Lockdown

I pressed lightning fast on the computer mouse, sending a buzz of sharp clicks and clacks throughout the incredibly small computer lab. The screen only responded with a still battlefield of wizards and warriors, frozen in time as a small, barely spinning circle popped up in the corner of the picture. The loading icon, as if fatigued, barely chugged on and would stop and start, stop and start, stop... and start, filling my chest with a waxing and waning hope that quickly diminished.

"Come on... there's like 20 minutes left in the damn period..." I grunted under my breath. I balled up my fist, about to slam down on the desk in anger, but stopped, reminding myself that I have to stay quiet. This was a pretty small computer room that no one in the school uses, ever since they installed those expensive ones in the library as part of a "leap into the future" program. It was old and the janitors never really got to cleaning it after school, so it even smelled a bit funky; but nothing so trivial was going to detain me away from my game. The room was on the basement floor, so the only light came from the shutter windows lining the top of the room, where the walls met the ceiling. But even then, the light was diminished by what I could only guess were a bunch of trees. But now all the teachers, faculty, and students hang out in the library, leaving this cramped, old, dank and decrepit room to myself. But that didn't mean I was totally safe, there was still a few classrooms nearby, still in session.

I stared at the loading icon with murderous intent. "Should I restart?... No, I can't lose another..." However, just then, the knob on the door began to jiggle around furiously. I froze. No one ever comes in here! I didn't know what to do. Should I hide under the desks?... No, that would be silly. My hand thrust towards the power button on the PC, but suddenly the game sprung back to life. By foolish instinct, my hand went for the mouse again, just as the door burst open, and a girl walked in.

"Amanda?" I exclaimed, jerking back in my chair. "Is... Isn't this your free period?" She seemed just as surprised to see me, so at least she wasn't sent to look for me or anything.

"And this is supposed to be your Gym period!" she retorted, pouting and putting her hands on her hips, trying to seem intimidating to little effect. Amanda was a short girl (but really only a little shorter than me), and was widely seen as cute by the entire student body. But she made up for that ten-fold with her fiery attitude; but that really just made her seem even more adorable to most.

"Ah, someone's keeping track of my schedule, I see?" I joked, nervously scratching my cheek as I tried to diffuse the tension. She responded by marching up to me and drilling her fist into my head. It just barely hurt enough to make me wince and let out a small, pathetic whimper of pain. She reeled back in laughter. "That's not funny, I need my head for important things!"

"Like what? Video games?" she countered, as she looked at my computer screen, with my character now being assaulted by fireballs eventually killed without my control. I threw my hands up in frustration as Amanda laughed even harder. "You can't even dodge that simple spell!" she snorted out through her laughter.

"I wasn't even-" There was no use, she already took to the keyboard and mouse, hitting a key and checking my scores.

"Three wins... seven losses? With this low of a rank... come on." She continued to scroll through, pointing at various statistics and points and just shaking her head. "What's your excuse, huh? You always have one."

I stayed silent, and looked down at the floor, but was able to cough out a half-answer. "Don't have anyone to play with nowadays." I looked back up. Her gleeful smirk melted into a small frown. She sighed.

"What about-"

"You know everyone from the ol' neighborhood moved away." I sat back in the chair and crossed my arms.

"Oh, don't be so dramatic... There's..." She looked up to the ceiling, desperately trying to come up with an answer. Her finger shot up as she thought she had one, but she quickly shook her head no.

I let out a laugh and forced a smile. "It's fine, it's fine, don't worry." She sighed again.

"Listen, I know I've been... distant-"

"Amanda I get it. You're in the... 'big leagues' now," I said with air quotes. "This isn't middle school anymore... This is..." I looked down and shook my head. "Jesus, it's the senior year of high school." It was just starting to hit me. I looked at the computer screen, feeling a bit of shame; I was an eighteen year-old, still sneaking around to play video games in school.

She smiled a bit as well. "Yeah, it feels like it was just yesterday we were playing game after game to climb the ranks, and watching all of those... 'pro-gamer guides' on YouTube."

I laughed, "That was like four- No, five years ago."

"Oh my god, remember when, when, uh..." she excitedly sat in the chair next to me as she attempted to remember. "Oh! It was that one video, with that old-looking guy explaining that old teleportation spell technique-"

"Oh jeez, how could I forget. And we were like, 'why is there a seventy year-old playing this game'-"

"And it turned out that dude was only like-"

"Twenty-nine." I answered, matter of factly, followed by a smirk. Then, we both laughed hard, keeling over.

Amanda shot back up and shouted, "No way, he had to have been like... at least forty." It felt nice. I felt like I had warped back five years. We kept on laughing. But that was followed by silence.

"Oh! Uh..." I piped up. "Remember... when..." I gulped. "Nah, nah... forget it..."

"What?"

"Nah, it's..." I coughed nervously. "It's dumb." Why did I even say anything. My entire face started to heat up and I felt like my eyes were going to pop out of my head. I was definitely starting to turn as red as an ogre.

"Oh... that." She looked down.

"That- it's nothing. That was like, fresh- freshman year?"

"...Yeah" she answered quietly.

"I- that's just..." I couldn't find the words. "I shouldn't have brought it up. I mean you have a boyfriend and all now, and I was just remembering things-"

"No! No, it's okay. Yeah, we're just remembering things." There was another awkward silence. But she followed up, smiling and laughing a little, "How did that even happen?"

The nervousness started to slowly lift its heavy weight off of my shoulders. "Oh, like... I think that was the night after the last of the gang moved away."

"Oh yeah, they got into those really fancy prep schools, right?"

"Yeah, the ones with the five-star cafeteria food or something."

"And, uhh, the five-star education," she chided back, and I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, whatever. I think that was the night where we were trying to make two-player Dungeons and Dragons work out."

"Jesus, that sounds like a bad..." she stopped.

"Idea?"

"Uh, nothing, I was just saying that sounds like a bad..." she waved her hand in a circle, looking for the word. "Euphemism for... you know."

"What?" I thought for a second. "Oh... Oh!... Oh! For like... yeah, I-" I scratched the back of my head and let loose a really awkward laugh as my face got red again. "Yeah it sounds like-"

"Yeah, no, it's-" she smiled and shook her head, "that was a stupid joke."

"No, no it was funny. I get it," I said encouragingly, trying not to make her feel bad. Then I said the worst thing ever: "That's not what happened that night, though."

I chuckled like a dumbass. I looked up at Amanda who was looking at me like I just said I was going to assassinate the president or something.

However, she slowly started to smirk again and raise her eyebrows, "Yeah, not in a million years."

"Oh, never," I emphasized in an over-dramatic tone, causing Amanda to laugh a bit again.

Suddenly, the door slowly opened, and a boy's head peaked in. It was him. It was Amanda's boyfriend.

"Hey, here you are!" He said with a bright, ear-to-ear smile.

Amanda started to blurt out, "Oh my god, I'm so sorry, I was supposed to meet you in the library but I just found an old friend here and-"

I blurted out an unnecessarily loud and impromptu "Hi!" I started to lift out of my seat because I just wanted to dash out, but he was already coming at me for a handshake. The guy was so built and muscular that I had to stop myself from flinching.

"Oh of course I know you!" he shouted joyfully following with a shining, almost luminescent smile. He took my hand with the most firm handshake I've ever received; it was so firm and yet so warm and comfortable that I felt like this was a job interview of some sort. "Amanda's told me all about you!"

"Oh, shit- I mean- Oh, wow... not everything, I hope!" I joked with a chuckle, glancing at Amanda, but she was already reassuring me with a quick, stealthy head-shake "no." The dude was still shaking my hand with his tree-trunk of an arm.

I didn't know what more to say, so I just thought I'd make friendly conversation. "You... you're like the captain of the chess club, right? Jeez, are the pieces, like, 50 pounds each or something?" I joked, trying not to stare right at his bulging biceps.

He laughed heartily and genuinely, "That's a good one! Amanda told me you were funny! Oh my god, you are just like that comedian!"

Amanda perked up, "Oh right, yeah I was talking about that the other day; we went to see that comedian that everyone's been raving on about- forget his name."

"Anyway, no, the lord didn't bless me with these muscles for-" he started to chuckle again, remembering my "joke", "-not for chess, silly!" He began to laugh again.

Amanda continued for him, "He volunteers after his college-prep courses and is building houses for the homeless-"

"Oh, stop it, Amanda!" He retorted, looking back at me. "We have to stay humble; we can't be bragging about this and that."

"No, man, that's actually really cool, I actually need to stock up on some volunteer hours before I graduate," I laughed nervously.

"You haven't done that yet?" Amanda scolded me.

"Well he's obviously a busy guy, Amanda!" he defended. "I just have the free time! He must be studying his heart out!"

"Y-yup," I gulped.

"Yeah." Amanda sneered, glaring at me and my incompetence.

"If you want, I could put in a word at the volunteer center!" he offered with a warm smile.

"Oh thanks, but I don't think that physical labor is my thing." I became increasing

"It's not all physical, there's also a soup kitchen we just got done with a few months ago!"

I perked up, "Then, yeah, sure, you'll see me there."

"Peachy!" he let loose his shining pearls in another big smile. "Well, Amanda, it's almost time for the next period, and..." he stopped. His moviestar smile slowly morphing into a soap-opera worthy frown. "Oh." he let out solemnly.

"Is everything okay?" Amanda exclaimed.

"W-what's the matter?" I stuttered.

His gaze was fixated on none other than my computer screen.

"Oh th-this? This is just-" That's when I saw it. The cheap plastic badge that was now glistening firmly into my eye sockets: the emblem of the peer disciplinary team. "Hey, now- listen, I was just letting off a little steam- you know-" I babbled, "with- the- you know-" I mumbled. "Studying hard, and all that?"

He sighed. "I only do this... because I care about you people."

"Oh, cool, cool, cool, cool," I'm not sure how many "cools" would've dissolved this situation, but it was easy to tell he wasn't letting me off the hook.

"Oh come on, it's just a dumb game, it's not like he's skipping class," Amanda quickly winked at me.

He sighed again. "But, he is, isn't he?"

Amanda laughed, "He's a bit lazy but he would never-"

"Show me your schedule."

"Listen, buddy," I stammered out without a shred of charisma or confidence. "That's... private information." Even I didn't buy that. Amanda squinted her eyes at me in confusion. That was really the best I had. He wasn't having it, he stuck his hand out.

"I don't have it," I defended.

"Don't make me go look it up." He stared deep into my soul with a soul-piercing defiance. "If I look it up on the peer discipline server, and you have class now, that'll be three write-ups."

"Three!? Just for playing games?"

Amanda was stunned. "That's a little unfair, don't you-"

"One for games, one for cutting class, and one for lying to a peer leader."

I began to feel the sweat bead up on my forehead. "Dude, please, three write-ups means suspension."

"I know. I'm just doing what I have to do. This is for your own good. I really mean that." I froze. What the hell can I do now? He was really only giving me one choice.

Amanda shot up from her seat and placed her hand on his enormous shoulder. "You're being ridiculous, he's a close friend of mine, just let him go... please?" Amanda fluttered her eyes.

However, his commanding aura did not waver. In fact, he turned his head to her. "Sorry, but I'm going to have to write you up too."

"What!? For what? Am I an accomplice?" she sharply accused.

"The keyboard and mouse are near your side of the desk. You were playing too. You didn't stop him." He declared, coldly.

"Please, please, this is my second write up." she urged.

"Wait, really?" I blurted out.

"Then you should've been more careful." He insisted.

"Alright, bro-" I cut in.

"I would love to be your 'bro', but you need to follow the rules."

"What do you want; money?"

"I just told you-"

"I know, I know, the whole peer-leader thing, but come on, man, you got a quota or something? Because I know of a couple of kids that just go out after school and smoke a bunch of weed and they-"

"My quota consists of the entire student body; my mission will end when each and every one of you-"

I buried my hands in my face and groaned in annoyance. His mission? Is this guy some kind of comic book villain? "Ok, Amanda wasn't even playing. I was here, cutting class, and playing by myself... and then she came here, for, uh... some reason." I was actually a bit puzzled at that. Why did she come here in the first place?

"Ok, whatever, I'm late for class- write me up, or whatever." Amanda stormed out.

"Amanda, please, be reasonable!" he urged and called after her, but she was long gone. He sighed. He proceeded to write something on his notepad that he carries around, most likely for this very reason. "I'll let you off with two write-ups, even though you attempted to lie to me. Please see the office after school in order to fill out the appropriate paperwork."

"Gee, thanks."

"No problem, just don't do it again," he encouraged with his famous smile.

"I was being- ugh, forget it."

He went to leave but suddenly stopped and turned to me again. "Also, don't try anything during today's lockdown drill."

"That's today?"

"Everyone in the school will be doing this very important safety drill. All the doors will automatically lock-"

"They can do that?"

"Yes, so please, for your own safety, do not try cutting the lockdown this afternoon. I know it's a prime opportunity to sneak away and play games- believe me I'd love to cut class and play a few rounds of chess; but we won't, will we?"

"We won't." I sighed.

"Good, we're all settled then! Just remember, if you're found in the halls, or any unauthorized classrooms during the lockdown, you will be written up on sight." He said with glee as he cheerfully marched out. I looked on in awe, and wondered how a person could be so astonishingly dense. Then I looked at the time and immediately jolted out of the seat for class, fearing I'd get written up for being late.

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I groggily marched out of class into an empty hallway. I was so tired, having been through that entire ordeal with Amanda and her boyfriend, on top of thinking about the class. However, I started to think about this positively; if I can't sneak off and play video games anymore, then that'll probably be good for me. It was already embarrassing enough getting caught by Amanda in the first place. Maybe I can finally grow up and sink my time into something useful, like studying or something. Anyway, I needed a break. I sat down by my locker and put on a beanie with some wireless headphones on, so no one could. These were a birthday gift from Amanda, surprisingly it was during the time she was so distant. She tried to reach out and hang out but something came up at the time. "So you can listen to music so your lazy-ass won't get caught in school!" I quietly repeated to myself, mimicking her voice. I'm glad she stopped by today. I usually keep to myself for most the day, interacting with people when I'm forced to. It's never a problem; I'm never lonely, just alone. Peace is nice, but even with Amanda, I feel like that peace is still there.

I let my thoughts drift as I sat there, listening to music. I thought of her cute face, and her dumb snorty laugh. She always had that in middle school, too. She was always self conscious about her nose, that it was "too small," and looked "mutated." But I always thought it was adorable. And whenever she thought of something funny to say, she'd blurt it out, even if she was interrupting you, or even if it wasn't even funny. But I liked that about her. She wasn't reserved and dainty like most girls. She always cared and was always on my case, but I knew it was out of care. Even in middle school. I thought about that day... when we were trying to play Dungeons and Dragons, just the two of us... and I thought about her soft lips... and the smell of her hair. I thought of her when she was in the computer room with me...

But a sudden idea halted my train of thought. She hasn't really changed much... maybe I'm the one that became distant? Why is that...? Is it just because she stopped playing games with me... or... did I stop playing with her? Suddenly, down the hall, the answer came rushing down in a panic.

"Shit, shit!" Amanda cried, but suddenly she spotted me and I spotted her.

Amanda was only wearing a tight, white tank top, so tight her bra showed through the fabric easily, along with short, short... short black gym shorts, also pretty tight. Her smooth legs and thick thighs were out on display; smooth and shapely. Her clothes hugged her around all of her curves, and as she ran, she bounced so heavily that I was afraid that everything might just suddenly spill out. Her breasts were larger than I thought... I had never seen Amanda this way. As soon as she spotted me, she halted.

"Aman...man...oh man...what..." I spattered out my words but most of the blood in my brain had gone elsewhere.

She explained hastily, "I forgot my gym clothes, and I borrowed a friend's, but I didn't know it would... just..."

"Yeah..." dribbled out of my mouth as I struggled the hardest I had ever struggled in my life to keep eye contact.

"Oh my god, really?" She definitely noticed my wavering resolve.

"Sorry! Sorry... Oh come on, give me a break; it's all out there." I just turned my entire body away from her, but I turned my head for just a second, only to be met with her intense glare of disdain as she slapped me hard on the shoulder multiple times.

"Fuck! Ow!"

"Stop it, stop it, stop it! Help me find some clothes!"

"What the fuck am I supposed to do? Take you to Macy's?" She hit me again.

"Is everything a joke to you! You have no idea how embarrassed I am!"

"Clearly!" One more swing, that I dodged, but she followed up with an impressively swift kick. The more she outraged the more she bounced and jiggled.