Beauty and the Geek

Chapter 2.

"Newsflash: you're cheer captain!" Lauren exclaimed, sarcastically. "Without you we don't have a chance at Nationals this year!"

She began fanning her face outrageously and turned to face fellow cheerleaders, who had gathered in disgrace. They swivelled towards me, feet tapping and arms folding with impatience, prompting me to provide a solution.

"You know the policy," I said, calmly. "We get kicked out of the squad if we get an F. I'm allowed to stay – but only if I get my grades up. Sadly, that means I need some time off for tutoring."
"Are we supposed to feel sorry for you?" Another glamorous cheerleader, Erin, sneered. "Why don't you just bribe someone to do your homework for you like the rest of us?"
"Yeah!" Another audience member piped up. "Define how long this 'time off' is going to take exactly..."
"Okay, that's enough!" I replied, defiantly. "I'm Captain and if I say I'm allowed time off, then that should be the end of the debate. So, get into your positions and learn the damn cheer."

They shuffled away, grumbling and complaining as they waved their oversized pom-poms around. Erin eyed me angrily; she had always wanted my spot as head cheerleader and I decided in that moment, she was welcome to it. My patience with the squad was wearing thin, and it would only be a little while before I was forced to give them a real piece of my mind.

---

"Sorry, I'm late," I hurried over to the table and set my books down, avoiding eye contact. "I had a bit of trouble at cheer practice."
"I can imagine," Will smirked.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing – it must be really hard waving those pom-poms in the air and singing some songs."

I was already infuriated thanks to Erin and now this guy was giving me a hard time too. Did he think I enjoyed being a walking stereotype? Waving "those pom-poms" around didn't exactly make my day. I wished the library carpet would swallow me up and hide me there forever, just so I could avoid the judgement of Will and the rest of the school.

"Well, we're not all the boy genius with somewhere to go after all of this," I said, coldly.
"Ah, come on," Will was embarrassed now. "I didn't mean it like that – it was just a joke."
"I'm not really in the mood for jokes," I felt the prick of tears in my eyes.

It was the run up to the anniversary of losing my Dad. Combined with the fact I might not even graduate high school, I was stuck with a bunch of morons I had to refer to as "friends," I hated my boyfriend's guts and I had no idea who I was anymore had resulted in a recipe for tears.

"Don't get upset," Will said, quietly. "Do you want to talk about it? I'll let you make fun of me if it makes you happier..."
"Thanks," I chuckled, sniffling and hiding my face behind my hands.
"See, it's much better when you smile! Do you want to go home?"
"You're sweet...maybe I should go home and clean myself up," I glanced at the mascara spillage on my white t-shirt and dreaded to think what my face looked like.
"Well...at least let me walk you there," Will offered. "I don't think you should go home alone."

I nodded in agreement and Will pulled out my chair before I could do it first. I was astounded at how much of a gentleman he was compared to Brett and I felt myself redden at his kindness. It had been a while since any boy had shown me manners like that without having a hidden agenda. I decided if Will was just another one of those losers, he had a good way of hiding it.

"I'll bet you've never made a student cry at one of your tutoring sessions before," I joked. "I guess I must really hate English."
"Or maybe my teaching is just really bad," Will pondered.
"It's not you or your teaching skills. I just have a lot on my mind lately. Sorry."
"Whatever it is that's on your mind...you'll be okay, I promise. What is life without obstacles?"
"Thanks. It must be a curse being so wise."
"It comes with the territory, I am horribly handsome and rich after all..."

I laughed again and luckily, Will laughed along. I appreciated his sense of humour. He could laugh at himself, which was something I always wished I could do. Instead, I was serious most of the time and couldn't remember the last time I wasn't angrily shouting at my cheer squad, kid brother or anyone else who crossed my path.

"How do you do that?" I asked. "You just seem so...carefree."
"Carefree?" Will almost choked from laughter. "I've spent the last two years tutoring to save money for college. Worse still, I can't even get a date to prom."
"Wow," I replied, looking at him intently. "Can't get you get a scholarship?"
"Most of the good scholarships are sports related," He shrugged. "I don't want to spend my life being a mindless soccer-playing zombie...no offence."
"Ah, Brett?" I recognized his reference. "Don't worry - he's an idiot."
"Ha! Well, if you don't mind me asking, why do you go out with him?"
"You know, now you mention it...I'm not really sure myself anymore."

He paused, and looked at me with an amused expression.

"You're a lot different to how I thought you would be," He smiled.
"How did you think I would be?" I asked cautiously.
"A typical vacant, self-absorbed cheerleader. The type of girl who pushes me out of her way in the hallway and then asks me to do her homework a few days later..."
"Is that right? Well, I thought you were going to be a total dork – guess I was right."
"Ouch!" Will smirked. "That really cut me deep."
"I'm kidding," I laughed, stepping closer to him and watching him blush. "Well, what do you think about me now?"
"I...I don't know – you've surprised me, that's all," He glanced away, adjusting his glasses. "And me?"
"I think any girl would be lucky to take you to prom."

He beamed at me as we reached my front door. I could have spoken to Will all day regardless of the fact we came from completely different worlds. I had a boyfriend but harmless flirting with the tutor was exactly that - harmless. It would never go anywhere. Anyway, where was Brett when I needed him? He didn't pull out my chair or walk me home. Somehow, a guy I had known for a single hour made me feel better about myself than my own boyfriend.

"Thanks for walking me home," I smiled. "Next time, I promise I won't cry before we get to the studying part."
"It's no problem," Will lingered, awkwardly. "I hope you feel better. Bye then..."

Spontaneously, I leaned in and kissed Will's cheek quickly, before disappearing behind my front door. I observed him, curiously, for a few moments, before he touched his flushed cheeks with disbelief and strode down the road with a funny little skip in his step.