Beauty and the Dork

Who Cares?

"How do you do that?" she asked quietly. I furrowed my brows.

"Do what?"

"You always make me feel better. You do it without even trying," she replied. I felt my stomach fill with butterflies. She was too shiny again. I kissed her softly.

"Just trying to make you feel a fraction of how you make me feel," I flirted. She grinned and pressed her face into my chest.

"Margie! Dinner!"

---

Eddie was helping me wash the dishes, making me laugh when he would splash me or use silly voices to narrate what he was doing. He leaned close to my face, and I met him in the middle, pressing my lips to his.

"Still playing house," he whispered as he winked. I smiled and nodded as I dried another plate.

"Mr. Munson – did you like the food?" my dad asked as he sauntered in. Eddie cleared his throat and nodded profusely.

"Yes, so much, Mr. Patterson – I'm pretty sure it's become my favorite food since I've had it," he replied. My dad laughed and patted him on the back. My dad turned to me.

"Time to say goodbye, little elf," my dad prompted. I nodded, but my heart sank. I wanted to spend the night with Eddie again. I turned to Eddie, smiling.

"I'll walk you out," I prompted. Eddie smiled and nodded before turning back to my dad.

"Thank you, again, Mr. Patterson," Eddie repeated. My dad nodded. "And thank you, too, Mrs. Patterson!"

"You're welcome, Margie's boyfriend!" she called from the other room. I felt my face flush and my dad cackled maniacally as he went to the other room to join her. I looked at Eddie and he was grinning at me. I rolled my eyes.

"Come on, Sir Tiebaut," I ordered, taking his hand.

He followed me out the door, his hands roaming all over my body as soon as the front door closed behind us. We got to Shelob, and I leaned my back against her. Eddie loomed over me, his smile filling his face and making my heart catch. I set a hand on his chest.

"I'm going to miss you," I said lamely. His smile grew.

"Yeah? How much?" he asked, leaning close to me. I kissed him softly, keeping our lips close as I pulled away.

"So much," I whispered. He kissed me again and brushed my hair out of my face.

"Pick you up tomorrow?" Eddie asked, nervous. I grinned – I loved that he still got nervous around me. I nodded, making him grin and he wrapped his hands around the back of my neck. "Love you, princess."

He kissed me deeply and I melted into him. He pulled back, pressing his forehead to mine.

"Love you, Sir Tiebaut," I replied.

He smiled and kissed my forehead before dropping me and walking to the driver's side of the car. I shot finger guns at him as he started Shelob, making him laugh. He waved before driving off in the night and I sighed happily. I floated back inside, over the moon about everything.

"I'm going to bed, mom and dad!" I called out as I bounded up the stairs.

I threw myself on the bed and stared at the ceiling, grinning. I wish Eddie had been able to stay. I looked over at my nightstand and the phone sitting on it. Another wave of anger overcame me, and I sat up, picking it off the receiver. I started dialing. I sat on the line, my anger picking up as it rang.

"Carver residence," Jason said once he picked up. My fury was at an all-time high.

"Hey, Jason – it's Margot."

"Oh, uh, hey, Mar-got! What's up?" he was surprised by my call.

"What would possess you to call my parents at their conference?"

Silence. I could tell he was trying to figure out what to say.

"Did...did your parents get mad once you told them?"

Another wave of fury. I took a deep breath.

"You mean before or after they invited Eddie to stay for dinner?" I asked. He was quiet again.

"Wait, they – they...they weren't upset?" he asked, bewildered. I gritted my teeth together.

"No, Jason – they like Eddie. They're happy for me. Something I thought my best friend would be, but low and behold, you're going behind my back and calling my parents," I seethed.

"Margot—"

"I just don't understand what your problem is," I snapped. He was quiet again. "I mean, what would Chrissy think if she knew?"

He was silent and I realized something.

"Chrissy knew you were going to call them?"

"She's how I knew which hotel to call," he said quietly. I felt my stomach drop. These were my friends?

"I can't believe you two," I replied.

"Margot, we just want to make sure you're okay, it doesn't make any sense," he explained. I felt my blood turn to ice.

"I'm sick of explaining this," I said simply. Jason started to push back again but I cut him off. "Goodbye, Jason."

"Margot—"

I clicked the phone into the receiver, hanging up on him. I was disappointed but felt a little better that I had been able to get things off my chest. I laid back on my bed, taking a breath. I heard faint rapping on my window and turned, confused.

Eddie was perched in the tree by my window, gripping onto the branches as he knocked on the window. I raced over and opened it up, grinning at him. I helped him in, giggling as he stumbled in. He grinned down at me, giddy.

"I was halfway home when I decided I didn't want to stop playing house," he explained, wrapping his arms around me and kissing me. I keened into his touch, thrilled that he had made this decision. He set a hand on the side of my face, tracing my lips with his thumb. "You okay? You seem grouchy.

I sighed. He knew me too well.

"I may have called Jason," I answered quietly. He rolled his eyes.

"Go – why? You'll just upset yourself," he groaned. I winced.

"I kind of just let my anger take me over," I admitted. He grinned and kissed my forehead.

"You need to relax – you've got the devil worshipper. Who cares what he thinks?"

I grinned at him. I leaned up and kissed him softly.

Maybe he was right.