I’m A Nerd Dating the Popular Guy

Good day, everyone. My name is Odette, and I'm in the 10th grade. They say you can tell a lot from someone's face. Mine says, please look away. I'm an only child with only child parents, meaning I have no aunts or uncles. My life is boring. My parents are calm and reasonable in that polite, suburban way. I always believed even my face looks boring. You know, Odette, it's time to have some purpose in your life. Well, I'm just waiting for the tragic twist in my life arc because you guys didn't give me a dramatic backstory to work with. OK, maybe start with a job. Yeah, Sharon, lead with that next time. Don't make it sound philosophical. You just want another income stream. Whatever, I'm going to my room. Where did we go wrong with our one and only? A few days later, I started babysitting. It was the worst decision of my life. I got an email from a woman saying she had a disabled daughter and needed someone to start immediately. She'd already left for work, but there was a note on the fridge with a list of instructions and $300 on the kitchen table. The daughter was quiet, sweet even. I gave her food, helped her to the bathroom, and for a few hours, everything was fine. Then I started noticing things. Shadows in the hallway, footsteps behind me, you know, classic horror movie nonsense. Long story short, she wasn't disabled. She was just pretending for fun. People are weird. Yeah, I think my purpose in life can wait. Maybe my purpose was to find a boy instead. I saw my classmates getting boyfriends and having cute relationships, except me. I have this friend in particular. Her name is Lila, and she genuinely loves boys. God created Adam and noticed he was bored. Imagine being in heaven and still feeling bored. So Eve was made to entertain him. Can't you see it? We girls are men's heaven. All you have to do is just smile and entertain them. But Odette, you're a frowny, boring little creature. Smile so you attract good energy. And by that, I mean boys. But I didn't know how to smile to attract boys. I didn't have it in me. Whenever I saw a boy, I'd just frown and keep my head down and walk away. I once tried with the new boy. He was wearing sunglasses indoors. I don't know if he thought he was famous or had an eye infection. Either way, I decided to smile. Are you sneezing or threatening me with your face? I stared at him, frozen. OK, I'm calling you snarly. Like Charlie, but with a snarl. People laughed, even me. That was Rafe. He went from being the new student to the popular one instantly. He had this annoying way of making fun of you and still making you laugh. From that moment on, he kept showing up in my life. Unfortunately, so did the name Snarly. Every girl tried to be his girlfriend, especially Lila. Oh, the heck she tried. He said he was waiting for someone special to have a relationship with. What does that even mean? He's a teenager, a popular, cool one. Just hang out with the prettiest girl in the school, which is me. But seriously, what's wrong with him? Maybe romantic guys do exist. You're so naive. Anyway, what did your mom cook today? I smelled meatloaf, so that. Again? Hey, beggars can't be choosers. Hey, you. First of all, I really don't want to stay with that ugly stepmom of mine. Second of all, I'm doing you a favor. It's not like you've found a better friend. Heck, you only have me. So shut up and get me some meatloaf. Lila didn't exactly have a calm life. Her dad was a useless, handsome man who somehow got tricked into divorcing her goddess of a mom thanks to a stepmom so ugly she could curdle milk. Her real mom either ran away or fell into depression. We don't know. What we do know is that Lila never saw her again. Then one day, Rafe was playing in the final, super important basketball game of the year. Everyone was cheering for him. Some girls were even crying. If they lose, I'll spit on their faces. Except Rafe. He can spit on mine if it helps him release some of that frustration. Do you not have even a shred of self-respect? Everyone glared at me. Apparently, I was the fun killer and an idiot. Why are you like this? You don't have to take life so seriously. Just chill and enjoy the vibe. Then Rafe scored the final shot and our school won. The crowd went feral. People were chanting his name. They lifted him up on their shoulders like he was a national hero. But then Rafe asked them to put him down. His face was weirdly serious. He turned and looked directly at me. Then he started walking toward me. Everyone fell silent, even me. He looked deep into my eyes and said, Would you go out with me, Odette? The crowd gasped, but not the cute, supportive kind. More like an, is this a prank, gasp. Rafe, nice one. But Rafe didn't laugh. He just kept looking at me with this soft, serious expression. I wanted to laugh it off. I really did. But something about the way he looked at me made my stomach flip. Some girls laughed nervously and touched his shoulder. A few boys joined in, filming the whole thing. One guy grabbed Lila's hand. Will you be my girlfriend? Oh no, wait, what did Rafe say? Oh yeah, would you go out with me, Lila? Then out of nowhere, Rafe shoved him hard. The laughter died instantly. Then he just turned back to me, calm as ever. So? Just say yes for now. Let's see where this goes. Yeah, I'll go out with you, Rafe. He grinned from ear to ear, picked me up on his shoulder and carried me away. Everyone just stood there, blinking, whispering, filming, trying to figure out what had just happened. And from that day on, my life changed forever. For a while, everything felt perfect. Rafe and I became that couple, walking the halls hand in hand, skipping class to sit behind the gym and share terrible vending machine snacks. My parents were totally against me dating Rafe. I don't get it. He's handsome, funny, and successful. Yeah, but something's off. Like how he just sat in our living room with his feet on the coffee table. Little things like that say a lot. Oh, come on, Daddy. Listen to your old man, daughter. He's no good news. For God's sake, last time I checked, you're an accountant living a boring life with dead parents, no siblings, and zero friends. Since when are you a psychologist, David? Oh, Dad, come on, honey. It's his vibe, his aura. Are you a psychologist? No. Do you read psychology books, human behavior? Facebook posts don't count. No. Then please, just let me have this one. Finally, finally someone notices me. And he's not just anyone. He's the most popular boy in the entire school. Maybe the whole city. That's what makes it even more fishy. Why would he choose you? Honey, that's not how we agreed to phrase. Aha, so it is because he chose me, not his aura or his feet on the coffee table. Why am I not even surprised? Can we please, please never talk about this again? Lila was the happiest for me. Look, I know most besties would be super jealous of their average, boring-looking friend got the hottest guy in school, especially when that bestie is as pretty and fun as me. But trust me, I'm proud of you. Thanks, but why are you spraying that pink stuff on your feet? Oh, I've got a date with this rich guy. He's a couple years older than us. Well, maybe a couple years on top of those couple years. He's five years older, okay? But love doesn't care about age. I just want everything to be perfect, including my feet. So you're gonna tell him nice to feet you? Ha ha, you're actually so stupid sometimes. I love it. So, how's everything with Rafe? It's fine, I guess. But there's this nagging feeling, like something's off. I don't know. I know that feeling. It's called insecurity. Just live in the moment, babe. Stop overthinking. Oh, and I just had meatloaf. But brace yourself, it was actually good today. Like edible. Anyway, I gotta go. Love ya. Maybe Lila was right. Maybe it was all in my head. Maybe I just needed to loosen up. Until things took a different turn. I started spending more and more time with Rafe. He was sweet and generous, but he never invited me to his house. I kept asking, then I started nagging. Finally, he agreed to take me there. I was surprised by how old and worn down the house looked. The front porch creaked under her feet. Just as Rafe opened the door, a glass flew past us and shattered onto the street. Rafe yanked me back. Where did you put the money, you useless witch? I bought food with it. Wait, you want me to leave money here so you can waste it on more cigarettes, you junkie? Well, welcome to my house. We stepped inside. The place was a mess. Dark, musty, with dishes piled up and clothes tossed over furniture. His mom looked pale and worn out. His dad looked like he hadn't showered in weeks. Mom, dad, this is Odette, my girlfriend. Oh, so now it's mom, dad, and not dad, mom. Why is she first, huh? You stinking little disappointment. You can't tell me how to speak. I said what I said. What are you gonna do, hit me, burn me? Go ahead. What do you even want from us? Why are you still alive? Oh, trying to show off in front of your girlfriend like you're the man of the house? Joke's on you, she's not even pretty. Don't listen to him, sweetheart. Don't talk about her like that. Fine, let's talk about you then. Hey, bimbo, this kid you're dating? Still wets the bed. His mom dragged him to every doctor in town, but some people are just born failures. How dare you? She grabbed a rolled up newspaper and smacked him across the head. I stood there, frozen. Rafe took my hand without saying a word, and we walked out. Well, I guess I'll never complain about the boring life my parents gave me again. Yeah, I get it. Now you know why I never wanted you to meet them. I'm sorry you had to see all that. Don't be, Rafe. I'm your girlfriend. I'll accept you no matter what. Cool, I like acceptance. So, not leveling up yet? You know, like, love? Because, Odette, I love you. Finally, what took you so long? It's been, like, a few weeks, but yeah, I mean, you're amazing. I'm lucky to have you, and when I become this huge, successful basketball player, I'll give you the best life. He was ambitious. He had dreams, and I liked that about him. Then he leaned in to kiss me, and my stomach flipped. But just then, my phone rang. Ugh, it's my mom. Don't answer, snarly. Let me kiss you and take you to your favorite diner. Rafe and I were only getting closer, which I didn't want my parents to know about, so I kept lying more and more to them. My grades slipped, but I told myself it was fine. I'd catch up later. I just needed time. Time to be with Rafe, to support him, to listen to his rants, to calm him down when he got angry for no reason and swore he wasn't actually mad. We had a routine. After school, I'd meet him behind the gas station near the edge of town. We'd sit on the curb, share a soda, and talk about how fake everyone else was. He said I was the only real person he knew. He started asking for little favors, borrowing my phone, asking me to cover for him when he missed something, lying to his mom. I did it all. That's what you do when someone loves you, right? Sometimes he disappeared for a day or two, and when he came back, he acted like nothing happened, and so would I. I stopped hanging out with Lila as much. You've been ditching me like you're in a full-time relationship with a ghost. He's just going through stuff. Right, and you're the emotional support animal. You're the one who told me to follow my heart and live in the moment. Yeah, the moment, not the weeks, not the months. Odette, your parents call me all the time asking where you are. I lie and say you're with me or studying in the library. It sucks. I hate lying to them. Then don't. If covering for me is such a burden, maybe you weren't a good friend to begin with. Whoa, since when do you talk to me like that? Oh, wait, since you started hanging out with Rafe. Open your eyes, Odette. Don't lose yourself. Oh, please. Says the girl dating some guy five years older than her just because he's rich? You wanna talk about self-respect? You know what? I'm done with this conversation. I'm leaving. No, wait. Stay. You love my parents. They love you. You feel sorry for them, right? You can play the perfect daughter they wish they had. I'm leaving. We have SATs coming up, Odette. Don't you care? You're ruining everything for yourself over that dumb jerk. Surprisingly, Lila got a good score on the SATs. I got an acceptable grade, but not good enough to get into nursing school like I'd always planned. Rafe didn't even take the test. He overslept that day. I can't believe Lila scored higher than me. I mean, yeah, she's not dumb, but I've always been the one with the better grades. Now I can't even apply to nursing school. Should've studied more. I told you we didn't need to go to the movies every single night, Rafe. Oh, so now it's my fault, snarly? Babe, what's done is done, okay? Don't beat yourself up. Come on, I'll get you some pancakes. That always cheers you up. Rafe, where do you even get all this money from? I mean, yeah, I lend you some sometimes, but it's not enough to cover everything we do. Wow, so you think I can't survive without your little charity coins? First of all, they're not little coins. Oh, come on, I'm joking. You know I don't mind helping. I was just asking. No, you weren't. You were judging me, belittling me. Why do you care where the money comes from? I take care of you, don't I? I feed you, I spoil you. Isn't that enough? I'm sorry, babe, you're right. I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry, okay? Tell me what I can do to make it up to you. You can come with me on a country tour. I got this RV from my uncle. We'll travel, see the world, hit every state. Just you and me. But what about college and my parents? What about them? I'm sure your parents don't mind you having fun and taking a break from all the stress. In college? You said yourself, you're not doing nursing anymore. Take an online course, finance or something. That's a good career too, babe. I told my parents I needed time to think about my future. They begged me to stay, but I'd already made up my mind. Two weeks later, I was packing my bags and climbing into the RV, ready for my freedom. At least, that's what I thought it was. It was amazing. They went to places I'd only seen on TV. Nevada desert, Hollywood, coastal cities with overpriced ice cream, and strangers who looked at us like we didn't match. People stared, sometimes whispered, like they couldn't believe a guy like Rafe would be with someone like me. Once, a pretty girl asked for his number. He smiled and shook his head. Already got the best girl in the world. She scoffed and walked off. He never saw me watching. But for the rest of the day, I couldn't stop smiling. I once posted a picture of us eating instant noodles on the RV steps. The caption said, love in the little things. It got a lot of likes. My parents still called, sometimes I answered, and sometimes they were just yelling, begging me to come back. Eventually, I stopped picking up. Once in Wyoming, there wasn't much to do. I went to sleep early. When I woke up, Rafe wasn't next to me. I called him many times, and it went straight to voicemail. Evening came, and still nothing. I decided to look around for him. Just as I stepped out of the RV, a police officer, a woman, was walking up, about to knock. Miss Odette, you're under arrest. Anything you say or do can be used against you in court. What the actual heck? She flipped me around and cuffed me. I tried to resist, tried to ask what was happening. She didn't answer, just shoved me in the car. The RV is stolen. I mean, what else do you think we deal with out here? The Wall Street crash? What? It's not even mine. No kidding, that's exactly the problem. The guy who actually owns it just reported it's stolen, and he says you were the one driving it around. Can I make a phone call? I'm allowed one, right? Ugh, these movies. Everyone thinks they get one call. Fine, go ahead. Call the president if you want. I called my parents, and I prayed they'd come to help me out. What do you mean, arrested? Odette, where are you? Wyoming. Is that in Japan? No, honey, give me the phone. Sweetie, that's like seven hours away from here. Yeah, and I'm your only daughter. We're coming, honey. Just stay strong. Just then, Rafe showed up. Where the heck were you? I ran to him, hitting his chest with both fists. The officer stepped in and pulled me back into the cell. You don't have to lock her up. I talked to my uncle. He's coming to sort this out. That jerk filed a report because I'm behind on paying him back. Where were you, Rafe? You've disappeared before, but this time, I was alone in a strange place, scared. And your uncle reported you? Nothing about this adds up. I'm sorry, but I called my parents. I think, I think I'm gonna stay with them for a while. No, babe, please don't say that. Don't give up on me. You're all I have. Please, I can't be without you. Don't make me beg. You already are begging. Is that part of your dream too? The one where you become a famous basketball player and give me the perfect life? Yeah, how's that going so far? Funny thing, I once had someone beg like that. I didn't give him a chance. Thought I was being smart, and then I lost him. Not saying what you should do, but some things haunt you. I hated how much that got to me. The thought of losing him, of him disappearing forever, made my stomach twist. I wasn't strong enough yet. Fine, I'll call my parents. Then let's go, babe, before they get here. As we walked out, the officer leaned in and whispered in my ear. How do you land someone that hot? Good for you, girl. You know what might even make him hotter? Liking this video and subscribing to MSA like everyone else? I called my parents, but they had already booked their flight and were heading to the airport. When they landed and kept calling, I let it ring. Then I let it ring again, and then I stopped checking. Two months went by, and the fun life I'd been living started to feel dull. My parents barely called anymore. I opened Instagram and saw that Lila had gotten into the nursing school I always wanted. She even posted a picture of her engagement to that rich, successful guy. Funny how I used to be the one with the bright future, while she came from a messy home and had this weird obsession with impressing men. That night, someone knocked on our door. Rafe started acting weird, like he didn't want me to see who it was. But I pushed past him and opened the door and saw a bunch of dangerous-looking guys with tattoos on their faces. Why am I not even surprised at this point? Babe, it's not what it looks like. I just borrowed some money and they're being dramatic. You're saying it like we just met you yesterday. You've been working for us for years. Now, are you paying up, or can I take a closer look at your pretty little girlfriend? Don't touch her! I mean, babe, he thinks you're pretty and not boring. Don't touch her, you idiot. How much do you owe them? Just 25,000. Add a zero to that. 250,000 US dollars? And just like that, my stomach flipped. I gagged and nearly threw up on the mafia guy's boots. Whoa, she's so shocked she's about to hurl. I'm pregnant, you idiot. Rafe looked shocked, but also happy. His eyes lit up. Then he turned to the mafia guy and said, So, no baby discount? Are you seriously negotiating right now? I started hitting him, and one of the mafia guys actually pulled me away. Relax, miss. It's not good for the baby. For the next few days, Rafe was acting super nice. It was almost humiliating how hard he tried to please me. Cutting my toenails, kissing my feet, and deep down, I felt sorry for him. With that dysfunctional family and the belittling jerk dad he had, I was sure it all made him the way he is. But I also believed I had lost so many years with him. I knew what was happening was wrong. It was just too hard to let go. That night, I left while Rafe was asleep. I had contacted Lila on Instagram sometime earlier, and we'd agreed to meet up. When I saw her, she didn't even look happy to see me. She was cold and dry. What, you want money now that you know I'm engaged to that rich guy? Whoa, you've changed a lot in the past two years. What the heck, Lila? Okay, fine. That was too much, I know. But still, why did you want to meet up, considering your poor life choices? I know you've had problems ever since that thing happened when we were kids, and you can't carry a baby. So I'm offering you something. Please don't take it as charity. I'm pregnant, and I thought maybe you'd want to adopt the baby. Lila looked shocked. Then her eyes lit up. She smiled wide and hugged me. Oh my God, my man doesn't even know I can't have kids. I've been too afraid to tell him. He'd probably leave me. But this, this is perfect. I'll just fake being pregnant, and when you give birth, I'll take the baby as mine. Wait, you don't mean legally? You don't want the papers to show I'm the biological mom? Who cares? You always said your life was boring. Abandoning a baby just fits you. I know this might feel hard, because, well, having a baby might be your only achievement in life. But babe, if cats can do it, it's not that deep. Let me get this straight. You think this is about achievement? Do you even know how hard it is to give up a baby that came from your own body? Not so hard for you, apparently. I mean, you're handing the baby away the second you found out you had one. What kind of mother does that? And bam, I slapped her. She slapped me back. This will slap you back to reality. You were my safest place, idiot. Look at you now. Take this. Do you hear yourself? Wake up, you stupid witch. Take this, and this, and this. So what are you going to do? If you can't adopt my baby, then maybe adopt me. Odette, nothing is forcing you to stay with him. But he loves me. And let's be honest, Lila, girls like me don't exactly get love stories. That's a lie Rafe told you to believe. You're lovable. You just forgot. And sometimes love destroys people, Odette, especially when it's too much, when it blinds you. But he's a victim, Lila. He grew up with an abusive dad and a wrecked home. That messed him up. Maybe so. But your support has to stop when it starts destroying you. Don't turn yourself into the victim of your own choices. I don't even know why I gave him another chance. Maybe I didn't have the strength to leave, or maybe I was afraid of being pregnant and alone. Maybe I believed him when the tears came and he promised he'd change. In the next months, Rafe came home bruised, limping, once even from jail. Other times he just didn't come at all. I spent nights alone at the hospital while he lost track of time. And when he did show up, it was with apologies and bruised knuckles, not flowers. Then one evening, I came home from a long hospital checkup to find him sitting outside the RV, staring into nothing. I have to sell it, the RV. I owe them and they want their money. Wait, what? No, don't sell it. I think, I think I can help. He looked at me like I was a ghost, then grinned. You're gonna borrow money from your parents? Borrow, as if we'd ever pay them back. I didn't answer. What, are you gonna rob a bank or maybe call a friend that hates me? Just wait for tonight, you'll know. I love you, Snarly. What would I do without you? That night, I messaged Lila, asked her to meet me halfway. I told her I needed to go home and she came and didn't ask me any questions. The drive was mostly silent. I watched the highway lights, she hummed softly. When we reached my parents' house, I braced for anger and shame. Instead, mom opened the door, saw my swollen face and belly and pulled me into an embrace so tight, it cracked everything I'd been holding in. Oh, sweetie, welcome home. We missed you so much. I thought being loved meant being useful. I mean, why else would a handsome guy love someone like me? Dad draped my old blanket, the one I'd sworn I didn't need, over my shoulders. The next morning, I enrolled in online classes, nothing grand, just something manageable with a baby coming and a life to rebuild. Weeks passed. I got bigger, slower, tired, and then the baby came. It was a long night, too long. I was sweaty, shaking, crying, maybe screaming. I don't remember half of it, but when the nurse placed him in my arms, everything went quiet. He was so tiny, red, wrinkly, angry at the world already. His eyes didn't even open yet, but mine did. I looked at him and I swore, I'm going to give you the life I never had, the love I spent years begging for. You won't have to earn it. You'll just have it. I found out sometime later that Rafe had been arrested for attempting some robbery. I guess he'd gotten desperate to pay off his debts. I almost felt relieved. He was better off in jail than being killed by some criminal on the streets. And he was no longer my problem because some people just can't be helped. But my mom was by my side, holding my hand. My dad brought me soup. And Lila sent a message that just said, I'm proud of you, idiot. And for the first time in years, I didn't feel like running. I was exactly where I was meant to be. Sometimes the bravest kind of love is the one you give yourself.