The Nerd Disguise

-Ch.1-

Starbucks is my getaway place from the real world. So are books. Even if someone walked into Starbucks, they wouldn't notice me. I'm what you would call a social outcast. I don't eat with the poplars or the nerds or even the people who act like they don't have a care in the world. No, I sit in the library with an apple and a good book to read, or here at Starbucks and order a Skinny Vanilla Latte or a Double Chocolate Chip originally accompanied by a book also.

Today I'm bent on finishing The Fault In Our Stars, even thought it's like my, umpteenth time reading it. If you plan on reading this book, don't. If your going to anyway, buy tissues, lots of them.

Some other things I'm going to be doing today are reading, reading, and, you guessed it, reading. So fun.

My iPhone buzzes, signaling that it's time for me to head to school. I down the rest of my Skinny Vanilla Latte, throw it away, and race to school, by foot. I have a car, I just don't like driving it. Causes to much attention. Don't want to show up in a 2015 Toyota, now do I? I'm not one for attention, really.

I get there with seven minutes to spare. But as I walk into my sixth period Chemistry class, trying to catch my breath, I see someone else in there, other than Mrs.Green. It's... a guy. And he's talking to Mrs.Green.

"Ah, Jamie, I was just talking about you. Come here." I resentfully oblige.

"Yes?" I shyly ask.

"Meet our new student, Tony Simmons."

Tony was a nerd god, if that even makes sense. With the big nerdy glasses and the natural hard look on his face, he manages to look like a god. Even with fake braces and those dark sapphire eyes and brown hair... wait. Fake braces?

"Why do you have fake braces on?" I blurt. Oh potato, did I really just say that? "I'm sorry, I was just looking at you and I happen to-" I slap my face to avoid further embarrassment. Tony's face changed from mortal panic to amusement with my blabber mouth that I thankfully stopped in time. "- look at your mouth and see the fake braces." I rush out from behind my hands. I'm not even sure if he heard me.

"These are not fake braces Jamie." Oh potato, even his voice is god-like.

"Um, thank you?"

Oh my potato, he heard me. How? I didn't even say that out loud. "Yes you did. You like to speak your thoughts. Cute, actually." Oh mother of mashed potatoes!

I don't get to reply because the bell rings, signaling the end of lunch. I rush past the new student and dart towards my seat. When I sit, I pull out a pencil, my notebook, last nights homework, and my book.

I glance up and see Tony heading in my direction.

'Oh please no. No no no no no.' I frantically scream-think to myself

He stops by me, then sits in the chair next to mine. Uh-oh.

As if on cue, Evan Matthews walks in with his arm wrapped around Jennie, his new toy for the day. In an instant, Evan's eyes zero in on Tony and turn into slits. Tony doesn't even acknowledge him.

Evan unhooks himself from Jennie, who looks pretty disappointed that he left her, and stalks his way over to where Tony and I sit. And Tony, who doesn't even acknowledge Evan's presence, is making Evan more furious by the millisecond.

"Excuse me." His harsh tone makes me flinch. Tony doesn't noticed because he's staring directly at Evan with a smirk. I duck my head and and open my notebook, pretending to scribble things down.

"You're excused." Tony said acting like he doesn't have a care in the world..

My mouth gapes open and I'm pretty sure my eyes are like golf balls.

"You little sh*t" I flinch again. I feel a warm hand wrap around my wrist, shooting tingles up my arm and into my body. I suppress a sigh. I glance at my arm and see Tony's hand. I grab his hand, not letting my sacredness show. "Watch your mouth boy." I squeeze his hand and let out a shaky breath, making Evan look my way. Which causes him to glance down out our joined hands. Sort of joined hands, at least.

"Awe, are you two dating?"

I quickly start to shake my head, but Tony beats me to it. "So? What if we are?" Tony uses his free hand to grab my chair and pull me to his side. I start to blush wildly and I again duck my head behind my curtain of hair.

"Did four-eyes finally score something other than an A?" I don't respond.

"Leave her alone." Tony growls. I don't know what is making him act this way. The dude doesn't even know me!

"Make me."

Just as Tony's about to stand up, Mrs.Green finally acknowledges the scene. "Boys, settle down. Evan find a different seat."

Evan grumbles a few choice words and heads toward the back of the room. I don't remove my hand from Tony's for a couple seconds, but when I finally do, the tingles that were shooting and coursing through my body, are gone. I don't look at Tony as I whisper "Thank you," and scoot my chair back to its original place. I open my journal and start writing whatever Mrs.Green is writing and not even look back at Tony.

And not once does Tony glance my way.