Crushing on the Geek(24)

“Have you seen Amber?” Tamara asked, one of her classmates.

“I think she went home,” the girl said, twirling a lock of hair around her forefinger and smacking her lips, before producing a bubble of orange gum and sucking it in back into her mouth, “Her and Josh had a fight.”

“Thanks,” Tamara sighed and sank into her desk.

Maybe Mercury is in retrograde or something, Tamara thought, because everyone seems to be having a crappy day. Tamara was supposed to be mesmerizing her monologue from Hamlet, but instead she found herself tucked away in the bathroom calling Amber, again and again without getting an answer.

Her phone's most likely dead again, she thought hanging up the phone for the last time. Remembering Hayden's note she sat down on the toliet seat and fumbled in the side pocket of her bag. An empty tube of lip gloss, two pennies, a nickel, and a leadless mechanical pencil littered the bottom of the pocket and kept the note from sinking to the bottom. She pulled it out and looked at the smooth white surface of the paper before unfolding it.

Her fingers shook and her heart pounded against her ribcage. Tamara knew her anxiety wasn't going to abate until she knew what the note said.

“Tamara,” it began.

At least he spelled my name right, she thought.

“Every time we talk I find a way to seem like an asshat. I've made a list of things I shouldn't have done or at least should have apologized for. I'm apologizing for everything on this list, though, I'm sure I've missed some.

*Calling you a snob the first time I drove you home. *Acting like an ass because I knew more about chess,

*Calling you without asking if it was okay first

*Convincing you to steal apples with me,

*Implying you were crazy/not believing you about the faeries,

I'm still not sure what to think about the faeries, though. A lot of the stuff could have been anything, but what you saw at the library still has me stumped. I hope it's not too late to start over.





--Hayden”



Tamara read through the list and laughed. At least he admitted they stole the apples. Still, the note didn't seem like something a guy would right, at least not any guy Tamara had known or dated. Not sure what to think Tamara shoved the note back into her bag so she could show Amber later. Not wanting to get behind in drama Tamara shouldered her bag and headed out of the bathroom. She took the long way back to class, not wanting to get there too soon. The thought of the crowdedmonth anniversary room made her stomach churn. Why had she let Amber talk her into taking drama anyway?

Amber still hadn't called Tamara back at lunch time, but Josh was sitting at their usual table. She considered telling him to get lost, but then decided to find out what happened first.

“What's going on?” she asked sinking into her chair.

“I'm not sure,” Josh said, “She wouldn't talk to me in math and then everyone's saying she went home. I don't know what I did.”

“Heck, if I know. She won't answer her phone.”

“I know,” Josh nodded.

“Hey,” Hayden said, appearing and taking the chair next to Tamara, resting his elbow on the back on her chair.

“Hi,” Tamara said and scooted the chair over. He was cute, but she didn't feel like being that physically close to anyone and she wasn't sure she trusted him.

“Did you read my note?”

“Yeah,” she nodded and took a bite of her pizza.

“I'll leave you two alone,” Josh sighed, sliding his chair away from the table.

“I'm sure she'll calm down soon, Josh,” Tamara said as he walked away.

“What's up with him?” Hayden asked.

“Amber is acting strange. He probably forgot their month anniversary or something,” Tamara shrugged, “and yes, I read your note.”

“Do you forgive me?”

“What's going on, Hayden? Be real.”

“I was trying to apologize….”

“No guy writes a note like that.”

“Well, the last time I checked I'm a guy, so your logic proves faulty.”

“You're doing it again, asshat,” Tamara rolled her eyes.

“Sorry.”

“Is Mercury in retrograde?” she asked.

“What?”

“Nothing,” Tamara laughed.

“I don't know,” Hayden said a moment later, “Feels like it though. Everything I say you interupt as a declaration of war.”

Tamara laughed despite her suspicions, “I don't think we're going to war, but with the look Cindy gave me this morning, I might be wrong.”

“Oh, she's just angry because Greg broke up with her.”

“Why?”

“Said he needs to concentrate on his game and she was too clingy.”

“She's threatening to quit the club.”