The Nerd [BXB]

7 𖠇 Best Lunch Partner

   I try to pass the crowds of students in the hallway coming the opposite way from me. As I keep going, getting knocked side to side and receiving scowls from some, I finally reach the library, closing the doors behind me loudly. The thump! earns me a look from Mrs. Mills, peeking above her glasses with a book on her lap. "Look who made it from the popular apocalypse," she says.

I scoff, smiling as I head to her table. "Popular apocalypse?"

"They are taking over," she warns me, placing a bookmark on her book before shutting it. "Feeding in innocent nerds."

"Please don't call me that," I beg, sitting next to her. "Everybody else already does that and not to make me feel proud."

She chuckles, white curls bouncing. "How was your day after meeting the guy last time?"

   "Harvey Cohen?"

   "Was I supposed to learn his name?" she asks. "Yours is the only one I know in this entire school, Theo."

   I smile widely, glad that she at least has me to keep her company in this isolated library. "Well, he might have taken me to a..." I motion with my hand for her to get closer to me. She does, offering me her ear. "Party," I whisper although there is no one that can hear us.

   She looks at me and covers her mouth dramatically. "Theo's first party," she says. "Growing too fast, my son."

   "Too slow actually," I correct her. "I am staying behind considering that I am a junior."

   "You might not notice it, but that is great, Theo," she says. "Teenagers nowadays have a tendency of poisoning their minds and body, like an epidemic it is—don't let that get to you."

   "Do not worry," I assure her. "I will always be Theo Walker, also known as the anti-social nerd."

"Go get the box behind my desk," she says, pointing behind me.

I quickly stand up and head to her desk, opening the top drawer to pull out a box of Ritz. With the box between my hands, I shut the drawer and go back to the table.

"Well," she snaps, opening the box after I handed it to her.

I wait patiently for her to take a packet from the box. "What?"

She takes a package out and opens it, letting me get a cookie first. "Are you not going to tell me how the party was?"

"Right," I say before taking a bite from the salty cookie. "It was kind of wild."

She also takes a bite from her cookie. "You did not drink, did you?"

I shake my head. "Of course not!"

"Good," she says. "Proceed, Theo."

"As I was saying," I go on. "The party was wild, but definitely not for me. The noise was too loud for my liking and the people too drunk to speak, although most ignored me even if they were completely sober." I take a short break by eating another cookie from the box. "Harvey made me dance."

"Oh, lord!" Mrs. Mills begins cackling, covering her mouth so she doesn't spit her chewed snack out by accident. "You dancing must be a nightmare."

"Stop," I say even though I laugh along her side. "Although, you are correct which is the exact reason I just stood there in the middle of all these sweaty, drunk dancers."

"Theo." She nudges my arm. "Parties are meant to be fun!"

I raise an eyebrow, taking the box of Ritz from her grip. "You went to a party in your high school years?"

"Of course I did!" she confesses, sounding offended by my response. "Librarians might appear to be bland and lifeless, but we had our fair share of fun when we were younger."

"Did you like it?" I ask. "The party."

"Was not my thing, but it never hurts to try something new," she shares, recalling old memories.

I lean close to her, grinning widely. "Want to know what was the craziest thing that happened to me while I was there?"

Mrs. Mills grins back, ready to hear. "What?"

"I was not feeling like dancing so I moved away from the crowd and searched for an empty room where I could breathe fresh air," I explain. "Sadly for me, I opened a door that led me to two teenagers getting it."

"Oh," she says, eyes widening. "That must be traumatic."

I nod. "Thankfully, they weren't fully naked because I interrupted them before they could get to the supposed good part."

Mrs. Mills continues eating. "My deepest condolences, Theo."

"Thank you," I mess along with her. "Want to know the worst part?"

"Spit it."

"I have the same guy in a class as my partner," I admit, referring to Oscar Ashford. "It was so awkward."

   Mrs. Mills chuckles. "I bet it was."

   Before I can share with her the rest of the story with Harvey, the bell blares to announce to everyone that lunch is officially over.

   I groan, grabbing my bag from the floor. "I guess I have to go now."

   "You must continue telling me as soon as I see you, Theo Walker!" she makes clear as I stand up.

   "I will," I say. "Also, thanks for the cookies."

   "You're more than welcome, nerd," she says, remaining in her seat as I open the door.

   I roll my eyes and chuckle. "Goodbye, Mrs. Mills."

   "Goodbye, Theo."

   I close the door and leave her behind with her box of Ritz.