The Hot Nerd (editing)

shattered and scattered*

shattered and scattered

*edited*

By Monday, I had gotten over being hurt. Because now, as I was walking down the halls of Morning Sun High, I was a shell and my body was on autopilot. I just couldn't believe he would do this to me! We had been wrapped up in each others words only hours before he ditched me Friday. Nobody could change that much that fast.

Arizona was there for me the whole time, though. Supporting me and threatening Arin with all she could do. But of course, those words of threat were said behind my bedroom walls and over the phone to me, so technically, it didn't count. Arizona was out sick today, so I had to face today by myself. Today is like all three of my years of highschool crammed into one day. And GOD, is it giving me a migraine!

Arin was back to being Mr. Dick, Chloe De Laurents had finished baking her Bitch Pudding and was shoveling it into my mouth, and since Arizona was out, I was fighting these battles alone. It seemed like everybody was out to get me.

Right after first period, I had tried to approach Arin, to ask him about last night. At the time, I still had hopes of a reasonable explanation. But that's not what I got at all. I got a "NERD!" by surrounding people, and a locker slammed in my face, and my ass slammed on the tiles.

After second period, I was trudging back to my locker, fearing that Arin might be there. I did not want a repeat of earlier. Thankfully, he wasn't. But Chloe and her evil squad were there.

"Listen, smarty pants, my Arin is sick of you stalking him." Chloe said to me, getting in my face.

"Smarty pants? How is that a satisfactory come back? Come on Chloe, I'm pretty sure everyone here expects more than that from you." I countered, getting right back in hers.

"Not the point! Shut up! I was just trying to deliver the news that Arin doesn't want to speak to you anymore." Chloe evilly smirked, turned on her heels, and sashayed away. Her followers stomped off after her.

"HEY, HAVE HIM TELL ME THAT TO MY FACE!" I screamed after her. And then to myself I said, "I at least deserve an explanation."

And then at lunch, I realized I probably shouldn't have yelled anything in the hall at all that day, because I was in for the heartbreak of a lifetime.

I grabbed my packed lunch and started heading for my locker, when I was yanked into a supply closet. My lunchbag flew out of my hand and landed in the middle of the hall. It was pitch black in the tiny room, and there wasn't much room to move, so I was pressed against someone's body.

The guys chest was toned and muscular. Six pack. Déjà vu hit me. I remembered the time I had been invited to a sweet sixteen party only to be humiliated in a game of Seven Minutes In Heaven. I could have sworn the boy in front of me was Ron Yiddle, the boy from the party. Until I heard him talk.

"I don't know where the light switch is. Sorry. Maybe I should have thought this through a bit more," said an all too familiar voice.

"Arin." My voice broke as if I was about to cry. Which I most likely would. I am far too sensitive.

"Listen, Lacee-" As much as I loved to hear him say my name, I cut him of.

"Arin, I can't. Why did you do that? What did I do that made you so upset to send Chloe after me?" I spit out the name Chloe as if it would burn me if I didn't get it out fast enough.

"You didn't do anything! It's just that-"

"You had a better offer."

"Well, Chloe was having a party-"

"And you lost track of time! Or no! A better one perhaps! LIke, you had goddamned car troubles!" My voice was beginning to rise, and Arin was tensing up. But he said nothing in reply until I said, "I'm hurt that you did that to me. And to think I-I . . ." I trailed off as a tears started to slide down my cheeks.

As if he could see every one of my sorrowful, pitiful tears roll, he wiped them all away with his thumbs. He cupped my face in his hands and bent down and kissed me. But the tears still found their way down, dripping off my face, down my neck. I felt stuffy and uncomfortable and Arin obviously didn't understand that now was not the time for kissing. I pushed him away and stared disbelievingly at where I guessed his face was.

The bell gave a shrill ring and he bolted out of the door and sped off to class. The only movement I made was to sink to the floor and put my hands up to cover my face, to hide my tears from the dark and now empty supply closet.