Page 2 of Beauty and the Nerd
She still gave the rest of the group the same sass they tried to give her, not about to open the door for them to start picking on her. That was why she didn’t want to admit the truth to the others though—she knew what they were capable of and didn’t want it turned around onto her. They’d be even more brutal to her if they did and that was not something she was anxious to experience.
“I know Em. You don’t want to be the most hated girl in school while also being on every committee possible. I get it.” Ben nodded in understanding calming her worries, then smiled spying the journal she had in her bag. “Writing something new?”
“Maybe a little something,” she said taking it out to let him see the start of it.
He couldn’t hide his surprise when he turned to the second page and lifted his face back up to hers in question. “Em…”
“What? You don’t feel the same, don’t think you could ever feel that way for me, don’t want to be anything but friends?” Even she could hear the worry in her tone, and he shut the book, his hand lifting to her cheek, lowering his lips to hers in a soft kiss. It left her breathless, and she shook her head with a smile as she met his gaze.
“Not good?” he asked seeing her shake her head.
“Amazingly good Ben, I had no idea you’d kiss like that.” She sighed happily as he lowered his lips to hers in another that left her wondering what else she didn’t know about him as they parted, her eyes glancing over his face curiously.
“We nerds tend to perfect our technique because we know that each kiss is well worth it,” he teased making her laugh. “We especially don’t take any of them for granted when they’re with someone like you.”
“That’s good because I really want to see what this is but everyone else…” She trailed off knowing what her friends would think. “I don’t want them thinking that I’m dating you as a joke, so you’ll do my homework, or to scam something else out of you with college applications coming up.”
“Or so I’ll look so pathetic thinking that a hot girl like you could actually like me?” He brushed the strand of hair from her cheek as he stared at her, and she nodded. “I get it Emma, and I don’t want to be looked at like the king of the nerds or that fool either, especially at the start.”
“Plus, if everyone knew we were more than just friends this little ploy to get you out of tutoring but still get the credit for it wouldn’t work.”
“So then for now, let’s just let everyone else think I’m simply tutoring you, but only if I get promises for some more of this.” He lowered his lips back to hers with a teasing kiss making her melt.
“Oh, I can guarantee we can mix some of that in, absolutely.”
“Good, now what would you like to do first? A little homework or a little studying?” He whispered the last word in her ear sending a shiver down her spine.
“A little studying, most certainly a little studying.” She was in full agreement there and let him lay her out into the beanbag further, not about to pass up the opportunity to know him better. Know the real him not the idea of him the others had, just as he had learnt about the real her this summer.
Chapter 1
Ben moved down the hallway towards Emma’s room, grateful to not see anyone from school there. He’d wanted to come last night after hearing about the accident through a group chat for the tutor center who’d seen it posted online, but knew if he had, things wouldn’t have gone well. Part of him was still amazed, even after three months that she actually wanted him still. He wanted her just as much…well, he wanted the real Emma, not the persona she showed to the rest of the school to keep the others from turning on her.
The door for her room was open, and he moved into it, stopping short when he found several others standing around the space. He cursed under his breath before Emma’s gaze slid over to him, and he saw relief flash in her beautiful blue-green eyes.
“Ben!” she said with a light smile at him.
“Wait…you rememberhim?” Carter stated, his gaze narrowing as he glared at her, and Ben’s wonder increased higher as to what happened.
Their vice principal told him that she’d woken unable to recall anything but her mom but was otherwise stable when she stopped him in the hallway for a favor. As he’d been working with her through the tutor center, he was asked to drop off herwork. He’d thought it was far too soon for anyone to push her on it, but he didn’t begin to argue since he’d wanted to come check on her in person, especially since he hadn’t heard from her directly all day.
His thoughts may have shown on his face though, since the woman added to let Emma know there was no rush, they just wanted to get it into her hands, so she had plenty of time to complete it while she recovered. Now, he simply had far more questions since it seemed she remembered him.
“I…I do, I guess,” Emma said as her mom came up behind Ben.
“Ben, it’s good to see you again,” Nicole said ushering him further into the room with a frown at the rest of the group in the space.
“Hey Emma,” he said, forcing himself to control his desire to move over to her, slide his hand onto her cheek and kiss her. He was thanking god that she was alive, and the only thing that he could see to even say she was injured was a bruise on her forehead and a cast on her arm.
“Hold up, how do you know him and what the hell are you doing here?” Carter demanded, and Emma pulled herself further into the bed away from Carter as her face paled.
“Ben’s been helping me out with some classes through the tutor center,” Emma said, and he saw surprise and a bit of relief in her mom’s eyes at the statement.
Ben ignored the others as he moved around the bed to sit the information down on the table not near the rest of the group there. “Your teachers wanted to make sure you had this for whenever you felt up to it, Emma. Ms. Bentley said there’s no rush, but your teachers were sure you’d want it since you’ve been so diligent this year on your grades.”
“Thanks,” she said taking the book off the top to look at it, a light question slipping onto her brow as she did.
“If you need any help with it just let me know. I’ll head out to let you get some rest right now, but I’ll be available whenever you might need.” No way was he about to remain in the room with the others there. He didn’t know how long he’d be able to control his need to reassure himself that she was actually safe. He wanted—needed—to reach out and touch her, make sure she was really there, truly okay after being in a car accident with Carter. Especially one that’d left her with memory loss.
