Crushing on the Geek(5)

“Later!”

Tamara fumbled in her purse looking for her keys and trying to look confident. Why wasn’t he leaving yet?

“Did you drop these?” Hayden was holding her keys out the window.

“Thanks.”

Tamara watched as he drove away. Her cheeks hurt from smiling and a group of butterflies were hosting a gymnastics competition in her stomach. Tamara kicked her shoes off and carried them inside. Her parents and younger siblings, Tina and Tally, wouldn’t be home for a few hours. Her sisters would be at dance practice until seven or whenever one of their parents got around to picking them up.

She dropped hers stuff by the door and grabbed a dark red apple from the kitchen. Her stomach was growling, but she didn’t feel like cooking yet. The clock said it was only six o’clock. Was that too early to call Amber? Yeah, it was. Six was definitely not eight-ish. She would still be out with Josh. Tamara wished it was already time to call her. She needed to hear Amber say that she wasn't crazy. Hayden was hot, really hot, but he was also part of geekville. The only thing lamer than being forced into the Chess Club would be to actually to crush on one of them.

“Tamara are you home?” a voice called from outside, “If you’re home open the door! I need your help bringing everything in!”

“Dad?” Tamara called back.

“No, I’m a reverse robber!” Mr. Page called back, “Instead of breaking in and stealing things, I break in and leave things. I have tacos out here, but I’m not sharing unless you help me bring the rest of the groceries in.”

“Hold on, let me put my shoes back on,” she said and opened the door, “I just got home a few minutes ago.”

“I know,” Mr. Page said, handing her a bag of groceries and turning back towards his car.

“How did you know I just got home?” Tamara asked when she returned after putting the bag in the kitchen.

“Well, the strange tire tracks on the drive were still fresh,” he chuckled.

“How do you even tell the difference?’

“I pay attention. It can make or break a case you know. I’m going to get out of this suit, you put this stuff away.”

“Okay,” Tamara said, “Doesn’t Mom usually go grocery shopping?”

“Yeah, but I thought this week we might eat food that wasn’t on sale,” he laughed.

Tamara tried to pay attention to her dad when he told her about the case over tacos, but her thoughts kept returning to Hayden. His laugh still echoed in her ears. He was strange. Who would be proud to be a geek or a nerd? Was he serious? Amber was never going to let her live it down, but she would tell her about him none-the-less. She’s the only friend Tamara could tell and still call a friend tomorrow.

“Oh, it’s almost eight! I need to call Amber. Is Mom going to pick up the brats?”

“She’s supposed to on her way home. If you need me I’ll be in my office working,” Mr. Page sighed.

“Thanks for the tacos!” Tamara said and dashed up the stairs two at a time.

Tamara flopped onto her bed and pressed number one on her speed dial.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

“Hey, give me a minute,” Amber answered, “Trying to get my shoes off. I just walked through the door, like literally.”

“Waiting.”

“Thanks,” Amber said a few moments later, “Sorry about that. We went to the park after the movie.”

“To make out?”

“That and to read,” Amber said, “So how was Geekville?”

“It was odd.”

“Tell me!” Amber said, her voice raising in pitch, “Who is he?”

“What? How do you always do that?”

“I'm your BFF. I know these things. So who is he? It's not Greg is it? Because that would be lame. He's like really smart and stuff, but he's even more of a geek than I am.”

“You're not a geek, Amber. You're a bookworm. There's a difference. My BFF is not allowed to be a geek and I'll clock anyone who says otherwise.”

“Thanks, but are you going to tell who it is or not?”

“Hayden Bradley.”

“Is he new, because I don't know that name and I think I literally know the name of every kid at Central Glade.”

“He just moved here from North Dakota.”

“Is he cute?”

“He's hot, Amber. I mean really hot.”

“Then why is he in Chess Club?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe his dad is making him or something,” Tamara lied.

She couldn't help but to remember the way Hayden gently held the chess set and caressed its pieces. There was no way he was there for any reason other than the love of the game.

“Did you ask him?”