Because I'm a Nerd.

Chapter 14- "Hey... How You Doin'?"

"I'm up for it, guys." Nathan replies.

"Yeah, so are we." Lauren shakes her head, saying Emmett and she are game.

"Ricky and I would love to come too!" Adrian concludes.

"Okay then, gang... Where do you think you guys want to go?" Allie asks.

"How about a music concert?" Lauren suggests.

"There's no way all our parents are going to agree to send us all to a concert." Nathan says.

"They will. If we try. But I do not want to go to a concert. I believe music is best heard blasting through headphones without the constant fangirl cheering to spoilt it." Emmett says.

"Fair enough. Any suggestions?" I ask.

"How about we all go to the roller rink?" Ricky asks.

"That would've been a good idea had all of us known how to skate." Allie says.

"Oops, Yeah. Didn't think of that!" Ricky says.

"How about we all go bowling?" Adrian suggests.

The gang whoops and cheers and it's done. Bowling it is. I think a quadruple date is going to be great fun. We all like hanging out with each other. And if we can do it as couples, it's going to be even better. Plus, it's a great way for us to get to know Ricky.

"Okay, then. How does the Saturday after next sound?" Evan asks.

We all nod our heads in agreement. The Saturday after next is going to be a good time for us to go there. We have school this Saturday and no one wants to head out bowling completely bored. School has become boring of late to them. I still like it. At any rate, coming to school is better than staying at home alone. Hazel's never home and Mom & Dad are never in town.

The only time Hazel and I ever see them is when they Skype us. Mom & Dad are away quite a lot. We have about three-four Skyping sessions a week. But I miss them, I really do.

I mean, they were supposed to be there for me. If not for Hazel, atleast for me. Hazel's all grown-up now. She never really was small and needy. I always was. I had my confidence squashed when I was ten and I needed my mom to get it back. But no, it was Hazel and the gang who helped me out.

Hazel was never really like me. Oliver kind of was. But after he passed away, Mom & Dad buried themselves deeper into work. They treated it as some sort of escape. It was their getaway. And it worked well. For them. What they didn't take into account was the fact that Hazel and I would need help getting over our brother too.

Hazel got over it pretty soon. I still have problems when people talk about Oliver. And I miss my parents. I never really show it. But I do. I wish I could have that kind of mom who I could talk to anything about. Right about now, our conversations are limited to academics. I don't even get why they Skype us. Of late, these sessions have become more like compulsions then desires.

I don't even know why we talk anymore.

I don't know why I am feeling so bad about this particularly today. I finally have a boyfriend and the bond I've developed with Lauren and Ricky is pretty good. My friends love me and I love them. I've been getting straight A's in almost every subject this semester.

I should be happy. Elated, even. But, clearly, I'm not.

Scarlett's house: Four hours after school.

I've been lying on the bed, crying my heart out for the past hour. It's never been this difficult, never been this bad. I've never missed them so much. It's getting out of control now. My mood swings are really bad. Hazel has no idea. Even if she did, I'm pretty sure she wouldn't care.