could all go together. We’ll make it a science club field trip. We could have the geek squad film it for our final presentation at the fair.”
“I resent your use of the term geek squad,” Science Nerd Brandon said, throwing his bulky book bag down on the table across from Aves and me.
Science Nerd Levi plopped down next to him and said, “And I resent the fact that just because we’re smart, you automatically assume we would know how to film your experiments. Not every geek is born with audio-visual knowledge.”
Avery’s science club friends all freaked me out and cracked me up at the same time. Seriously. I’m not sure how Avery and Aiden turned out seminormal when these are the kids they’ve been hanging out with for years.
“Brandon, your shirt is tucked into your pants. You are a geek,” I pointed out. “It’s cool, though. Everyone has their thing. I’m an athlete. You’re a nerd. The world needs both to maintain balance. And Levi, there is absolutely no way you do not have extensive AV knowledge, am I right?”
Levi frowned but then sighed. “You are correct. I do know my way around video equipment, Mr. Dimwitted-jock-who-gets-tons-of-hot-girls-but-is-failing-high-school-science.”
I laughed. “Touché on the stereotyping.”
“Actually, I have my camera in my bag because Brandon and I are going to film the mixing of our next chemical compound for our experiment. I would be happy to capture on video the punching in the face of Aiden Kennedy if for nothing else than to show my posterity.”
“Levi!” Avery gasped. “How can you say that? Aiden is your friend.”
Brandon responded before Levi could. “He didn’t just abandon you, Avery.” He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose as if it made him look tougher somehow. “He quit on us all. I personally would love to see him get punched.”
See? Science geeks aren’t all bad. I gave my nod of approval and then grinned at Libby. “Well, I know my girl Lib is in.”
I held out a fist in Libby’s direction. She frowned down at it. “My intelligence is evolved far beyond fist bumps. However, as the action would involve getting to touch your godliness for however brief a moment, I will allow it.”
I had no idea how to respond to this, so I just said “sweet” and knocked my knuckles against hers.
When I looked back, Avery was watching us with a smile.
“Well, that just leaves Tara,” I said, turning to the last geek of the group.
Tara was a freshman and somehow impossibly shier than Avery. She didn’t seem to panic the way Avery does, but I guess a good-looking, popular senior such as myself was too much for her to handle.
Sweet girl, as far as I can tell, but she’s never managed to say more than three words to me. The first time I spoke to her directly, she turned scary-red and almost fainted. She’s gotten a little better over the last two weeks, but not much.
“You down to crash a debate club meeting and witness a little science in action?”
Tara couldn’t get any words out this time, but she managed to nod her head, so I turned back to Avery. “The nerd herd has spoken, Aves. We’re all here for you. Time to find your inner Rocky.”
“You guys, no one is going to punch Aiden in the face, okay?” Avery rubbed at her temples like her head was starting to pound. “I’m not mad at Aiden. Hurt, yes; confused, very; but I’m not angry. Just because he hurt me, doesn’t make it okay for me to hurt him back. He had every right to want a little space from me. I can also understand the need to pull away for his girlfriend’s sake. If I was in her position and my new boyfriend had some girl that he’d been best friends with since birth, I’d be more than intimidated by her.”
“Come on, Avery!” Libby groaned. “You are not actually condoning the way he treated you Thursday night, are you?”
“Lib. They wanted to win. If I really was causing contention and distracting their team, then I can
“I resent your use of the term geek squad,” Science Nerd Brandon said, throwing his bulky book bag down on the table across from Aves and me.
Science Nerd Levi plopped down next to him and said, “And I resent the fact that just because we’re smart, you automatically assume we would know how to film your experiments. Not every geek is born with audio-visual knowledge.”
Avery’s science club friends all freaked me out and cracked me up at the same time. Seriously. I’m not sure how Avery and Aiden turned out seminormal when these are the kids they’ve been hanging out with for years.
“Brandon, your shirt is tucked into your pants. You are a geek,” I pointed out. “It’s cool, though. Everyone has their thing. I’m an athlete. You’re a nerd. The world needs both to maintain balance. And Levi, there is absolutely no way you do not have extensive AV knowledge, am I right?”
Levi frowned but then sighed. “You are correct. I do know my way around video equipment, Mr. Dimwitted-jock-who-gets-tons-of-hot-girls-but-is-failing-high-school-science.”
I laughed. “Touché on the stereotyping.”
“Actually, I have my camera in my bag because Brandon and I are going to film the mixing of our next chemical compound for our experiment. I would be happy to capture on video the punching in the face of Aiden Kennedy if for nothing else than to show my posterity.”
“Levi!” Avery gasped. “How can you say that? Aiden is your friend.”
Brandon responded before Levi could. “He didn’t just abandon you, Avery.” He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose as if it made him look tougher somehow. “He quit on us all. I personally would love to see him get punched.”
See? Science geeks aren’t all bad. I gave my nod of approval and then grinned at Libby. “Well, I know my girl Lib is in.”
I held out a fist in Libby’s direction. She frowned down at it. “My intelligence is evolved far beyond fist bumps. However, as the action would involve getting to touch your godliness for however brief a moment, I will allow it.”
I had no idea how to respond to this, so I just said “sweet” and knocked my knuckles against hers.
When I looked back, Avery was watching us with a smile.
“Well, that just leaves Tara,” I said, turning to the last geek of the group.
Tara was a freshman and somehow impossibly shier than Avery. She didn’t seem to panic the way Avery does, but I guess a good-looking, popular senior such as myself was too much for her to handle.
Sweet girl, as far as I can tell, but she’s never managed to say more than three words to me. The first time I spoke to her directly, she turned scary-red and almost fainted. She’s gotten a little better over the last two weeks, but not much.
“You down to crash a debate club meeting and witness a little science in action?”
Tara couldn’t get any words out this time, but she managed to nod her head, so I turned back to Avery. “The nerd herd has spoken, Aves. We’re all here for you. Time to find your inner Rocky.”
“You guys, no one is going to punch Aiden in the face, okay?” Avery rubbed at her temples like her head was starting to pound. “I’m not mad at Aiden. Hurt, yes; confused, very; but I’m not angry. Just because he hurt me, doesn’t make it okay for me to hurt him back. He had every right to want a little space from me. I can also understand the need to pull away for his girlfriend’s sake. If I was in her position and my new boyfriend had some girl that he’d been best friends with since birth, I’d be more than intimidated by her.”
“Come on, Avery!” Libby groaned. “You are not actually condoning the way he treated you Thursday night, are you?”
“Lib. They wanted to win. If I really was causing contention and distracting their team, then I can
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