His Favorite Nerd

Emotionally Distant

Chapter 8

:⁠-[MASON'S POV]:⁠-

" I want to have you close until the time I get you another pair of glasses." The words rolled out of my mouth effortlessly.

The nerd remained silent. He folded his arms and adjusted his glasses.

" There's no need for that," he said. " I don't want people misunderstanding the situation if they see us together."

" I don't care. I'm only here to make up for what I did, and you must comply with it," I stated.

" Is that a command?" he asked with a chuckle.

" Call it whatever you want. Let's go if you don't want us to be late for the test," I informed him as I walked away.

He muttered something under his breath that I didn't catch. A moment later, he followed behind me, maintaining a distance of about six feet.

I liked it that way because I didn't want him getting too close.

Gazes fell on us as we crossed the courtyard, but I wasn't bothered by any of them since I was immersed in the music playing through my headphones.

The nerd, however, was different. His eyes were fixed on the ground, his hands tucked inside his hoodie. The students weren't even staring that much, yet he acted as if they were.

Maybe he just hated being the center of attention.

I slowly opened the classroom door and stepped inside, holding it open a little longer for him to enter.

" Thank you," he said quietly as he briefly locked eyes with me.

I smiled.

Wait. Did I just smile?

I gently pushed the door shut and headed toward my seat. Thank God Jason and Tyler weren't here yet. They would have spent the entire time asking why I came to class with the nerd.

Even after learning his name last night, I still couldn't stop calling him that. I guessed I was already used to it.

A guy I assumed was one of his roommates suddenly threw an arm around his neck.

I stared at him.

He was standing way too close to him. Too close.

The guy was talking while smiling, and the nerd was smiling back.

He doesn't even smile like that when he's with me.

Why is he smiling so much?

I scoffed.

The guy whispered something in his ear before slowly turning toward me. He smiled slightly, then looked away.

What the hell was that?

I needed to get the nerd's glasses done and get him off my mind.

I exhaled and pulled out my phone, but just then the Biology teacher entered the classroom for her test. I immediately shoved it back into my backpack.

***

The next day, I entered the cafeteria with my friends. Even though it had only been two days since I set my eyes on the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen, I still found myself looking around the cafeteria for him.

I was supposed to have stopped thinking about those eyes by now, but my mind kept replaying every little detail of the nerd.

I literally had him close because I owed him a new pair of glasses, yet anytime he wasn't around, I somehow found myself searching for him.

He was just a classmate, but he was starting to become something I couldn't comprehend.

I took my usual seat in the cafeteria, and Tyler was about to sit beside me when I stopped him.

" Sit somewhere else," I said, placing my hand on the chair to stop him from sitting.

" Why? This is where I usually sit," he complained, but I still wouldn't let him.

" Because I don't want you sitting next to me. You're annoying." I almost took out my frustration on the poor guy. If only he knew I was actually trying to reserve the seat for someone else.

But why?

Tyler didn't bother arguing. He simply glared at me and sat on another empty chair. Jason sat opposite me.

I kept glancing toward the entrance, expecting the nerd to walk in. But none of the students entering were him. I should have made him come with me before I left the classroom.

" Are you expecting someone?" Jason asked, probably because he had noticed me looking toward the entrance every few seconds.

I shook my head.

As I looked around, I noticed a student waving toward someone among us. I followed his gaze and realized he was waving at Tyler.

" He's waving at you," I informed him, maybe he didn't notice him.

" I know," Tyler replied without looking up from his food.

Jason glanced over and saw who it was.

" Isn't that the guy you took pictures with a few days ago?" he asked and Tyler nodded in agreement.

" Then why are you ignoring him?" I asked.

" Because I'm no longer interested in him," Tyler replied.

I knew Tyler was a playboy. He had dated countless guys, but none of his relationships lasted more than a few days. The funny thing was that he was always the one who flirted first, yet he usually ended up dumping them.

That guy was simply another victim.

" Instead of wasting your time dating people you're not interested in, why don't you find someone you actually like?" Jason advised.

He was the oldest among us, a few months older than Tyler and me.

Tyler dropped his spoon and leaned back in his chair.

" Just mind your own business," he warned, shooting Jason a glare.

" I'm just giving advice as a friend," Jason said calmly.

" Then I don't need it," Tyler snapped, half-yelling in annoyance.

I looked around and noticed half the cafeteria staring at us while gossiping about what was probably going on.

" Stop acting like an asshole. We're in the cafeteria, for f**k's sake," I interfered, locking eyes with him.

He scoffed.

Around one o'clock, we left the cafeteria. Jason and Tyler were no longer arguing. I glanced over and found them teasing each other as if nothing had happened.

Jason always put other people first. He acted like the big brother of the football team but rarely told anyone when he was struggling.

Tyler, on the other hand, flirted with everyone, but I knew that wasn't the real him. There had to be a reason he acted that way.

We had all been friends since middle school, and having them in my life was one of the best things that had ever happened to me.

A small smile appeared on my face.

The smile didn't last long.

A woman dressed in a white gown and heels stood near the classroom entrance. A pair of black glasses rested on her face as she subtly peeked through the door, clearly looking for someone.

My heart nearly stopped when she turned toward me and our eyes met. My mom.

I halted immediately.

" Why did you stop walking?" Tyler asked. I didn't answer.

Both him and Jason followed my gaze. The moment they saw who I was looking at, they exchanged a glance, bowed and quietly walked into the classroom.

They knew I had a complicated relationship with my parents.

I approached her, grabbed her wrist, and led her toward the music club room. Once we entered, I locked the door to make sure nobody interrupted us.

I couldn't believe she had shown up unexpectedly. I felt irritated. Taking a deep breath, I slowly looked up at her.

" What are you doing here?"

" I came to see you because I miss you," she replied. As if she had the right to say that.

" Or because you're less busy," I snapped.

Before she could respond, I cut her off.

" Where were you when I needed you?" I asked, tightening my jaw. " You were always there... but never there for me."

After being emotionally distant for years , she suddenly thought she could show up whenever she wanted.

" I thought you were okay," she replied softly.

I almost laughed.

" You thought I was okay when you don't even know what's going on in my life." She lowered her gaze. "I used to leave my report cards on the dining table hoping you'd notice or maybe dad."

Silence filled the room.

" Don't show up again and pretend I was ever something you cared about." I walked past her.

" Please come home during the break," she said quietly.

I avoided eye contact and unlocked the door.

The moment I stepped outside, I felt like I could finally breathe again. Being in the same room with her felt suffocating.

Suddenly, dizziness washed over me. My vision blurred for a second, and I almost lost my balance before a hand grabbed my arm.

" Hey... are you okay?"

I slowly turned around and found it was the nerd. I immediately pulled away from him.

" I'm fine."

His eyebrows furrowed.

" You don't look fine."

" I said I'm fine."

" You're a terrible liar."

I froze. For a second, neither of us spoke. Then he reached up and pressed the back of his hand against my forehead.

" You're burning up." he said.

My chest tightened. Why was he acting like he cared? Why did that bother me so much?

" I said I'm okay," I yelled as I slapped his hand away. He became startled. " Just stay away from me. Leave me alone." I shouted

" Fine," he said.

He just acted like he cared when he probably doesn't know anything. I pushed past him and walked away. But even after leaving him behind, I could still feel his eyes on me.

To be continued...