#Nerd (Hashtag #1)

by Cambria Hebert

  When I flipped it back up, she and Missy made appreciative sounds and she added some kind of clear, slippery stuff to her fingers and worked it in. Then she sprayed it with a bunch of hairspray she promised wouldn’t make my hair feel stiff.

  I didn’t tell her this was the first time I’d ever had someone style my hair (other than the day she braided it). I barely ever went to get it trimmed. That’s why it was so long. When I did, I just left the place with it still wet and let it air-dry.

  “I’m totally jealous,” Ivy said, standing back to admire her work.

  “Thanks for doing that,” I said, praying I didn’t look like a Chia pet or something.

  I stood up to go look in the mirror.

  “Wait!” Missy said and jumped up from my bed. She was wearing a pair of black skinny jeans, sky-high heels, and red top with a thin black belt that fastened just below her breasts. She reached in the bag she brought and withdrew the velvet leopard blazer she had on the other day. “Here, wear this,” she said.

  I looked at the jacket and then back at her. “You want me to wear that?”

  “You said you liked it,” she replied.

  “I do.”

  She nodded. “You can totally borrow it. It will make that outfit.”

  “Thanks,” I said, getting a little choked up. All this girl time was making me emotional. I slipped it on. It was just as soft on the inside as it was on the outside.

  “Looks so good.” Missy beamed.

  “Here,” Ivy said and handed over my brown fur-lined boots.

  “Do those match?” I asked.

  “Yes,” both girls said simultaneously.

  I slid them on, grateful for the warmth. Then I went to the mirror to see.

  I did a double take at my own reflection.

  It seemed impossible it was me.

  But it was.

  I just stood there and stared, unable to say anything.

  Ivy and Missy high-fived and then went back to talking about whatever.

  My hair never looked so pretty. It hung in loose curls over my shoulders and down my back. It was parted off to the side and looked shiny and sleek, just like I always wanted it to (but it never did). For once, my black-rimmed glasses didn’t appear to take over my entire face, but seemed to have a bit of balance. I turned a little to admire the way the glossy curls fell down my back and caught the light.

  The black leggings totally worked as an actual outfit. They were comfortable and didn’t make me feel like I was trying to be someone I wasn’t. They hugged my body because that’s what leggings did, but the tan boots came halfway up my calves and the white T-shirt was loose enough that it covered most of my butt. The blazer was a little looser on me than it had been on Missy, but it still looked nice. It seemed to make me look like I had more of a shape than I actually did. It ended up above my hips and the warm brown and black seemed to play off my hair and boots.

  My face was makeup free, but I went to my bag and pulled out some vanilla lip balm and smoothed it on to give my lips a slight shine.

  It’s amazing how a hairstyle and a beautiful outfit could make me feel. I wished my mother could see me. I wondered if she would have been proud.

  Just thinking of her reminded me of something I’d kept in the top drawer of my dresser, hidden away for years. I went to it now and pulled it out carefully, sliding it over my head, taking care to slip it beneath all my hair. I turned to Ivy and asked, “Does this match?”

  She turned and smiled. “It’s perfect.”

  Missy nodded.

  It was a pendant on a long gold chain, made to look like a cameo brooch. It was large and oval, with a black background and an ornate golden frame. In the center was the silhouette of a woman carved out in white. The detail on the lady was amazing.

  The piece had been my mother’s. I still remembered her wearing it.

  Tonight would be the first time I’d ever let myself wear it anywhere other than my room.

  A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. My pulse jumped and my stomach dropped. I knew it was Romeo. I could feel it.

  Ivy gave me a look and bounced to the door to answer. “Hey,” she said, still holding the door only partially open. I heard his deeper voice on the other side and my teeth sank into my lower lip.

  “She’s over there,” Ivy said and opened the door all the way.

  My palms felt sweaty and I resisted the urge to wipe them down my thighs. My eyes glued to his face the second he appeared and my nerves increased tenfold as I wondered what he would think about the way I looked.

  His eyes saw me, then kept going, totally passing right by. My ego stung a little because I hadn’t earned just a little bit of a longer look.

  But then he seemed to jerk and his eyes flew back to where I stood.

  I smiled.

  His eyes widened and recognition slammed into him. He hadn’t realized it was me. But now he did. He stepped a little closer as Ivy giggled, and his stare ate up my face and hair. Then his gaze traveled down my body all the way to my toes, reversed, and traveled back up again.

  “Holy shit,” he breathed. Then he seemed to catch himself and hurried to say, “You look beautiful.”

  I laughed. “Thanks.”

  “Well, my work here is done,” Ivy said. “When you get to the party, Rimmel, come find us.”

  “You aren’t riding with us?” I said nervously.

  Romeo frowned but then turned to the girls and said, “You can if you want.”

  I worried Missy’s eyes might fall out of her head. And when Romeo’s gaze seemed to settle on her, it only got worse. “Braeden picking you up?”

  “No,” she answered. “I’m riding with Ivy.”

  “All right,” he said, motioning to all of us. “Let’s go.”

  “I don’t mind driving,” Ivy hurried to say. “You two can be alone.”

  He seemed to debate and glanced at me. His eyes roamed my body again, and he frowned. “No,” he finally said. “Ride with me. Then Rimmel won’t have to try and find you in the crowd.”

  Ivy looked at me as if to ask if it was okay. I nodded.

  “We’ll meet you downstairs,” she said, and she and Missy left the room.

  Romeo looked at me and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “I knew you were beautiful, but damn, Rimmel,” he muttered. “I’m kind of having second thoughts about taking you around all those drunk frat guys.”

  “Do I really look that different?” I asked.

  He cocked his head to the side. “Actually, you look more like you than I’ve ever seen.”

  I wrinkled my nose. That didn’t make sense.

  “I mean, your outside matches your inside.”

  “Thank you,” I said, touched by the statement.

  “So everything with you and Ivy?” he asked.

  “It’s really good.”

  He nodded. I moved to walk past him, and he caught me around the waist. His lips crushed against mine instantly, kissing me fiercely.

  I melted against him and kissed him back with everything I had. His hands came up to bury themselves in my hair and he groaned low in his throat. I reached between his jacket and shirt to wrap my arms around his waist.

  After a few minutes of intense kissing, he released me and set me away.

  “If we don’t leave right now, we never will.”

  At the door, he stopped and turned. “I need the thing I gave you to hold.”

  I dug it from beneath my mattress and held it out. He grinned and reached for it, but I hesitated, then glanced inside the front of my blazer. There was a pocket, so I slid the nameplate inside. “I’ll hold it ‘til we get there.”

  “You sure?” he asked.

  I nodded.

  He held out his hand and I placed mine in his.

  “You ready for your first frat party?” he asked.

  Ready or not, here I come.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Romeo

  The Omega house was one of th
e largest frat properties on campus. It was set sort of back off the road and a very green yard stretched out beside and behind it. Large, mature trees filled the space around the house, giving it a more private feel, even though it was located on the edge of campus.

  Omega House was a large stone building. Just looking at it, you knew it was filled with history. There was a plaque on the wall by the wide double front door indicating it was one of the oldest buildings on campus.

  It looked like a giant box with rectangular windows running along the entire front on both the first and second floors. The stone wasn’t the perfectly cut man-made kind; instead, it was in various shades of tan and brown and was rounded, making it look like it was literally dug out of the ground and used to build a formidable home.

  The front door was a weathered shade of royal blue, and on each wide door was a sign with the Omega symbol in the center. Long, wide concrete steps led up, giving way to a large concrete patio. The landscaping was exceptionally nice considering a bunch of guys lived here. It was obvious the campus paid for the upkeep of the exterior.

  Large evergreen bushes flanked the ends of the building and assorted plants in varying shades of green grew along the front. Out in the back was the building I remembered from before, the one with the secret club down below.

  I couldn’t see it now as we pulled into the parking lot and I found a spot, but I knew it was there. Music was pumping through the night when I opened the door and climbed out of my Hellcat. The driver’s seat was pushed forward, and Ivy and Missy unfolded themselves from the back. I watched Ivy closely, taking in her reaction to getting a ride with us.

  After she straightened her top, she glanced at me and smiled. “Thanks for the ride, Romeo.”

  There was no gleaming agenda in her eyes, and it made me feel better. “Anytime.”

  The two girls moved off to stand at the end of the car and were already yapping away, but it wasn’t lost on me that Rimmel was still hiding in the passenger seat.

  I walked around and opened her door. With wide, dark eyes, she looked up at me through her glasses.

  My heart nearly stopped when I first saw her tonight. In fact, my eyes had skipped right over her, dismissing the fact it was her. I’d never seen her look more beautiful. Maybe her friendship with Ivy wouldn’t be such a bad thing after all. She was glowing, and I knew it wasn’t just because someone curled her hair.

  I wanted to see more of this side of her. Not only because she looked damn hot, but because she looked so happy.

  I could feel the nerves rolling off her, and I leaned down inside the open door and smiled. I was sort of nervous too. I wasn’t sure what to expect tonight when I walked in with her. I was damn proud to have her on my arm, but I also didn’t want anyone else looking at her.

  “Want to hold my hand?” I asked and grinned.

  She snorted and whacked my outstretched fingers. “Let me out.”

  When she was beside me, I reached for her hand, lacing our fingers together, and slammed the door to the car. She glanced down at where I held her. “You don’t have to do that.”

  “I know.” My fingers tightened around hers.

  The four of us walked through the lot and up onto the sidewalk that led down to the house. I could hear people laughing and cheering. A crowd materialized off to the side, but I didn’t give them much attention because there were people all over this place. They spilled out the front door and onto the porch of the house.

  Rimmel stumbled a little as she walked, and I released her hand to wrap an arm around her waist. She patted my stomach. “Romeo,” she whispered.

  I glanced over and everything in me stilled.

  The dean was walking toward us with two campus security officers. “Mr. Anderson,” the dean said with a tight look on his face.

  “Is there a problem?” I said, releasing Rimmel and stepping slightly in front of her.

  Ivy and Missy stopped walking and stood off to the side, watching with wide eyes. I wanted to tell them to leave, but I held my tongue. If things went bad, I would need someone here with Rimmel.

  “I’m very sorry to approach you like this,” the dean said, and our eyes connected. I saw that he didn’t want to be here, yet he was. “I realize this is quite the insult to such an active and promising student here at Alpha U, but a matter was called in to the campus police and it is this university’s duty to follow up.”

  Ah. I see. So whoever sent them here went around the dean and straight to the campus police because they knew the dean wouldn’t entertain causing trouble for his star athlete.

  Fucking Zach.

  “It’s not a problem,” I said easily, totally relaxed. “You have a standard to uphold.”

  “We received an anonymous call about a theft in the dean’s office,” an officer said, stepping forward. “Of course we went to his office to confirm that something was indeed missing. It seems his nameplate is gone.”

  Rimmel’s hand reached under my jacket and curled against my back. I knew she was thinking of the object they were after and its presence in her jacket.

  “As I said…” The dean spoke to the officers. “I’m not sure what happened to it. The cleaning service could have knocked it off the desk and broken it.”

  “We have to follow up on all leads in the matter of theft,” the officer replied.

  “Of course.” The dean motioned at me.

  “What does this have to do with me?” I asked like I was bored.

  “We have reason to believe you’re the one who took it.”

  I laughed. “Like I don’t have anything better to do than steal shit from the dean?”

  The officer who had said nothing so far looked embarrassed. His friend, however, would not be deterred. I would bet money that Zach paid him to do this here and now.

  A small crowd had gathered not too far from where we stood and watched with apt attention. Zach was not only trying to keep me out of the Omegas, but he was also trying to destroy my reputation.

  Sneaky bastard.

  “Please empty your pockets,” the officer said.

  “Are you serious?” I asked sharply.

  Everyone looked at the dean, who looked like he had a bad case of diarrhea. “I’m afraid he is.”

  I shrugged. “Sure. No problem.” I turned slightly toward Rimmel and curved my hand around her elbow to lead her a few steps to stand beside Ivy. “Stay here.”

  Her eyes were anxious when she looked up at me. I winked.

  I made a show of reaching in my varsity jacket pockets, showing that they were empty. Then I slid it off my shoulders and tossed it to the officer. “Feel free to check the inside,” I told him.

  As he did that, I handed my cell to Rimmel and pulled out the pockets of my jeans. Then I took off my shoes and held them upside down and lifted the ankles of my jeans to show I had nothing in my socks.

  “Roman,” the dean said, worry in his tone, “you don’t have to go that far.”

  “Yes, I do,” I said. “I want to be sure everyone here knows I am no thief.” I said it loud enough that whispers broke out across the watching crowd.

  Then I reached for the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head in one fluid movement. A couple girls over on the porch whistled and hooted. I waved at them.

  I held out my arms and spun, letting the shirt hang from my fingers. “I think it’s pretty obvious I’m not concealing some block of wood.”

  Then I stopped and grinned. I reached for the buckle on my jeans. “Shall I take these off too?” I directed the question to the officer with my jacket.

  He flushed. “That won’t be necessary.”

  Everyone was silent when I put my shoes and shirt back on. When I reached for my jacket, the officer said, “I’m going to need to search your vehicle.”

  I laughed and tossed him the keys. “Have at it. It’s the green Challenger over there.”

  “We know which one it is,” the quiet officer muttered.

  I glanced at Rimmel and her f
riends. “You ladies go ahead. I’m going to watch Barney and Fife here to make sure they don’t scratch my paint.”

  Ivy and Missy glared at the officers before turning to walk away. Rimmel hesitated, her eyes never leaving me.

  “It’s all right,” I said. “I’ll be right behind you.”

  “Who’s that?” the officer said, stepping closer to look at Rimmel.

  My annoyance level skyrocketed. I spun, blocking her from sight. “No one you need to concern yourself with.”

  “Well, if she’s with you—”

  “She’s not,” I said, hard.

  The dean stepped in. “We did not come here to harass our students.”

  I stared the officer down until he lamented and turned toward my car.

  Of course they found nothing. All they accomplished was looking like a bunch of idiots. When the one leading the witch-hunt mentioned searching my room, I laughed.

  “I live on private property, not on campus. If you want to search my place, you’re going to need to call my father, Anthony Anderson. You might know him?” I asked. “He’s a lawyer.”

  “That won’t be necessary,” the dean said immediately. “Gentlemen, I think it’s obvious the tip you received was a waste of everyone’s time.”

  The officers left and before the dean followed, he looked at me apologetically. “I’m sorry about this, Roman.”

  “Thanks,” I replied.

  Three steps toward the party, I heard the officer say, “Is that a frat party? Maybe we should—”

  “No,” the dean said loudly. “You’ve already made us look like big enough idiots for one night. Let’s go.”

  On my way inside, the crowd gathered around as I passed by. I spent long moments shaking hands, laughing, and shooting the shit with people I didn’t really want to talk to.

  I wanted to get to Rimmel. And then I wanted to pound Zach.

  Inside, the crowd was considerable, but it wasn’t hard to find her. My eyes seemed to know exactly where to look. She was standing over by the keg in between Ivy and Missy with a beer in her hand.

  She looked totally out of her element. When she saw me walking toward her, the relief in her eyes was clear.