?Kim and Adam were immediately concerned when Macy wasn't at school the next day. It wasn't weird for her to miss class. But it was weird to miss school.

  ?"I've texted her a bunch but nothing," Adam said anxiously. "I even called her Dad..."

  ?"What did he say?" Kim asked.

  ?"He's not my biggest fan. He yelled 'Are you serious?!' and hung up." Adam looked small when he said it. "Maybe I'll go over."

  ?"And have one of them shoot you?" Kim asked. "I'll go. I can leave school, my classes are all non-credit courses. And her Dad doesn't think I'm stalking her."

  ?"I don't stalk her, man!" he said defensively.

  ?Kim smiled warmly at him. "I know." She hugged him before she left. And she was gone.

  ?After she had left, as if on cue, Shannon showed up. "Hey." She was carrying books, her hair tied back in a tight ponytail.

  ?"Yeah, hey," he said, trying to politely get away.

  ?"Can I ask you something about..." She seemed to force the question out. "D&D?" The word sounded like it tasted bad in her mouth.

  ?Adam stopped and looked at her. "Look, Shannon, you don't like the game. You don't like the kids who play it. Why are you at my club?"

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  ?"I don't know. I teased you guys before. But Sam was here. She kind of, I don't know... forced us to tease people."

  ?That hit a note for Adam. He remembered the power Sam could have. "What do you want to know?"

  ?Shannon started talking about races and classes. Before he knew it, Adam was talking her ear off about it. She laughed at times during the conversation, occasionally touching his arm. They had grown up together. Even though they had never been friends, they had a lot in common. People, stories, history. It didn't take long for the conversation to take on a life of its own.

  ?The school bell cut it short.

  ?"Nice talk. I'll try and look up that site during class." She still looked like she was eating something gross when she spoke about D&D.

  ?Shannon walked to class when her phone notifications went off. It was a text from Sam.

  ?How is it going?

  ?I hate fucking D&D, she texted back. She stopped before pressing send. I think he's buying it.

  ?Good! Keep it up!

  ?Shannon felt anything but good. Walking past her locker, she heard Jane start to tease her. "How was D&D night?"

  ?Her other friends were there. All laughing. All part of the plan. She had been told, by someone, that she had to join the losers. Shannon had to cozy up to the school hornball. Shannon wanted to die.

  ?Class was hell. People threw stuff at her while the teacher's back was turned. One even threw a twenty-sided die. Shannon hated that she knew what that was.

  ?I can't do this! She texted Sam furiously.

  ?A picture appeared on her phone. Her and Sam kissing. It was from a few months ago.

  ?I don't care if your dad knows.

  ?Why would you do this?! I thought we were, I don't know? More than this.

  ?We were. But that got boring. And now we're this.

  ?Shannon was crushed by the text.

  ?Do as you're told, Shannon. You don't want me for an enemy!

  ?Shannon didn't like boys. She really didn't like Adam. And she fucking hated D&D.