Dating on the Dork Side -- SAMPLE

You Know What They Say ...

I hit right click and closed the browser just as Ms. Pendergast and her deadly sharpened high heels clip clopped into the room.

She glanced around, a small frown on her face. It was as if her super-secret teacher sense had alerted her that, just minutes before, a jock had invaded the tutoring area, one focused on hotties instead of academic assistance. One who maybe had been looking at a page named after me?

"Oh, Camy, you're here?" Ms. Pendergast said, but her tone was more: Why are you here?

I shrugged. It wasn't like I could tell her how much I liked the view.

"I guess so, but I think ..." I let the sentence trail off, not sure what I was thinking. That I wouldn't be here long? That I couldn't wait until she left so I could check out the strange girl wiki? That I had, in general, no clue what was going on?

Ms. Pendergast adjusted her leather tote, then shot me another look.

"I admire your dedication, but I don't really think you need to stay. Is that"—she pointed a manicured finger at the computer screen—"something you could do at home? I was thinking of locking up and leaving early."

"I'm just checking to make sure the new video tutorials got loaded on all the computers this summer. As soon as I finish, I'll shut everything down and turn off the lights."

Ms. Pendergast sighed and dropped her bag onto a desktop. "Camy, you know what they say, don't you?"

If by "they" she meant Jason and the rest of the users of the Hotties of Troy wiki, then no, I didn't know what they said. But I was bursting to find out and would, if I could just get Ms. Pendergast and her tote bag to leave the room.

"All work and no play makes ..." She gave up, apparently deciding I was too lame to understand. "There'll be plenty of time for that later," she said as she walked toward the windows. "It's a beautiful day. Get outside. Enjoy yourself."

I could hear Gavin calling a sequence of numbers on the football field below. How could I explain that being alone here, with my skybox view, counted as enjoying myself? I couldn't. As if to prove her point, Ms. Pendergast pulled the last window closed and flipped the lock just as Gavin called, "Hut!"

She turned toward a row of computers next and stabbed at the power buttons. Her eyes were on her task instead of me when she said, "You can't just watch life from the sidelines, you know."

On any other day I might have marveled at the stiletto-shod Ms. Pendergast tossing out sports metaphors. Today that seemed no stranger than the rest of it. It was no weirder than finding Jason in the tutoring room, and definitely less odd than my name turning up on the Hotties of Troy website.

I closed Excel and logged off before powering down the other computers on my side of the room. All the while, I wondered: What was the URL of the wiki? Could I remember it so I could log in from home later? And was I really so pathetic that even a teacher could sense my loser status?

Ms. Pendergast locked the door behind us, dashing any hope I might have had of sneaking back in once she'd left. She shifted her tote from one shoulder to the other.

"It really is good you're so ... dedicated," she said again. "But it's your last year of high school. Don't forget to enjoy it."

She left me with those words ringing in my ears. I waited until the last click, click, click of her heels had faded, then tried the door, but the handle rattled under my grip.

I thought about texting Rhino. I'd never seen him pick a lock, but I bet he could do it. I imagined his lanky frame stooped over the doorknob, dark strands of hair falling into his eyes. Rhino would come if I called. He always did.

We'd been friends since preschool and we'd seen each other at our worst. I was sitting in the front row of the bleachers at the T-ball game when Rhino struck out, lost his helmet, and knocked himself unconscious with his own bat. In eighth grade, he came to my rescue after the girl I thought was my best friend ditched me in the restroom at the Spring Fling, leaving me half naked and with no way to get home.

What now? My plans for a perfect first-day-of-school afternoon were completely blown. Should I walk to Rhino's and ask for his help, or head home and hack Hotties by myself? Hang off the chain link fence and gaze at Gavin?

Maybe Ms. Pendergast was right, I thought as I headed down the stairs. So far, I hadn't enjoyed a single minute of senior year.

Author Note: Just so you are thoroughly warned: This is just a preview of a book I wrote with my internet BFF, Charity Tahmaseb. Because of the way we are publishing it, we can only offer a few scenes for free. If you like it, why not put it on your holiday gift list? Tell your mom she can get it here: http://www.amazon.com/Dating-Dork-Side-Charity-Tahmaseb-ebook/dp/B018KMNBI2/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1448932740&sr=1-2

Speaking of moms, I think I've told my followers that I am old. Like. REALLY. Old. Old enough to have kids that are grown up. And I know I told you guys in my last author note that my co-author Charity Tahmaseb and I knew each other for a few years before we tried writing a book together.

Here's something I didn't tell you: Charity was the one who started writing The Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading. She showed it to me and I loved it! I encouraged her to try to get it published. She was trying to do that when an agent suggested she make some pretty big changes to the story. Charity is a lot of wonderful things. One of the not-quite-as-wonderful things she is ... is a little stubborn.

She didn't want to change her story. But I thought changing it was her best shot at being a published author so I picked on her about it constantly. Still, she wouldn't budge.

And then something happened. You know how I told you up there ^ that I have grownup kids? Well, when my son was 21 he was diagnosed with cancer, and it seemed like things were going to be very bad. 

Charity was more than just my writing friend then, she was my FRIEND friend (even though we live a thousand miles from each other).

Charity knew that I needed something else to think about besides my son being so sick. So. Even though she didn't want to change her story. And even though she didn't need to add another author to her story -- she asked me if I would like to work on changing it with her.

We rewrote that story during the time that my son was being treated for cancer. By the time he got well -- OH YEAH, HE GOT WELL!! AND HE'S STAYED WELL TOO!! -- anyway, by the time he got well we were finished with the story and we got an agent and our agent  got us a publishing contract and Charity's story had turned into OUR story, and it was made into a book that was in book stores and libraries and everything!

I will always be grateful to her for that. If you get a chance, check in your library for The Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading by Charity Tahmaseb and Darcy Vance. Or you can buy it (of course) here: http://www.amazon.com/Geek-Girls-Guide-Cheerleading-ebook/dp/B00283W4EM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1448938286&sr=1-1&keywords=the+geek+girls+guide+to+cheerleading