Good Nerd Hunting Read online

  brooke182: what happened? ?

  rowan1229: i showed up to school high

  rowan1229: randy dared me

  rowan1229: but i’d never been high before, so i didn’t know how to hide it

  rowan1229: one of my teachers caught me

  rowan1229: but she liked me, so she promised not to tell anyone

  brooke182: i’m sorry but… ?

  brooke182: that’s total horseshit ?

  brooke182: u live in a town where everyone hates u, but u find a teacher that’s willing to keep ur dirty little secret just cause?

  brooke182: there’s either more to the story or ur making it all up

  rowan1229: there is more to it…

  rowan1229: but i can’t tell u ?

  brooke182: whatever ?

  rowan1229: i’ll tell u one day ?

  rowan1229: y’know, when i’m ready

  brooke182: alright then

  brooke182: i’ll be waiting ?

  rowan1229: i think it’s well worth the wait

  13

  Schmidt's

  That same day, Blake sat at his computer desk, finishing up his French homework, when his phone rang, vibrating on his desk. He looked down to see Jamie Tru’s dimpled, winking face giving him a thumb’s up. Blake, grinning, set down his pencil and put his phone to his ear.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, Blake! You ready to go?”

  “Go where?”

  “To Schmidt’s. Where else?”

  Blake paused. “Wait, what?”

  “Duh, keep up! Some of the girls from school live tweeted from Schmidt’s, so that’s where we’re headed. Pack your shit and let’s go!”

  “Wait, Jamie Tru! I don’t know where this place is, or even what it is.”

  “It’s a country club, the one everyone at school goes to. We’re on our way to pick you up right now.”

  “This guy doesn’t catch on quickly, does he?” came Julio’s voice from the background.

  “Give him a rest,” said Quen. “He’s not used to social media. Next time, we should text him when we’re going to Schmidt’s instead of tweeting it.”

  “Hey, Blake, get movin’!” said Izzy. “I wanna work on my dive.”

  “What do I bring?” Blake asked.

  “Your trunks and sunscreen,” Jamie Tru answered. “We’ll be there in ten, okay? Later!”

  “Later!” the rest of his friends chanted. Beep.

  Blake pulled on a pair of swimming trucks and wore his T-shirt over them. After he coated his body from head to toe in sunscreen, he stepped into a pair of sandals. He grabbed his bag and descended the stairs. Halfway down, there was a knock on the door. His mother, Cleo in her arms, answered it.

  “Hello, Jamie,” she said. “Are you here for Blake?”

  Jamie Tru nodded. “Is he ready to go?

  Blake walked up. “Hey, Mom, I know this is last minute, but…”

  Blake’s mother waved her hand. “It’s fine so long as you’re back for dinner. But before you go, I have something for you and your friends. Wait right here.” She left.

  “You never said you were a big brother,” said Jamie Tru.

  Blake looked down at his feet, his arms folded behind his back. “Her name’s Cleo,” he confessed.

  “I don’t blame you for not mentioning her. When Tess was born, she was nothin’ but trouble.”

  Blake looked up at the clicking of his mother’s heels.

  “Here,” she said, handing Jamie Tru a jar of cookies.

  “Thanks, Mrs. M!”

  “There’s enough for everyone,” Blake’s mother explained. “And they’re vegan, so Julio can have some, too.”

  “Bye, Mom!” Blake called as they walked down the porch steps. “Is that how we’re getting there?” Blake asked, pointing to the black SUV that was parked out front.

  “Yeah, it’s too far to bike,” Jamie Tru answered. He opened the door and gestured inside. “After you.”

  Blake climbed in and slid across the lush leather upholstery, sitting next to Izzy, who wore a T-shirt over her bathing suit. A wicked grin spread across her face at the sight of the cookie jar in Jamie Tru’s hands; she leaned forward and snatched it from his clutches.

  “Your mom brought us cookies again?” she said, unscrewing the lid. “Score!”

  “Hey, she gave ‘em to me!” Jamie Tru protested, turning back in his seat, his arm outstretched. “I get first dibs!”

  “Ya snooze, ya lose,” Izzy taunted before taking a huge bite out of a chocolate chunk cookie. She grabbed two more cookies before returning the jar to its previous owner.

  “These things are to die for,” said Jamie Tru as he took a handful of sweets and passed the jar to Quen, who nodded.

  “Your mother’s an angel, Blake,” he said.

  “Seriously,” Julio agreed, taking the jar from Quen beside him. “Her vegan cookies are better than the ones we get at Whole Foods.” He swallowed his third cookie before he spoke again. “I can’t wait ‘til we get to Schmidt’s. I haven’t seen Paolina all summer.”

  “Who’s Paolina?” Blake asked before taking a bite of his mother’s baked good.

  “She’s the girl I like,” Julio explained. “She’s been away at camp for the past couple weeks, but she came home early yesterday.”

  “What camp was she at?”

  “Volleyball. She’s hell on the court.”

  “So, where is Schmidt’s?”

  “Not too far,” Jamie Tru answered. “Just twenty minutes outside the city.”

  Blake cocked his head. “We’re going all the way to Schmidt’s just so Julio can talk to a girl?”

  “She’s not just any girl,” said Julio. “She’s Paolina Cruz, captain of the girls’ varsity volleyball team, and she’s only a freshman. And she’s the hottest girl in her grade.”

  “I’m going so I can talk to her friend Ingrid Summers,” said Jamie Tru, stars in his light green eyes. “She plays volleyball, too, and she’s into programming. I swear she’ll be my girlfriend by the end of the summer.”

  “I’m going just for fun,” Quen said. “The country club is really cool.”

  “Practically everyone from school will be there,” said Izzy. She cupped her face in her hands. “So many people to terrorize, so little time.”

  “But I don’t go to this club,” Blake interjected. “How am I getting in?”

  “Isn’t it obvious?” Izzy asked. Blake shook his head. “Duh, we’re smuggling you in!” She reached down at her feet and pulled out a huge duffle bag, which she dropped into Blake’s lap. “Now, don’t squeal or you’ll get us all kicked out.”

  Blake stared. “Are you insane?”

  Julio, Quen, and Jamie Tru laughed.

  “Me, Julio, and Izzy have memberships,” said Jamie Tru. “We’re taking you and Quen as guests.”

  “Oh…”

  “Don’t believe anything she says if you value your sanity,” Julio told Blake.

  “You don’t have to tell me twice,” Blake muttered as he returned Izzy’s duffle bag.

  A few minutes later, they pulled up to Schmidt’s, a massive estate surrounded by lush fields and towering trees. The group entered and approached the front desk, where Jamie Tru, Julio, and Izzy showed their membership IDs. At the pool outside, people abound—some sunbathing on lounge chairs, others bouncing off the diving board. Jamie Tru led them to a few unoccupied lounge chairs, where they set down their bags and took off their T-shirts.

  “This place is incredible,” Blake said as he watched two parents swim up to the poolside bar.

  “It’s an unwritten rule that everyone who goes to Seven Hills has to have a membership here,” Jamie Tru explained. “If you don’t, it’s like you don’t even go to our school.”

  “Don’t worry guys,” Izzy assured, her arms wrapped around Blake and Quen’s necks. “We won’t alert the school and have you expelled.”

  “Yes! Found her!” Julio said, pointing. Everyone followed his index
finger. Right across the pool, lying flat in lounge chairs and enjoying a good laugh were two girls. The one who Blake guessed must be Paolina Cruz was the prettiest of the two. Her bikini was covered in flowers and her long hair flowed in the gentle breeze.

  “Whoa,” Blake muttered.

  “You mean, ‘pow’,” Julio corrected. “Come on, Jamie.” They made to leave, but Quen put out his arm, blocking them.

  “Wait guys. Look.” They watched as a boy swam up to Paolina and Ingrid. He leaned against the edge and appeared to have told a joke, because the pair laughed at once.

  “Gotta be quicker than that,” Izzy teased.

  “Garcia,” Julio snarled through gritted teeth.

  “Who’s that?” Blake asked.

  “Nico Garcia,” said Quen. “He’s in our grade. They hate each other.”

  “Why?”

  “Why not?” Julio retorted. “That asshole’s been out to get me since I got to Seven Hills! Every year, he tries to take my title as soccer captain and every year he fails. Now he’s tryin’ beat me to Paolina ‘cause he knows I like her. Fucking insect.”

  “Hey, check it out!” said Izzy, pointing as she grinned. “Bring out the good china, ‘cause we’ve got company!” The members of Nerds, Inc. followed her finger to another gang of girls on the other side of the pool.

  “Bianchi?” Julio said.

  “The very same!” Izzy sang.

  Julio ran a hand through his curly hair. “Un-fucking-believable.”

  “That’s Cecelia Bianchi,” Quen told Blake. “She’s really annoying and she’s had a crush on Julio since forever.”

  “And she doesn’t know how to take ‘no’ for an answer,” Julio said, pinching the skin between his eyebrows.

  “We need a plan,” said Jamie Tru, punching his hand. “We need to get Nico away from Paolina and Ingrid and distract Cissy before she notices Julio and throws herself all over him.” He turned to Izzy. “You ready to play Loch Ness?”

  Izzy’s golden eyes sparkled. “It’s the role I was born to play!”

  “That’s funny,” said Julio as Izzy dove into the water. “I could’ve sworn it was ‘psych patient’.”

  Izzy sank beneath the surface, crackling as she went and leaving a few air bubbles in her wake.

  Jamie Tru turned to Blake. “You should be the one to distract Cissy.”

  “Why me?”

  “’Cause they love newbies. Plus, you’re a McCracken, so that should give ‘em plenty to talk about. Now, go. Me and Ingrid’s relationship is at stake here!”

  Blake walked around the side of the pool. He glanced at Paolina and Ingrid in time to see Nico sink below the water’s surface mid-laugh. The girls looked around at the spot where Nico had been, bewildered. Then Jamie Tru and Julio appeared next to them. They apparently told a good joke, because all of them roared with laughter.

  Note to self, Blake thought, stay on Izzy’s good side.

  Blake looked at Cissy and her friends and saw that another boy had beat him to it. He was lanky with sullen skin and stood over the four most beautiful girls Blake had ever seen.

  “Hi, my name’s Rodney,” he heard the boy say.

  “Rodney, what?” asked the pompous brunette in the middle.

  “Hicks.”

  The girl looked around at her friends. They all shared unimpressed looks. “Do you know who I am?”

  “No, that’s why I came over to–”

  “My name is Cecelia Bianchi.”

  “Nice to meet—”

  Cissy held up a hand. “I didn’t give you permission to speak.”

  Rodney looked taken aback but said nothing.

  “Now, here’s what I don’t understand: you have a Schmidt’s membership, right?”

  “Right…”

  “Yet you can’t seem to afford a spray tan. How does that even work?” Her friends murmured their shared confusion.

  “Why would I—?”

  “I didn’t give you permission to speak!” Cissy shrieked. Her three friends fanned her with their delicate, polished hands as Cissy took several deep breaths.

  Rodney grimaced. “All I wanted to do was say ‘hi’.”

  “Wow, you must be new here,” Cissy replied with a roll of her eyes. “We’re the Pretties. Everyone knows you can’t just walk up to a Pretty and say ‘hi!’”

  “Well, I just did,” said Blake, stepping forward. “Hi.”

  The girls looked up at him and gasped in unison. They shared excited looks, then huddled together, whispering, their backs to the boys. Blake heard his surname thrown around here and there. Then, they broke into a game of rock-paper-scissors. Blake and Rodney looked at one another, bewildered. The girls broke up and one of them stepped forward.

  “H-hi,” she stammered, twirling the end of her braid with her index finger. “My name’s Rousseau. Effie Rousseau. Pleased to meet you, Blake.”

  Blake’s face burned. The sound of his name rolling off her tongue set off sparks in his belly.

  Puberty’s been very good to her, he thought, eyeing her white bikini top. She looked about ready to burst out of it.

  Blake cleared his throat and pointed his thumb at Rodney. “Why are you being so mean to this guy?”

  Effie blushed. “He was annoying us,” she answered with a shrug.

  “Doesn’t give you the right to be total jerks.”

  “We’re not. We just don’t like nobodies, that’s all. Why don’t you come sit with us?” She reached out to grab Blake’s hand; he swatted it away.

  “I’d rather play Loch Ness with Izzy.”

  Effie shrank away from Blake and retook her seat.

  “Go play with her, then!” Cissy exclaimed.

  “I will. Oh, and by the way: I don’t know how much a membership here costs, but I’m pretty sure my parents can’t afford it.”

  The Pretties squealed their shock and disapproval. Blake walked away and Rodney followed.

  “Hey, thanks for sticking up for me,” said Rodney.

  Blake shrugged. “I don’t like jerks.”

  “Me either. It’s Blake, right?”

  “Yeah, and Rodney?”

  “That’s me!”

  “You can come sit with me if you want,” Blake offered.

  “Sure, why not?”

  They returned to the spot where Nerds, Inc. had set up and found that the lounge chairs were empty. Blake saw Quen in the water doing laps. Jamie Tru and Julio were still talking to their crushes. That only left… Blake’s jaw dropped. He watched as Izzy wrestled in the water with Nico Garcia.

  Note so self, he thought. Kiss Izzy’s ass, if necessary.

  “It’s a shame,” said Rodney as he laid back in one of the chairs. “They’ve got the hottest bodies money can buy, but they act like they’re married to NBA stars.”

  Blake sat beside Rodney. “Are all the girls in this city like this?”

  “No idea. I just moved here from outta town.”

  “Yeah? So did I.”

  “My family’s auto shop just expanded to Mirallegra, and I got into this private school called Seven Hills, too, so we decided to move here. Be weird if it took an hour just to get to class every day.”

  “I go to Seven Hills, too. Eighth grade.”

  “Same.”

  “Fuck off, Izzy!” yelled an angry voice. Blake and Rodney turned to see Nico Garcia, drenched from head to toe, at the edge of the pool, his ankle in Izzy’s tight grip as she floated at the edge.

  “Aw, come on. We’re having so much fun!” she said.

  “I said, ‘Fuck off’!” Nico pulled his ankle free and stomped off.

  Izzy waved after him. “You know where to find me when you’re ready to play again! Oh, hey Blake. Mission Loch Ness complete!” she added with an army salute.

  “Nice job,” said Blake, returning the salute.

  “Who’s this guy?” she asked, pulling herself out of the water.

  “Rodney Hicks,” Blake introduced.

  “I’m Izz
y!” She extended her hand and shook Rodney’s entire arm.

  “What did you do to that guy?” Blake asked.

  “Yeah,” Rodney agreed.

  “Oh, nothin’,” Izzy said as she rung out the excess water from her hair. “I just forced him into a breath-holding contest.”

  “What?” the boys said together.

  “I would’ve won if he hadn’t kicked me in the stomach.”

  “And if you did win?” Rodney asked.

  “It’s okay, I know CPR… Hey, you guys wanna play next?”

  “No,” they said in unison.

  Quen swam up to the trio and leaned against the edge. “You didn’t hurt him, did you?” he asked Izzy.

  “Of course not. What do you take me for, an amateur?”

  Quen pulled himself out of the pool and turned to Rodney. “Hey, my name’s Quen. How’s it goin’?”

  Rodney shrugged. “Just getting turned down by hot girls.” He pointed to Cissy and her scornful friends. They were taking duck-faced selfies.

  “Aw, don’t feel bad,” Izzy told Rodney, slapping him so hard on his back that his knees buckled. “Everyone gets turned down by the Petties. No one’s ever good enough for them. What about you, Blake? What did they say? They pissed themselves when they saw you, right?”

  “Basically,” Blake confirmed. “I know my uncle’s a huge donor and that the science wing is named after him, but I didn’t expect a reaction like that. I mean, they played rock-paper-scissors to see who could talk to me first.”

  Izzy nodded. “Sounds about right. The Petties love to surround themselves with the kids of important people, so they probably see you as royalty.”

  “Isn’t that a bit much?”

  Izzy shook her head. “Not for them. They’re, like, the princesses of middle school and you’re Prince Charming.”

  Blake’s face burned.

  “Okay kids, playtime’s over,” Julio announced as he approached them, Jamie Tru behind him. “Let’s move out, troops.”

  “Already?” said Blake. “But we just got here. I didn’t even get to take a dip.”

  “Paolina’s going home,” Julio explained. “I don’t have any other reason to be here.”

  “Ingrid turned me down,” said Jamie Tru, looking glum. “Said something about me being too young. I don’t wanna be here anymore, either.”