by James Ramos
“Fair enough. Tomorrow is Nerd Day. No underwear required.” She gave me a horrified look, and I choked. “I mean, sure, you can wear underwear if you want. I mean, no one has to see them.”
She raised a brow at me, and surprised me by smiling. “Nerd Day? I suppose I’m talking to the right person about that, aren’t I?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, faking indignation.
The bell rang, and Mr. Williams prepared to begin his lecture.
Darcy picked up her pencil and started sketching. “You know exactly what that means.”
I didn’t say anything, because I was too busy trying to get the thought of Darcy in her underwear out of my head. It was still there by lunchtime, when I bumped into her as I was coming out of the hot lunch line. “Headed my way?” I asked.
“You mean my way,” she said, “and if you’re planning on sitting with your cousin, he won’t be joining us. Bridget said he was working on something having to do with the play.”
“Weird. He never mentioned that to me.”
“He talks about the play a lot. It’s clear that it’s very important to him.”
I nodded, unsure where this conversation was going. “I’d hope so; he’s one of the stars. And he’s working his butt off for it too. I’ve never seen him commit to something like that before.”
“Is that right?” Darcy asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Yeah, why?”
She shrugged a shoulder. “No reason.”
“Right.” If Jake wasn’t sitting with them, there was no reason for me to be there. “Catch you later then.”
“Wait. I have a question.”
Another one of her Darcy questions. I hesitated, missing my opportunity to make a break for it.
“I need your advice.”
“My advice? For what?”
“You said tomorrow was Nerd Day. What would you suggest I wear?”
“Sorry, I wouldn’t know. I’m a geek, not a nerd.”
“Is there a difference?”
I balanced my tray in my hands and walked away. “Actually, there is.”
* * *
“Superlative. Anyone know what the word means?” Christian answered his own question before anyone else in the newsroom got the chance to. “It means of the highest degree. For example, ‘Christian’s skills as a leader are superlative.’”
I raised my hand. “It can also mean an exaggerated or hyperbolic expression. That’s what you were going for just now, right?”
Christian pursed his lips, but he managed not to lose his cool even though I could hear several people chuckling. “Right,” he said briskly. “Point being, I know I tasked you each with coming up with superlatives for the yearbook, but quite frankly, what you’ve given me is a bit disappointing. We need to transcend the atypical, ‘best smile’ or ‘most likely to succeed’ drivel. I want superlatives that are meaningful, ones we won’t look back on in five years and be embarrassed about. That is our task. I want each of you to come up with seven new superlatives by our next meeting, after which we’ll compile a list and select the best for inclusion in our yearbook. Questions?”
I shook my head along with everyone else. I already had a few. Most convinced of his own superiority. Most pretentious. Most condescending. Those would all go to Christian. Well, no, on second thought, any of those could apply to Calvin or Darcy. Maybe they each could have one. After all, I wasn’t sure one person was supposed to win more than one superlative. But then again, it was sad that I knew three different people who could potentially lead in all three categories.
Nicole and I stuck around after the meeting was over. By now Christian had had enough time to evaluate whether or not our blog was worth keeping. I was anxious to find out if people were actually reading what I wrote, but I was ready to either rub that in Christian’s face or blow out of here with righteous indignation depending on what he said.
He took his time telling us. “The numbers are in,” he said casually. “I have to admit, I am surprised.”
“Is that good surprised or bad surprised?” I asked.
He pursed his lips and huffed. “It seems views are up. Your feature was quite well-received. I . . . would like for the two of you to continue it.”
“You mean it worked?” I asked, making sure never to take my eyes off of him. “As in the idea that I came up with was actually a good idea? An idea that you now want to incorporate into the paper? Is that what you’re saying?”
Christian scowled, which made this all the better. “That’s what I’m saying,” he growled.
“Oh. Well, now that we understand each other, I suppose that’s fine with me. Nicole, is that okay with you?”
“Um, okay.”
“Wonderful,” Christian grumbled. “Thank you both for your contributions.”
Lucas was coming out of the media center with his camera as Nicole and I were leaving the bullpen. “Have you given any thought to my generous proposal?” Nicole asked me.
“No,” I said flatly. She just smiled, like that was the answer she’d been expecting.
“Take your time. No rush. We’ve still got a few months, seal boy.”
I grimaced as Nicole strutted away, thinking how unflattering a nickname ‘seal boy’ was. “What was that all about?” asked Lucas as he watched Nicole leaving.
“She wants to date me,” I explained glumly. “Or be seen dating me. I don’t really know which.”
“Wasn’t she drooling over Christian though? Why doesn’t she ask him out?”
“Apparently because he’s a shark and I’m a seal.”
“What?”
“Forget it.” I groaned. “I’d rather not regale you with the details.”
“Suit yourself. You down to skate tonight?”
“Of course.”
“Cool. I’ll rally the troops.”
* * *
Even though I’d told Darcy that I wasn’t a nerd—which was true—I still found Nerd Day to be slightly offensive, not to mention boring. For one thing, people didn’t understand the difference between a nerd and a geek. Nerds were into things like computers or science or math, things that required a degree of intelligence. Geeks, like myself, were just people who were more into something than most people were. It was possible to be both, but there was a definite difference between the two. So it was more than a little annoying when, on Nerd Day, lots of people had opted to dress like, well, me. In this day and age when every other movie released was based off a comic book or superhero, there was nothing wrong with being a geek. Or a nerd, for that matter. But seriously, people, there is something very wrong with confusing one for the other.
Despite my irritation, I was a little curious as to whether or not Darcy would take my advice and participate today. What was her take on the whole thing, I wondered.
I didn’t have to wait long for my answer, because she was already sitting at her place when I arrived to first period, wearing . . . the same thing she always wore. Dark clothes, black boots, the usual.
I should have expected this, but as I took my seat next to hers I couldn’t help but feel a just a little bit disappointed. “So, no Nerd Day for you, either?”
“On the contrary, I am participating.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely. I spent a fair amount of time researching just what exactly a nerd was, and my findings were surprising. As it turns out, there is no definitive definition for the word, but I was able to conclude that anyone with any sort of intelligence or interest in anything that requires intelligence could be considered a nerd. If intelligence is the only qualification, then I, strangely, already fit the bill. So here I am, participating as myself.”
“That’s . . . logical . . . I guess. But I doubt anyone else is going to get it.”
“That’s everyone else’s problem, not mine. And it doesn’t look like they’ll have any trouble understanding your costume.” She gave me a quick up and down. I w
as wearing slacks with a dress shirt tucked in, and tie, and one of my dad’s pocket protectors. “I think it’s an improvement on your usual ensemble,” Darcy noted.
“Thanks,” I told her. I wasn’t sure, but underneath the usual annoyance I felt toward her, I may have felt a slight stirring of admiration for Darcy. Which, of course, I would never, ever admit.
Chapter 16
The first Friday in October marked the end of the first term, and the beginning of the week-long fall recess. I was looking forward to doing one thing: nothing.
By nothing, I really meant skating, going to work, and attending the few rehearsals Ms. Wright had insisted on scheduling. I had purposefully avoided making plans with Jake; this was going to be the first extended break since he’d met Bridget, and I fully anticipated the two of them spending every waking moment together.
Walking to the bus stop that morning, it occurred to me that this would be the first time Jake and I wouldn’t spend the bulk of our break hanging out. It was weird, but Jake was a changed person now. His whole demeanor was different. He seemed happier. So it was all the more jarring when I saw the look on his face when I got to the bus stop. As quiet as Jake was, he was even more so when he was upset. He was the type to let something simmer inside him rather than reach out for help or a listening ear. It was a change that only those closest to him noticed. So naturally I realized something was dreadfully, awfully wrong with him the moment I saw him. He was standing perfectly still, staring off at nothing with his backpack drooping over one shoulder.
He may as well have been bawling.
“What happened?” I demanded, a string of scenarios already running through my head, each one worse than the last.
“Nothing,” he said in a hollow voice.
“Do you remember when King Edward died?”
King Edward was the turtle Jake had adopted when we were six, the one who he’d kept for only four days before it died. He’d gone a full week without speaking a word to anyone after that.
“Why?” he asked.
“You look worse now than you did then.”
He swallowed, then slowly reached into his pocket and handed me his phone without looking at it. “Messages.”
I put in the password—Bridget’s name, of course—and navigated to the text inbox. Her last three messages were pulled up, so I read them from earliest to most recent.
What are we gonna do for winter break? I think now’d be the perfect time to make that trip to the Grand Canyon we’ve been talking about. XoXo.
So the Grand Canyon is like nine hours away. Can you say romantic road trip? Don’t forget your boots and blankets. XoXo.
Going back home for the break. I think we shouldn’t be seeing each other anymore.
I read and reread the messages, growing more and more confused each time. Where on earth did this come from? I started to apologize, but I couldn’t come up with the right combination of words to say.
“Have you talked to her?” I finally asked.
“I tried to call,” Jake answered gloomily. “Calvin picked up. He said she wouldn’t be in class today.”
I frowned. This didn’t sound like something Bridget would do, at least not out of her own initiative.
“I don’t understand,” Jake said, and I couldn’t be sure whether he was talking to me or just aloud. “I thought . . . I don’t understand.”
“I do,” I said, my voice hard as flint. I knew why it didn’t make any sense, why there had been no warning signs, and why she had done it.
Ending the relationship wasn’t Bridget’s doing. It couldn’t have been. She was happy with Jake. It was obvious. So who wasn’t happy with their being together?
My first guess was Darcy. She was mean. She was manipulative. I believed she could do something like this. She’d messed things up for Gabby and her boyfriend, who’s to say she hadn’t done it again?
But I wasn’t entirely convinced it was her. What motive did she have? And if she were going to break them up, she would have done it sooner. Besides, to be honest, it didn’t seem like Darcy cared that much. And that left only one other option.
“It’s Calvin’s fault,” I said resolutely.
Jake frowned at me. “Why would Calvin do something like that?”
“Jake, have you not noticed what a tool Calvin is?”
He gave me a look that said no, he hadn’t noticed.
“He’s probably jealous,” I said, growing angrier by the second. He couldn’t have Darcy, so he didn’t want to see his sister happy. It sounded exactly like something Calvin would do.
“I don’t know, Elliott . . .” said Jake. “Maybe she wasn’t happy.”
I grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. “Jake, don’t be dumb. Bridget was nothing but happy with you. I’m telling you, her brother said something to her. And I’m sure she’ll realize how wrong he was once the two of you have a chance to talk face-to-face. You’ll see.”
Jake sighed, and I could tell he was unsure. “I hope so . . .”
* * *
“Superman versus the Incredible Hulk. Who would win?” Lucas waited while the rest of us deliberated. We were gathered around our usual table in the cafeteria. Lucas was stretched out across half of one bench. Jake was sitting silently next to me. Kyle was to his left struggling to wrap spaghetti noodles around his fork. Liam was directly across from me, hunched over his phone, dangling off of the little bit of seat room Lucas left for him.
“The Hulk,” said Kyle, right before he gave up the fight and started plucking up noodles with his fingers.
“Are you crazy?” I asked.
“The Hulk gets stronger the angrier he is,” said Kyle.
“But Superman’s invincible,” said Lucas.
“Not really,” I argued.
“Wait, which versions are we talking about here?” asked Kyle. “Golden age?”
“Silver age?” piped Liam. The first words he’d said all lunch.
“What about the movie versions?” added Kyle.
“Either way,” I said, “all Supes has to do is throw the Hulk into the sun. That’d be the end of it. Right, Jake?”
Jake just shrugged. I groaned.
Darcy, Bridget, and Calvin hadn’t shown up at school, which was probably for the best. If I saw Calvin’s smug face I was sure I wouldn’t be able to resist giving him the Andrew treatment. But since he was gone, I’d been trying all day to channel my frustrations into a more positive conduit: cheering Jake up.
It was no easy task. No one pulled off dejected like Jake. But since he wasn’t the liveliest person around, no one else even noticed he was upset.
Mark came over and joined us, which was weird given that he almost always ate with the rest of the band geeks. He cracked open his old-fashioned tin lunchbox—decorated with Snoopy and the Peanuts gang—and slid onto the bench to my right.
“Hey, guys,” he said.
Everyone except Jake greeted him.
“How about Batman versus Captain America?” asked Lucas.
“Batman,” I said at once.
Kyle tossed me a look as if I’d slapped him. “Captain America’s a super soldier. There’s nothing super about Batman; he’d get creamed!”
“I think the real question is,” said Mark as he removed a bag of trail mix from his lunchbox, “would they fight each other in the first place? They stand for the same ideals; I can’t imagine what they’d ever have to fight about.”
Everyone at the table groaned. “You don’t get to sit with us anymore,” said Lucas.
I caught Jake glancing wistfully at Bridget’s empty table.
“You know, dude,” said Kyle, “It’s okay if just once you brought your girlfriend with you when you came around. We don’t bite.”
“Much,” said Lucas. They laughed and gave each other fist bumps.
“I think Mark has a point,” I blurted, hoping to steer the conversation away from Bridget.
&
nbsp; “But really though,” said Lucas, ignoring me, “Have you two . . . done the deed?”
Jake looked between Lucas and Kyle like he had no idea what Lucas was talking about. “What deed?”
“Batman knows way more martial arts than Captain America does,” I said desperately.
Lucas waved his hands. “The dirty deed. You know, the—”
“Bedroom gymnastics,” said Kyle.
Jake shook his head. “No, no, and no.”
“But Captain America does have a vibranium shield,” I said, but at this point no one was listening to me.
“C’mon,” Kyle pleaded. “You can tell us. Bros before—”
I shot him a hard glance. “Don’t finish that sentence.”
Kyle threw his hands up. “The one guy who’s capable of getting any and he doesn’t even take advantage of it!”
Jake ran a hand through his hair, and I could tell he was getting angry. “Bridget isn’t just a girl to me,” he said indignantly. “She’s a person. She’s got likes and dislikes, goals, dreams, fears—”
“A nice butt,” said Kyle.
“Girls aren’t just body parts to ogle,” Jake snapped. For a second I thought he might attack Kyle. He had more self-control than I did, because I reached over and punched him in the arm.
“Nice going, doofus.”
“Besides, who says he’s the only guy who’s got a chance with a girl?” asked Liam when things had cooled off.
We all looked at each other and cracked up.
“Laugh all you want,” Liam said indignantly. “It won’t be funny when I’m spending my evenings with a babe and you all are stuck with each other for company.”
“Which babe would that be? The imaginary one?” said Lucas.
“Hey, whatever happened with Denise?” Kyle asked.
“Denise doesn’t exactly play for our team, if you catch my meaning.”
For once, I was grateful to Liam for providing a change of subject. I glanced over at Jake, hoping he’d look a little better.
If anything, he looked worse.
* * *
When I got to the theater after school, Ms. Wright was at the door, dividing people as they came in.
“Benvolio!” she shouted to a brown haired kid that entered with me. “Join the rest of your family, the Montagues!” She flourished her arm toward the left side of the stage, where a small group was gathered.