The Nerd [BXB]

6 𖠇 Being Awkward Suits Me

"Are you trying to hide from me, Theo?"

I stop walking to my English class and look back at the person who mentioned my name. "I am not hiding from you, Genesis." Although, being entirely honest, I kind of was. How else was I supposed to tell her that I regret the deal she and I had made about hurting Harvey.

She catches up with me, high heels tapping on the tiles loudly. "How was yesterday?" She raises her delicately curved eyebrows, blue eyes enlighten with curiosity.

   I cannot help but smile. "We went to a party—"

   "Wait, what?" she interrupts me, instantly coming to a stop. "Why was I not invited to that party?"

I shrug. "How am I supposed to know?"

She proceeds walking. "Go on. Tell me the juicy details."

"We held hands," I confess, recalling the night outside the house. "As we laid over the grass, watching the twinkling sky."

Genesis smirks, placing her thin hand on my shoulder. "You got him, Theo! You are doing a much greater job than I expected you to."

The smile fades off my face as soon as I hear her words, reminding myself that I am doing this solely for my books. "Yeah," I simply say.

"Well," Genesis says, "see you later—and keep throwing your nerdy charms at him!"

With that, she turns around and the clanking of her high heels fades away as the hallways begin to get empty.

   I enter my English class with a sudden gut feeling tickling my insides. Today feels different—or off. Every day felt the same to me, bland and repeating. Today, though, I did not feel like that at all. When I raise my head, I notice the faces of all my classmates glued on me, like I have something to hide. Is that how it feels to be seen? A tingling on the skin that warns people about the eyes watching them.

   Of course, I do not react very well to attention so the burning on my cheeks forces me to my seat quickly to hide my cheeks. As soon as I sit on the stool, I bury my face on my crossed arms as they rest over the table.

   The bell rings loudly and that is when the door shuts.

   "Good morning, everyone," Mr. Feller greets as I hear his heavy bag hit his desk. "Take out yesterday's book."

   I hear groans behind me as backpacks begin to unzip, including mine. Of course, the morning announcements begin: "Please rise for the pledge of allegiance—"

   Mr. Feller sprints to the phone and ends the annoying voice of the girl. "Tell no one unless you want a zero on tomorrow's exam," he warns the class.

   There are three knocks as I plop the large book on my table.

   Mr. Feller tilts his head to the side and heads for the door. "Who are you?" he asks, blocking the individual that just knocked with his tall body.

   "Oscar, sir," a husky and strong in a pleasant way voice says. "Oscar Ashford."

   "New student?"

   "No."

   Mr. Feller moves away from the door. "Step in."

   And he does, viewing the classroom with care.

Something drops in my stomach when I recognize those eyes. Lighter than the morning sky.

When his eyes land on me, he rests them there.

This would have been less awkward if only Mr. Feller would have kept his mouth shut. "Sit next to Theo," he says, pointing at me. "I don't think he has a partner."

He nears me and takes the empty stool by my side. The smell of detergent and cigarettes stings my nose.

I do not dare to look at him, instead, facing down as if reading my notes. Somehow, I manage to avoid his presence throughout the period no matter how never-ending it seemed.

Thankfully the bell rings.

With my things packed, I stand up.

"So you are just ignoring me?"

I close my eyes for a second while giving him my back. Not wanting to, I turn around to face him. "What do you mean?"

He stands up from his stool, looking down at me. "Theo, is it?"

I nod.

He stares at me, offering no reaction besides the puckering of his lips as if he is deep in thought.

"Blasting into the room when you were with your girlfriend was not my intention last night," I admit, recalling him with the girl over his lap. "I apologize for that."

He remains expressionless. "She was not my girlfriend."

"Oh," I say, wanting to leave, "okay."

"And we did not— you know." He shoves his hands into the pockets of his baggy, khaki pants.

I chew the inside of my cheek.

"We did not have sex," he clarifies.

"I know what you meant." I glance at the door, students passing through the hallways yet no one walks into this class when I so desperately need a distraction to this awkward conversation.

He raises a dark eyebrow at me. "You can leave, you know."

"Good idea," I say, turning around. "I'll do just that." And as I walk away, I hear him release a short chuckle before joining the crowd outside.