Dating on the Dork Side -- SAMPLE

The Dork Side

Tuesday at lunch, Mercedes cornered me at my locker. "I heard about Elle and Rhino," she said. "Can you do that for me?"

"Do what for you?"

"Set me up with someone. I was supposed to go with Lukas, but Elle won't let that happen. So, I was thinking ... maybe you could help me date on the dork side?"

"On the what?"

"You know, get me hooked up with one of those nice guys you know. All the boys in my classes are either jocks or jerks. And they're all on the list." She rolled her eyes. "So, will you?"

I wasn't sure what to say. On one hand, Mercedes Washington was the real deal, a true Hottie of Troy. She didn't need my help to get a boy. But on the other hand ... the girl standing next to me bounced on the balls of her feet like she could barely contain her enthusiasm. And, underneath all that energy, she was really very sweet. I couldn't tell if she didn't see the difference between us or if she just pretended it didn't exist. Someone like Mercedes deserved a boy who would treat her with the respect she deserved.

"Do you like Star Wars?" I asked. It was an impulse question, and a long shot.

"Which ones? The first ones? Oh, yeah! The newer ones?" She waved her hand. "Not so much. But Han Solo?" She fanned herself. "Talk about fine. Sure, he's old enough to be my grandpa, but you know what I mean." She fell back against the lockers, and the beads in her braids clicked against the metal.

"Yeah." I smiled. Mercedes Washington, closet Star Wars geek. Who knew?

"So, you got someone for me?" she asked.

"I think I might." Okay, so it wasn't a sure thing, but I had a very good feeling about it. "Meet me at the tutoring room after cheer practice."

* * *

Mercedes poked her head into the tutoring room after school. "So, where's my guy?" she said. Her eyes darted around the classroom like I might have one stashed under a desk or something.

"Downstairs, but--"

"Let's go get him." She pivoted back toward the stairway, the beads in her hair clicking with the motion.

I hurried to turn off the lights and shut the door behind me. "About that," I was saying, but Mercedes was already on the landing beneath me. "Hey! Slow down," I called.

Even though she stopped, it was like her body still buzzed with energy. She pushed a couple of braids behind her ear and fidgeted with the zipper on her jacket while she waited. "Sorry. Sometimes I get a little ahead of myself," she said when I caught up to her. "So, this boy, what did he say when you--"

"Actually, I haven't talked to him yet. Thing is, he's kind of shy. Okay, that's not true. He's really shy, especially with girls. So, even if he likes you, he ... what I'm saying is you might have to be the one to ask him to the dance."

"Sure. No problem," she said. She started down the stairs again, then stopped and looked back at me. "Sorry," she said. "Are you ready?"

Ready as I'd ever be.

We made it to the second floor and came to a stop in front of one of the science labs. Inside, long black tables filled the room. Pairs of students sat across from each other with their heads bent as if in prayer. No one glanced up, not even when someone hit the timer alongside their chessboard.

"Over there," I whispered, "by the teacher's desk. Dalton Reese. He's the president of the chess club."

Her eyes got huge. "Oh, I'm going to homecoming with the president!" She looked at Dalton, then back at me. "And he's cute too. Oh, thanks, Camy."

"Don't thank me yet," I told her.

By then, we'd attracted some attention. Tara Tanaka glanced up. 

That caused her opponent, Dalton, to do the same. He dropped his chess piece when he saw us. He picked it up, placed it on a new square, then his hand came down on the timer. Tara grinned and I got the feeling Dalton had just made a mistake.

I waved at him to come over, but for a moment, I thought he wouldn't. He turned back to the chessboard, and his face crumpled.

"Ooh, that wasn't a good move, was it?" Mercedes whispered.

I shook my head. "It's okay," I said. "It's just a game."

"Right. So is tennis."

Dalton pushed back his chair and headed our way. "Uh, hey, Camy," he said when he reached us. "Are y-you here to join the team?"

"Not exactly." I could play chess but I didn't love the game. Not like Dalton did anyway.

Mercedes bounced forward. "Actually, I am. Hi. I'm Mercedes Washington."

"I know," Dalton said. Only it came out more: I! KNOW! He took his glasses off, then put them back on. A bead of sweat popped up on his forehead.

"I want to," Mercedes began. "Well, see, I play tennis. And everyone's going to be gunning for me this spring, since I won state last year. So I thought I should--"

"Work on strategy and mental toughness?" Dalton suggested.

Mercedes' face lit up. She nodded and I just stood there, a little amazed that she'd managed to get him to speak-- and that he'd managed to produce six-words that contained most of the parts of a sentence.

"But I don't know anything about chess," Mercedes said.

"You don't have to," he said. "We're not that kind of club. Anyone can join."

"And will you teach me how to play?"

Dalton blinked in surprise. So did I. Because, here's the thing: It wasn't so much what Mercedes said, but how she said it. If you could do a rewind, you wouldn't see anything obvious. It's not like she batted her eyelashes at him or anything. Still, she'd clearly just made Dalton an offer he couldn't refuse.

Maybe flirting was another one of those genetic things--either you had it or you didn't. Whatever. Dalton blushed and led Mercedes to a table in a far corner of the room.

He did this even after Tara Tanaka stood up, cleared her throat loudly, and pointed at their unfinished game. It wasn't so much that Dalton ignored Tara on purpose. It was more like all of Mercedes' energy had trapped him and pulled him helplessly along.

Tara threw me a glare as if this were my fault. And all right, in a way, it was. I backed out of the room, hoping whatever it was I'd done wasn't a huge mistake.

Author's Note: Aiyee! I'm late. I need to go. Now! I'll be back to explain later how this is just a sample and it's available on Amazon. Plus I need to tell you the rest of the Charity Darcy story. I promise. I'll be back!