As Told By Nerdy

Chapter 5 - Invisible to His Eyes

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Chapter 5 - Invisible to His Eyes

I consider myself a stereotypical nerd and I lived with it. I had always been a nerd since I could remember. The truth is I didn’t really think it was all that bad. But most people treat us nerds like we were some kind of primitive species from some undiscovered alien planet.

Since I was a kid, I’ve always been fascinated by stories of fiction and fantasy and more often than not, spent my free time reading books. I’m not much of an academic person. School subjects didn’t appeal to me at all, especially Math. But since I had nothing better to do, I took the typecast and embraced it. One of the reasons why people call me Nerdy was because I had worn glasses since I could remember. I used to be legally blind—not really blind but you’ve got to wear a cervical collar so you could stay upright with the weight and thickness of the glasses you would have to wear twenty-four seven— which was before I had the laser surgery.

After finishing middle school I grew tired of being the push over, undesirable, boring girl that I was and resolved to reinvent myself.

Back then I had this notion that everything goes back to zero in high school. And that presented me with an opportunity to be someone I have always dreamed off — a fresh start. It happened back when I was in my first year in high school.

After having a three-day row with my mom, I had my braces taken off (they had been there for ages!), my glasses replaced with contacts and my unusually long black hair—that flowed several inches down my waist, cut to a more desirable length. Overhauling my wardrobe was the hardest part. I had to go shopping which I totally loathed, not to mention that I was not too keen on chucking my favorite overalls into the bin.

All summer, me and Becky practiced every single day to talk, walk and think in the most non-nerdy way. I was making progress, losing the croaky laugh and the dorky walk. But the hardest part was trying to think like a normal teenager. But I guess, I managed to lessen my geekish ways to some extent.

I was having the time of my life! My plan totally pulled off. I wasn’t Nerdy anymore. I became the Sarah I longed for; normal and tolerable. People weren’t glowering at me. No one stuck a “pinch me” or “geek-wad” sign behind my back. And I could carelessly walk along the hallways without the fear of being shoved against lockers or bulletin boards. I began to think that if I’m really lucky, I might even have a date to one of those dances every now and then.

People greeted me and I’m not just talking about the ones I already knew… until Matt came. Yes. Hotshot Matt. Was it just a big coincidence, or was it just me that we have been in the same school since kindergarten?

I was quite convinced that he would not recognize me immediately but he did. He was at the entrance of the cafeteria yelling to me. “Nerdy! Hey! Nerdy!” he called, waving as he did over and over again to my direction.

My new found companions began to be inquisitive about him. “Is that Matt?” A girl named Michelle leaned over to me with a suppressed smirk.

Becky answered giddily before I could nod. “Matt Adams, he is,” she said grinning, checking him out; batting her remarkably long lashes (I think they were extensions). “Oh my gosh! He’s coming this way,” she hissed animatedly trying to avoid gawking at Matt who paused in front of our table, hunched a little as if to scrutinize me, eyes squinting.

“It is you!” He sneered triumphantly as I tried to avoid his gaze.

“H-hi… Matt,” a sigh of resignation left my throat.

He chuckled as he patted me on the back with his big hand so vigorously, the impact made me cough the fries I just swallowed. “I thought my eyes were fooling around with me. What’s with the new look Nerdy?”