jack's head. Violet noted that there were two glowing pink hearts alongside three transparent ones floating above him. Below the hearts were two letters, "LG", which Violet guessed meant "Love Gauge". Other romance games had a similar system of determining affection but they were much more complicated, with stats and figures that measured every nuance in character development and interactions to a T.

How simple, she scoffed. But she gave the game the benefit of a doubt since it surprised her with amazing, hyper-realistic graphics that had incredible depth and detail. Also, the first romantic interest's character design was mouthwateringly hot.

Along with that affection system, there were also Interaction Options (IO) which were possible courses of action a player could choose when she is unsure of what to do in a possible scenario. The only two options that appeared to her currently were:

--> Have him help carry your luggage

--> Carry your own luggage

Violet didn't choose either option as the game seemed to be a Freelance Interaction Game (FIG) where players can do whatever they want and say whatever they want in the game as long as said actions fall under the rules of the game.

Besides, if a man--or boy--that was as hulking and as enthusiastic to help as Jack was, who wouldn't take the offer? She was a small petite girl after all.

"So this is your dorm," Jack said, his arms full of her heavy luggage. Despite the amount, he didn't seem tired or bothered at all. Instead, he seemed excited, even eager to help.

Definitely an innocent childhood friend/stock jock character with a masochistic streak. Violet looked up at her lashes. Who also has a long and unbearable unrequited love with his childhood friend/main player/me, she added.

The two walked down a long hallway with windows that faced onto the interior grounds of the school. The trees outside were splashed with reds, oranges, and gold and although the sky outside was a murky gray, Violet could tell that her dorm had a picturesque view of the place.

"Thanks Jack," said Violet. She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear as Jack placed her belongings in front of her dorm room.

"You sure you don't want me to put your stuff inside?" Jack said, looking up at her as he placed the last of her luggage on the floor.

"It's alright. Besides I need to change my shirt." Violet slowly unclasped the bow around her neck and started to unbutton the collar of her very transparent blouse. It didn't help that her black lacy push up bra was peeking out from her shirt. What also didn't help was her "unconsciously"  biting her lower lip while stripping herself of said wet shirt.

"I, uh, show, around, you, place, uh," Jack stammered, his face reddening and malfunctioning. "See ya at Chemistry," he managed to pull out before sprinting down the hall.

Definitely a virgin. Violet inwardly smirked.

When Jack left her line of vision, a chill slithered down her spine—in the VW and in RL. She twirled around and saw nothing on either end of the hallway. Her eyes slowly looked to the window in front of her and she approached it with legs bearing cement block weights.

She looked down at the base of a tree and her eyes widened and her heart skipped a beat--in a bad way.

Below her was a figure that was neither shadow nor human. It was hard to determine what he--or it--looked like because of the storm outside and the lack of light in the background.

But there was one thing that she was sure of; the figure below was looking directly at her.