When I Joined the Dork Side

Chapter Seven

My heart rate quickened as the sound of my bare feet pounded against the stone path leading up to my house. My keys jingled in one hand and my heels (which I long ago ditched after nearly tripping and cracking my head) were entangled in the other. I continued shimmy-running to the door. Except I wasn't doing it for the usual cases like, "my skirt was too short" and "I had to pee"- okay fine, my skirt was a wee-bit infringing on the dress code, but that's a discussion for another day. No, in my predicament, I was running away from the hell of high school and the demons I had just stirred from their graves (cough, cough James).

I don't expect you to feel sorry for me. I'm not one of those perfect-populars who, on top of being good at everything, are also super nice to everybody. Sure, I wasn't the one dunking kids heads in the water but I was there, standing next to the football team or Kristy while they did the deed. I admit, I participated. I laughed; at first fake and then, over time, slowly turning into an easygoing chuckle. And even on occasion, I schemed; coming up with ways to torment the classmates I or my friends didn't like.

Going into Grade 9, I was so concerned with reinventing myself - packing the old me in a frayed suitcase and sinking it in the ocean - I hadn't realized how distant I became from my morales. But now it was too late. James had made it clear he wanted revenge. No apologies are going to fix that. All I can do is play his game and beat him at it. Lucky for me, I'm a fairly practiced gamer and I don't stop until I come out victorious.

As I trudged up the elegant front staircase, the wheels in my head started turning. I began by trying to figure out their plan. They made it clear they wanted revenge on me and have a whole humiliation extravaganza ready.

What I know:

- The first layer of their plan consisted of blackmail to force me to be civil towards them.

-The second, more sinister layer being some kind of reverse humiliation process on me.

What I don't know:

-What they plan to do next

-If they're going to keep their word (assuming I keep mine)

My head started to ache as my mind ran off into the future with worries. Shaking my head, I threw open my vanity draw and took out my contacts. For the first time since their little stunt, I took a full look in the mirror. The yellow tape was thick and wrapped the nose bridge of my glasses thoroughly. Even with my mini-skirt and dangly earrings, I never looked more like middle-school me. My cheeks turned red at the thought of people seeing me like this and I sent a silent prayer of gratitude that Jeff and the other populars hadn't crossed my path.

Pulling the glasses off, I took the contacts out and put them on. The funny vision change that occurred when I only had one contact in was torturous and the number one reason why I hated contacts so badly. I popped in the second contact and feeling satisfied with my reflection, walked out of my bedroom.

Ten minutes of lunch remained by the time I was back in the school parking lot. I let out a sigh while crossing to the front doors; it was time to pick myself out of my hole of self-pity and become popular me again.

*Jame's POV*

As I had anticipated, Alice was no where to be seen at lunch. Jeff seemed a little distressed about his girlfriend's disappearance but it was clear Kristy had no concern for her supposed 'bestie'. She acted as she always did at lunch; touching her cleavage and purposely bending down so the football team could see her ass. I shook my head from where I was. How insecure were some of these girls? Didn't they understand what those guys were thinking, did they not care?

"Roll for initiative." Maisie said, snapping me from my trance.

We were in the middle of a heated dungeon and dragons game - yes, we were that lunch table. Rodger was the Dungeon Master since he had the most experience and enjoyed spending his free time coming up with quirky plot lines that didn't make much sense.

"Yo, James. You ok?"

"Hmmm..."

"It's your turn." Rodger stated bluntly. "Stop being such a noob, what's botherin' ya?"

I rolled my eyes, hating when he purposely spoke in slang thinking it upped his 'coolness' factor. "Sorry, I've just been thinking about stuff."

"Like...." Aaron prompted, jumping into the conversation.

"It's just that I'm trying to think about what our next move should be with the whole Alice thing." I decided to keep my voice down since the name "Alice Priceton" tended to attract a lot of attention in the school.

"I say we just release the files" Ashley piped in.

"I know, but that's our only leverage. If she is some how able to turn that around on us then we're dead. And besides I don't like the idea of breaking a promise; I want to win this fairly." I said as I began to formulate a new plan.

"Oh no, James' has his thinking face on." Rodger groaned, throwing his head in his hands. "Can you stop looking like you're suffering from a fatal degree of constipation."

"I've got it." I smiled (a little more evil than sweet to be honest).

"Care to elaborate?" Ash raised an eyebrow.

"The best way to take Alice down a few pegs is by exposing her geekiness."

"I thought we had already covered that, I thought that's why you broke her glasses" Aaron said, shifting between thinking I'm incredibly stupid or brilliant.

"I know, but she's on guard now and it's going to be hard if she's been able to hide her nerdiness for this long. I say we get to know her. If she's one of us than she'll eventually slip-up." I started rambling as the plan began to take shape in my mind.

"Yeah, like she's going to want to hang out with us." Rodger scoffed. "She's got the Perfects and their parties to go to." He jutted his head in the popular table's direction.

"She's been keeping all of this hidden for so long, it's likely that she's desperate to hang out with people who also like the stuff that she's into." I said.

"So, what do you propose? Invite her to your place tomorrow night for our usual game night?" My plan deflates at Rodger's point. Thursday night has always been our night - just the six us. No, we didn't go to parties and get drunk like most of our fellow peers. We'd game, watch movies, D&D and occasionally prepare our cosplay costumes for the cons. By inviting Alice, it would be like breaking some kind of tradition. And besides, what are the chances that she would even trust us (particularly me) enough to come?

"It's worth a shot. But I don't think I should be the one to ask." I scanned my little group, landing on Curt who - unlike the rest of us - had his nose 10 inches too deep in a philosophy book. "Curt you have english with Alice next, right? Can you ask her."

"Hmm.... what was that." We all groaned realizing how out-of-the-conversation Curt had been. After filling him in and ignoring his protests, we all agreed. Curt would ask her next period and convince her to come to my place tomorrow night.

Just as we were about to pick up our trays and head to class, I heard the cafeteria doors open. Alice walked in, unfazed and without the broken glasses. She looked like her usual perfect self and I felt a tinge of unhappiness. I couldn't help but feel like she was cuter during computer science, speaking Klingon to me with her black, squared frames on. But don't take that the wrong way by no means, NO MEANS, do I think Alice Priceton is remotely 'cute'. Sure, she had these beautiful crystal-blue eyes and long dark-brown hair.... but she was mean and vicious. AND MOST DEFINITELY NOT CUTE AND -

Suddenly, her gaze latched onto mine and I very nearly spilled my tray of garbage on the theatre-kid in front of me. You see what that girl creates? With just a look she can cause complete chaos? That's why it's so important that she comes tomorrow night; to take her down. It is not in any way an excuse for me to hang out with Geek-Alice.

Sighing, I placed the now-empty tray on the table and slung my messenger bag over my shoulder. Next period was calculous and I needed to stay focused and that meant not thinking about Alice. Shoving her out of my mind entirely, I headed to class hoping Curt stuck to the plan.