The Nerd Pact

Chapter 1

"We can't be friends anymore."

Those words are like a slap in the face. Not only do they hurt, but they are completely unexpected. I feel my voice cracking at my attempt to speak, "What?"

She licks her lips and glances at something behind me for a second, but once again she gazes at me like before. "I said that we can't be friends anymore."

I furrow my eyebrows and cross my arms, my heart beating unbelievably fast. "Why?"

Her face twists in frustration. "Because we can't, okay? We just can't! So just drop it!" Her words came out like venom and it makes my chest swell tightly. I'm astonished as to how I'm still capable of breathing.

My eyes sting and my mouth is hanging open, trying to form words to ask her to explain. "But...I don't understand!" I protest, taking a step towards her, "Why can't we be friends?"

She just scowls and crosses her arms, "Because."

"Because why?" I ask softly, placing my hand on her arm like I usually would when she was upset. Usually, her expression would soften, and she would become a gentle person, but now her expression grows livid. She smacks my hand away and growls.

"Don't touch me!"

I wince. "Maddi...what's wrong?" My voice croaks once more, my tears threatening to spill.

"You," she sneers. "You're what's wrong." My heart beat increases. "You're the problem! You always were!" Her voice had grown louder with each word. "Just leave me alone! I don't need you— hell, I never needed you to begin with, so just walk away!"

"Maddi, I—"

"Shut up!"

I freeze. I gulp my sobs away and feel warm, fresh tears stream down my cheeks. My body refuses to move; It's like my feet are nailed to the floor with the strongest metal. Mind swarming with thoughts and endless questions, my heart is screaming in agony. I don't want my friend to walk away like this and leave me alone! Not like before!

"You get it now?" She taunts, a crinkle of annoyance on her forehead.

"No...." I whisper softly, probably too soft for her to hear.

"What was that?" she speaks with malice.

"No," I repeat myself, louder this time.

"Why? Why is it so hard for you to understand? For a nerd, I would have thought that you would get this message and understand it very clearly, but apparently not."

"Why are you doing this?" I mumble, more tears streaming down my face, ignoring her previous comment completely.

Her ice blue eyes match her heart when she responds, "Because you disgust me."

I lick my lips nervously before asking, "Why do I disgust you?" I take a step closer to her, finally finding the strength to move. "Maybe I can fix this—"

"You can't fix this," she smirks. "You can't change yourself to that extent. Maybe you should get surgery so no one has to see whatever the hell you are ever again." She giggles before making way toward me. "You're fat." Step. "Ugly." Step. "And pitiful."

Her face looks down at me with a wicked expression. Her eyes showcase her dark amusement. "I only became your friend to win a bet. And guess what? All those sleepovers, all those texts, and all those times we hung out..." She grins widely. "I know your every little secret. And soon, everyone will, too."

My eyebrows scrunch together. Breathing was getting difficult, but I manage to mumble out, "Why?" It sounded choked and forced. It sounded like everything was breaking. It sounded like loneliness.

"Because we belong in two different worlds, and it's about time you learned your place." And with one more sinister smile, she walks right past me without sparing me a second glance.

I stand here, looking like an absolute fool— stared at by a bunch of spectators who witnessed the whole thing. Tears are rolling down my face, and my head is angled downward so that no one can see my hideous expression. I want to run home and lock myself in my room, but after realizing the amount of attention on me, I can't find the ability to do so. My body has completely shut down.

I hear laughter from the back of the room, and since I'm already stripped of all my dignity, I raise my head and turn to look at the source of the laughter and see the Populars— and Maddi.