The Nerd Effect #Wattys2017

Chapter 17- Almost Time To Grow Up

"I'm sure it will be," I give a small half smile, and rubbed my eyes.

Liv finds whatever she looking for and then says to me, "Do you have a griddle? Or do I have to use the stove?"

"Griddle. Third cabinet on the bottom to the right. I think."

"Thanks," Liv says and pulls it out. She plugs it in and starts making the pancakes. "How many times has Payton had to make breakfast for you?" She looks over at me.

"A couple times. Of course there were a bunch of times I ran out of the house with just an apple."

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Maybe that's why The Doctor never came and may you his companion."

"Well shit. I never thought of it that way."

She gives a snort and flips over the pancakes that are cooking. "How is it, with Eleven by the way?" She says the name in a teasing manner, and I know she means Chris.

"Good. He's my own personal Doctor. Who would have known that the boy decked out in leather was a big cuddly nerd." I laughed. "I'm just hoping nothing goes wrong."

"Was he really wearing leather that first day?" Liv holds the spatula to her chin and gazes off to the distance, thinking before she pulls her hands back down to her sides, raises her eyebrows once and smirks while saying, "Kinky."

"You did not just say that," I giggled, not able to wipe a smile off my face.

"Oh, but I did," she winked at me as she took all the pancakes off the griddle and stacked them on a plate, bringing them over to me.

"Putting that aside, let's eat!"

Liv sits down across from me and takes one off the top as I dig in.

"How are you and Anna?" I asked, my mouth full of the golden deliciousness.

She gave a loud sigh and then smiled. "Great, but nothing much has really happened. I really like her, and I guess I have for a while, but I don't know if it'll last when I leave for England."

"I'm sure everything will be fine between you two."

"Has she talked to you at all recently?" Liv asks.

"Not really. Last time I really saw her was when she asked you out."

"Well, she's not going to college," Liv states bluntly. "She wants to move to New York and start a publishing business. I mean, I'm not upset or anything, and she should do what she wants, but I just hope she's able to not only make it, but live in New York."

"It's going to suck being away from her, but if she does make it you guys can work together! She can publish your writing!"

"I guess so," Liv shrugged as she stole another pancake from the pile.

"I still don't know what I'm going to do. And I leave for college in 60 days."

"Liv, you are an awesome writer! Be a professional Author. I believe in you, and so does everyone else in our friend group. But if that's not what you want to do, than ok. You don't have to. But it's something you are great at."

"I want to be an author, sure, but I need something that pays first. And that's where I don't know what to 'be'." She sighs through her nose and then says, "You've wanted to be a kindergarten teacher since 5th grade, and I still haven't decided."

"You have 60 days. We will come up with something together."

"Hey," Gen said as she stumbled downstairs, rubbing her eyes.