How to date a Nerd

Chapter 19

Let the battle of the Camila's begin!

I start the car all by myself. Like a big girl. But I kind of wish he would've helped. "What is this?" she says, making a face at the radio.

"Ed Sheeran," I sing as Ed sings it. Lauren laughs and promptly turns off the music. "Not a fan?" I ask. "Ugh, no." I raise an eyebrow, but I'm sure it doesn't look as awesome as when she does it, and she stumbles over her words.

"I mean, you have a good voice. I-I just meant mainstream totally sucks. N-not to bash on your taste in music, but... what is so funny?" My hand claps over my mouth, stifling all my giggles. "I'm sorry," I say, bringing my hand down. "It's like you're trying to dig yourself out of a hole when I didn't feel offended in the first place."

She pokes my side, tickling me. "Get the car to the street Camz." I love it when she calls me that. Mental note: be dorky. "Will you help me?" I ask innocently.

 "I thought you did pretty well without it last time." I know I'm pushing my luck, but I don't care. So far I haven't done anything wrong. I'm going to take advantage of it. Grabbing her hand with my left, I force it on top of my right hand on the shifter.

"Please?" I say as I tuck her fingers in between mine. Her face flushes and I can't help the strings tugging my lips, and she smiles at my goofy grin.

"All right," she says in defeat. "But you will have to learn to do it all by yourself." I roll my eyes, and she moves my hand into reverse. Instead of being nervous, Lauren actually has a calming effect on me. I don't stall the car once. Score!

"Wow, have you been practicing?" she asks after I get going on a hill without plowing into the person behind me. I roll my eyes and pretend like her compliment totally didn't just make my freaking day. "Hey, do you mind if we stop somewhere?"

"Whatever you want. You're driving." Stopping the air that wants to fill my cheeks, I pull into the Walgreens parking lot and shut the car off.

Her eyebrow shoots up, but she doesn't say anything. Just fumbles around with her seatbelt before bolting around the car to open my door for me. Cute. Now let's not screw this up.

I so want to hold her hand, so I keep it nonchalantly at my side waiting for her to "accidentally" bump into me. No such luck. "What are we here for?" she asks, shrugging her hands into her pockets, her lightsaber keychain lighting up as she hits it.

I tug her by the overshirt to the oral hygiene section. Running my finger through all the different selections, I finally land on a toothbrush and wave it by my face. "Is blue still your favorite color?"

She chuckles. "You're buying me a toothbrush?"She asks. "I thought you needed a new one. You know, 'cause I got yours all nasty." That damn sexy smile creeps on her lips. The one I don't ever deserve and yet she still gives me. "I'm surprised you even remembered using it. I thought you were too wasted to remember anything from last night."

I shove the toothbrush against her chest and nearly pass out because I touched her.

"Well, going into the wrong house and walking in on you in the shower has been burned into my brain." Holy crap! Did I really just say that? I know I'm flaming red now. How do I take it back without making it worse?

She raises her eyebrows, her green eyes totally laughing at me. I wish my legs didn't feel like Jell-O because I kind of want to get out of here. So much for trying to be nice. This was such a bad idea. Mentally smacking myself in the forehead.

"I guess that would traumatize you." Now her face has reddened. "I didn't see anything," I say quickly. Could this conversation get any more uncomfortable? "I was just saying because, you know, I was drunk and you were—"

"Naked." She's laughing now. Yes. The conversation could get more uncomfortable. "How would you feel if you walked in on me naked?" What is wrong with my mouth today? "Hmm..." She rubs her chin and attempts pervert eyes. It looks so funny I can't help but burst out laughing.

"Shut up!" I smack her shoulder and she steps back. As if I could really rock her off her feet with that weak hit. "Well, thanks," she says, handing the toothbrush back, "and yeah, blue is still my favorite color."

"Good." I walk past her, covering my heated face. I can't believe I talked about her naked ass. Totally not what I had in mind for this... whatever this is. "So, where did you want to eat?" I ask when we get back in the car and reverse out of the parking lot.

"You're driving." Is that going to be her cop-out for making any decisions today? "Well, do you want to go in somewhere? Or just grab something to eat in the car?"

 Argh. I feel like this is one of those scenes with the bomb wires. And if I cut the wrong one, that'll be it for my chances with my dream nerd girl.  

I know I should prove to her I'm okay with us being seen together—which I'm still not one-hundred percent sure I am okay with, and that sucks—but I really want to be alone with her. Great. Just lovely! Here I go with the battle of the Camila's.

"You okay?" she asks. I nod. "Just hungry. Trying to decide what I want." I say.

 "Be honest," she says, putting her hand on mine and shifting into third. Forcing back laughter at my transparency, I blow out my cheeks as I consider granting her request.

"Camz," she prods. "I don't want to tell you." That's honest. "Why not?" She shifts as we come to a stoplight, fully smiling now. "Because you might get mad." As soon as the words leave my mouth, her smile disappears. "You don't want to be seen with me."

"No, no!" I blurt. Gosh, I don't want her to think that even if it's a tiny bit true. And I hate myself for admitting to that, but my freaky dream keeps coming back and haunting me. "That's not what I meant. I don't mind going someplace public like I promised, but it's just..." There goes my voice evaporating like it always does when I get scared.

"The light's green." I let off the clutch, jerking a little, but not stalling. "Sorry."

"What were you saying?"

The engine revs really loud and she moves her hand from mine to my leg and pushes it down on the clutch. Then she quickly shifts with her other hand. The car quiets as the rpm's drop.

"Wow, you're good." I smile trying not to drool over how hot that was. "Pay attention, Camila." She chuckles and I get my courage back.

"I want to be alone with you." She's still leaning toward me, her eyes flick up to my face, and I totally want to meet her gaze, but I don't want to crash the car.

"Why?" she asks.

"Because." A small puff of air hits my neck as she huffs. "Because why?"

"I'm not trying to avoid people. It's just, I-I..." I let out a defeated sigh when I can't explain without telling her exactly what I want, which is a chance for Geek Camila to be herself without worrying about everything else. She totally helps me do that when we're...

"You just want to spend some time alone?"

Exactly. "Yes." She pauses and my face gets hot. "Uh, yeah. That sounds okay."

My stomach does a little ribbon dance as she agrees. "Okay, then you choose the food." Her wide smile distracts my gaze for a second, and I have to snap it back to the road.

"Pupusas."