Status: Keep or Kill???
Nerd
Schooled
Kate’s POV
“Kate,” Mrs. Lovett calls to me from the doorway of her classroom as I leave Pre-Calculus. “How are you doing, dear?”
I walk over to her and give her my biggest, fakest smile. “Terrific,” I say.
She gives a throaty chuckle. “That bad? It’s only the end of second block.”
“I have Mr. Jenkins second block,” I say, as if that explains everything. Apparently it did, because she nods back at me in what appears to be understanding. “It’s just a lot to take in. Like a culture shock.”
“Of course it is. The school system, the classes, the people—it must all be very different from what you’re used to.” I nod and she continues. “Give it time, make some friends, pay attention in class and you’ll be fine in no time. Oh, and if you have any trouble in Mr. Jenkins’ class, I’m sure Ben would help you.”
“Ben? He’s not in my class.” I know he’s not because I was disappointed when I realized he wasn’t and that I wouldn’t have anyone to talk to.
“Oh, no—he’s not. He’s in AP Calculus. But I can ask him if you’d like. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”
“I really appreciate it, and I may ask him later, but I think I’d like to try and figure it out for myself first.”
“Of course, dear,” she smiles. The bell rings. “I’m sorry I’ve kept you, do you need a pass?”
I shake my head. “I have lunch now.”
“Well, go, eat, make friends,” she laughs. “I’ll see you in class tomorrow,” she says as she turns and makes her way back into the classroom.
It isn’t until I get to the lunch room that I panic. I realize I don’t know what to do. I don’t have anyone to sit with. I’m about to make a very embarrassing turnabout and head to the bathroom in shame when something catches my eye.
A few tables over I see Ben, sitting with Miller from American History and a few other guys. He smiles at me and waves. I’m about to go sit with him when an arm wraps around my shoulders.
“Hey, Katie,” Mike says. “Come sit with us,” he nods towards a large table at the center of the room with girls in cheerleading outfits and guys with aviators on the back of their necks. I grimace but he’s pulling me towards the table. I glance back at Ben. He looks a little disappointed, but it only lasts a second and then he’s smiling and turning back to his friends and laughing at something a guy wearing suspenders and a pink tie said. I glance at the myriad of Prada and Gucci purses lining Mike’s table—I’d rather be sitting with Ben.
Ben’s POV
I feel so stupid. Of course she was waiting for Mike. He probably asked her to sit with him earlier. God, I’m stupid.
“You know, this is a good thing for you,” Miller says knowingly.
I glare at him. “How the hell is this a good thing?” I demand, scowling down at my questionable plate of beef stroganoff, better known as mystery stew. Why I thought about giving it a second chance, I don’t know. I guess after first block I was just in a good mood. That good mood is deteriorating quickly.
“You never had a chance with her, man. She talked to you once, when to be honest she really had no other choice, and you think she’s your soul mate. That’s a little desperate. Now you know. You’ve learned your lesson: aim lower. Maybe a math whiz or a science geek. She probably doesn’t shave or is socially awkward—maybe both!—but on the bright side she’s probably gonna be sexually frustrated and a freak in bed.”
I just stare at him, wondering how someone could be that stupid.
“That’s a bunch of shit,” Dexter says. He’s sporting a pink tie today. He wraps it around his finger as he stares into his physics book. “Any other girl would have been playing with her hair and texting about this crazy party this weekend instead of paying a single bit of attention to Ben. I mean, look at him for God’s sake. He isn’t even wearing a tie! It’s no wonder girls don’t notice him. You have to be bold to attract a girl’s attention—that’s why I’m such a hit with the ladies.” I doubt socially awkward paired with bright, unnecessary ties, suspenders, and combat boots make a ladies’ man. Miller and I chuckle but Dexter presses on. “So if this girl shows him a little attention, why can’t you just let him have it man? If he deludes himself into being happy for a little while, that’s his business, and as his friends, we should support him. And then we bring him booze when it all comes crashing down and she hooks up with that prick Mike.”
Miller is grinning. I just stare down at my hands. Maybe Miller is right. No. Miller definitely is right. I should aim lower. A girl like Kate wouldn't want a loser like me.
“Why’d you think she’d want to sit with us anyway?” Miller asks, glancing towards where she’s sitting, at the rich kid’s table. I can’t help it; I look too. She flips her hair over her shoulder and laughs at something one of the cheerleaders said. She just looks so natural at that table, like it’s where she belongs. Because she does belong there.
“I don’t know,” I sigh. “I don’t know.”
“Kate,” Mrs. Lovett calls to me from the doorway of her classroom as I leave Pre-Calculus. “How are you doing, dear?”
I walk over to her and give her my biggest, fakest smile. “Terrific,” I say.
She gives a throaty chuckle. “That bad? It’s only the end of second block.”
“I have Mr. Jenkins second block,” I say, as if that explains everything. Apparently it did, because she nods back at me in what appears to be understanding. “It’s just a lot to take in. Like a culture shock.”
“Of course it is. The school system, the classes, the people—it must all be very different from what you’re used to.” I nod and she continues. “Give it time, make some friends, pay attention in class and you’ll be fine in no time. Oh, and if you have any trouble in Mr. Jenkins’ class, I’m sure Ben would help you.”
“Ben? He’s not in my class.” I know he’s not because I was disappointed when I realized he wasn’t and that I wouldn’t have anyone to talk to.
“Oh, no—he’s not. He’s in AP Calculus. But I can ask him if you’d like. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”
“I really appreciate it, and I may ask him later, but I think I’d like to try and figure it out for myself first.”
“Of course, dear,” she smiles. The bell rings. “I’m sorry I’ve kept you, do you need a pass?”
I shake my head. “I have lunch now.”
“Well, go, eat, make friends,” she laughs. “I’ll see you in class tomorrow,” she says as she turns and makes her way back into the classroom.
It isn’t until I get to the lunch room that I panic. I realize I don’t know what to do. I don’t have anyone to sit with. I’m about to make a very embarrassing turnabout and head to the bathroom in shame when something catches my eye.
A few tables over I see Ben, sitting with Miller from American History and a few other guys. He smiles at me and waves. I’m about to go sit with him when an arm wraps around my shoulders.
“Hey, Katie,” Mike says. “Come sit with us,” he nods towards a large table at the center of the room with girls in cheerleading outfits and guys with aviators on the back of their necks. I grimace but he’s pulling me towards the table. I glance back at Ben. He looks a little disappointed, but it only lasts a second and then he’s smiling and turning back to his friends and laughing at something a guy wearing suspenders and a pink tie said. I glance at the myriad of Prada and Gucci purses lining Mike’s table—I’d rather be sitting with Ben.
Ben’s POV
I feel so stupid. Of course she was waiting for Mike. He probably asked her to sit with him earlier. God, I’m stupid.
“You know, this is a good thing for you,” Miller says knowingly.
I glare at him. “How the hell is this a good thing?” I demand, scowling down at my questionable plate of beef stroganoff, better known as mystery stew. Why I thought about giving it a second chance, I don’t know. I guess after first block I was just in a good mood. That good mood is deteriorating quickly.
“You never had a chance with her, man. She talked to you once, when to be honest she really had no other choice, and you think she’s your soul mate. That’s a little desperate. Now you know. You’ve learned your lesson: aim lower. Maybe a math whiz or a science geek. She probably doesn’t shave or is socially awkward—maybe both!—but on the bright side she’s probably gonna be sexually frustrated and a freak in bed.”
I just stare at him, wondering how someone could be that stupid.
“That’s a bunch of shit,” Dexter says. He’s sporting a pink tie today. He wraps it around his finger as he stares into his physics book. “Any other girl would have been playing with her hair and texting about this crazy party this weekend instead of paying a single bit of attention to Ben. I mean, look at him for God’s sake. He isn’t even wearing a tie! It’s no wonder girls don’t notice him. You have to be bold to attract a girl’s attention—that’s why I’m such a hit with the ladies.” I doubt socially awkward paired with bright, unnecessary ties, suspenders, and combat boots make a ladies’ man. Miller and I chuckle but Dexter presses on. “So if this girl shows him a little attention, why can’t you just let him have it man? If he deludes himself into being happy for a little while, that’s his business, and as his friends, we should support him. And then we bring him booze when it all comes crashing down and she hooks up with that prick Mike.”
Miller is grinning. I just stare down at my hands. Maybe Miller is right. No. Miller definitely is right. I should aim lower. A girl like Kate wouldn't want a loser like me.
“Why’d you think she’d want to sit with us anyway?” Miller asks, glancing towards where she’s sitting, at the rich kid’s table. I can’t help it; I look too. She flips her hair over her shoulder and laughs at something one of the cheerleaders said. She just looks so natural at that table, like it’s where she belongs. Because she does belong there.
“I don’t know,” I sigh. “I don’t know.”
♠ ♠ ♠
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