A+ In Failing

Sophie McCalister was the epitome of a perfect student. On the honor roll with exceptional grades and a 4.0 GPA, she was the lonely nerd at the head of her class.

She did not go unnoticed however. For unbeknownst to her, she had observers.

Or rather, stalkers.

"So then I was getting this new issue of Green Spirit, right? And I saw that the villain is-" Burton Guster, otherwise known as Gus, paused as he looked up from his egg salad to look at his best friend. He frowned.

"Shawn! Shawn, you're not even listening to me! What, what are you looking at?" Gus looked over his shoulder following his best friend's line of sight.

Sophie gently pushed her long hair away from her face and turned the page of her book. The sound was lost in the wave of voices that flooded the cafeteria.

"Dude, she is way out of your league," Gus said, turning back around to face Shawn Spencer.

The tufty haired boy across from him shot him a glare.

"No girl is out of my league," Shawn said pompously before nodding in Sophie's direction. "I could get her to like me."

Gus's frown deepened as he gently unwrapped his brownie.

"She doesn't "like" anyone Shawn. She likes books."

"Gus, you know that talk we had about not crushing people's dreams-"

"Shawn, your dream changes every week. Last week it was Mary Cooper. You remember how that ended?"

Shawn glanced at Gus's brownie before resuming his staring at Sophie.

"It wasn't my fault that she kissed me! She didn't say she was allergic to blueberries," Shawn argued.

Gus pinched the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb, resting his elbow on the table. His other hand, still clutching the uneaten brownie in his free hand as he tried to relax.

"Look Shawn," he began slowly, "You don't need another girlfriend. You've gone through nearly every girl in the whole school and still haven't really liked anyone. ANYONE SHAWN."

"But I haven't tried her," Shawn said still watching Sophie.

Gus's brow furrowed.

"You don't even know her name?"

Shawn winced.

"Li-Lo-Lo-Louise-No. Wendy-?"

"Sophie, Shawn, Sophie McCalister."

"Right, that was my third guess."

Gus rolled his eyes.

"This is what I mean, Shawn. You don't really mean it. It's just a game to you. Breaking girl's hearts-"

"I don't break girl's hearts."

"Ellen Murphy, Amber Journey, Karoline Jones and Stephanie Baker."

Shawn sighed and actually looked at his friend for the first time that lunch period.

"This is different, Gus. I feel it-"

"What you're a psychic now?" Gus snorted.

Shawn made a face at him.

"Just listen, I think this is different. I wanna try it out. See where it goes ya know?"

Gus sighed.

"Fine, you do that, Shawn. Go win her heart."

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