Page 31 of Cocky Nerd
John
TEN YEARSAGO
We dominatedthis city-wide mathletes tournament. We owned it. Not a big surprise, but satisfyingnonetheless.
All the other guys on the team are trying to hit on the token girl, Marcy. She’s always touching my arm and laughing really loudly whenever I say anything. Like, anything. When I said, “Does anyone here have a pen that actually works?” she was in hysterics. I really needed a pen. How is thatfunny?
Monty’s sister is here with their parents. It looks like she’s got ballet after this. Her hair is up in a bun and she looks more impatient than usual. Most girls in the audience would have been staring at their phones, but she was practicing her arm and foot positions, or whatever they’recalled.
It’s funny. She’s so delicate but she always looks so tense. She’d be pretty if she didn’t always have that scowl on her face. Although, I can’t assume that she’s scowling all the time. She certainly is when I’m around. Lucky for her I have always found itadorable.
She notices me watching her and rolls her eyes. I can’t think of one time in the past decade that she’s ever made eye contact with me andnotrolled her eyes. I think…I’m going to miss her when I go to MIT. Is that right? Yes. I will. I have missed her already. She’s usually at her friend’s house now when I’m at Monty’s, since she turned thirteen and they started letting her go to sleepovers, so I don’t see her much anymore. It’s too bad we were never in high school together. I would have found it very entertaining, thinking up different ways to annoy her in publicplaces.
She has always been like a little sister tome.
Is thattrue?
No.
Maybe acousin.
Mr. Montgomery keeps looking at his watch. They’re coming over. I’ll have to lie about myparents.
“Mr. Brandt!Congratulations.”
“Mr. Montgomery. Thank you for yoursupport.”
“It wasfun!”
A snort from TinyDancer.
“It was. I just wish I understood more of what you kids were talking about upthere.”
“Well, not many people do, sir. Don’t feelbad.”
Another exaggerated eye roll fromOlivia.
“Hey there, TinyDancer.”
“Hey there,Nerdballs.”
“Olivia.”
Her whole body always tenses up when her father says her name like that. It’sinteresting.
“Ohhhh, there he is—thegenius!”
“Hello, Mrs.Montgomery.”
Mrs. Montgomery is a good hugger. The best. “I was hoping to see your Mom and Dad here.” She feels sorry forme.
“Yes, they asked me to say ‘hi’ to you. They’re on a business trip. They’ll be back latetonight.”
“Oh, well you must come have dinner with ustonight.”
“I’d love to, but I think the team’s going out tocelebrate.”
“Oh that’s right. Nathan said. I forgot. You come stay with us afterwards if you’d like. I’ll text your mother if youdo.”
