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“No wonder he can persuade you to do anything,” Kamala said. “That nerd is charming.”

I nodded. “Too charming.” Sunlight.

“Guys,” Asher said. “This is my…um…Wren and her friend Kamala. They are experts at the game, so no need to take it easy on them.”

“Actually,” I said. “Kamala is a D&D virgin. She needs lots of hand-holding.”

“Thanks,” Kamala mumbled, “for that visual.”

“I volunteer,” Dale said. “For the hand-holding.” As if I hadmeant it literally, he came and collected Kamala by the hand and took her to the far side of the room, where he offered her a seat on an oversized armchair, barely big enough for the two of them. I watched her for a few minutes to make sure she didn’t need me to save her, but she was laughing and flirting right along with him. The little traitor. So much for my plan to use her game ignorance to help me learn. She was getting a personal lesson.

“I turn the floor over to Darren,” Asher said. “The dungeon master.”

A guy in a Pokémon T-shirt stepped to the head of the coffee table. Behind him was a brick fireplace and he looked so somber standing there. He took out a fancy notebook and turned back the cover. Each person held a little velvet sack full of dice. Were they going to share them? I definitely didn’t bring a sack of dice.

“How long has this campaign been going on?” I asked when Asher joined me, proud of myself for remembering that word from the internet.

“It’s a home brew. We actually just started this one last week for the summer, so you haven’t missed much.”

I had no idea whathome brewmeant, but I nodded like I did.

The other guy sat down on the couch. Asher gestured to the love seat and he and I sat side by side.

“When last we met,” Darren said in a deep affected voice, “we were forced to leave the walled city due to the explosion of Clint’s spell and the townspeople ousting us.”

“Sorry,” Clint said.

“We now convene at a fork in the road. To the right, fog hangs low over the swampy path.” Darren crouched and held out hishand like he was trying to sweep the fog away. “To the left is a dry barren wasteland.” Now he held his hand up to the sky as though blocking the sun.

“Aren’t we forgetting something?” Clint said. “Wren and Kamala haven’t introduced their characters.”

Darren sighed, as though irritated. He shot Asher a look but then bowed and gestured toward me.

I froze. “Kamala can go first,” I finally spit out.

“She’s just going to be my partner today,” Dale said. “An observer.”

Everyone seemed to accept that, no problem.

“Me too,” I said. “I’ll be Asher’s partner.”

“No way,” Asher said, a twinkle in his eye. “I know you want to play.”

“What are you?” I asked. “Your character, I mean.”

“A dragonborn paladin.”

For a split second my mouth fell open. I quickly shut it.

“Pretty cool, right?” he said.

“Yeah.” I’d let him think that’s why I looked shocked, but in reality, it was because I had no idea what any of that meant.

“Did you bring your character sheet?” Asher asked.

“Oh, um…I forgot it.”

“You forgot?” Darren asked. “Were you expecting us to wait while you built your character here?”