How to date a Nerd

Chapter 11

Brad keeps his distance, though he walked over with the other two boys. His eyes graze the crown of my head to my glittery toenails with a questioning look. I tug at my corset and my boobs almost pop out.

"What?"He shakes his head and mumbles, "Oh, hi."

I'm about to ask him what that look was for, but Normani interrupts my thoughts.

"Hey, Camila." Normani's voice has a bite to it like I purposely tried to steal the attention.

"Hey," I answer. "I heard you and Austin split." Jesse runs his hand through his hair and smiles like he's waiting for me to throw myself at him. Subtle."Yeah."

"D'ya know what he's been sayin'?" Keaton cocks an eyebrow at me, but it's not nearly as sexy as when Lauren does it. "No. And I don't care." I sit down on the carpeted steps next to Normani, and she hands me a granola bar.

Brad keeps his lips pressed tight together, still looking at me like I have the plague. Keaton shuffles his feet before nudging Normani's shoe. "What?" she nearly shrieks at him. "If she doesn't care, then she doesn't need to know."

Taking my time, I study each of their faces. The guys all look like lost puppies, and Normani looks like she's about to deliver the worst news in the world. I groan. "Fine. What did he say?" No one answers. Gosh, what the hell is so bad? If he said I didn't put out, that's not so bad, but if he made up a lie, which sounds more like him, I'm not sure what to expect.

I nudge Normani a little too hard on the arm. "Ow. Geez. Okay he said you gave him Chlamydia." she tells me. "What?!" I bark out laughing. "He's insane."

"So it's not true?" Brad asks, perking right up. "Hell no." The small group breathes a collective sigh. Brad actually slides between me and Normani, setting his hand dangerously close to my butt. I allow it, though I feel like smacking him across the face.

Sure, they give Popular Camila a chance to explain herself. They give her the time of day when rumors fly around about her. But the second they find out Popular Camila is actually Geek Camila in disguise they'll all laugh at her. "I knew he was full of shit." Normani reaches over Brad to pat my knee."Well, if he has Chlamydia, he didn't get it from me." I retort. "You going to go get tested then?" I shake my head. "No need. We didn't get that far."

It was like I said some dirty word with the way the boys stare at me. Brad drops his hand from my waist and recoils. Keaton gawks like an idiot and Jesse's eyes finally leave my boobs and rest on my own, waiting for a punch line or something.

Only Normani rolls her eyes. "Yeah, okay."

I let it go. No point in arguing with people who won't believe me anyway. Dinah would back me up, but the damn girl is late. The boys relax again after I don't say anything, either assuming I was only joking, or because Normani moved on to a more interesting subject, I don't know. But I'm not sure if I care either. My mind's not in the conversation. Soon the first bell rings and people scurry off to class.

I pull my purse back over my shoulder and snug my chemistry book to my chest. I have to get to my locker before first period, but Brad will not let go of me. "I'll walk you to class," he says, tucking his hand into my back pocket. Guess he couldn't help himself this time. He leads me to my locker, hand firmly on my butt cheek the whole way. I feel sick, and I'm ready to slug him, but the envious stares I receive make me hold back.

Popular Camila would want this. Brad is hot. He's been lip locked with the same girl for about a year, but since Lindsay cheated on him last week, he's fresh on the market. Probably looking for someone to make him forget. And it's obvious who his choice is.