The Nerd and The Jock - LT Fanfic

1: When Bae Notices You

1. When Bae Notices You

School, sweet school.

Oh, how I hated the place where I'd spend most of my days.

As Mom dropped me off in front of the school, she noticed my glum look.

"Honey, what's wrong?"

Now Mom was a nice lady. She wasn't feigning concern when she asked me, like some people would. She was true and genuine when she put her hand on my shoulder.

Her hand was as dark as chocolate and tiny, just like the rest of her was. People said we looked alike. We both had dark skin, shiny teeth and dark brown, almost black, eyes. Our nose and mouth were shaped the same, except for our eyes. She had these wide, expressive eyes--I could always tell whenever she was mad or sad. I was stuck with Tim's (my never-present dad) cheeky ones. But anyways, I loved her. She breathed down my neck a lot and was sometimes too much for me to handle, but she really cared about me. I knew I was lucky to have her.

So how could I tell her that I just didn't want to go to school today? Or...ever, for that matter? She'd think there was something wrong, which wasn't entirely false. I just didn't want to go today. Nothing more.

"Nothing. Thanks for dropping me off." Just as I put my hand on the door handle, I felt that hand move to my head.

I turned to look back at her.

"Baby," she said, "you know you can tell me anything, right? That I'm here for you?"

I blinked at her as she stroked my short hair. "Of course, Mom. Of course."

"Good. And don't you ever forget that."

"Okay."

"Have a good day, sweetie."

I gave her a smile, and then I climbed out of the truck. Don't ask me why my mom drove this big ass truck everywhere, even though I was an only child and she was a single mother. It ate up so much gas and had so much space, and we were the only ones who ever used it. Frankly, I thought it was a waste of money. A tiny smart car would be better for the both of us. I even told her, but she got so mad at me that I never brought it up again. Ever since Grandpa died, she liked to drive trucks. It was probably because Gramps also had his own truck, and when she was a kid, he and she used to drive everywhere in it. I don't know. Maybe, for once, I'd be a good sport and ask her about it.

I clutched my backpack more securely to my shoulders. I could see, from the people walking near me, that I wasn't the only one who did it. Kids were already on campus, moving around and squealing and being teenagers. There was an energetic buzz in the air; students were happy to be returning to North High School.

Unfortunately, I couldn't say the same for myself.

But before I could wallow in any degree of self-pity, a familiar voice called out my name. Or two familiar voices, that is.

"Temara!"

"Hey! Over here!"

I turned around to see them. My heart swelled in my chest, to see Candice and Sharon so happy to see me. My best friends!

"Guys! I missed you," I exclaimed, when I met up with them.

I felt Sharon's long arms wrap around my shoulders, and Candice's brown weave brush against my neck. We were all hugging and laughing and being happy.

"We missed you too, girl," Sharon said.

"How was Florida?" Candice asked.

During summer break, Mom and I left California to visit some of our family in Miami. So for two whole months, I went without hanging out with my only two friends. That's why we were all so happy to see each other--all we did was hang out, and when I left, it was just the two of them.

"It was great," I said, truthfully. "The beaches are mad cool."

"Did you see any cute guys?" Candice, always the thot, said.

Luckily, Sharon stepped in for me. "No. These days, people only have eyes for Blaze." Wiggling her eyebrows, Sharon jerked her chin behind me.

Taking the hint, I turned around.

Like some sort of Greek god, Nicolas "Blaze" Bourgeois was walking onto campus. Of course, he still had this cockiness about him. He still wore that trademark, smirking mouth. And he still had that dark, gorgeous afro. God, he was so good-looking.

Close to his side were last year's thots and cool kids. I recognized most of them, could hear their excited voices all the way from the flag pole, where my friends and I were standing. He towered above all of them, because he was six feet tall and over.

Well, everyone except for his brother. His twin brother, Nathan Bourgeois, walked next to him. Nathan was just as tall, and just as popular. He had a smaller, browner afro, and was stylishly dressed. He was attractive, he really was, but he didn't grab my attention the way Blaze did. Blaze's eyes were hypnotizing, and he glowed like the sexiest magazine model I have ever seen, and his clothes, as always, were so well-fit--from beneath his fitted shirt, I could see his biceps. They were so hard and veiny.

Is it me, or does Blaze look impossibly sexier than the last I saw him?

"It's not you, girl," Sharon said. Whoops...did I say that aloud? "He is so fine!"

"He cute or whatever. But you know I like me some Laurent," Candice said, swaying dreamily on her feet.

I laughed. I wanted to gawk at Blaze so bad, but any more of it would make me look thirsty. My friends were already drooling at the sight of the boys. "Well, we should all stop drooling now. We're acting like thots."

"Who's acting?" Candice asked.

"I'm with you, sister!" Sharon high-fived her.

"Guys!"

They just laughed at my complaint.

"C'mon, let's just look at them a little bit more. Just a little bit!" one of them begged, when I turned my back to the sight of Blaze entirely. "Give us five minutes."

"No." I firmly stood my ground, folding my arms tight against my abdomen. "Five minutes is enough time for people to think we're groupies."

"Ain't nothin' wrong with--oh, my God." Candice's voice went up a few octaves, and I wanted to turn around, but I held my ground.

"What is it?" I asked instead.

"Is he...he's coming this way?" Sharon sounded shocked.

"Who?" I needed to know! But I still didn't know if my friends were playing some joke on me, so I still had my back turned.

"Just turn around!" they said at once.

Eyebrows drawn, I turned around.

And then I froze.

My eyes set on a golden, familiar face. On the golden, familiar face. This face was beautiful--with his full lips, lifted upward in an easy smile, with his flawless brows raised above chocolate orbs. My eyes rested on all of his face...that was only five feet away from me.

Holy hell!

"Should I be weirded out that you were facing a different direction than your friends?" Blaze asked me, his voice deep and enticing. His eyes raked over me, undoubtedly judging my boring blue jeans and burgundy jacket.

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