The Nerd and Ms. Perfect

Chapter 12 - Pinch Me.

Last night was insane. And somehow I still have the smell of Ashley's perfume imprinted in my brain. Today feels like it's going to be a good day. Although it's raining terribly outside.

The doorbell rings.

I go downstairs expecting my mom to be answering the door, but she's nowhere to be seen; she must have went to work early.

I walk to the door and open it, "Hello?"

Danielle.

I go to slam the door but she throws her foot in the way.

She's crying in the rain, "Matt, please..."

I whip the door open and see that she has a black eye. Call it empathy, call it pity, call it remnants of buried feelings.

"What happened...?"

"Jackson... He... Can I come in?"

I sigh, "Yeah."

She comes in and sits down on the couch.

"Look there's something I've been meaning to tell you..."

I gulp, "What?"

"Well, you know how I... I broke up witch J-Jackson, but we got back together...?"

"Yeah, so what?"

"Well... the reason I did that is because h-he threatened me with pictures..."

"What do you mean, he threatened you with pictures? What pictures?"

"Y'know... pictures... Those kind of pictures..."

I gulped again, "You mean... you mean those kind of pictures? N-n-naked pictures?"

She nodded.

I looked down and to the floor as I rubbed my neck, "So that's why you got back together. I... kinda feel like a huge asshole... What about the black eye, did he do that?"

"It was an accident, I built up the courage to break up with him anyway because I missed you, and he still kept threatening me. But, I told him I didn't care who he sent them to, it was worth it to be hated by my best friend, and that he was a piece of shit. Then I stormed out crying and when I got home my makeup was running because of the crying and I fell into my dresser."

"Oh, I figured he had hit you... I was ready to go kick his ass."

She cuckled, "With those arms?"

"So... do you think he actually sent the n- pictures to everyone?"

"I don't know... I turned my phone off, I couldn't bare to find out. Can you unblock me now?"

"Y-yeah..." I pulled my phone out and unocked her, "done."

"Are you going to go to school?" I asked.

"No fucking way..." she said.

I looked at her soaking wet hair and clothes, "Do... you want to take a shower? I don't want you to get sick."

"Uh yeah, well I don't have any clothes."

"Um, you can borrow some of mine if you want..."

"Yeah... sure."

She followed me up to my room and I opened my dresser to grab a shirt and some sweatpants.

"Here."

"Thanks... I'll be back."

She walked out my door and to the bathroom. I heard the door open and shut.

SHWAA

I heard the shower cut on and I couldn't help but fall back on my bed. What a fucking morning, huh? I look at my watch and it's almost time for the first bell to ring. I guess I'm not going either if she's not going.

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After ten minutes or so the shower turns off and I hear the door open. She walks into the room with her clothes and sits them on my desk.

I standup and she hugs me. I smell my cologne on her mixed with my perfume.

God damn it, not the time, AGAIN.

She leans back from me while still holding my back. I stare into her eyes, they're bloodshot from all the crying.

I brushed her hair behind her ear, "It'll be okay, I really will kick his ass if he sends anyone those pictures, I mean it, I'll-"

She brings her lips to mine and stops me in my tracks. Her eyes are closed and my heart is racing. I close my eyes too and she pulls away after a couple of seconds.

"That's payback for last time, you shouldn't have teased me like that."

She chuckled with her hands still on my back, "Your heart is beating faster than when you kissed me."

This can't be real. Did she just say I teased her? And she just k-k-kissed me? Even my thoughts are stammering.

"W-why'd you do that?" I asked.

"Because after you pushed me up against the door and kissed me my heart couldn't stop throbbing quickly whenever I thought of you."

"You're the only one who's really ever been there for me Matthew, I don't know why it took me so long to realize that I love you, I'm sorry."

L-L-L-LOVE?!!!!!?!?!?!?

She laughed with that cute smile again, "Haha, your cheeks are so red!"

"If that's got your heart racing this much, just watch this..."

She pushed me back on my bed, straddled me, and the slowly leaned down to my lips and kissed me again.

I pulled her head a couple inches away from my lips, "I love you too..."

She smiled, "Duh, I know that." and leaned back into the kiss.