NOT HIS TYPE

--- *Scene 1: Hallway, 8:12am Maya Okoro had a system for surviving Crestwood High. 1. Get to school early. 2. Walk with your head down. 3. Don’t make eye contact with anyone wearing varsity letters. 4. Sit in the back of every class and disappear. It worked 90% of the time. The other 10% was called Kendall Hayes. “Look, it’s the human calculator,” Kendall said, blocking Maya’s path by her locker. Her friends, Chloe and Jess, laughed behind her. Kendall was everything Maya wasn’t. Tall, blonde, captain of the cheer squad, and dating the quarterback. She was the hottest girl in school, and she’d decided in 9th grade that Maya was the perfect target. Maya kept her eyes on her lock combination. “Move, Kendall.” Kendall tapped her nails against Maya’s locker. “Why are you so quiet, Maya? Cat got your tongue? Or is it just that nerds don’t know how to talk to real people?” Maya’s fingers shook. She was good at physics, coding, and solving integrals in her head. Confrontation wasn’t in the syllabus. “I said move.” This time her voice was louder. Kendall smiled, slow and mean. “Make me.” Before Maya could answer, a voice cut through the hallway. “Problem here?” Kade Rivers. He leaned against the wall like he owned it, black hoodie, torn jeans, and a reputation that made teachers nervous. Bad boy. Skipped class more than he attended. Suspended twice for fighting. The guy everyone said you shouldn’t talk to. Kendall’s expression shifted instantly. Flirty. “Kade, hi. We were just talking to Maya. She’s being dramatic again.” Kade looked at Maya. She was staring at her locker like it could teleport her out of here. Her cheeks were red, her hands clenched around her books. Kade pushed off the wall and stepped between them. “She said move, Kendall. You deaf or just stupid?” The hallway went quiet. Kendall’s face flushed. “Excuse you? You’re defending _her_?” Kade shrugged. “I don’t like bullies. Move.” Kendall stared at him for a second, then turned on her heel. “You’ll regret this, Maya.” Her friends followed, muttering. Maya exhaled like she’d been holding her breath for an hour. “Thanks,” she muttered, not looking at him. Kade studied her. “You don’t have to thank me. People shouldn’t act like that.” Maya finally looked up. Brown eyes, tired, smart. Hair in a messy bun, glasses slightly crooked. She was trying to look invisible and failing. Kade nodded once and walked off before she could say anything else. Maya stood there, confused. Kade Rivers just defended her. *Scene 2: Physics Class, 10:40am Maya sat in the back, same as always. Kade walked in 12 minutes late, hood up, and slid into the seat beside her. The only empty one. Mr. Daniels sighed. “Rivers. Try to stay awake this time.” Kade grunted and pulled out a notebook. Blank. Maya kept her eyes on the board, but she could feel him looking at her. “You’re good at this,” Kade said quietly during the lab. Maya glanced at him. “At what?” “Physics. You solved problem three in like thirty seconds.” Maya flushed. “It’s easy if you understand the formula.” Kade leaned back, smirking. “Teach me then. I’m failing.” Maya blinked. “You want me to tutor you?” “Yeah. Unless you’re scared of me.” Maya stared at him. He didn’t look like he was joking. “I’m not scared,” she said quietly. “Good. Library after school. Bring your nerd brain.” He slid a folded note across her desk. On it, in messy handwriting: _Library. 3:30. Don’t flake._ Maya tucked it into her book. She spent the rest of class pretending to take notes while replaying his words. _Teach me. Library. Don’t flake._ Kade Rivers wanted her help. It didn’t make sense. He was the guy who dated Kendall’s friend last month, then dropped her for someone else. He was the guy who had a different girl on his arm every weekend. Maya was the girl who spent Saturday nights running simulations on her laptop. Not his type. Never his type. But he’d asked anyway. *Scene 3: The Library, 3:32pm Kade was already there, feet propped on the table, hoodie pulled low. Maya set her books down and sat across from him. “You’re actually here,” Kade said, surprised. “You said don’t flake,” Maya replied, opening her notebook. Kade grinned. “Didn’t think you’d come.” Maya ignored him and slid the worksheet over. “Let’s start with Newton’s laws. If you don’t understand the basics, you can’t do the rest.” For the next hour, Maya explained. Kade listened. He asked questions. Stupid ones at first, then smarter ones. “Why does it matter if the force is equal and opposite?” Kade asked, frowning at problem seven. Maya thought for a second. “Imagine you punch a wall. The wall punches back with the same force. That’s why your hand hurts.” Kade blinked. “That’s… actually helpful.” Maya smiled without meaning to. “You’re a good teacher,” Kade said eventually. Maya shrugged. “I like teaching.” Kade leaned forward. “Why do you let Kendall walk all over you?” Maya froze. “What?” “You heard me. She bullies you every day. You just take it.” Maya closed her book. “Because fighting back makes it worse. Because I have better things to do than play her games.” Kade nodded slowly. “That’s why I stepped in.” Maya looked at him. “Why do you care?” Kade shrugged, but his eyes were serious. “Because you’re not weak, Maya. You’re quiet. There’s a difference. And people like Kendall mistake it for weakness.” Maya felt something tight in her chest loosen. No one had ever said that to her before. Kade stood up, stretching. “Same time tomorrow? I actually understood half of that.” Maya nodded. “Yeah. Same time.” As she packed up, she noticed Kade watching her. Not in the way guys usually watched girls. Not checking her out. Just… observing. Like he was trying to figure her out. Maya didn’t know what to make of it. *Scene 4: The Escalation, Thursday Kendall noticed. She noticed Maya and Kade walking out of the library together. She noticed them talking before class. She noticed Kade sitting with Maya at lunch, even though he usually sat with the guys who skipped class to smoke behind the gym. So she escalated. “Did you hear?” Chloe whispered loudly in the cafeteria. “Maya’s trying to seduce Kade now.” “Kade would never date a nerd,” Jess said. “She’s just desperate.” Maya kept eating, head down. But Kade heard. He stood up, tray in hand, and walked over to their table. “Stop,” Kade said. Kendall looked up, smiling sweetly. “Stop what, Kade? We’re just talking.” “Stop talking about her. You want to say something, say it to me.” Kendall stood up. “Why are you defending her? She’s embarrassing you.” Kade’s jaw tightened. “She’s smarter than all of you combined. And she doesn’t deserve this.” The cafeteria was dead silent. Kendall laughed, but it sounded forced. “You like her, Kade. That’s sad.” Kade stepped closer. “Yeah. I do.” Maya’s head snapped up. Kade turned and looked at her. “Maya, come sit with me.” Maya stood up on shaky legs and walked to his table. Kendall’s face twisted. “This isn’t over.” Kade sat back down, like nothing had happened. “You okay?” he asked Maya quietly. Maya nodded, but her hands were shaking. “Yeah. Thanks.” Kade bumped her shoulder with his. “Anytime, nerd.” Maya rolled her eyes, but she didn’t move away. *Scene 5: After School, Behind the Gym Maya found Kade leaning against the wall, smoking. He put it out when he saw her. “You didn’t have to do that,” Maya said quietly. Kade shrugged. “Yeah, I did.” Maya crossed her arms. “Why, Kade? I’m not your type. Everyone knows that.” Kade looked at her, really looked at her. “What’s my type, Maya?” “Girls like Kendall. Pretty, loud, popular.” Kade exhaled. “Kendall’s boring, Maya. She’s been trying to get my attention since freshman year. I’m not interested.” Maya frowned. “Then why me?” Kade stepped closer. “Because you don’t care that I’m Kade Rivers. You don’t care that I’m a screw-up. You talk to me like I’m normal. And you make me want to be better.” Maya’s breath caught. Kade smiled faintly. “You’re my type, Maya. Even if you don’t believe it.” Maya swallowed hard. “I have a crush on you, Kade,” she blurted out. Kade blinked. Then he grinned. “Good. Because I’ve had one on you since you called me stupid for not understanding momentum.” Maya hit his arm. “I didn’t call you stupid!” “You did. And it was hot.” Maya rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. Kade’s grin softened. “Maya, I know I’m not good for you. I mess up. I skip class. I fight. But I don’t want to mess this up.” Maya looked down at her shoes. “I don’t know how to do this, Kade. I’ve never…” “Neither have I,” Kade said honestly. “But we can figure it out. Together.” Maya looked up at him. “Okay, Kade. Together.” Kade’s smile was slow and real. “Okay.” *Scene 6: The Confrontation – 680 words* It came two days later. Kendall cornered Maya in the empty girls’ bathroom. “So it’s true,” Kendall said, arms crossed. “You and Kade.” Maya set her bag down. “What do you want, Kendall?” Kendall stepped closer. “Stay away from him, Maya. You don’t belong with him. You’ll ruin him.” Maya met her eyes. For the first time, she didn’t look away. “No, Kendall. You’re wrong. Kade gets to choose who he’s with. And he chose me.” Kendall’s face went red. “You think you’re better than me?” Maya shook her head. “No. I think I’m done being afraid of you.” Kendall raised her hand. Maya didn’t flinch. The door banged open. Kade stood there, furious. “Touch her and you’re done, Kendall.” Kendall lowered her hand. “This isn’t over, Kade.” Kade walked to Maya and took her hand. “Yeah. It is.” They walked out together, leaving Kendall standing alone. In the hallway, Maya let out a shaky breath. “I’m sorry, Kade. I didn’t mean to cause trouble.” Kade stopped and turned her to face him. “Maya, you didn’t cause anything. She did. And I’m tired of letting her get away with it.” Maya nodded. “Okay, Kade.” Kade squeezed her hand. “Hey. You did good in there.” Maya smiled faintly. “Thanks, Kade.” *Scene 7: The Quiet Moment That night, Kade texted Maya. _Kade: You okay?_ _Maya: Yeah. Thanks for showing up._ _Kade: Always. You don’t have to fight her alone anymore._ _Maya: I’m not scared of her anymore._ _Kade: Good. Because I’m not letting anyone hurt you. Not even her._ _Maya: Even if it ruins your reputation?_ _Kade: My reputation’s trash anyway. I’d rather have you._ _Maya: Me too._ Maya put her phone down and smiled at the ceiling. She was still a nerd. He was still a bad boy. But for once, it didn’t matter. The next morning, Maya walked into school with her head up. Kendall was waiting by her locker. Maya stopped in front of her. “Kendall, leave me alone,” Maya said quietly. Kendall stared at her. “Fine, Maya. But don’t come crying to me when he breaks your heart.” Maya smiled. “He won’t, Kendall. Because I’m not afraid anymore.” Kendall walked away, and Maya went to class. Kade was already in his seat, hood down, grinning at her. “Morning, nerd,” Kade said. Maya sat down beside him. “Morning, bad boy,” Maya replied. Kade bumped her shoulder. “Ready for physics?” Maya opened her notebook. “Ready.”