His Nerdy Red

《Nerdy Red Pt. 4》

/Why so blue, Red?/

《RYLAN》

~~

Anyone that knows what it feels like to eat lunch alone, knows that it feels like hell.

It seems like every pair of eyes in the cafeteria is glancing at you every five seconds. I never understood why eating alone was such a big deal? But I guess it was a huge deal to teenagers that have nothing better to do than pick out people that eat alone.

I've made it through a week of my senior year, and everything that seemed terrible without Sky is slowly getting better. Which scares me, I'm not gonna lie.

I started to ignore all those stares. Stares that are meant for loners. I guess I started ignoring too much because Parker was sitting down across from me. I hadn't noticed because I was reading a book, A Walk To Remember. He had that annoying smirk on his face, that said he was about to say something ornery. He had three difference kinds of smirks, that told me what he was about to say.

The annoying smirk, lead to something ornery. The half smiling smirk often lead to something funny. There was a jackass smirk too, where you know he's about to be an ass. Then lastly, the soft smirk was when he was about to say something actually nice. It kind of turned his whole face into something boyish, and it is the only smirk you can see his dimples.

I don't know how I came to know all this, it's not like I stare at his face all of the time.

"Why so blue, Red?"

I about choked on my apple. "I'm not blue," I stated firmly.

"I know you're not blue, you're red." He laughed, like it was the funniest thing. "No, but really, what's with your face?"

I touch my cheek, as if something were there. "What are talking about?" I snap.

"You look all sad, and down. You're never like that."

"People are allowed to be upset." I say and start reading again.

"Well I know, but I've never seen you frown that long before. I think your face might actually be stuck that way."

"You're so pleasent sometimes." I say with sarcasm lacing my voice.

"What I'm trying to ask is, what's wrong?"

It's me that laughs, "You were trying to be nice without actually being nice?"

"I was being nice!" He shoots at me. He looks around then leans towards me, so close I can smell his signature clean soapy smell. "It's hard for me, okay?"

I nod, with a smile on my face I can't help it. "Oh, I know it's hard for you."

"See!" He basically shouts. "That's what I was looking for, that smile right there." He points at my now smiling lips. His finger is too close so I swat it away. "But you still didn't answer my question, why are you moping around school like you've lost your best friend?"

And he's a jackass again.

I roll my eyes and look back down.

"Wait. Wait." He holds his hand out. "Why did you do that? That eye roll? You never do that either, did I say something wrong?"

I shrug, hoping he might go away.

"Oh, the silence. Instead of Nerdy Red I should call you Master of Silence."

I look up and roll my eyes again.

"Seriously, you can't just keep rolling your eyes."

I roll my eyes again. He reaches towards me so I naturally back away and he snatches my book.

"Hey!" I yelp, and try to grab my book back. It's not just a book, it's one of my favorites.

I reach across the table, but he turns so I can't grab it. I stand my place, and cross my arms.

"You look really intimidating when you do that," he chuckles lightly, like, jazz music floating in the air.

"That's what I was going for," I mumble. "Can you just give it back?"

"I will give it back," he holds it out for me, and I go to take it. He pulls it back to his chest, "no, no." He shakes his finger, "not until you tell me what's wrong."

I roll my eyes once again, and try reaching across the table for the book again. My thighs hit the table and my left foot gets caught in the bar of my chair and I go sailing across the four foot wide table. Into Parker Scott.

We both fall backwards out of Parkers chair onto the floor, and the table clasping to the floor with us. It makes a huge racket that earns us every pair of eyes. My face heats up and I'm sure my cheeks are the color of my hair.

I look away from all the looks only to look down and see Parkers captivating green eyes below me. I scrabble off of him, and collect myself. I push my red hair out of my eyes, and that's when I see the vice principal walking our way. My lungs forget how to breath, I've never been in trouble before.

"Geesh Nerdy Red, if you wanted me that bad, you could of just asked."

He stands up, fixing his shirt. He holds out his hand to help me up, I stare at it. Without thinking about it too much I grab it, and he pulls me up.

"We do not run a place for hooligans." Mrs. Garshener (the principal at West Brook) says. "Pick this mess up, and stop fouling around. This is your first and only warning." She's speaking to Parker more than me. But her words still make my heart beat fast. "Got it?"

"Got it!" I say quickly.

She looks at me, "good." Then she turns on her heels and walks away. People start going back to whatever they were doing before. But there are going to be questions, that is for sure.

I start to put the table back in its place, and Parker helps me. I grab the chairs and put them back.

"Sorry," he says. "I didn't mean to get you in trouble. I was only trying to help." He picks up my bookbag, and hands me my book.

I take my bag and book, and look back up. "Sky, do you remember her? She's went here since 4th grade, we've been friends since 4th grade. She moved."

He looks down, "sorry. I guess you really did lose your best friend."

I shrug, "It's just weird not seeing her everyday like I used too."

"That's understandable. Hey, Nerdy Red. We may just be yearbook partners. But you can always call me your friend." He winks at me, indicating that cocky Parker Scott is back. With that he takes his wink and leaves me standing there all flushed.

/^/^/^/

Word count: 1130

Date published: 6/8/16

/^/^/^/