My Life as a Teenage Rebel

Chapter 3: Hola, Nerd Boy

CHAPTER 3 Hola, Nerd Boy

As Evilyn and I walk through the hallways to meet Kelsey at our usual lunch table I notice just how many people are turning their heads. This morning I was able to walk through these halls without caring that people were staring at me, so what's changed?

I think. Well...Kyle's not around...yeah that's probably it; I feel more secure when Kyle's around. I've really gotta get over that; I'm fifteen for Pete's sake.

It is still a little exciting though, and I'm not sure if it'll ever get old.

When we enter the cafeteria we see Kelsey already sitting at our usual table, a tray of food in front of her. We wave to each other as Evilyn and I get into the lunch line. Mandy and her cronies are one person ahead of us; I can hear her telling them about how her brother has joined the lacrosse team or something.

Yep, you read that right. Amanda O'Conner has a brother. He's a year older and he goes to a fancy boarding school in England (cuz their parents are filthy riiiiiiiiii-ich) but he visits on holidays and stuff. His name is Richard (now try saying that name in a fake British accent, because that's how he talks).

Oh yeah, and I almost kissed him once too.

I must have been on some wacky medication then, or maybe it was just puberty messing with my brain. We saw each other at our annual neighborhood block party. We started talking, and the next thing you know, we find ourselves walking farther and farther away from everybody else until we're practically alone. He casually tells me that he has a girlfriend back in England, and at the time I was like: Darn my sucky luck!

But then a few minutes after he told me this, he looked into my eyes so intensely I was starting to feel something funny happening in my stomach. He took my hand, leaned forward, closed his eyes, and...

"What the fudge do you think you're doing?!" I exclaimed. He opened his eyes, looking seriously taken aback. "You just said you have a girlfriend! Do I look like some man-stealing beech to you?" I then stomped away, completely repulsed.

But it's a good thing that happened I guess, cuz you never know, I might have ended up related to Mandy O'Conner if that had continued. Ugh. But a few days later, Kyle came into my room and told me that he'd talked to Richard O'Conner, and he'd told him that he had lied about having a girlfriend because one of his buddies had said that having a girlfriend apparently makes you more desirable to other girls. And do you know what I told my brother to go tell that O'Conner fool?

"That's just the stupidest thing I've ever heard. And I hate it when people lie about themselves."

Good riddance, British O'Conner.

Evilyn and I grab our lunches and then take our seats besides Kelsey. "Hey guys." she greets us.

"Hey." Evilyn says. "How was your first half of school today?"

"Ugh, you guys would not be-lieve how hard Mr. Stiel is on us."

I laugh. "Oh, we believe it Kels; we had him last year too." I then suggest, "Just turn all of your projects in as three-holed paper, he likes that cuz at the end of the semester he asks for the works he liked the most and he puts them in his binder to remind himself what an awesome teacher he is."

Kelsey laughs at this. "Okay, I'll do that then. Thanks Ky."

"It's why I'm here." I grin, and then throw a piece of broccoli into my mouth.

We're halfway into starting another conversation when the two redheads - Harry and Rupert Gregor - from the film club rush up to us, Rupert holding the silver camera and Harry holding a recorder under my chin just in case the camera doesn't catch some audio. Kelsey rolls her eyes as they appear and Evilyn moans. But I smile at them, very used to this. "Good afternoon Harry, Rupe."