Beauty and the Dork

Plans

"You're stupid if you don't just make up with her – you seriously think you can do better than Margot Patterson?" Mike asked. I felt my face burn and looked down at the small figurines I had painted over the summer. I started fidgeting with one.

"Mike," Jeff warned, prompting him to stop talking.

"I'm serious! So what if she snuck around with you? You're a dork and she's a goddess," Mike continued. Those stupid tears were welling up again. This sucked.

"Stop it, Mike – Eddie's our friend. He deserves better than that," Dustin snapped. I looked up and smiled weakly at him. He smiled back.

"Better than Margot Patterson? I don't know about that," Mike said.

"It's obvious you don't know about any of that," Dustin quipped, making everyone laugh. Mike flushed and crossed his arm, sinking into his seat angrily. I sighed and looked down at my notes. I really wasn't up for this today.

Margot had worn one of my favorite skirts to school today – part of me wondered if she was wearing those skirts on purpose. She had also been less sad, and a sick part of me was angry about that. I was absolutely miserable, and she was on the up and up.

But of course she was. She was Margot Patterson. She was a demigod. She was too shiny for me. Too shiny for anyone.

I couldn't stop staring at her all day, just like when I had my initial crush on her. Gareth had to nudge me at one point, bringing me out of my stupor. Margot looked over at one point and we locked eyes. I felt my chest burn and my stomach flipped when her eyes softened, and she smiled at me. I looked away quickly and tried my hardest not to stare at her for the rest of the day.

"I'm going to go, guys," I announced, standing from the table.

"Eddie, it's okay, we don't have to talk about it," Gareth said. I shook my head.

"No, it's okay," I replied, pulling my bag over my shoulder. "I need to go and do homework."

I started out of the room, and when they thought I was out of earshot, they started talking.

"Holy shit, he has to be so sad to want to do homework," Dustin said. I shook my head and started down the hallway, staring at my feet.

"Hey," a soft voice greeted. I looked up and felt the color drain from my face when I saw Margot standing in front of me.

"Uh, hi," I replied. She took a step forward and I immediately stepped back. Her face fell and she looked down at her feet. I wanted to scoop her into my arms and make her feel better.

"I've been trying to see you," she said quietly. She looked up and I saw her eyes well up with tears. I looked away from her.

"I know," I said. The tension was palpable between us.

"Eddie, I'm so sorry. I miss you so much," she sobbed. I looked at her and saw the tears running down her face. I needed to leave before I did something stupid.

"I need to leave," I said, trying to walk past her. I saw her reach out to me, but she stopped herself. I stopped and looked at her. I needed to tell her something, anything. "I miss you, too, Go. So much. But I can't do the sneaking around anymore."

She looked up at me, smiling sadly. Her eyes flashed, like she had a thought, but she kept it to herself. Before I knew what was happening, she shot towards me and threw her arms around my neck for a hug. I was frozen in place, not sure what to do.

"I'm going to make it right, Eddie," she whispered. I sighed and wrapped my arms around her, burying my face in her neck. I don't think I believed her, but I took in her perfume one more time. I was going to miss it. I dropped her and raced away before I lost even more resolve.