Breaking the Bro Code (a teen romantic comedy)

by Kai Michaels

  We made it to class just before the late bell rang. Carver came rushing through the door at the bell. I had purposely chosen the same seat as yesterday. And just like yesterday, the same seat next to me was empty.

  “Hello Mr. Nelson,” Mr. Walsh said. “Please take a seat as quickly as possible. Each minute wasted is a minute less you have to complete the test.” Carver headed toward the empty seat, but passed right by instead, taking a seat in the back of the room.

  I turned around, wondering if somehow he didn’t see me. Maybe he was so nervous about the test that he didn’t pay attention to me sitting there. Or maybe he felt I would be a distraction for him. Could it be that maybe last night was just a scam to get me to help him study? No, that was impossible. Why would he have texted me right after to ask me out. As my mind was going crazy with “maybes,” Mr. Walsh dropped a test on my desk.

  “Good luck,” he said to the class. He then returned to his desk where he watched us like hawks. If you even looked up at the clock you ran the risk of him thinking you were looking on someone else’s paper. The class went silent.

  The test was easier than I thought it would be. I finished and reviewed each answer and still had almost ten minutes to spare. I wanted so badly to turn around to see Carver, but I didn’t. I just sat there while every possible and impossible reason for him not acknowledging me ran through my mind. Finally, I couldn’t take it any longer. While Mr. Walsh was looking at the other side of the class I took a quick peek back. Carver was working feverishly on his test and didn’t look up.

  “Miss Hunt, would you please bring your test to me.”

  “But, I—”

  Mr. Walsh held his hand up motioning me to stop talking. I picked up my test and walked up to his desk.

  “I wasn’t—” I tried again. He snatched the test from my hand pointed back to my desk.

  As I returned, I stared back at Carver. He didn’t even lift his head. When the bell finally rang, everyone dropped their test onto Mr. Walsh’s desk and filed out. Carver was scrambling to finish his last problem.

  “Mr. Walsh, I promise I wasn’t cheating,” I said. “I was finished when I looked back.” Just then Carver finished and handed in his test.

  “I can vouch for Maddie, Mr. Walsh. She taught me this stuff last night. She definitely doesn’t need to cheat.” He smiled and nodded at me. I could also tell by the way he looked me up and down that he liked what I was wearing. I knew this outfit was a good choice. I felt better. Not about my test, but about Carver.

  Mr. Walsh examined my completed test. He gave me a stern look, paused, and then set it on top of the others.

  “Thank you, Mr. Walsh,” I said. “I promise I do know the material. You’ll see.” I hurried out the door with Carver before Mr. Walsh changed his mind.

  “Wow, that was close. Thanks for sticking up for me.”

  “Well I couldn’t have my tutor get framed like that,” Carver laughed.

  Yes, things were back to normal. At least I thought they were until I asked him, “So, how about that dinner? You know tutoring isn’t cheap these days.”

  Carver suddenly looked flustered, like he did in front of the class the other day trying to explain his math problem. He turned his head sideways and nervously ran his fingers through that beautiful hair. An awkward silence hovered between us as he squirmed. It seemed out of character for him not to have something to say. I felt like walking away, but I couldn’t. What was going on?

  “I, um,” he started. “The truth is I don’t think I can make good on that dinner.”

  Now I felt really stupid.

  “Oh,” I said. “That’s okay. It’s not a big deal. It’s just that you—”

  “Look, it’s not that I don’t want to,” he continued. “I had the best time with you last night. I can’t even remember having such a good time with a girl. It was just so easy and fun. And I know I don’t have to tell you how beautiful you are.”

  What he was saying sounded like it should have been a compliment, but something didn’t feel right. He was hiding something.

  “What are you saying?” I finally asked.

  Carver let out a huge sigh. “Look, I’m just saying that I didn’t know you were with Logan. And, well you know, it’s completely against the code.”

  “Logan? What are you talking about?” I asked. “What code?”

  “You know, the bro code,” Carver said, as if I should know exactly what he’s talking about. “And I just can’t—”

  “Wait, why do you think I’m with Logan?” I interrupted. “Because I’m not. We went on one date. One! And it was a lousy date.”

  Carver looked at me like there was really nothing he could do, like going out with me was against the law. “Look, Maddie. I really did have a great time,” he said again. “If it were up to me I’d . . . well maybe in the future.” Then he looked at his wrist like he was checking the time, even though he wasn’t wearing a watch. “I’ve got to go.” He turned and disappeared into the crowd.

  “Maybe in the future? What is that supposed to mean? I stood there feeling like an idiot, like I had just been the butt of a cruel joke. I wanted to cry, but couldn’t, not there in the hall. Technically, I wasn’t really going out with Carver, but somehow down deep it felt like I had just broken up with someone I’d been going out with for months.

  Logan was in my next class. Normally, I’m not the kind of person who would confront a guy. I’m not like Kennedy or some other bold people. But with my budding relationship with Carver on the line, I knew I had to say something. I walked back and sat next to Logan. He reached over and put his hand on my shoulder.

  “Hey, Maddie, didn’t you see me saving you a seat in math?”

  “No, sorry.”

  “It’s cool. No worries,” he said.

  “Look, Logan, I’m not sure what you think is going on between us. But, while I enjoyed our movie and pizza the other night, I don’t really consider us going out. Do you know what I mean?”

  Logan’s expression didn’t change at all. He had on the same goofy smile, as if I hadn’t said anything. “Hey, don’t worry,” he said. “We can take things slow. It’s all good.”

  “No, I don’t think you understand. I think we need to go out with lots of people.”

  “Yeah, so do I,” he answered, just as happy as before.

  This wasn’t working at all. The teacher began talking and I wasn’t able to finish my conversation.

  After class he asked me again if we could go out on Friday. I reminded him that I was busy all weekend. It was so weird. It’s like I was breaking up with someone who I was never going out with. And then as soon as we break up he’s asking me out again. What was going on?

  Chapter six

  “Shotgun!” I yelled. Morgan didn’t care. She climbed into the front seat anyway.

  Whenever Morgan came to lunch with us I had to sit in the back. I was still upset about Carver. I knew neither of them would ever notice my feelings, so I had to bring it up myself.

  “Okay, what is the Bro Code?” I asked.

  Morgan looked back at me and rolled her eyes. “Are you serious?” She said. “The bro code is that stupid list of rules that every boy in this school lives by. It’s like their little club.”

  “Yeah, they even have their own blog,” Kennedy added. “But it’s locked. You have to be a ‘bro’ to get on. Boys are so immature. Like we really care about their idiot rules.”

  “I can’t believe you’ve never heard of it.” Morgan said.

  “I’ve heard it before, but I didn’t think it was real.”

  “Oh, it’s real alright,” Morgan said. “Last year, Nate Hyde violated the bro code and was shunned by every guy in school. He moped around everyday at lunch with no one to eat with. He sat at home on the weekends. And all because he asked out Carla Lucero, who was dating Justin Ward at the time.”

  “I remember that,” Kennedy said. “I heard he finally sponsored a huge pizza party at his house to get back into
good graces with the guys. Someone told me it cost him over four hundred dollars. Guys are so stupid.”

  I told them about how great my study date with Carver was and how he asked me out for dinner, only to cancel because he didn’t want to break the sacred bro code.

  “What would going out with you have to do with the bro code?” Kennedy asked.

  “I don’t know. He said that since I was with Logan now, we couldn’t go out.”

  “You’re with Logan?” Morgan asked, looking confused. “I thought that was just one lame date?”

  “It was. I even clarified with Logan in history. I told him that he and I were definitely not going out.”

  “What did he say?” Morgan asked.

  “He agreed. He agreed completely! He sat there with a big smile as if—”

  “Oh my gosh, you’ve been claimed!” Kennedy interrupted.

  “What?”

  “Claimed! You’ve been claimed! That happened to Tatum last year. If a guy has enough clout among the circle of bros, and he’s trying to go out with a girl, that girl is off limits.”

  “What do you mean, off limits?”

  “I mean, no one will touch you, even if you’re not officially going out. It means that Logan is pursuing you and everyone needs to back off.”

  I couldn’t believe it. “This is so wrong!” I cried. My date with Logan was the worst. I don’t even know why he would still want to pursue me. There was absolutely no chemistry between us whatsoever. He just talked about himself, how great he is, and what a great athlete he is. Whenever I said anything about me he just gave me a blank stare, like he wasn’t even listening. Do you know how that feels?”

  Morgan and Kennedy stared at me with blank stares. No response.

  “Hello, are you two even listening?” I tapped on Kennedy’s forehead.

  “Oh yeah, sorry, I was thinking of something else.”

  “Anyway, my date with Logan was the complete opposite of my date with Carver. With Carver, it was just incredible. There was no way he wasn’t feeling the same thing I was. We just hit it off perfectly.” I told them how he even made my grandpa a sandwich.

  “Oh, that is so cute. A sandwich for your grandpa.” Kennedy said.

  “I know! The night couldn’t have gone any better. It was the best! And then when he asked me out again, I knew he was the one for my first kiss. If it weren’t for Logan and that stupid code.”

  We all agreed that it wasn’t fair that I was being punished for Logan being such a jerk. Kennedy and Morgan offered to line me up with someone else, but I figured I was probably off limits to everyone, now that Logan had “claimed” me. I was like a prisoner to that stupid code.

  “We need to do something,” Kennedy said. “We can’t just sit around while these moron boys keep us down.”

  Morgan agreed. “Yeah, it’s not our code. Why should we have to suffer because of their lame little rules?”

  We tried to come up with a plan over a smoothie. We go to Smoothie Heaven at least three days a week. I order a Mango Mama every time. It’s my favorite.

  After racking our brains for twenty minutes Morgan had an idea. “I’ve got it!” she said. “Let’s beat them at their own game.”

  One thing about Morgan, she is devious. This summer Myrna made us run a mile for not working hard enough at practice. After, as we were catching our breath on the grass, Myrna ran to her car to grab something. While she was gone, Morgan snuck into Myrna’s purse and took her cell phone. In her contacts, she found Principal Hadley’s number and sent him a text telling him that she was quitting as the cheer coach. It caused a huge mess and we all paid for it, since no one would tell on Morgan. It was worth it.

  “Okay, here’s the plan,” Morgan said. “Since going out with someone who’s already been claimed is against the code, let’s turn some of these guys against each other.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  Morgan smiled. “Last night, Kennedy and I had our own perfect date with Braden and Zach. I’m not sure about Kennedy’s doorstep scene, but mine was amazing.”

  “Mine was awesome,” Kennedy said. “And I’m looking forward to a repeat tonight.”

  Morgan nodded. “Exactly. So let’s just say that tomorrow night, after having gone out with Braden two nights in a row, I find myself out on a date with Logan and somehow we end up kissing. Don’t you think Braden will call a bro code violation on Logan?”

  Kennedy’s face lit up. “Oh, that is perfect. Logan’s punishment should be ten times worse than Nate Hyde’s. After all, Nate didn’t even kiss Carla.”

  It sounded good to me too, but I asked how they could be so sure she could get Logan to kiss her.

  “Oh, please,” Morgan said, looking at me like I was an amateur. “Watch this.” She took out her phone and called Logan.

  “Hi, Logan. Remember the first week of school when we got ice cream after the football game.” She paused. “Well, I’m kind of in the mood for ice cream again tomorrow night, if you know what I mean. What do you say?” Again she paused while he responded. “Great, see you then.” She put her phone back into her purse. “Phase one, complete.”

  I couldn’t believe it. Even though Logan and I weren’t going out, I still felt like he was cheating on me, since he had “claimed” me. He is such a pig.

  We pulled back into the school parking lot. Carver was getting out of the car next to us.

  “Hey, Maddie,” he said. I knew I was supposed to be mad at him, but I got that same tingly chill down my spine. It was as if he wanted to be with me, but a power greater than both of us had him in its power. Stupid bro code.

  “Hi, Carver,” I answered. I tried to sound cold, yet sad, and yet somewhat interested. I wondered if he had caught all of those emotions.

  “Maddie, come on,” Kennedy said, sternly. She and Morgan gave Carver the death stare. He hung his head and backed off.

  “I think he still likes me,” I said, as we walked into the school.

  “I hate to sound brutal,” Morgan replied. “But who cares if he likes you, if he likes that bro code more?”

  She had a point. Did I really want to be with someone who thought more about some stupid rules that a bunch of moron boys came up with? I don’t think so. I tried to talk myself into thinking that Carver was a jerk. Plus, the plan was in place. If Morgan could get the “bros” to turn on Logan, hopefully it would remove all restrictions on my availability.

  Chapter seven

  The minute I walked in from school, Mom could tell I was upset.

  “Oh, Madds, what’s wrong?”

  I tried to be calm, but I couldn’t take it anymore. I had held in my emotions all day. When I started to explain, my voice began to shake. Instantly, I was in a full-blown breakdown. Mom pulled me in and I cried like a baby. We talked and talked. I told her about the stupid bro code.

  Mom told me about some of the things the boys did when she was young. She even told me about how Dad almost didn’t go out with her because of his “List.”

  “In college, your father had a list of qualifications against which he rated every girl he went out with. If you didn’t get a passing score on every point, he wouldn’t date you.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding,” I said. “Dad?”

  “Yes, Dad. A mutual friend lined us up. On our first date he asked me a few questions about school and what I was studying. It seemed like regular conversation at first, but then he asked about my grades, about the boys I’d gone out with, how tall I was when I wore high heels, and several other strange things. The next day I told the friend who lined us up that I was a little turned off by his weird questions.”

  “So what did she say?”

  Mom began to laugh. “She told me about your father’s list. For example, your father has always been concerned about his height. First on his list was that a girl could not be taller than he was. Others were that a girl couldn’t be smarter, funnier, or stronger. My favorite was that a girl could not have gone out with
more people than he had. I guess you can say your father had some self esteem issues.”

  “I can’t believe you went out with him again. I never knew Dad was so weird.”

  “Oh, your father isn’t weird. He’s just a guy. And guys, as you are finding out, are all a little weird. So, yes, I did go out with your father again. However, I told him flat out that with high heels I was taller than he was; that I was, and would always be, smarter than he was; and finally, that I had gone out with more people than he ever had, because I was in high demand. Then I told him that if he even wanted to have a chance with me he’d better toss the stupid list. Needless to say, the list disappeared.”

  Just then Dad walked in early from work. I couldn’t help laugh as I saw him.

  “What?” He said. “Does my hair look crazy?” He patted the top of his head.

  “No, honey,” Mom said. “We’re just talking about boys and the silly things they do.”

  “Like what?” Dad said. Every now and then he tried to offer emotional help, but he was lousy at it.

  “Oh, nothing,” I said. “Mom’s got me covered.”

  Now he looked offended. “Come, on. I’m a guy. Let your old man help.”

  Mom smiled and shook her head. “Fine. Why don’t you tell your father about your day? Maybe he will have some great wisdom.”

  Dad sat down on the chair facing us and rubbed his hands together. “Perfect, let’s hear it. Wait, should I get some paper to take notes?”

  “Chad, come on, you don’t need paper. Just listen to your daughter.”

  “Okay, I just want to be thorough.” His brow lowered and his eyes focused intensely on me. “All right, Let’s hear it.”

  I started at the beginning with Logan at the doorstep.

  “Whoa, hold on. Time out,” Dad interrupted. “Logan, tried to kiss you? I think the first thing you do is never, and I mean never, go out with that boy again!”