AllFreeNovel
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How many times have I told him that I don’t want anyone doing my work for me? It’s like he chooses not to listen or his brain refuses to process that information.
“Sure,” I lie.
“Skip, man. If you’ve got a nerd doing your work, why bother showing up?”
Lately, it’s been harder to hide my true self from him. The only reason I’ve joined coding class is because of the competition next month. And truthfully, I was salivating to join the class since freshman year, but of course I couldn’t. I told myself there will be time to do code later, like in college. My main goal is to ride the popular wave until graduation. And then my real life can truly begin.
But darn it. I miss being me.
“Nah, man,” I tell him. “I can’t skip. Mr. Bryant takes attendance. He’s strict with that crap.”
Owen twists his nose. “Bummer. Maybe you can still catch us after class?”
“Maybe.”
I don’t plan on it. Teachers piled homework on us tonight, so I’ll probably be up for hours. Not to mention tweaking my app after I receive feedback today. And of course I need to game. Can’t turn in for the night without spending some time in the RPG I’m playing.
He and I slap hands before he makes his way out the door, shouting at the guys that are still beeping.
I turn around to head for class, when I crash into something. Papers fly all over the place and I realize the person I crashed into is on the floor, lying flat on her back.
Willow.
“Sorry. Are you okay?”
She can barely glance up because her huge backpack is holding her down. “I knew this thing would kill me one day.”
I hold out my hand. “Let me help you up.”
She lifts her hand and I haul her to her feet. That thing weighs a ton—I have no idea how she carries it on her back.
I nod to it. “Why do you always carry around that thing? It’ll break your back.” I get down on my knees and start gathering the fallen papers.
She looks behind her at the culprit and shrugs. “Meh. My back can handle it. My tech stuff is in there. Well, not all of it. I’ve got lots more at home. Thanks,” she says when I hand her the papers.
She’s lucky she doesn’t have to hide who she is like I do. She’s brave enough to be whoever she wants without caring what people think of her.
Then again, she probably didn’t suffer in middle school like I did.
She narrows her eyes at me. “Why are you staring at me?”
I push those thoughts away. “No reason. You going to class?”
She nods.
“Can I, uh, carry your backpack for you?”
She looks at me like I asked her if you need math to code. “What?”
“Just figured your back could use a break.”
She grabs onto the straps like she’s worried I’ll snatch the thing off her back. “No. I’m fine. Thanks. Why are you even talking to me? Aren’t you worried people will see you?” She glances around the mostly-empty hallway. “That explains it,” she mutters.
“What?”
“You’re only talking to me because people aren’t here to see and gossip about you.”
I just stare at her. “What are you talking about?”
