"Yeah, look. Jeff is making twice what you are this year, and it's just going to go up. In his mind, there's no reason to stay in school, since the gaming scene pays really, really well. They like his look. A few piercings, some crazy-colored hair, and his offers from sponsors go up. He doesn't do drugs, he doesn't commit crimes, he just plays video games. Both you and I want him to graduate, but legally, he's his own boss. You tell him to change his look, and he'll walk."
"Well, rules are rules," the woman said.
"Right," Riley grumbled. "So you want to see an aspiring engineer or programmer drop out of high school because he dyed his hair blue and has a bit of jewelry? I don't think that's exactly the goal you should be going for."
Ms. Gregory narrowed her eyes. "My hands are tied on this, Ms. Andrews. If he gets another warning for it, I will suspend him."
Riley just nodded. "Ok. Then I'll sue you for discrimination, prohibiting free speech, and loss of income. That's not a problem. So you know, my boyfriend's a pretty impressive attorney. The media loves me. Did you know I was on the front page of the Times?" She smiled sweetly, pausing to make sure this bitch was paying attention. "Oh, and you can ask most of the teachers here if my threats are empty. I assure you, they're not. Change the dress code."
With a cruel smile, Riley held out her hand for the note that excused Knock's absence from school. When the principal begrudgingly offered it, Riley snatched the slip of paper and left without another word. The halls were crowded with teenagers, and quite a few looked at her.
"QQ!" Knock yelled.
Riley stopped to find where his voice was coming from, turning toward the sound. A guy stood by the front doors with one arm thrust over his head and a cluster of teens around him. His loose pants were black and almost dragged on the ground. The silver-studded belt was stark against it, but his T-shirt was a brilliant blue, almost the same color as his hair. He'd shaved both sides and let the top grow a bit too long. Basically, he looked like the typical punk on the gamer scene, and just like Riley's little brother.
"Hey, Knock," she said, grinning as she made her way over.
"Sis!" He held up a fist, and she tapped her own against it before moving to his side to slip an arm around his waist.
"The principal is a fucking cunt," she said, and the kids around him laughed.
"Yeah, that was my problem. She keeps saying I can't wear the piercings," Knock said.
"She hates your hair too," Riley told him. "Seriously, take out the lip ring for class if it's that big of a deal, but if they won't budge on the hair, fuck 'em."
"Yeah," he agreed. "Hey, my friends wanted to meet you. They said I was full of shit."
"Which part? That you're Knock, or that you're living with QQ?"
"Both," a very elegant-looking guy said. "So, he's the real deal?"
Riley nodded. "Yeah. You watch the Denver stream?"
All five of them nodded. It was only then that she realized one of them was a girl. Her clothes were just as baggy, her hair just as short, and she made no move to stand out.
"Ok, well, then you saw him play," Riley said. "He's fucking good."
"What's your kill to death ratio?" the girl wanted to know.
"Which game?" Riley asked, mostly joking. "In Eternal Combat, I'm still a bit under a 9, but in the tournaments, I'm running about 12.6."
"Shit!" a guy in all black breathed. "No fucking way!"
"Knock pulled a 9.4 at Denver," she said, turning to him. "What are you running in EC?"
He scoffed. "Daily, around 6, but my overall is only 4.1. I'd played a long time before you and Void started giving me pointers."
"Void?" the girl asked, her eyes lighting up.
Knock laughed, jerking his thumb at her. "She's got the hots for him, Q."
Riley nodded. "Yeah, he's fucking sexy as hell. Ripped too. Sorry, though - he's taken."
"I heard he's local," she said, not quite getting the hint Riley had just dropped.
"Yeah," Knock groaned. "Very. He and I just moved to Sanger last month. Think we can have a LAN party sometime, Q?"
Riley shrugged. "Sure. Is this going to be the sort of thing where I get kicked out of your basement?"
He shook his head. "Fuck no. I was hoping you, Kitty, and Void would play with us."
The girl gasped. "Really?"
Knock turned to her. "Don't even think about it. Riley will kick your fucking ass if you hit on her boyfriend."
"Nah, she can flirt," Riley teased. "He's hotter in person than on the streams." Then she turned her attention to this chick. "You game?"
"Yeah," she said, lifting her chin defiantly. "Red on EC, running a 2.7 ratio for kills to deaths."
"Nice!" Riley was actually impressed. She kinda had a thing for more women gaming. "Watch the stream this weekend. We're hoping our team places pretty well, and you'll get to see Knock kicking a lot of ass."
"The same group you'll get to play with if we have a LAN party," Knock said, bragging just a bit.
The halls were growing empty, and the bell rang, but none of the kids around them made any move to leave. Riley understood. High school was more pomp and bullshit than actual education, and those who were drawn to games tended to be the same ones that liked to bend the rules.
"So, when are we planning this?" she asked him.
"I dunno," Knock said. "Think we can make it happen for my birthday? Maybe do an all-nighter?"
Riley made a production of looking put out. "Yeah, I suppose. But you'll have to be extra nice to me."
"Sure." He winked at her. "Oh, and can we stock the bar?"
"Get a keg?" one of the guys tossed out, looking hopeful.
Riley shook her head. "Logan says the beer tastes like shit from a keg. Seriously though, a LAN party, how many of us will there be?"
"Just us," Knock assured her. "Not trashing the place, I swear."
"Then no need for serious alcohol," Riley said. "Just convention levels."
"Which most people call insane." Knock grinned. "And yes, I'm getting fucked up this weekend, sis."
"Yeah, you are," Riley agreed before turning back to the girl. "What's your name?"
"Marissa."
"Ok. Are your parents going to flip their shit over a co-ed all-nighter?"
She shrugged. "I'll just say I'm going to a friend's place."
"You sure? I can probably talk them into it," Riley offered.
"No offense," Marissa said, "But you?"
Knock chuckled. "Riley's pretty persuasive, and Void is worse."
"Seriously," Riley assured her. "I'll talk to them, and you can always fall back on the logging in from the friend's place if it doesn't work. That whole hundred grand scholarship, connections to the big leagues thing? Parents fall for it every time."
"Yeah, sure, if you think Mom'll go for it," Marissa agreed. "She just freaks out about me hanging with the guys, getting knocked up and shit."