Life As Told By Nerdy

 Fate is like a strange, unpopular restaurant, filled with odd waiters who bring you things you never asked for and don't always like.

                                                                       ---~Lemony Snicket

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Chapter 2 — Leon Walden

Detention was uneventful. No need to say that it was such a colossal waste of time. I mean I could be doing my Biology report by now, or better yet try to catch up on my Geometry in which I pretty much suck at.

Not to mention that I had to miss a crucial meeting in chess club. Duh. Even detention was better than chess club meetings. Surely, I’d hear tomorrow from Ricky Burns, chess club president tomorrow first thing in the morning about my unprecedented absence. I should remember to think of an alibi so Ricky Burns, chess club president wouldn’t make a big fuss about it all day.

It was a good thing Leonard Dunn was seated very far away from me. Or else, there might’ve been a round two.

What a relief!

But he kept glancing at me every now and then when he thought I was unaware. His face was as bemused as ever, though I could almost hear a voice at the back of my mind saying that he was smirking behind those thick glasses.

The two long, tedious hours ended calmly. Except for those jocks at the back with serious cases of ADHD.

I was making my way to my locker after being shoved into the hallway by someone whom I did not dare look at, when I heard shuffling noises at the rear of the next corridor. I listened closer when I thought I was imagining it since the place was almost deserted.

There were hushed voices but I did not dare look either. I edged my way to a corner, intent on listening, making sure I wasn’t discovered but I could not make out what they are talking about. From what I can hear, there could be three people, maybe more; a woman and two male voices.

Slowly, I took a peek less than a foot from the turn to the hallway and caught glimpse of the three. I didn’t know what came over me. I typically don’t meddle with other people’s business or I simply just don’t care. But I did it anyway.

There he stood. Leonard Dunn seemed to be arguing with a tall man, clad in tight gray suit paired with a black tie with red polka dots on it, like Ronald McDonald about to head to his day job as a pencil-pusher. The man shook his head disappointedly and wiped the sweat off his creased forehead.

The woman beside them stayed silent for most of the time, nodding and patting the man in the suit every once in a while. There was a stern look about her face with those horned-rimmed glasses and bundled wavy auburn locks.

“This is an outrage!” The man’s voice boomed across the hall. He huffed then managed to contain his temper as he hissed through gritted teeth. “What if the media finds out? It will be the end of all our hard work!”

Leonard shrugged and sighed seeming to grow weary of the conversation.

“They wouldn’t have the slightest idea. I’d still be able to do my work… Given that Moira would help me with my school work and my schedule. I think can really pull this off!” He said with a mesmerizing but familiar grin.

I squinted against the dimly lit corridor just to make sure. My heart raced as the speculation cluttered in my head.

Could he be…  

My eyes almost popped out of their sockets at the realization. I might be mistaken, but things would be messy if I get tangled up. Carefully, I backed away. Whatever Leonard and his adult friends were talking about, it shouldn’t concern me anymore.

“Gerald, I think we should trust Leon on this.” The woman spoke to the tall man. Her voice was surprisingly gentle for her façade but what stunned me more was the fact that she called Leonard Leon. It just helped prove my theory.