Popular Nerd

Nathan's POV: Chapter Nineteen// New Partner

"You going to watch the practice?" Josh exhales a final blow of smoke before chucking the used cigarette away into the flower bush as we pass the school car park.

"No way, Paige will be there," I say with a nonchalant shrug, disguising the fact that I want to blush every time I say her name, or even think of her.

"Oh ok," Josh thinks nothing off it as we carry on around the school in direction of the hall. We have to wait until Ethan has finished his practice so I suggest we make our way to the cafeteria as I'm thirsty.

Josh nods in agreement.

"So it's on? We doing it then?" Josh keeps his voice at a whisper, cautious of his volume being picked up by any security camera's or wondering students not gone home yet.

"Yes we're on, I hid the spray paint in one of the bushes by the math block and silly stringed the camera's out there so we are good to go," I wink at his devious smirk.

"Great, I can't wait to get Paige back. When she takes the blame for her beloved boy friend, I can't wait to find out the punishment she gets, the bitch."

My heart tightens.

I don't know if it's due to the crime we are about to commit, or the fact Josh just described Ethan as her boyfriend.

I'm not supposed to like her, she is bad for my reputation, she was with Josh then with Ethan with the rest of the school against her. But I can't help remember the butterflies I felt when she first visited my house.

She is refreshingly confident, not arrogant but kind and light hearted.

But to fit in I can't be like that. I need to focus on what is important to me right now- my popularity.

"Hey, there she is now," Josh nudges my elbow with a sneaky grin, pointing over to where Paige is standing in front of the vending machine. "You said you were thirsty, go get a free bottle of water."

I breath in with my cocky bad boy smile and saunter over, Josh beside me with casual strides.

She goes to retrieve the bottle when I reach out and catch her wrist.

"Hey," she exclaims with the shock of my presence.

She rises her head but she can't define me, the shadow of my hood shading my eyes and face.

"Um, hi?" The stutter in her voice indicates she still has no clue it is me.

I drop her arm with force.

"Could you get me a water too?" I knock my hood back with the lift of my chin. Her eyes expand with the realisation it is me, a relief flooding across her face as she relaxes with the drop of her shoulders.

"Oh hi Nathan." She sighs.

"Hey," my voice is flat and lifeless. Her smile is pink and sweet.

Don't go all weak now Nathan!

I shove my hands into my jacket and breath through my nose.

"Could you get me a water?" I repeat with a sternness mixing in with my tone, refusing to give up on the challenge set.

There is no one more popular than Josh Crawford in this school, town even, with him the boy friend of Courtney Ray with a privileged spot on the Rover's football team, he is the one I need to stick with to keep at the top of the hierarchy of popularity.

"W-why?" Paige tilts her head in confusion.

From beside me Josh chuckles.

"Cause I'm thirsty," my voice is blunt. I grunt back with a lousy shrug.