Page 11 of Beauty and the Nerd

Emma took the swimsuit, cover up, sports bras and shorts to the register and undid the zipper pocket on her pants where her cards were allowing her to not carry a purse.

She took the bag and slid her card back into her pocket with a smile as they turned to leave, smiling even further when Amber said her name in surprise. “Hey Amber, Jessie.”

“Hey,” Jessie said looking over to Ben with curiosity clearly written on her face.

“What are you two doing here—together?” Amber asked, looking between them before sharing a separate one with Jessie she could easily read as ‘what the hell?’.

“Just goofing off, right Ben?” Emma said easily.

“We decided it was too cold to spend all day out hiking and Ben asked what I wanted to do instead, so here we are finishing a few of my errands. I saw the dress you had at Dana’s, Amber.

It’s gorgeous. Orange is not my color at all, but you’ll look fabulous. ”

“Thanks, I didn’t know you had a dress at Dana’s, we hadn’t heard that you’re going,” Amber said moving straight to snarky it seemed. “I mean after the whole Carter thing it must be impossible to find a guy that’s even remotely as interesting, right?”

“I’ll be there with or without a date, but there’s a certain someone I have my eye on going with, just waiting for the official invitation.

I’m actually crowning the queen as well as being there bright and early to get things all set up.

We could always use some more help if you’re available.

” She knew the two wouldn’t begin to help unless they got something grand out of it, but it was a clear reminder to the two that she had far more sway around the school than they did where it counted most. “Let me know if you can help, okay? Right now, I think the candy store is calling our names, right Ben?”

“Sounds good to me,” he agreed laughing as they headed down towards it. “Very well played Em, very well played.”

“I try.” She bumped into his side enjoying the feel of being with him in public. Once there she spotted the Jelly Belly flavors and slid over to them, turning around with a full grin.

“What are you thinking?”

Ben’s question said he saw the glint in her eyes, and she grinned further loving that he knew her that well. She lifted a brow at him in challenge replying, “Well, I know you’re duly impressive with grapes, but what about jellybeans?”

“That could be a lot of stolen kisses Em.” She nodded not minding at all the potential of just how many it might be before grabbing a bag to fill. “No black licorice is all I ask; it tastes like mud to me.”

She paused in her movements to look at him in disbelief at the seriousness of his tone. “And how often have you eaten mud?”

“Once or twice a month in junior high when I wasn’t fast enough, although that was easier to get rid of the taste of than with toilet bowl swirlies.

” His honesty made her smile dim realizing how people had treated him back then.

Still treated him really just without the physical stuff it seemed.

“That’s what happens to us nerd-boys Em, doesn’t mean it stays that way for life though.

The physical shit stopped for the most part sophomore year when I shot up to five-ten over the summer and was taller than most of the others even if they did have more muscles. ”

“I’m sorry Ben, but you are worth so much more than those jerks who did that to you,” she promised as she moved over to stand in front of him.

He slipped a hand onto her waist and smiled down at her making her want a kiss right where they were.

“Those guys will never really go anywhere in life, but you’re on your way to Columbia and you have me. ”

“That I do,” he said with a nod, “and I certainly won’t feel bad when Carter realizes it.”

“Wait, Carter was one of the…” She shook her head at him in shock. “You should have told me that when I agreed to go with him to Homecoming to keep up appearances. I never would have if I’d known.”

“It was my own personal little bit of payback even if he didn’t know it since you skipped out early and spent the rest of the night kissing me with your crown on.

” His words made her smile up at him unable to hold in the laugh.

“That’s my girl, I like you happy and smiling, not sad and hurting for stupid things that are in the past. Carter will likely flunk out of college despite going for football and then we’ll both be laughing at him. ”

“Yes, we will,” she agreed before taking the bag to the counter to pay. She waited until they were out of the store before turning around with a new grin, ready to play. She tossed him a couple jellybeans and laughed as he easily caught the first and had to dive for the second, barely getting it.

“I see how you’re playing this one. You’re on Em.” He gave her a wink that sent them through the mall laughing and goofing around together as they browsed the stores.

Emma picked up a single jellybean well aware of the group hanging out around the fountain in the food court and wiggled it in her fingers giving him a grin. “What are we at again?”

“With the ten from the grapes, we’re looking at that being number thirty,” he said meeting her gaze. “So, what are you going to do with it hmm? I’ve only stolen three of my winnings, which would leave me twenty-seven more to go and I can’t guarantee I won’t steal one right now.”

“I guess we’ll just have to see, won’t we?” She tossed it in between the two of them as Carter, David and Steve pushed their chairs back to stand, then slid up to meet him, laughing aloud as he munched on the jellybean. “Nice catch Benny-boy.”

“I’ll show you a nice catch if you’re not careful Em.” He dipped his face down to whisper it in her ear spotting Crystal on the other side of the fountain with a couple others from their grade. “It’s your call baby; do we come out today or leave it for the dance?”

“They’re not worth wasting a sweet kiss on; they’re not worth anything to us,” Emma assured him with a soft smile before moving to stand next to him zipping the bag for the jellybeans.

“And I’m not going to have you on a sugar high with any more of these right now,” she added moving to take her bag from him as the girls saw him carrying it.

“I’ve got it. I don’t mind carrying it for you, not when I know you’ll be wearing that bikini for me in a few months.” His comment put a wicked grin on her lips. “What? What’s that look about Em?”

She let him know the idea as Carter and the others headed around the fountain towards them.

“Well, I was thinking of telling my parents that I’m spending the night with Megan after the dance.

Her parents have a place up by the ridge with a hot tub; I could always bring the new suit and try it out there with you. ”

“Be still my heart, but not too still because that would mean you’ve certainly killed me,” he said with a laughing groan as the group reached them.

“What the hell is this? Charity work?” Carter questioned stepping into their path. “Not that anyone would want you looking like that, what’s wrong Emma, something starting to sprout around the middle?”

“You wish because it’d mean that I actually slept with you, but despite what you’ve told your buddies, it never happened, and most of them know it because they know I never slept with them either,” Emma stated, before stepping to the side to move around the group.

Carter snagged her arm, twisting her newly healed wrist tightly and she let out a gasp of pain.

“Let her go Carter, now.” Ben stepped up, seeing the look of pain on Emma’s face and in her eyes. “Let her go,” he said again as Carter laughed.

“Damn it Carter, stop it,” Emma said as he twisted it further. “Now, before I tell the cops exactly what happened the night of the accident.”

“What was that? You eating my…” Carter started to make the nasty comment with a laugh until Emma kneed him in the groin, and he doubled over, reaching for himself. That had Ben fighting his own laugh but his concern for Emma was higher.

“Are you okay?” Ben asked as she lifted her arm to her chest holding her wrist.

“I don’t know.”

Ben pulled her to him running a hand down the back of her head to reassure himself that she was okay. She leaned into his side letting him move them around the other two who were laughing at Carter.

“Oh no you don’t you freaking bitch,” Carter said advancing on them. “You’re sure as hell not leaving with some nobody like that nerd.”

Ben moved them quickly, so he was between them. “Stay the hell away from Emma. Touch her again and I will make sure it’s the last time you do, got it?”

“Oh, isn’t that cute, the bitch has a puppy,” Carter said, and Ben handed Emma her bag stepping up towards the jerk, finished with him and his ego.

He didn’t give a shit if he got the hell beat out of him, no one was going to say that crap about Emma ever again.

“Oh, you gonna fight me now? How about I introduce you to a mudpie again?”

“How about you shut the hell up and leave us alone Carter.” Emma reached out for Ben’s arm, trying to get him to leave with her.

She didn’t want to see him get hurt. Carter in a temper was scary and while Ben was taller than him, he wasn’t a jock.

She didn’t care he wasn’t a meathead with huge biceps.

The boy had plenty of definition to his body beneath the baggy clothes he liked to wear, but it was nothing compared to the muscles Carter had piled on from being on the football team.

“I mean it or else the next call I make is to the cops telling them the accident wasn’t entirely the other person’s fault. ”

“Shut up, you stupid bitch,” Carter said turning a glare onto her, jabbing his finger her way as he spoke.

“Last chance Carter, walk the hell away and never call her that again,” Ben warned.

“Or what? She’ll call the cops like a whiny little bitch who doesn’t know how to suck a…” Carter didn’t finish the statement as Ben’s fist shot out and caught him perfectly on the nose, shocking her entirely. Blood sputtered from it, and he doubled over cursing trying to stop it.

“Stay away from Emma and don’t ever talk about her like that, understand?” Ben said as Carter turned back towards them with murder in his eyes.

“Make me loser,” he said before charging Ben.

Emma jumped back in worry until Ben crouched down, shouldering the hit in Carter’s middle and flipped him over onto his back amazing her.

“Stay away from her,” Ben stated again, before moving to her side to make sure she was okay again, making her fall even further in love with him.