I’m not really a geek like everyone says I am.
I’m just not good around people, that’s all. I just….am not good with the awkward silences and strange pauses and such. So, to save myself from that, I usually stay away from people as much as possible, which gives me the name; Geek.
My actual name is Bernadette Tyson, which I despise more than spinach. My “friends” just call me Bernie, the little friends I have. I hate Bernie almost as much, but as long as they forget my real name-which is very possible and likely-, I’m a happy camper.
I’ve been living in the same town and going to the same schools in the district ever since I was born. Half the time, the people in my grade forget I even exist, which is absolutely fine with me. I have a few friends, like I said. I mean, I have my buds from Chemistry, Chess, and Golf Club, and then I have some in Honor Society and Math League. Oh, and Academic Challenge.
Ms. Parson told me to write a story about my life. She read my class journal, and said that all my emotions should be channeled towards this. She suggested I write mostly about my confrontations with other people and how I am affected. I don’t know how this is going to work. I’m not much of a writer. I’m a better math student, and science student. I don’t do writing that well.
I guess I’ll just wing it.

“Bernadette.”
I heard her say something, but I wasn’t quite sure who it was. I had a feeling it was Marissa, the blonde cheerleader who I always destined to be when I was young. The Barbie Look, I called it. And I wanted it.
And she got it.
“Um.” I turned around in my chair in homeroom to face her. Marissa. “Hi.”
“Could you be a doll and hand me that pencil I dropped?” She whispered to me again.
You couldn’t really say no. she had connections, she really did. Overall, she was a sweet girl, and she was friends with everyone, besides me and the other “geeks”. She was still overly nice to everyone including myself. And that smile made her seem a little more welcoming than she actually was. Sometimes, if she felt like it, she was a jerk.
And a darn good one at that.
“Uh, yeah.” I reached down to my side and picked up a lead pencil that was pink with orange flowers and the eraser was almost fully used. I shook it to make sure there was lead in case she needed any. Not surprisingly, I always had some extra lead around.
“Thanks!” She chirped quietly, and leaned over her desk again to write.
I felt like I should say something else, I don’t really know why. I wanted to think of something funny or witty to say, making her realize that I wasn’t all geek. Then maybe we could hug, become best friends, get some coffee, and party at the beach with all her friends and the boys.
Boy, was I dreaming.
“You know, um, Marissa?” I started, swallowing.
“Yeah?” She looked up, flashing a smile.
I gulped again, trying to think of something to say. “If you…uh…ever need like, um any lead or anything…I uh, have some.”
She stared at me for a minute, then looked at her pencil. “Thanks, Bernadette. I think I’m okay. But uh, thanks again.”
I nodded, then turned around, finally realizing what I had said.
If you need any lead, I got some!
That was the lamest, most terrible thing I could have ever said to Marissa, the Barbie who had all the ins, who had all the outs. I was going straight for the outs, but it didn’t matter anyway because I’m already there.
I think I’ll title this, “A day in the life of Bernadette Tyson, the Geek.”
I’m just so cool.
NOT.