“Hello?” I say, lifting an eyebrow. He’s standing right in front of me so there’s no assuming he’s talking to someone else, and that’s why I’m confused. Why is this guy I don’t know talking to me?
Maybe he wants to recruit me into the Nerds of America club, I think, mentally rolling my eyes. He’s carrying a messenger bag instead of a backpack, and wearing leather shoes with his khakis and maroon polo shirt. He’s a few inches taller than me, with darker skin and shiny black hair that’s gelled over to the side as if his mom fixed his hair this morning. He’s like a hipster nerd—with more emphasis on thenerdpart and less on the hipster part. In fact, I’m pretty sure hipsters would be embarrassed to hang out with him.
“Are you Natalie Reese?” he asks. He gives me what looks like a smile, but I can tell he’s a little nervous. Why any guy would be nervous around me, I don’t know. Maybe he’s going to try to sell me something.
But he knows my name, and that’s weird. What’s weirder is that now two guys have asked me the same question today. Two guys on total opposite ends of the popularity scale.
“Yes…” I say, gripping the straps of my backpack. “I am Natalie Reese, last time I checked. Why do you ask?”
His shoulders relax a little and he gives me a smile, revealing perfectly white and very straight teeth. “Awesome. Mrs. Reese showed me your picture in the yearbook but it’s really hard finding someone in a crowd based on a picture from last year.”
“My mom?” I say, taken aback by the use of her being called a Mrs. when most people call her Marlene.
He looks confused. “Your mom is the assistant principal?”
“Oh my God, no,” I say with more venom than necessary. “Definitely not. Ew.”
“That’s who I was talking about,” he says, giving me a small smile. He rocks back on his heels a little. “It’s coincidental that you have the same last name.”
“I’d use a word more vulgar thancoincidental,” I say with a sigh. Behind him, I see April walk through the doors. I’m ready to go home and work at the store, so I need to wrap up this bizarre conversation. “So why did the AP give you my picture?” I ask.
“I wanted to introduce myself to you. I’m Jonah,” he says, standing a little straighter. “I’m your tutor.”
Chapter 7
I go so still for so long, I must look like I’ve malfunctioned. April waves at me from where she’s standing a few feet away. Concern is stitched all over her face and she’s got this questioning look like she’s wondering if she should walk home without me or maybe tell a teacher that I need help. I shake my head at her and hold up a finger, signaling for her to wait.
“You’re my tutor?” I ask, giving the guy a look over. “But…you go to this school?”
He stares at me like I might not be quite right in the head and then nods. “I’m Jonah Garza…I think we had a class together in junior high. Your name seems familiar.”
I swallow as I take in his features. Neatly trimmed hair, clean fingernails gripping the strap of his messenger bag. There’s the faint scent of soap coming from him, and now it all makes sense. Jonah Garza.
He was the biggest nerd of elementary school. Always dressed in neatly ironed clothes, his hair always combed to the side and gelled in place. He was a world class dweeb, and such an easy target for bullying that the meanest bullies just left him alone. It wasn’t worth it to pick on someone so obviously dorky. I mean, where’s the skill in that?
We were never really friends, Jonah and I. But we have had some classes together. He must have learned how to blend into high school because I can’t remember ever seeing him around campus.
“You can’t tutor me,” I say, meeting his concerned look with an annoyed one of my own. “You’re a freaking student.”
“You’re a student too,” he says, the corners of his lips twisting into a grin. “I’ve been tutoring my peers since freshman year. Mrs. Reese gave me a rundown of your situation, so I’m all ready to begin tutoring tomorrow. Just wanted to introduce myself today so you’ll know where to find me in the library after school.”
“Wait—No.” I hold up my hand and shake my head. “I’m sorry but, um, yeah no.”
“You okay?” Jonah asks.
I can’t even find the words to describe exactly nownotokay I am right now, so I brush past him and march back toward the school.
“Nat?” April calls out.
I give her an apologetic look. “Can you wait like five minutes for me? I have to go settle something in the office.”
“No problem,” she says, leaning up against the brick wall.
I head into the school, walking as fast as I can through the wave of students all trying to get out of the building. I hear Jonah call my name from somewhere behind me, but I don’t stop to answer him.
I walk as fast as my feet will take me until I get to the double glass doors of the office. Two teachers are eating cupcakes in the lobby and I step around them.
“Natalie!” Jonah calls. I glance back and see him slip into the office, his eyes wide.
