Monday came and with it another test. Everyone hated the Monday tests. Why any teacher choose to start the week off with a test was anyone's guess. Sure they claimed to be insuring the class had completely learned what they needed to the previous week. But most of the students were sure the teacher was just a sociopath.
They were back to Jake and Cassandra. But things were changing slowly. When they had logged off the night before both had stood outside the log out rooms awkwardly. For Jake, it was exactly how he imagined taking a girl home from a date would have felt. He had started to believe the kiss earlier in the day was all in his head. Then when it was time to log out he wondered if she would kiss him again. When she didn't he wasn't sure what to make of her sudden good night and rushing into the log out room after both stared at one another for what felt like ages.
Both of them finished the Monday test almost immediately. Then spent the rest of the time tossing each other glances. Something that didn't go unnoticed. Not only did Tom and Micky notice it was clear Gerri did too. She gave him several glares that he returned with confused shrugs.
"Hey." Cass sat down across from him at lunch earning angry looks from Tom and Micky. The presence of a girl killed their conversation. It had been about girls.
"Hey Cass." Jake replied. He felt his face flush. 'Why do I get embarrassed talking to her at school.' His thoughts came quickly as Tom and Micky gave him open mouthed looks of shock at his casual greeting.
Gerri, Cassandra's friend sat down next to her seeming put out by the change of tables.
"How do you think you did on the test?" Cass asked as if it was normal to be chatting casually with the boy she had spent most of the year being hostile to. Tom and Micky were instantly upset with her casual demeanor on their friend's behalf.
"It was super easy. You finished even before me though." Jake replied unable to meet her eyes.
"Whoa what is going on here?" Tom finally asked, waving his fork between the two.
"What?" Jake asked defensively his ears burning in embarrassment.
"Since when have you two been all buddy buddy?" The shocked teen asked.
"Just because you two still act like little kids afraid of cooties doesn't mean everyone else needs to as well." It was Gerri, not Cass who answered, shocking everyone.
"What?" She asked at their expression of exasperation.
Tom and Micky shared a look and then ignored her, turning their attention back to Jake and Cassandra. "Seriously what is going on here?" Tom narrowed his eyes. "You two have both been getting perfect scores." He snapped his fingers. "You two have been studying together. That is practically cheating! No fair. Let us in on it too."
Cass and Jake shared a look that only Gerri caught. They had talked before about their rise in grades despite neither of them studying lately. All their free time had been going into the game. They had even debated if raising their intelligence in game had somehow made them smarter in real life. But it was such a crazy idea that neither believed it. But on the other hand, they couldn't refute that their grades had skyrocketed even beyond their previous high scores.
"You have been!" Micky exclaimed. "Seriously you have to let us study with you. If I fail any more tests my mom is going to disown me!"
Jake muttered something. "What?" Micky asked.
"I said we haven't been studying." Jake said a bit louder.
"But you HAVE been spending time together. What have you been doing." It was Gerri speaking.
"How did you know we have?" Jake glanced to Cass who frowned at him.
"Ha! I knew it." Gerri looked somehow smug while glaring at him.
"You have?" Both the boys exclaimed. Then started patting Jake on the back and shoulders. "Way to go man! She is a pain in the ass but she is hot."
"I'm RIGHT here." Cass let out an exasperated breath before getting up with her tray. "Ugh, you should choose your friends better. I'll see you tonight Jake." Her attitude was back to normal for Cassandra but it didn't matter. Suddenly, Tom and Micky were more interested in what was going on.
"DUDE! Wait! You said you got to second base with a girl? Was it HER? Tell me it was her!" Jake thought Tom might start drooling right there.
"Man, Cass is right. You two are idiots." Jake got up as well.
Their test scores for that day were both perfect.
**********
When Jake logged in he was met by Cass who acted as if nothing had happened. Eventually, as they walked towards the next spot they wanted to try hunting he asked about it. She explained that Gerri had been pestering her to hang out as they normally had. She had let slip she was meeting someone and that she had already promised him. That started a whole can of worms. Gerri was Cassandra's closest friend, although Jake got the impression it was more along the lines of his friendship with Tom and Micky. Eventually, she admitted that Gerri seemed to almost idolize her which made things awkward for Cassandra. It set an expectation Cassandra felt obligated to meet. Gerri had gone mad with a need to know who this mysterious boy Cassandra was meeting was.
When Cassandra wouldn't give up the details she had gone about trying to figure it out on her own. When Cass had moved to sit at the table with Jake it appeared she figured it out and sprung her trap. Both Jake and Cassandra found themselves embarrassed by the sudden attention they were now getting from their classmates.
Luckily for Cass and Merc, nothing much changed.
By Friday most of the drama in the class had faded. With only Tom and Micky really giving Jake much trouble. Mostly for details on all the sordid things they were sure their friend was doing with his new Girlfriend. The fact that every time they called Cass his girlfriend he turned beet red and decried that she wasn't his girlfriend seemed to only make things worse.
In game, the two had tried a number of different hunting spots. Killing monsters of all different types. From the Rock Rollers, they hunted Flame Vultures. Giant birds that looked like turkey vultures but spit globs of goo that erupted into flames. They gave them Dexterity and Speed mutagen. Hulking monsters called Spindle Grubs. They were caterpillars twice as tall as Jake but with seven huge muscular legs that looked more suited for a rhino. Four on one side three on the other. Why they had an odd number of limbs neither could figure out. The back of the creature was covered in long quills. But its main source of attack was simply trampling their foes. They provided Strength and Vitality.
There were other monsters they ran into but only rarely and not intentionally. The Limb Tarantula was probably the worst. It looked like a normal sand trap tarantula when it erupted from its hidden burrow as they passed. Only the size of a small truck with each of its eight legs ending not in a hard spike but human looking hands and feet in a strange mix match. Other than the sudden ambush it ended up being a relatively easy fight for them. The Tarantula was the only intelligence mutagen they had received.
Sadly, they were unable to find any more.
Cass didn't seem to mind the lack of intelligence mutagen and seemed more focused on getting Jake's attributes increased. Jake had grown frustrated with not only his lack of progress no matter how many Mutagen he absorbed. But felt useless most of the time they played together.
His role had become almost exclusively distraction and ammunition carrier. The vultures were the worse since he had no way to help against the airborne enemies. Combined with the fact all other players simply called him the D rank was really getting on his nerves. Even when they were offered the chance to group up. Jake normally refused now feeling like he would just be dead weight. Cass insisted that he was being too hard on himself but it did little to abate his annoyance. Yet every night that week they logged in and hunted together. As much to play the game as to spend time together. They still hadn't met outside the game or school. The status of their relationship was in the air. But so far both seemed ok with that.
Jake's adamant refusal of Cassandra as his girlfriend actually hurt her feelings though she hadn't yet said anything. Mostly because she found herself too embarrassed to refute his claims and declare him her boyfriend or her his girlfriend. Plus, even after she boldly kissed him he hadn't made a move at all. Every night they stood outside the logout rooms staring awkwardly at each other.
Finally, she had enough. After several weeks had passed when they found themselves once again staring at each other in strained silence she made her move. "Do you want to get together tomorrow?"
Jake's surprised expression was visible with his mask off. Every night he retracted his mask hoping for her to make the first move. "Like a date?" He squeaked making Cass suddenly self conscious.
"No, um just like I could come over and we could both log in from your house." She wanted to kick herself. It sounded stupid even to her.
"Yeah. Sure that would be fun." Jake finally replied. Both thought the situation was silly but neither was brave enough to push forward.
'At least it is something.' Cass thought as she logged out.