Geeky Gary

3

***GARY'S POV***

She's turned around now and I'm forced to look at her brown curly hair.

I caught her staring again.. What does this mean? I think to myself.

I think back to yesterday and the short time we spent together.

I don't know what she thinks of it but it was a pretty great start to my week.
It was nice to have someone, a girl at that, talk to me like a regular person and just be cool with me.. Even though I am still helping her study.

I've always liked Eva, ever since middle school when we had our first classes together. She's beautiful, and kind. But also one of the more popular girls. Helping her study finally gives me a reason to talk to her.

"Hellooo! Earth to Gary!"
My thoughts are interrupted by a hand waving in front of my face.

"What Franky?" I say a bit annoyed.

Franky is my best friend. I've known him pretty much all my life. But I always found his name a bit odd, you don't hear that name often nowadays.

"Dude quit staring." Micheal, my other best friend says lightly slapping my arm.

"I wasn't." I lie.

"I don't see what the big deal with her is anyways." Gabby says, the only girl in the group.
"She's just a girl." She says rolling her eyes.

"And so are you," Franky fires back. "but she sure is something." He says. Gabby rolls her eyes again before getting up and leaving the table.

"Ha, someone's jealous." Micheal teases as Gabby walks further from us.

I spend my lunch bickering back and forth over my feelings for Eva and their "obsession" with her.

Finally 7th hour rolls around, the second class I have with Eva.

Thirty minutes into class Mr. Way calls Eva and I up to his desk.

"So, have you two made arrangements for time you will spend studying?" He asks and we both nod.
"Well hopefully what I'm about to tell you won't mess up your plans too much." He says before picking up two sheets of paper.

I secretly hope that he didn't reconsider me helping Eva study.

My wish is granted as Mr. Way keeps talking, "So we actually have a class project coming up, I'm going to announce it to the rest of the class but I wanted to tell you two first. I feel as if you two actually doing work together will help better with the situation at hand." He says looking at Eva.

"What kind of project is it?" I ask.

"Well we're going to be continuing with the little detour we took from parts of the brain to going more in depth into brain functions and how they may dictate human behavior." Mr. Way starts. "With this project I am allowing you to choose what type of behavior you want to study, but what I am expecting out of this is a complete analysis of that behavior, what part of the brain that behavior stems from, and data from surveying other people."

Eva turns and looks at me with a neutral facial expression. I hope this project won't change anything.. I really enjoyed her company and the way we just hungout like two old friends when she got bored. In that moment I finally felt like a complete person. I didn't feel like a nerd, freak, or outcast, she just made me feel normal.

I try to keep the fact that I'm helping her study in the back of my mind. I know that's the only reason why I've been granted this opportunity to talk to her but I desperately want to be feel that way again.. Feel normal.

"Gary.. Mr Adams..?" My teacher's voice invades my thoughts and I'm brought back to reality.

"I'm sorry, what did you say sir?" I ask.

"I was just making sure you could handle this." He says raising a brow. "All the details for the project are in this packet, I'm expecting the two of you to pull together something great."

I roll my eyes, "You know me." I say as he hands me the papers with the information for the project. Mr. Way waves us off and Eva and I go our separate ways as I walk back to my desk.

Once I take my seat Mr. Way announces the project to the rest of the class.
As groans from lazy students fill the classroom I can't help bring myself to think about the time I'm dying to spend with Eva once again.

With all these feelings from our first time studying together, I don't know how to act around her. It's crazy how quickly these feelings surfaced, what the hell is wrong with me..

...

Eva doesn't come over today. But the next day she does, but only for a little while.

I spend the two hours we have together going over the project, trying to find something that interests her but the way she looks so uninterested makes me feel a bit self-conscious. I shouldn't feel that way, I know its the science that bores her. It can't be me. Not after the day we had the first time.

I keep telling that to myself while I try to push the thoughts to the back of my head.

"Gary?" Eva asks as our study session ends.

"Yeah?"

"What did Eric say to you the other day?" She asks me.

I sigh, "Well it was just a threat to leave you alone." I tell her and her head shakes in disapproval.

She reaches over and places her hand on my arm. "I'm sorry Gary, I don't mean to cause trouble for you."

I look into her soft eyes and smile, "Don't worry about it."

'Look at her again and I'll make sure you won't be able to do it again.' Eric's voice sounds in my head. Yeah he can say that but look at me now. She's here, with me.

But only to study, my subconscious adds.

When Eva leaves I'm forced back into the reality that is my sucky life. I spend the next few hours eating popcorn and binge watching The X Files once Franky comes over.

"So, how's Eva?" Franky finally asks and I shrug my shoulders in response.

"You don't know? Well tell me how today went. I know she came over." Franky says stuffing a handful of popcorn in his mouth.

I roll my eyes before answering, "We just went over that project coming up dude, nothing spectacular." I shrug again.

"Hmm, sure." Franky says narrowing his eyes. "Tell me what she was wearing."

"Dude what the heck quit being a freak!" I laugh, wanting to keep our shared moments private. The more I think about her the more obsessed I become..

I don't know why, she's just a girl.