How to Date a Nerd

Chapter 27 - When Your Song Becomes the OST of Your Life

The incident at Sonnet Records was being replayed. Instantly, I pulled up the hood of my jacket. Good thing I remembered to wear my glasses. Being recognized was the last thing I needed.

Everybody hated me. Even I hated to be me right now.

“After Megan Coltrane’s tragic death, there have been many speculations on foul play. Sonnet Records and the witnesses strongly denied this allegation. Police investigation is still ongoing. But would this be the end of the short-lived career of Leon Walden’s new band?”

Supposedly, part of the profits of the world tour would be given to a boys’ home in California. And now, the possibility that the tour won’t push through would mean no funds for the home. The sad faces of some kids in the boys’ home were flashed one by one. I doubted the boys even knew how their footages would be used.

I stormed out the lobby before the news report ended. The news kind of made me look like the bad guy. I cared for those kids. I really did. Just because I was almost left alone in an orphanage when I was their age. I was just a bit luckier to have a Dad like Arthur.

I felt like a huge failure. I let them down—the kids, my friends, my brother… Dad. Maybe Nate was right. The whole time I’d spent plotting to get Sarah back, I’d forget about everything else. And now everything was ruined.

It was just sad. Actually, ‘sad’ won’t be enough to describe it. I was torn to the point of despair. To the point where I just couldn’t imagine how this mess could be fixed.

In the hallway I met Myrna, the head nurse who cared for Sarah a few months ago. She was smiling at me, stopping to make small talk. When she asked me how Sarah was doing, I couldn’t answer.

Honestly, I didn’t know. We hadn’t talked for a few days now. I kept telling myself I needed time to think. Really, I was just scared. I’d take all the hate the world could throw on me but not Sarah. So I kept my distance. Went home every midnight. Left before sunrise. Just so she won’t see me. Pathetic, yeah.

But eventually, Dad had to come home from the hospital. It was four in the afternoon when we arrived. From the front seat of the cab, I saw Matt’s Camaro parked in front of Sarah’s house. It wasn’t long before I saw them sitting on the front porch railing.

Distractedly, I handed the cabdriver the fare and straight away, opened the car door for Dad. I tried to look like I hadn’t noticed them as I picked up Dad’s bag from the trunk.

In the corner of my eye, I saw that Sarah looked expectant. It made the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach worse. Outside, I might’ve appeared remote. Inside I was going insane in panic. I was good at that; making casual façades.

Matt was just put out as she started to get up and headed to me. He ran after her, held her arm and said, “He lied to you. To everyone!”

“I know that,” Sarah argued, her eyes unsure. “But I just have to know it for sure. I want to hear it from him. I want to know why.”

Dad gave me a pat on my shoulder before he and Nate went inside the house. Like saying, “Tell the truth, Leon. Tell the truth,” in the most guilt-reminiscent way.

Not helping, Dad.

Heaving a deep breath, I watched the cab disappear into the next block. I waited for Sarah, my feet speared to the ground. And there she was, walking up to me in her faded jeans and blue Aeropostale shirt that kind of matched the color of her eyes. Her hair was tied back in a bun, secured by a pencil.

It felt like I just swallowed a jawbreaker as I was reminded of how much I loved this girl. How I’d been willing to give everything to her and to give up everything for her. And being reminded of that made it worse. I got no clue what to do. Like I’d been given a puzzle that’s impossible to crack.