Making Con Plans

"So ... what are you doing after lunch?" Sandy abruptly changed the subject, yanking the only paper copy she had been able to find of the con's schedule out of her bag.

"Well, I haven't had a chance to hit the dealer's hall yet, but there's this really fun panel on character design I was thinking of going to." Kelly played along, her smile stating quite plainly that she wasn't really thinking about the convention with her full mind. "Aaand that should take me to the end of the day. Then you and I are going dancing."

"What about Nathan? You want him to come along?" Sandy asked. If Kelly could be distracted by somebody else, perhaps...

"Not really. You can tell a lot about how somebody dances from the way ... and vice versa." The unspoken words were completely plain.

"Do you have anything else to talk about?" Sandy groaned.

"Sure. I can talk about games, playing games, how cool somebody's costume looks, how cool I look, what I do for a living, and every other topic of small talk, but why waste time when what I really want to do is have a good time." Kelly rattled off the list as if by rote. "I get one good vacation a year, this is it, and I like being free to enjoy myself."

"Don't you ... is this just a game?" Sandy asked, trying to make sense of what Kelly was saying to her.

"Some people collect experience points; I collect experiences." Kelly said in a very rehearsed manner.

"So, you don't really want me, just..." Sandy began, once again looking for the way out.

"Oh no, I totally want you now. You're completely playing hard to get, which means I'm going to have to be even sexier to get you before some other gal does. You know you had every gal in the Cosplay breakfast's eyes on you." Kelly leaned her chin on her palm again.

Sandy glanced around the small food court, but nobody seemed to be paying attention to her that she could see.

"Bullshit." She rejected the idea completely. "I look just like anybody else."

"Except you don't stink, have decent fashion sense, at least have the courtesy to shave, and don't stare down my cleavage." Kelly accentuated the last part by pulling her arms back so that the décolletage of her costume was much more prominent. "Face it, babe, you're a rare con gamer."

And there was the problem, Sandy realized. In order to look masculine, she had been **** to adopt a clean and well-polished look. She reflected back over the last few hours, and realized that she had indeed been the subject of numerous nonverbal flirts. She hadn't really thought about them, because she had been concentrating on blending in and being normal. Instead, she had essentially traded one group of admirers for another.

"So, why don't..." Sandy was about to ask, but then cut herself off. "Never mind." Women didn't generally pursue. They had been waiting for Sandy to make the first move, and she had no interest in doing so. It was only Kelly, with her aggressive and somewhat intimidating stance who had come right out and said it. Of all the room-mates Sandy could have gotten, this was rather like winning the lottery in hell.

"Because they're waiting for YOU." Kelly explained, to the question that Sandy had already answered for herself. "Course, every gal here is fending off enough guys that they just expect you to go for it. The con's kinda like mating season to half of these guys. Only chance they'll get to get laid."

"So why do you..." Sandy began the obvious question.

"Because it scares away the macho jerks, amazingly. And occasionally you find a really cute guy who's shy and you get to play seductress..." Kelly adopted one of the widest grins at the last part.

"And your online friend?" Sandy inquired.

"He was ... ok. Nothing really special. Wanted me in costume, so I wore this one early." Kelly gestured to her black outfit.

"Ok? But he wasn't one of the aggressive..." Sandy asked, trying to get a better handle on the logic. It was there, somewhere, and she just needed to find it.

"I don't play favorites. I'm ... Ok, Sam, shield your sensitive ears, here. I'm about to explain this." Kelly took a deep breath, very dramatically. "I'm a slut."

"Don't call yourself..." Sandy objected, shocked to hear Kelly refer to herself by such a vulgar term.

"No, it fits. But I'm an Ethical Slut. I don't fuck assholes, or anybody who doesn't accept me for who I am." Kelly spoke the words with pride. "Anybody who doesn't play nice is not worth my time."

"I'm not playing nice." Sandy pointed out.

"Yes, you are. You're totally playing along with me, and I love it. This is the best back and forth I've had in years." Kelly smiled fondly. "The whole shy guy thing totally works for you."

"I ... don't want you to be my girlfriend." Sandy spoke. Maybe a direct rejection...

"Which is why it's perfect. You're not going to tie me down, and **** me to play some role you want me to play. So come on. Costume Panel, then we get drinks, go dancing, and you escort me back to the room."