How to Date a Nerd

Chapter 20 - How to Crash Your Archenemy's Stupid Party

When I walked you home, I wanted to ask

Please say yes, make up your mind fast

Run away with me on a midnight train

And you’ll dance with me under the pouring rain

How can you feel it… when I know you’re that far?

This feeling… is wreaking havoc in my empty heart

Now I’m sick to death

So heart sick to let… you know

There’s a cure to this… those forgotten three words

From your lips… But I’ll say it for all its worth

That I am sick to death

Too damn sick to let… you go

I stopped myself from kicking the door open. Wasn’t Dad’s attention enough? First, he wanted Sarah and now he stole my song. The soda can’s lid flew open and spun on the floor. I hadn’t realized I was squeezing the can too hard. My patience with Nathan was runningout. He could have the song. I’d just have to make a new one. But this would be the last time he’d cross me.

Fuming, I went back up to the kitchen, leaving orange soda trails along the stairs. I couldn’t care less if Nathan found out that I was snooping on them. I was fed up having to give way to him all the time.

Sarah was already asleep when I got back. I placed the soda on the side table, careful not to make a noise. This was one of the few moments I got to look at her freely so I took my time. Carefully, I pushed back a lock of hair that fell on her face. Her lips was slightly parted while she slept, her body curled with both her hands under her cheek. Again, I was in a daze. Like a stalker, watching her rhythmic breath. Wanting so bad to kiss her though I knew that’d be so wrong. At least, maybe for her.

Cursing silently, I hit my temple with my fist. I know I shouldn’t. Weakly, I sagged on to the rug and fixed my eyes on the TV. It was a talk show, mostly about Hollywood gossip. All the while, it felt like I had eyes on the back of my head, observing Sarah’s every move.It was sick. Maybe I was sick. She was an obsession I won’t ever get over.

Leon Walden on rehab? That was the next segment of the show. Apparently, some people believed that my sudden disappearance in the Hollywood scene wasn’t due to an accident. I was on rehab for drug addiction. That was what they wanted to believe. It was more scandalous. Viewers were suckers for drama. Tiredly, I turned the TV off and went behind the piano to get my composition notes. Of course it wasn’t there. Nate stole it. Now what should I do to get my mind off Sarah?

Yeah. Sarah. Who was sleeping in my bed. Trapped in my room. Weak and sweet and trusting. So near me. So easy to overpower should I give in to some unthinkable urge inside me.

No. I slapped my own face. Get a hold of yourself! Got to do something distracting, Got to do it fast.Next thing I did was drop on the floor and do push-ups until my arms felt like they were ready to fall off. When I got to number one hundred and ninety-two, Sarah woke up, looking bewildered. I collapsed on the floor, dog-tired.

“What are you doing?” she asked, rubbing her eyes.

“Err… Working out,” I answered, blinking my eyes since the ceiling seemed to revolve around me.

Sarah knotted her brows. “Working out?” she repeated dubiously. “In those clothes?”

Frantically, I looked down on myself. My button-up shirt was drenched with sweat. As with the Tee underneath. Oh, and the denim pants too. A wry grin spread across my face. “Yeah… you should try it sometimes,” I replied, about to pass out.