In the life of a nerd.

Chapter 11.

So, scholarship. I had exactly 10 days for my exam and I still didn't know what to study. Though I did Advanced Algebra and Trignometry; Underwater species and their lives; History of Egypt and Palestine and finally, Current Affairs, but I couldn't think of anything else other than the seperation.
I hated Goodbyes, since I was a child. I used to cry when my brother left for college, I cried when my dad and brother left forever. People told me to be strong because they are a in a better place, but I missed my dad now more than ever because he would have guided me in taking the right decision for the scholarship. He always knew what was right.
Mike's parents were arriving in two days and he was very happy about it. It'd been 12 years since he had seen his parents. A six year old boy who was left with his aunt and was never sure when he'd get to see them again was finally meeting them.
"Man, this is going to be so awesome!" He'd say.
"I'm glad you're happy." I smile and reply. The excitement on his face could be compared to the anxiousness of a little boy just before he gets to open his presents on Christmas.
I think of all the good things that have happened to me in the past few weeks and I realize that I had a lot of fun than I had all these 16 years. Shut the door, turn the lights out, I wanna be with you....The music plays in my room as I fill in today's page in my diary.
Dear Diary,
Like you know, I'm attempting my scholarship exam in exact 7 days and I still am not over with the separation thing.
Mike's parents are coming in two days and I am so happy for him. He'd been wishing for this since a looooonnnggg time.
I want to tell him how I feel towards him before I leave for Cambridge.
Mike called me the other day and he called me babe. The butterflies!! <3
So, today's day has been a wrap. See ya later. Bubbyyyeeee!!
-Jess.
RING! RING! RING!! YOU ARE POPULAR! SOMEONE'S CALLING!
I quickly closed my diary, put it in my desk and went to see who it was. No one really calls me, so it had to be Mike.
"Hello Mike. How are you?" I greeted.
"Hellooooooo!! Can we meet? I'm bored." He replied.
"Sure. Come home." I said blindly. He didn't need to ask permission to come home, infact, my mum used to insist to let him stay here a few days.
"Not your place. Somewhere outside. What about your chilling place? The one you go to to rewind and relax. The one near our old place." He asked.
"I know where that place is, Dummy." I said as I rolled my eyes. "I'll meet you there in fifteen."
"Sure Nerdie. See ya! Byeeee"
I quickly left my phone for charging and I rushed into the washroom to take a quick shower.
"Hey Mum, I'm going to see Mike. That idiot's bored.  I'll be back before dinner. See ya. Bye." I gave my mum a hug and a peck on the cheek and headed towards my car.
                _________________________
"Mike, you here?" I look for him around the lake. His phone is switched off too. Great. I just chuck the fact that Mike's not there and sit on the grass. I doze off to a world of thoughts and forgetting about everything. Unwinding.
After a while, someones hands moved around my waist and held it and picked me up. Mike.
"GOD MIKE PUT ME DOWN! PUT ME DOWN!! MIKE HOOVERS!! PUT ME DOWN RIGHT NOW."
I kick my legs in the air as I feel myself moving and going further. I laugh as his fingers tickle my stomach and I try to get away from his grip. All of this feels so.....real. When it's not. I can never be with him. It can't happen. We can't happen.
After a while of his walking, I'm put down on the ground and I stood like a 6 year old getting punished for eating dirt.
"I want to tell you something." He says in his beautiful voice.
I feel his breath drawing close to me and I suddenly get nervous and my heartbeat goes faster. He comes close to my ear and says,
"I'm going to miss you when you leave."

We laughed and talked all evening and it was so romantic! Mike then got up and helped me up from my chair. We sat near the lake with our feet in the water. We held hands and no one said anything for sometime.

"You know, when I was younger, I had a goddamn crush on you. Even as preschoolers. I wanted to keep you happy forever because seeing you smile was the best thing ever. It was beautiful. You are beautiful."

"Oh Mike." I said sympathetically.

"I don't know how to say this, even when we're laughing together, I want the moments to stop right there so that I can see you laugh always. I get butterflies when I see you. Is that crazy because I'm going out of my mind. I know you may not like like me but I clearly think we are Simpatico"

I crack a smile and stare at him. He was the most beautiful thing ever. It was time. I decided. I had to tell him. It's now or never.

"Mike, you know, when you left for Florida, I was heartbroken. I didn't know what to do with my life. I was always trying to make new friends but everyone shut me out. I diverted my attention and focus towards my academics and became the 'super-boring ugly nerd.' I used to think about all the good times we used to have and when you came back, it was butterflies all over again. And there's that time when you said you were coming home for tuition. I was nervous. I don't know. We felt like strangers. I thought you forgot about us " I air-quoted.

Mike looked at me. He smiled and looked at the water as he swung his feet back and forth slowly.

"I kinda have a crush on you Jessica." He said.

___________________________________________________________________________________