The Geek Diaries

Chapter 9

On Monday I walked into school, looking around for Cassie. I knew this was her first day back and I wanted to see how she was going.

     I spotted her by the lockers and I immediately rushed over to her. She looked really cute in her new clothes we bought, and I hugged her. I felt her freeze a little, and I moved back to give her space.

     “You look great!” I said enthusiastically. “All the boys will be swarming around you!”

     “Yeah.” Cassie looked at the ground. “Hey, listen…”

     “Remember, no looking at the ground or trailing off your sentences,” I reminded her, pulling her chin upwards.

    She pushed my hand away and looked at me, her eyes showing no emotion.

     “What?” I asked. “Are you okay? If it’s about the other day-,”

     “We can’t be friends anymore Alyssa,” she interrupted coldly. “I appreciate all you have done, but you need to leave me alone now.”

     “What?” I asked again. “Is this because of your dad?”

     “No,” she shook her head. “It’s my choice, Alyssa. So I hope you respect my decision.”   

     “How can I respect it if I don’t know what I did wrong?” I cried. I hoped we weren’t gathering anyone’s attention. Other than the odd look, I don’t think anybody was listening too hard.

     “Just-just leave me alone,” she said harshly and shoved past me, mixing in with the crowd until I couldn’t see her.

     I couldn’t understand what I did wrong – was it because she was scared she told too much, or did her dad ask her to stay away from me? I sighed and banged my foot angrily against the lockers, cursing when I heard Victoria sing as she walked past “don’t damage school property Alyssa!”

     I groaned. My only friend left me, and I didn’t know why. Was I that much of a geek that maybe Cassie was ditching me as soon as she thought she had a chance with the “in” crowd?

     “What happened then?” I heard someone behind me softly ask.

     I turned around, noticing a girl with black hair and green eyes staring at me. “You heard?” I asked.

     “I couldn’t help not hearing it.” She admitted, ducking her head embarrassedly.

     “Well, the truth is I don’t really know.” I looked in the direction Cassie stalked off to. “She just ditched me.”

     “Well, at least there will be plenty of other people willing to be your friend,” she said optimistically. I nodded. I suppose it was true, I was quite well-known in the school after the makeover and the whole cafeteria crisis. Everyone must have thought of me as a bit of a hero, putting Victoria in her place like that. I was proud of myself too, that I had finally stood up to the school’s number one moron.

     “Well I suppose that’s a good thing.” I said, giving her a half smile. “You’re Liz, aren’t you? You’re in my music class.”

     Liz (or Elizabeth) Darnell moved from England a couple of months ago. She seemed really talented at the piano and even though she was the new girl, guys weren’t scared to flirt with her. She had good fashion sense (and I knew this even before I changed my appearance) because it wasn’t girly or revealing like Victoria’s, but casual and eye catching. She always wore silver or gold, rhinestones or something studded.