The Summer I Became a Nerd - By Leah Rae Miller Page 0,85
on the back. You’re the girl who, in tenth grade, told Elinor Pensky that if it were up to you she would have gotten the last spot on the squad. I know because she told me.”
“She knew every one of our cheers. She studied them like they were her Advanced Chemistry notes.”
“But everyone knew there was no way she was going to make it, seeing as her and her group of friends are known as the Nerd Herd. I mean, who does stuff like that?”
He brushes a piece of my hair that’s fallen from my ponytail over my ear, his fingers lingering on the sensitive spot behind my earlobe. Despite the heat, a shiver runs across my neck. I turn and lean into him. He plants his lips firmly against mine and wraps his arms around me, pulling me to him. We stay like that for a very long time. I run my hands through his already messy hair. His hands drift up my back, and I don’t care that the itchy fabric of my cheerleader top is scratching my skin even more, because he’s the reason. He’s the reason for a lot of things these days.
Eventually, it gets to the point where I have to come up for air. I clutch his Power Girl T-shirt and grin. “Do you need telepathy to understand that?”
“I think I get the message, but I can’t be sure, really. Maybe you should tell me again.”
And that’s how I ended up making out with the love of my life in the storeroom of a comic shop where, it turns out, heaven really can be found.
Oh crap, did I just say “love”?
Yes, yes, I did.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to the entire Entangled team for being amazing. Special thanks to my editor, Heather Howland, for taking a chance on my little story and for being brilliant. Without you, this wouldn’t be happening. And thanks to Sue Winegardner, assistant editor, for being there every time I popped up on Gchat. And for being British, because that made me feel fancy. Thanks to Heather Riccio for being a ninja.
Thanks to the entire online book community. The support from bloggers, critique partners, and Twitter friends was invaluable. Thanks to the readers because without you this whole thing would have been kind of pointless, right? Thanks to the WrAHM ladies who were always there to offer opinions, friendly commiseration, and the occasional half-naked man. To my friends, Kallie Cooper and Mary Lou Solomon, for reading and telling me that it didn’t suck. Thank you to Melissa Dezendorf for the encouragement and the wine. To my friends, Joey Dezendorf and Andrew Chandler, for being the perfect inspirations for a certain foul-mouthed geek. To Rodney and Sharon Miller for never, ever complaining about taking the kids for a weekend.
Thank you to Stefanie Gaither, the best JHFP critique partner/writing buddy I could ever ask for. I feel extremely lucky to have you around, gurly worm. My writing would not be what it is without you. For Bradbury, my friend.
Thank you to Patrick McPhearson for being the voice of reason a lot of times and for the encouragement. To Robin McPhearson for telling me it reminded you of a John Hughes film without me even having to prod you. Clair Bear, thanks for reading and being your loving self. Brian McPhearson, thank you for my lifetime love of comics, for always listening to my rants, and for never letting me feel too sorry for myself. Thanks to my amazing, there-are-no-words-for-how-awesome-you-are boys. I love you. Also, I promise to make a decent dinner tonight and not resort to frozen pizza.
To my husband, Shane Miller. Thank you for believing in me. There’s no way I can ever express my gratitude for your support, love, and patience in words, so I’ll just try to show every day for the rest of my life. I love you.
To my mom, Nancy McPhearson. You’re the strongest person I’ve ever known. Thank you for supporting me, for keeping me grounded, and for making me reach for the stars. There’s not much I can say that you don’t already know. I love you. Also, answer your phone.
To my dad, Clyde McPhearson. You might not have been here for this crazy ride, but you were, in a sense. You told me once that I could do anything I wanted to. I never forgot that, not for a second. To know your courage, humor, and intelligence is a gift that I cherish. But mostly, thank you for you. I miss you and love you.
Thanks dpgroup forum.
About the Author
Born and raised in Northern Louisiana, Leah Rae Miller lives on a windy hill with her husband and kids. She loves comic books, lava lamps, fuzzy socks, trivia games, crocheting, Cherry Coke, and Harry Potter. She spends most of her days reading things she likes and writing things she hopes other people will like.