TJ heaved an exaggerated sigh as he spun the combination on his locker and opened it up. Inside were several pieces of artwork from last year’s Tolkien calendar and a little figurine of a dragon with a ruby crystal in its mouth. “First of all, have you ever noticed that when someone says ‘no offense,’ they’re about to say something really offensive? Just saying.” Allison chuckled again and punched him in the shoulder. “Anyway,” he continued, “some people had lives before high school. It just so happens that before he got all tall and handsome and buff and athletic, he was something of a geek too. His big brother came home from school with a Dungeons and Dragons rulebook one day and he was hooked. I’ve seen him at some gaming events from time to time over the years, but since freshman year, when he started playing football in the fall and running track in the spring, he’s kinda dropped out of the scene.”
“So why is he getting back into it now?”
“You got me. I just saw his name on the list of people who signed up for this weekend’s event. From what I understand, the story line is going to be pretty epic. Maybe it was just too good for him to pass up. If you come, you’ll be able to ask him yourself.”
“Yeah, I don’t know. Who else is coming?” TJ could see Allison was beginning to waver. As they walked down the hallway to where her own locker was, he began ticking off names.
“Well, there’s Jimmy, of course. He’s been talking about it for weeks, even replaced most of his equipment and added a few pieces of armor. I bet he’s going to look pretty slick.”
Allison’s eyebrow was cocked again, and he shot her a wry grin.
“Yeah, well, take my word for it,” TJ continued. “He’s big into the details, no joke. So yeah, there’s Jimmy. Chuckles will hopefully make an appearance, though he hasn’t confirmed yet. If we end up in any dungeons this weekend and don’t have a thief handy, we’re going to be in some deep trouble.” He grinned at his pun, and Allison rolled her eyes. TJ shrugged. “Well, they can’t all be winners. Oh, there’s this guy Stu, whom I haven’t met, but Jimmy says he’s pretty cool. His mom can sew really well, and she made him this full costume in forest greens and browns, so he’s all camoed and stuff. I think that’s it.”
Allison stopped in front of her locker and began working the combination. “So what you’re saying is that I’m going to be the only girl?”
“Well, Leslie Tiller is going to be there. She’s really nice, but not your type.” Leslie also played for the football team. As starting nose tackle. TJ gestured to the inside of Allison’s locker. Hanging inside were her first pair of pointe shoes and a photo of herself posing with a counselor at the performing arts camp where she spent much of her summers.
“Gotcha. Well, fair enough.”
“And those are really the only people I know are coming. There are always lots of other folks who show up whom I’ve never met before. People from other areas who travel about. Newbies coming for the first time. There aren’t going to be many, but are you going to be the only girl there?” He shrugged. “I doubt it. And anyway, look at it this way. That’s fewer girls around Simon this weekend. Maybe you guys could really hit it off.”
“Yeah, right.” She didn’t sound convinced.
TJ shot her his best smile. “Mayyybeee . . .”
Allison gave him a long-suffering look and sighed as she shut her locker. “Oh, OK. I’ll come, though if it’s not fun, I’m blaming you. K? And you have to come to Bring a Friend Day at the dance studio this spring. In a tutu.”
The grin on his face faltered slightly as images of ballet flashed through his mind, but he recovered quickly. “K! What are best friends for?” They turned from the lockers and headed outside to the buses. “My gear is all packed already. I’ll come home with you and help you get your stuff together. You wouldn’t happen to have a bedroll, would you?” The incredulous look on her face answered the question. “Though I guess a regular sleeping bag will do the trick,” he blurted. As TJ rattled on about the advantages of wool fabric versus cotton for cloaks, Allison wondered if she knew what she was getting herself into.
CHAPTER 2
The air was crisp the next morning when TJ’s mom pulled into Allison’s driveway. The weather forecast predicted a beautiful weekend: clear skies, highs in the lower seventies, and lows only in the upper fifties. Nothing a bedroll—or a sleeping bag— couldn’t handle. Despite the warm temperatures, autumn was in the air and the leaves had begun to change color. As far as TJ could tell, it all pointed to a glorious event. He hopped out of the car and went to ring the doorbell. He waited a few moments and then rang the bell again.
“Geez, keep your shirt on, I’ll be right there!” Allison’s voice was muffled through the heavy door. Sighing, TJ leaned back against the low railing that surrounded the porch and prepared to wait. Allison’s parents, having learned of her last-minute plans to go “fight monsters” in the surrounding countryside, wasted no time planning their own weekend getaway. They were flying out to Atlantic City for two nights at one of the newest and ugliest casinos on the boardwalk. Their cab had come to take them away at 5:00 a.m., and they were no doubt already in the air toward their glitzy weekend. Allison was an only child, so there wasn’t anyone else to invite TJ in. He sighed again.
Suddenly, the door jerked open. TJ’s jaw dropped at the sight of Allison’s costume. There she was—at least he thought it was her—dressed ready for a battle, an opera, or maybe both. She had donned a sky-blue dress that swirled around her legs in the light breeze caused by the opening door. Her torso was encased in a plastic replica of a bronze breastplate, with outrageously sized domes on her chest. Topping off the ensemble was a Viking helmet, one giant horn turned up and one turned down.
“So, how do I look? Am I going to fit in?” Allison grinned from ear to ear.
“Um. Well. Um.” TJ stalled as he tried to formulate a response. “That’s not exactly what we discussed on your packing list last night. What happened?”
“Well, you know how my uncle has that amateur theater company over on Jefferson Street? I gave him a call last night and this is what he dropped off. I think I look smashing!” She gave a little twirl, letting the bottom of the robes billow out into a bell shape around her legs. “He said that I need to make sure that I don’t get it dirty, but I’m sure these robes can be dry-cleaned if it comes to that.”
“Well. Um.”
Allison’s eyes narrowed and she gave her friend a little pout. “You’re not going to tell me I look ridiculous, are you? Because if so, you’re off to slay dragons this weekend alone.” She nodded curtly for emphasis.
TJ needed only the slightest pause to blurt out, “Oh no, Allie! You’ve got that look down. I think you’re going to fit right in!” In truth, he was pretty sure that she wouldn’t. But he knew that geeks are notoriously unwilling to mock the way other people dress, so she wouldn’t actually hear anything about it. He just hoped no one was planning on bringing a camera. The last thing he wanted was to cause ridicule for his best friend for the rest of her life.
“By the way,” she added suspiciously. “Why aren’t you dressed yet? This isn’t some big joke, is it?”
“Oh no,” he replied hurriedly. “I just have the wizard robe and hat. I’ll toss them on when we get there.”
She looked appeased, but he still decided a strategic change of subject was in order. “Where’s all your stuff? Let me help you get it loaded up.”
“Oh, I don’t have a whole lot of stuff to bring. There’s my sleeping bag. I mean bedroll.” She flashed a grin. “And I’ve got just a few other things. It all fits in my backpack over there. If you want to grab it, I’ll get my bedroll and we can hit the road.” TJ stepped inside the house. Her bag was waiting beneath a small cherry table. The lights from the chandelier overhead reflected in the mirror that faced the door. For perhaps the millionth time, he considered how cool it must be to have two lawyers for parents. The backpack looked just as advertised, but when he hefted it onto his shoulder he let out a groan.