N: so this one will take some time to update, seems writing a high school mentality for Bo and Lauren has proven to be fairly challenging for WS and I. That and we both have stories of epicness hanging over our heads begging to be finished. So bear with us, i'm certain when we get the kids out of high school it will go smoother. maybe...anyways! read on and enjoy chapter two of this awkward love story! p.s. reviews motivate us...just saying.
I sat in my desk waiting for Mr. Aberdeen to hand me back my chemistry quiz from yesterday. I was nervous. I had been going to those tutoring sessions for three weeks now and if Nerdo Lewis wasn't able to help me get my grade up I was doomed and should probably focus on the gibberish my mom and dad talked about for that stupid company.
Mr. Aberdeen walked up to my desk and underneath it my leg was bouncing like crazy because I was a nervous wreck. He handed me the sheet of paper upside down so that my grade wouldn't show to those sitting around me. Even though the man had a smile on his face it still didn't stop me from wanting to throw up.
Time slowed down as I took the paper from him and as I looked at it I saw the two numbers in red which were enclosed in a red circle.
I stared at my grade for a moment, that couldn't be right.
I blinked a few times and when the number didn't change I turned around in my seat and said, "Um…Mr. Aberdeen, I think you've given me someone else's quiz?"
The man got a stunned look on his face and said, "Oh I'm sorry Bo. I thought I-" He look at the paper and began to chuckle, "I knew I wasn't wrong. This is your quiz Bo."
I gawked at the grade at the top of the paper then exclaimed, "Shut up!"
"Now Ms. Dennis I don't think that type of language is necessary!"
"Necessary? Oh it is more than necessary." I pointed at my quiz and grinned, "I passed my quiz! With a B! Do you know how amazing that is? New Kids would probably go on a reunion tour before I would ever get a grade like this."
Mr. Aberdeen had a confused look on his face but then smiled and gave my shoulder a quick pat, "Well I'm glad you were able to see that accomplishment before then. Although I think you should be thanking the one person who helped you get that grade."
I sat there looking at my quiz with a huge grin on my face. This was the first quiz or test I had gotten that was higher than a low-C. I was stoked. Of course I was going to thank Lauren for this. I now knew I wasn't a complete moron like people thought I was and I could get good grades. Mr. Aberdeen finished handing out the test then proceeded to start today's lesson. Having finally gotten a good grade in his class gave me a different focus and I felt I was ready to conquer anything the man threw at us.
After class, I bolted out of the classroom and Dyson was waiting for me by the door and I threw my arms around his neck and gave him a kiss which was interrupted by passing teacher, "Dennis, Thornwood, cut that out."
We broke apart and Dyson smirked at me, "Not that I don't appreciate it when you shove your tongue down my throat, but uh…why are you shoving your tongue down my throat?"
I held up my quiz and jumped a little as I said, "I got a B on my chem test!" Dyson just stood there with a blank expression on his face. I didn't let that damper my mood so I explained, "This is the first grade I've gotten that is higher than a C minus."
Dyson shrugged and said, "Good job. I guess. I mean it's just a grade Bo."
I looked at him and I was about to ask why he couldn't be happy for me but then I spotted Lauren walking down the hall with her oversized book bag and avoiding everyone who happened to walk into her path. She looked like a skittish stray and it tugged at my heartstrings. The poor girl had no idea how great she was. Well I thought she was great because she had helped me with getting a passing grade. I walked by Dyson and he called out, "Bo where are you going?"
I ignored him and when I was close enough I hollered, "Lauren." The blonde girl kept walking though I was sure she ducked her head down even more. I chased after then I stepped in front of her path and because she was looking at the ground as she walked she ran right into me. I chuckled a little and remarked, "You should really watch were you're going Nerdo. One of these days you're going to walk into a wall or something."
Lauren began to stammer out an apology as her face began to turn the deepest shade of red I had ever seen. I had to stop her before she passed out or something. I held up my hand and said, "Lauren stop. Just calm down. I'm not going to hurt you. I just wanted to thank you."
"T-Th-Thank me?" Lauren stuttered before she managed to get out the sentence then she asked in a voice so low I had to lean in closer to hear her, "For what?"
I opened up the binder I was carrying then pulled out my quiz for her to see and grinned, "I got a B." I chuckled, "I got a B on my chem test."
Lauren frowned and that made me nervous because I began to think maybe she was going to say something insulting but instead she said, "I'm sorry Bo. I guess we'll work harder for the upcoming test. You were doing so good on the practice quizzes and I thought you'd get-"
"No, no, no. Lauren stop." I said interrupting her rant. I smiled, "Again take a deep breath. A B is good Lauren. I-" I stopped and ducked my head then I looked back into her eyes and smiled, "I've never gotten a B before in chem." All of a sudden I got really nervous and had to swallow a few times before I said, "And it's because of you."
Lauren look shocked and for moment there I thought she was going to pass out but she didn't. She just looked at me with a stunned look on her face. I smiled then gave her a quick hug and as I did I said, "Thanks again Lauren. Maybe next time it'll be a B plus."
I moved back just in time to see a small smile on her face. She should smile more. "Bo!" I heard Dyson bark from the other end of the hall. I rolled my eyes. He could wait. This meant a lot to me.
I placed my hand on Lauren's shoulder and gave it a squeeze as I said, "Asshole is calling me I also got to get to class. But I'll see you tonight right?" She nodded head though the stunned look remained on her face. I gave her another quick hug then began to walk down the hall as I shouted over my shoulder, "Cool. I'll see you tonight teach."
When I got close to Dyson he demanded, "What the hell was that about?"
I scoffed as I pushed by him, "I was thanking her Dyson."
"For what? We don't talk or hug dorks. Especially dorks like Nerdo." He told me as we started to walk up the stairs for the second floor of the school.
I was getting annoyed with him and countered, "Yeah well she's a better person than you will ever be so shut up Dyson."
I was done with the conversation and I went to my next class. I wasn't going to let his bad attitude get to me. I had gotten a good grade on a quiz and I was going to celebrate it whether he liked it or not.
XXXXX
Mom hugged me.
Grandma and Grandpa hugged me.
Dad did the weird half hug with the arm around my shoulder, calling me Lolo.
I avoided hugs from Uncle Dan like he was covered in smallpox and the bubonic plague.
That was the entire list of people in my life that hugged me.
And yet, Bo Dennis, popular cheerleader extraordinaire, just hugged me. Like really hugged me.
Twice. She hugged me twice and now all I could smell was her perfume on my I Want To Believe t-shirt. All I could feel was how her hugs were nothing like the stiff comforting ones of mom, the smothering bear hugs I received from Grandma and Grandpa that smell liked peppermints and tissues, and Bo certainly did not reek of Old Spice like Uncle Dan.
She was warm, gentle, firm and I could feel my entire face covered in flames from how my body and hormones were reacting from a pretty girl hugging me. Her boobs smashing against me to the point I felt my throat constrict from the feelings charging through my body.
Fudge. I had a supersized crush on her and I fudged it up when she thanked me for helping her and I took it as a sign I had failed. Then I double fudged it by smiling and trying to say something, my words coming out in a strange mangled hiss, like I was letting the air out of my tires.
Then Dyson, good old beardy Thornwood brought me back into reality. Shouting at Bo like she was cattle, I caught the end of him questioning Bo why she was spending anytime talking to Nerdo Lewis.
No hug from the boobtastic Bo Dennis could ever change that, no matter how she smiled at me like she thought I was the greatest thing in Mapleview high or the way her eyes had a cute twinkle to them when she tried catching my gaze when I turtled up, hoping my overburdened backpack would snap my neck and send my head rolling away from Bo. She still called me Nerdo, she still saw me as the awkward one. I wasn't a person to her.
I glanced back at the crowd of Dyson and his cronies, frowning slightly watching Bo kiss him, laugh with him and move on to whatever the cool kids did with their day.
I shrugged, telling myself to stop putting too much thought into anything and just continue on my goal of getting through the last few months.
I adjusted my backpack, tucked my head down and began the usual route I took to the classroom where I could prepare for tonight's afterschool session. At least I could look forward to watching that new movie Dad picked up from Blockbuster, Seven, and at least Brad Pitt is kind of cute.
I sighed, but nowhere near as cute as Bo Dennis.
Setting the last packet of basic biology topics to the side, I moved to wipe off last night's chemistry equations to start writing the process of cell mitosis. My tutor sessions were moving quicker than MR. Aberdeen and I both thought, having one on one time with the students allowed them a slower pace to learn and have me explain the problems in a way they could understand it.
I smiled, drawing out circles to become cells, three weeks and most everyone in the class had stopped calling me Nerdo, in the classroom, outside, it was business as usual, but I would take the small victories. I could see in their eyes that I had their respect deep down and it was the popularity game that reverted them back to crappy habits and poor behavior.
The classroom door opened, I smiled greeting Roger the basketball player, Keith the quarterback, Callie the swimmer, and the rest. I knew all of their names and made an effort to call them by their first name, hoping one day one of them would do the same in the hallways.
Callie stopped at the desk, "Hey Lauren, I wanted to thank you, I aced Mr. Watson's algebra two quiz yesterday. He told me I won't have a problem passing the class with a high B." She grinned at me, "You're awesome and I wanted to ask if you'd come to the swim meet on Friday night? My parents want to meet the girl helping me get to college on a scholarship and not on their retirement savings."
Pushing up my glasses, I half smiled, trying to hide how weird it felt being invited anywhere by one of the popular kids. "I have a meeting with Ms. Watson to finalize my college applications, but I can stop by after?" It came out questioning, waiting for her to suddenly revoke the invitation or prank me.
Instead, Callie grinned, softly slugging me in the shoulder, "Great! I'll see you at the meet!" She spun around and took her seat next to Keith.
I let out a slow breath, glancing at the clock, five minutes to go and still no sign of Bo Dennis. I oddly was excited at the idea of her not showing up to class. Her hug earlier had shaken me to the core and left my body happily tingling in a way I hated it. I shook my head, pushing my glasses up for the thousandth time, "Okay guys, we are moving into biology these week. I decided to give you all a little break from the equations and math…."
"Excuse me, Lauren?" Mr. Aberdeen poked his head in, smiling, "I hate to interrupt you but I have a new student for you."
I straightened up, nodding with a light smile, "Okay."
Just then Bo blew in the door, wearing her cheerleading skirt and a grey hoody with the lacrosse team logo on the back. My eyes fell directly on the fact she didn't appear to be wearing much under the hoody, I could see skin. Glorious, sweaty Bo Dennis skin.
Swallowing hard I tore my eyes back to Mr. Aberdeen right as Bo grinned at me taking her seat, "Who is the new student?"
Tamsin's head popped up behind Mr. Aberdeen, scowling at him and me, "Me, Nerdo." She glared at the teacher before sauntering into the classroom, taking the empty desk behind Bo. Her scary green eyes latched on to mine, "I'm failing everything and my parents who suddenly give a shit, want me to go to college." She rolled her eyes, folding her arms tightly across her chest making the leather of her black jacket squeak. "This is stupid, I'm missing out on hanging with the boys."
Mr. Aberdeen shrugged at me, moving closer to whisper, "I know Tamsin is the last person you wanted to help, but her parents were very persuasive with the principal." He glanced at Tamsin, "She is failing miserably and you're her last hope."
I clenched my jaw, nodding and feeling like Mr. Aberdeen had watched Star Wars too much. I also had the feeling of almost being sick to my stomach at the mere presence of the older blonde. She would definitely upset the balance and sanctuary I created in the classroom. The rest of them would soon be back to calling me Nerdo, laughing at me and knocking me over in the class.
Mr. Aberdeen patted me reassuringly on the shoulder, shrugging again in apology before moving out of the classroom.
Sucking in another large breath, I turned back to the class. "Okay, biology. We will start with cell mitosis." I was starting to shake mildly from being incredibly nervous having Tamsin in an enclosed space with me.
"Nerdo, I can't hear you!" Tamsin half bellowed it out, "You cold? You're shaking like it's the middle of winter. Where's your giant nerdy ass alien sweatshirt you wear every day in winter? Momma Nerdo forget to wash it for you?"
I bent my head down, shuffling the packets, trying hard not to run out of the room and not look back. Tamsin was feared by many in the room and I didn't expect any of them to come to my rescue, she had broken bones and most of the athletes in here knew that, or saw it firsthand. I cleared my throat, trying to chase the shakes out, "The cell mitosis process…" I paused, my voice was coming out as a whisper and there wasn't a thing I could do about it.
"SPEAK UP NERDO!"
I twitched, startled by the rough yet powerful voice. I half dropped the packets in my hand, looking at the door. I could escape, run and tell Mr. Aberdeen the cafeteria burrito I had for lunch caught up to me. I kept my head down, thinking of a thousand excuses to bolt when another booming voice filled the room.
"DAMMIT TAMSIN! SIT DOWN AND SHUT YOUR STUPID FACE! HER NAME IS LAUREN!"
My head shot up, Bo was standing in front of Tamsin's desk, her arms folded, her face red as she stared down the taller and stronger blonde. Bo huffed after clearly getting Tamsin's attention, forcing the girl to slide down in her seat with a sheepish look on her face. "Her name isn't Nerdo, it's Lauren. Call her Lauren in this room and everywhere else." She turned to me, a stupid grin covering her face, "She's amazing at what she does and all of us have her to thank for keeping our parents off our asses about grades and scholarships. Lauren is awesome."
My face lit up like a red stop light and turned hot, I tucked my head deeper into my chest, wanting to cry as I heard Roger, Keith, Callie and the rest chime in and agree with Bo. All of them rallying behind the brunette cheerleader.
I swallowed again, finding my voice, "Thank you, Bo, but you all have done most of the work and." I shrugged not knowing what else to say as my voice cracked and I really wanted to cry, so I just shrugged again and swallowed down that burrito from lunch begging to come back up and out of a nervous stomach.
Bo nodded at me, still grinning and turned back to Tamsin, "Keep it shut or I'll tell Dyson about what you did to his car last month when you were hammered."
Tamsin's scary green eyes grew wide and fearful at the secret Bo apparently kept. She huffed, "Fine." and then slid deeper into her seat, refusing to look at anyone as she opened her notebook and started scribbling.
I turned to the whiteboard, not wanting to look at Bo or anyone else. I let out a massive breath, picked up my marker and began writing, finding my focus. "Cell mitosis is cyclical in function. We will start at the beginning and slowly work our way through the circle. Please stop me if you have any questions."
Soon I found my rhythm and the nerves fell away. The class was listening, even Tamsin at one point as she scrunched her face up a few times writing notes, it would then relax when I re-explained something. Tamsin was learning and for as much as she scared me and brought forth such much fear in my life. It made me happy to see that she was learning because of me.
I paused in my lecture, scanning around the room and happily finding all of popular kids nodding and smiling as things clicked in their head. I spotted Bo right before I went back to writing more on the board, she had her head down, scribbling away in her notebook. She looked amazing when deep in thought, her brow furrowed ever so, a soft small on her face as she figured things out and the more she bent forward, the more I could see down her hoody.
Lost in trying to squint to expand my vision to collect as much as I could of a curve of a Bo boob, she suddenly looked up. Catching me dead in the middle of staring at her like my cousin Eddie does to me during Thanksgiving dinner, like a big ole gross creep. This crush on her was going to get me a creepy nerdo nickname and possibly a right hand haymaker from Tamsin, if I didn't keep my hormones and libido in check.
My face did the slow change from pale to lava red as I knew I was caught, instead Bo winked at me, mouthing, "You're awesome."
I nodded or shook my head, looking like a broken bobblehead and turned back to the board, Bo clearly didn't catch me perving on her, but holy skeptical Scully did she make my stomach spin like it was on a centrifuge.
I shook my head, stop it Lauren, just because she stood up for you in the classroom and you save her ass in chemistry, doesn't make you friends.
I was just her silent lifesaver, the second we both walked out of that door our lives would split back into the nerd and the popular girl.
Clearing my throat for the millionth time, I carried on, "Now let's move on to the Mitotic Phase of the cycle."
xXx
It was rare to see me without either Dyson or the entire gang but there were times where I needed to be away from them. In order to do that I had to go to a place that no one would expect me to go and that was the school library. I liked to read. Not just the cheesy romance novels but also the fantasy ones that were set in different worlds. It provided an escape and today was that day because last night had been weird. I stood up for Lauren. Again. That little nerd was starting to grow on me and I knew people would start saying things if I didn't stop. But what was I supposed to do when she was so defenseless? Before it was just telling the guys to quit because it was just stupid but now I've seen a different side of her because of these tutoring sessions and she's an interesting person.
I was looking through the fantasy section of library when I saw her sitting at one of the tables through the section of books I was looking through. Lauren was working on something with a mountain of books around her. I wondered what she could be working since I heard a rumor that she had finished the entire high school curriculum in her freshman year. I would give anything to just to pass chemistry.
I resisted the urge to go over and talk to her. There was something about me that caused Lauren to become a complete….idiot. Other than the fact that she was painfully shy, I was pretty certain she had a crush on me. Not something that would be new because, though I'm not ridiculously vain, I know I'm pretty. Although there was something about the idea of Lauren having a crush on me that was different. To think someone with that level of genius could possibly be into me was ridiculous.
I let out a snort and apparently it was too loud because Lauren's head snapped and looked in my direction. I bent down to the ground and hoped that she didn't see me. Great now I was the dork hiding from the girl in glasses. What the hell was wrong with me?
I stood back up and I saw that she had gone back to whatever she was working on. I let my forehead rest on the shelf in front of me. I was an idiot. I needed to get out of the library. I started walking for the exit and as I was about to walk out the door opened and Tamsin walked in. We were both surprised to see each other and I got a tight smile on my face as I exclaimed, "Tamsin! What are you doing here? I didn't know you could read."
Tamsin glared at me and shot back, "I'm not here for a book Dennis, I wanted to use the computer."
The computers were over by where Lauren was sitting and if Tamsin saw her, she was definitely going to give her a hard time. It seemed as though Tamsin's lot in life was to torment underclassmen. I took hold of her arm and said, "Hey can you do me a favor?"
"What is it?" She asked her face scrunching up with uncertainty.
I hated what I was about to do but if it prevented Lauren from being subjected to Tamsin's torment then so be it. "There is this sophomore that keeps checking me out and it's a little skeevy, can you rough him up a bit?"
Tamsin eyes lit up and said, "You want me to rough up some tenth graders? Nice!" She slung her arm around my shoulders then gave me a tight hug as she remarked, "Come on Bo show me the snots that have been checking out your ass."
I tried not to let out an irritated sigh as we walked out of the library but I did my good deed and Lauren wouldn't be subjected to Tamsin and her torment.
It was Thursday night and I for once was on time for the tutoring session. In fact I was a little early since we didn't have practice. I asked for us to have the night off since we would be going to the swim meet tomorrow. Why were cheerleaders necessary at a swim meet? We wouldn't be able to do anything. No basket tosses. No summersaults. No cartwheels. All we do was one or two cheers then sat around gabbing the rest of the time. It was a complete waste of time.
I walked into the classroom and saw that Lauren was reading something in a packet. She was wearing an oversized t-shirt that read, "The Truth Is Out There" and there were two people on it. I sort of had an idea of what show that was from but it wasn't my thing. I watched MTV and Lifetime movies. I cleared my throat and said, "Hey teach."
Lauren jumped and she looked like she wanted to bolt from the room but she looked at me for a long second then mumbled, "Hey Bo."
I moved to my seat and said, "I hope it's okay that I'm early. We didn't have practice tonight and I sorta wanted to know if you would be able to go over something Mr. Aberdeen gave us today."
Lauren started to turn that certain shade of red that she only seemed to get around me and she started to mutter something but then cleared her throat before asking, "Yes. I can. What is it?"
I opened my notebook and pulled out the study sheet that Mr. Aberdeen gave me in class earlier and flipped through it as I said, "He didn't say we had to know it, know it but it could be a bonus question or something. And like I want to surprise him and show him that I'm not a total idiot-"
"You could never be an idiot." Lauren chuckled as she walked closer to me.
I let out a frustrated breath and remarked, "I'm glad you think so but I would like hard evidence of it. So anyway he called it stuck-ometry and it like flew over my head. Seriously. All I had going through my head was that stupid 'Rolling With The Homies' song because I decided to watch Clueless for the millionth time last night." Lauren had a curious look on her face and I said, "What?"
She hesitated and looked down at the floor but then she looked at me, "Are you freaking out?"
I might have been freaking out because that stupid section went over my head and when Mr. Aberdeen said you didn't have to know something it usually meant you had to know it. "I could be."
Lauren approached me like she would a wounded animal and said in a calm voice, "We can go over it and if you need help with it let me know."
I scoffed and said, "I should have asked you earlier but I was-" Not wanting to be seen talking to you because I'm an idiot, "I was busy. The test is tomorrow."
Lauren nodded and got a determined look on her face, "We'll go over the basics and see if you get those." She pushed her glasses up and said, "I know a couple of students will be taking that test so we'll cover it some more in session."
I let out a dramatic breath of relief, "Thank you so much Lauren you are a godsend. If I didn't have that stupid swim meet tomorrow I would take you for pizza or something."
Lauren began to blush again and mumbled, "I'm going to be at the meet too."
"Really?" I asked surprised that Lauren would go to any school sporting event. If I wasn't a cheerleader I wouldn't. Especially a swim meet. Snooze fest in bathing suits.
Her head bobbed up and down then she explained, "Yeah. Callie invited me as a thank you."
I grinned. It was nice to see that some of the jocks in our tutoring group had taken to Lauren. "Well then teach I guess I'll have to treat you afterwards."
Lauren cheeks got redder and I smiled. Making her blush was starting to become a fun thing for me to do. Not in a teasing way but because it was kind of cute. She picked up the packet and muttered, "We should probably-"
"Oh yeah."
Lauren looked at the packet then said, "First thing we should work on is getting you to learn how to say the word right. It's stoichiometry and it's not that hard."
I rolled my eyes and remarked, "Says the genius."
Lauren smiled at me and my heart may have fluttered. Or it was indigestion.
It was indigestion. Definitely indigestion.
She got up and walked to the board. As she wrote and equation on the board she said, "You don't have to be a genius to get it. Trust me we'll go over a couple of easy equation and I bet by the end of the night you'll be completely surprised that you never didn't know it."
I picked up my pencil and said, "Again…so says the genius." We exchanged smiles and Lauren began to go over the basics of stoichiometry and as she talked I smiled. That little nerd was really starting to grow on me.
