Good Nerd Hunting by Kaila Glass

Author:Kaila Glass [Glass, Kaila]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2018-07-15T05:00:00+00:00

14

Seven Hills

In the blink of an eye, June faded into July, which blossomed into August. When Blake awoke on the first day of school, his face wet with Rascal’s saliva, it seemed only yesterday that a small army of bloodthirsty teens and canines had sought for his end and a handful of self-proclaimed nerds asked him to join their clique. If Rascal weren’t there to lick him awake, Blake would have concluded that the last few months were nothing more than a bizarre lucid dream. Perhaps this was another one of Mirallegra’s miracles?

Blake showered and dressed in his uniform: black chinos, a white button-down, and a black tie. He and his brother stepped out into the hall at the same time. They stared at one another.

“You look like a tiny version of Dad,” Phoenix commented.

“You look like Dad with long hair and no beard.”

“‘Morning,” the boys chorused when they entered the kitchen.

“You look like men,” said their father, smiling through his neat beard.

Their mother’s heels clicked against the linoleum as she walked over with a steaming plate of eggs and placed it on the island. They fixed their plates and ate together at the nook.

“You want me to drop you off this morning?” their father asked. “Your school’s on the way to work.”

“No, I’m biking with my friends,” said Blake.

“I’m biking, too,” said Phoenix. “Mind if I tag along?”

Blake grinned. “You’ve never biked me to school before.”

Phoenix shrugged. “First for everything, right?”

When their plates were cleared, the boys gathered their bags. Blake’s mother kissed his cheek at the door before he grabbed his bike from the porch. Phoenix dodged their mother’s kiss on the way out, descending the stairs behind Blake with his bike over his shoulder.

Quen stood waiting with his bike outside their gate, waving.

“Hey, Phoenix,” said Quen. “You coming with us today?”

“That’s the plan,” Phoenix answered as he and Blake stepped out of the gate.

Without another word, they started down the street. The sun beat down on the back of Blake’s neck as they zigzagged through traffic and sped down the bike lane. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, each taking turns racing down his face.

It’s just like it was on the roof, said his Inner Critic. Is it happening again?

Blake looked at his brother beside him, watching the wind whip his long black mane. Though his hair was lively, his eyes were empty, a light blue void. If Blake was going to survive his first day at a new school, he would need to clear his mind, too.

I’m not in Rosewood anymore, Blake thought, shaking his head. It’s just hot today, that’s all.

The trio turned into a wide stone archway that read SEVEN HILLS PRIVATE SCHOOL in elaborate black letters. Dozens of students, all clad in black and white, climbed the front steps into the school building while others lingered on the front lawn. Blake, Quen, and Phoenix stopped at the bike rack at the foot of the stairs and locked up their bikes.

“I’ll see you later,” Phoenix told Blake as he made to leave.

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