Gamers: My Identity Is A Mystery

11: Socially awkward

June 24, Monday
6:00 AM

"Oh great. It's morning." I groan, slowly opening my eyes and I turn to my side and hit the off on my phone's arm.

I wonder if I should be happy that thanks to this event I don't have to go to school for a day. But nah. I'd rather be at school than giving a lame speech in front of A bunch of people I've never met before.

"Not like I have a choice." I force myself to get up then head to out my room and take my breakfast left out for me which was just chilling in the microwave. French toast with bacon and scrambled eggs. Nice. I place it on the table, get utensils and glass from the cupboard, head back to the table and place my utensils, then I head to the fridge and pour myself some juice.

I ate peacefully then took a shower, brushed my teeth then changed into a casual attire. Jeans, an over-sized T-shirt and a beanie.

And by 7:30 I left the house. Hopped onto the bus and arrived at the plaza at 7:50 where Professor Adley and Theo were waiting. The two sitting on a bench and chatting.

"Hey prof, hey Theo. Sylvie isn't here yet?"

"Hello Lydia!" The two greet me in return.
"Sylvie said she's on the way." Theo scoots closer to prof and motions for me to take a seat beside him.
"Thanks."

"No problem."

"Do you to want to start handing out flyers while we wait for Sylvie?" Prof asks and picks up a box that was placed on the ground in front of him.

"H-how much copies did you print?" Theo asks, furrowing his eyebrows. And I gulp. It better be less than a hundred.

"About 1000?" Prof tells the two of us ambivalently and opens the box. There was indeed a loooot of flyers. Goodness we really are going to be spending the whole morning handing out flyers. And what makes it worst is that since it is a school day, there aren't even very much people at the plaza.

"Here. Take this." Prof shoves a small pile of the flyers into my hands and I exhale heavily. He smiles then picks up another pile, this time shoving it towards Theo. "Don't worry, I'll treat you all to lunch after this. Now go on~" Prof pats both Theo and I's back and signals for us to begin handing flyers.

I trudge to where most people were passing by and attempt to hand the passerbys some flyers. But none of them would even spare me a glance. So this is what it feels like huh...

It made me feel guilty of doing just the same when other would try to give me some handouts.
"M-miss?" I try to grab their attention by calling them but they still continue to pass by me like I'm a ghost. So I take a look at Theo, curious on how he was doing and it turns out it was just the same for him.

"You two need to put in more effort." Prof tells the two of us. "Nobody is going to notice if the two of you just stand there and hold out the flyer like a statue."

Oh come on Prof. Why don't you help us then!?

"I'm hereee!" A loud feminine voice suddenly echoes through the plaza as a giddy blondie runs over to us wearing a pastel blue skirt, a tucked in shirt and doll shoes.

"Hey Sylvie." I greet. She seemed to have just prepared not too long ago. Her hair was still wet and she didn't look as fixed as she usually was at school.

"Sorry for being late, I overslept a bit. Hehe!" She was on her knees, panting. "Anyway, it seems you guys have gotten started?"

"Yeah." Theo looks down at the flyers, then back at Sylvie. "Except we haven't got any flyers out yet."

"Which is why you three must be getting flyers out now." Prof shoves another pile at Sylvie and she nods. "Sir yes sir!"

"Looks like someone is entusuastic about all this." I say.

"Of course I am! Exposure!" Sylvie began approaching people and handing them flyers. Person by person. "Good morning miss/mr!" She'd greet them with a smile on her face and hand them a flyer. And almost each person she approached accepted the flyers. While me and Theo just stood there and watched her with a dumbfounded look on our faces.

"What are you two doing? Come on now, go and hand out the flyers!" Prof tells us and we try doing the same as Sylvie. Approaching the people, forcing awkward smiles on our faces and having not a speck of liveliness in our voices. Once again, the people ignored us. It really makes me wonder why my schoolmates look up to me though. I mean, I'm socially awkward.

"You two need more charm!" Sylvie runs towards me and Theo. Only about 5 more flyers remaining in her hands. "Or at this rate we won't get all the flyers out and we won't have audience for the event later!"

"She's right." Prof crosses his arms.

"Maybe you could help us professor Adley?" I ask as politely as possible.

"I would, but that's tiring. It's nice being a teacher, isn't it?" Prof hands another pile to Sylvie. She and Theo return to handing out flyers. Though Theo wasn't quite getting anything handed out, I applaud him for trying. I lack that kind of dedication.

Tsk tsk. I groan and turn back around, Lifelessly walking over to passerbys and holding out a paper. Looking at each and everyone of them dead in the eyes.

"Mama she's scary!" A young child remarked, hugging her mother's leg and tugging at her mother's pants. "Just ignore her!" The mother hissed at her child.

"You're scaring them away." Prof tells me in a serious tone and I turn my head for him to see my expression and I deadpan him. "I'm aware."

He sighs. "Come on Lydia. Just this once, please?"

"But I find communicating with strangers hard and I feel awkward professor."

"You're socially awkward?" Sylvie pauses from handing the flyers out. "How'd you get so popular though?"

"I don't know. I just did well in my studies, helped people out, and awkwardly smiled at them while passing through the halls." I answered indifferently. Too lazy to even change my facial expression, I continued to deadpan.

"If only it were that easy." Theo sighed.

"What are you talking about! All you have to do is sweep your bangs to the side and take of your huge glasses!" Sylvie chuckles. "The girls will be all over you then."

"N-no thanks..."

I hate to admit it, but what Syvlie is saying is very true. Theo would be a hearthrob if only he fixed himself.

The thought made me turn my head to take another close look at Theo and compare him now to the image of how he looked in the picture Ari sent me. And as of now, Sylvie's words seemed to have made the boy shy and flustered.

"You know guys... At this rate we'll be handing out flyers till noon." Prof reminds us and the three of us groan and continue what we are supposed to be doing.

I better be exempted from all of this day's activities at school for doing this.
I shall not let my sacrifice go down in vain!

"Lydia. Smile." Prof told me. I gave him a slightly irritated look that worstened when I saw him stroking the box filled with flyers as if it was his pet.

Oh how I just wanted to throw that box of paper demons to the depths of hell.