The Nerd? >> h.s./marcel

Chapter 21: Right On Time

Chapter 21

That night it was so hard to fall asleep. My mind was still jumbled up from earlier. Did I love Marcel, or were my feelings towards Harry? After everything that's happened, how could I even like Harry? He's been so mean to me, yet Marcel has been there for me through it all. But, then again, Harry was there to comfort me when Marcel broke up with me, but it was his fault so I guess it doesn't count...

I don't know what to do, but who is there to ask for advice?

"Mom?" I yelled, knowing she'd still be asleep.

"Yes, dear?" her groggy voice replied. I guess she wasn't asleep, just tired.

"I need your help with something," I yelled back.

I heard nothing back, just footsteps and a few doors. Mine opened lastly to reveal mom on the other side. She rushed to my bed where I sat and sat down herself.

"What is it, honey?" she questioned.

"I think I have feelings for two different boys, and the worst part is, they're brothers..." I said.

She said nothing back, silence being the only thing I need. The worry in her eyes as they fell to the floor made me realize it. She's experienced this before, but why would she not tell me? I guess it never came up.

"That's how I ended up with your father, but there was a lot of hardships before I realized it was him that I wanted," she said, her eyes still looking down.

"Really?" I asked. She nodded, looking back up.

"Yes, and I'm here for you whenever you need to talk."

"How about now?" I questioned, huffing out a fake laugh.

"Of course, so what is it?" she smiled back.

"Well, I really like this 'nerdy boy' at school, the one I brought home for our project. But, the thing is, I may like his twin brother too, but I don't see how I could because he is a butthead. Or, to put it plainly, an asshole. What do you think I should do"?



***



The next day at school, I couldn't even look at either of the boys. The thing my mother told me to do was that, and to be honest it's the hardest thing I can do...

Harry was practically doing anything for my attention, but Marcel did nothing. I think Marcel thought I picked Harry over him, but trust me I didn't. I still have absolutely no clue who to pick...

It's the class before lunch now, and I'm sitting in the back like always. Marcel is in the seat in front of me, so it's hard not to look at him.

His hair is slicked back like always, and I can just imagine those glasses on his nose, falling down with his position. The vest he's wearing is the same one as the day we started talking, the same shirt too. I could see the hunch in his back, signaling to me he was taking notes. Typical Marcel; I smiled at this. He really was sweet, and I don't know why I would ever hurt him yet, I have multiple times.

Harry sat across the room from us, by the windows. He must've given up on trying to get my attention because he was staring at Carrie. Out of everyone else, he picks my friend to stare at. Of course.

She had no clue he was looking, and there was no way I could tell her. Oh wait! I could text her.

I pulled out my phone and typed out the message. "Hey, don't look back but Harry is staring at u"

I saw her get her phone out and look down. She read the text quickly, then replied. "Why is he??"

"Idk, he's probably just staring at u cuz I won't give him the time of day"

"Huh? I'm confused..."

"It's a long story, maybe u could come over and we could talk(:"

Could that work? Would we actually have a girls night after all this time?

"Ok! I've been meaning to ask if u wanted to have a girls night(:"

"Yay! Ok just come by l8r, usual time?"

I don't know if she remembered the time. I honestly didn't myself..

"Sure! What was it again? lol"

I was about to reply by telling her I had forgotten, but that's when the teacher caught us. Right on time.

"Miss Coxx, Miss Daniels, would you like to share your conversation with the class?" he asked us.

"Uh...no?" I said, it coming out more as a question.

"Wrong answer, now come up here and tell us."

We both sighed and walked up to the front of the class. Just as I lifted up my phone, Marcel's eyes glanced at mine.

"Miss Coxx?" the teacher asked, acting like I wasn't paying attention. I realized at that moment that I wasn't. Oops?

"Sorry," I apologized, starting to read off my texts.

This is like hell in a room, I have to say the text about Harry. That means that he'll know I was looking at him, shit right?

"Hey, don't look back but Harry is staring at you," I read, looking up to see a smirk over Harry's lips. I frowned to see it...

"Why is he?" Carrie read, with as much emotion as the text.

"I don't know, he's probably just staring at you 'cuz I won't give him the time of day," I said off, looking back up to see people starting to laugh at him. I feel bad now; he doesn't deserve to be laughed at. No one does.

"Huh? I'm confused..." Carrie replied. It took me a minute to read my next text, because I was staring at Harry. I wished I didn't send that first text, and I wish so badly that I could take back all the rest that I sent. I've embarrassed him now...

"Uh...oh! It's a long story. Maybe you could come over and we could talk, smiley face," I said, saying the emoji instead.

"Okay! I've been meaning to ask if you wanted to have a girls night, smiley face," Carrie laughed.

"Don't say the emoticons," Mr. Welsh blurted out. He wasn't happy with it; the class was laughing.

"Yes, sir," we replied simultaneously.

"Where was I..." I lingered, finding my spot. "Oh! Uh...yay. Okay, just come by later. Usual time"?

"Sure! What was it again? L O L," Carrie said, spelling out the abbreviation.

"That's where we, uh, got caught," I said, looking down trying not to laugh.

"Well, I will take your phones till the end of the day," Mr. Welsh said, stretching out his hands. He acted like we hadn't really said anything in the texts, which I guess is good.

We gave him our phones and went back to our seats. I got looks from only two people, the only two I avoided the entire day. Harry and Marcel...

Once lunch came around, I was relieved. Sorta. I knew that wherever I sat I would have to face either one of the boys. Harry sat with the cool people, and Marcel sat alone.

"Are you sitting with us?" I heard Carrie ask from beside me. I glanced up at her, taking a break from deciding my food.

"I don't know yet, to be honest," I told her.

"Well, Brad doesn't sit with us anymore if that changes anything. I was just wondering since we're talking again."

"Okay, I'll think about it," I smiled.

She smiled and took her tray away, headed for her table. I already saw him sitting there, acting like the king of the world. At least he didn't have a boat so he could scream it out like Jack Dawson.

I payed for my lunch and stood there, staring into the crowd of people. No tables were open but the two that I was debating over. Great.

I saw that Marcel had his nose in a book, just like he used to do. He would occasionally eat a fry or take a bite from something else, but it's like I never existed. Was I even important to him?

Harry sat at the cool table, chatting it up with some cheerleaders. Probably the only two he hasn't screwed yet. He would do the same as Marcel, occasionally getting a bite of his food. His attention though, was on something totally different than eating.

I saw Carrie look my way, waving her hand and motioning for me to come over. I wanted to because I hadn't talked to her in so long, but at the same time, I didn't want to go over because of Harry sitting there. I made up my mind and went, dreading it the moment I did.

"Yay! You came!" Carrie exclaimed, grabbing everyone at the table's attention.

I tried not to look at them, but I couldn't help but glance. This I regretted also, because it was his eyes that I caught. Those green eyes that could swoon the whole world if they were watching.

"Why are YOU here?" one of the cheerleaders asked.

"Because I can be, don't you remember I used to sit here all the time?" I asked, the same tone as her.

"USED TO, those are the key words. We haven't seen you since you started hanging with that dweeb, Marvel or whatever his name is," the other one laughed.

"It's Marcel and he's a nice guy, nicer than any of you dumbasses will ever be," I shot back. "Good job at defending your brother, Harry."

I shot Harry a look of disgust and got up from the table. I didn't even apologize to Carrie, it not really being the time. I went over to Marcel's table, sitting down without asking. He looked up from the book, confusion flying over his face once it was there.

"Uh...why are y-you here?" he asked, stuttering like before.