The Summer I Became a Nerd - By Leah Rae Miller Page 0,54
get concerned, but it’s hard to put on a cheerful face. Not when Dan’s at his house, waiting to rip me apart. Even though I’m making an effort to seem happy, I think she’s on to me. So, naturally, I lie. “Can I go over to Terra’s today? We need to finish our signs for the concert.”
“Sure,” she says, still watching me closely. “You guys have fun.”
I’m about to get laid into by a squeaky, foul-mouthed geek. Not fun at all.
…
Last time I was at Dan’s house, it seemed like this huge, imposing thing, but now, with its purple and yellow “Go LSU!” sign staked in the front yard, not so much. It’s still the biggest house I’ve ever seen, but it’s hard to feel intimidated by it when there’s a multitude of wind chimes twinkling in the breeze.
I walk up to the medieval-looking front door and debate what to do. There’s a metal knocker hanging from a tiger’s nose, and there’s a doorbell. I choose the knocker because when will I ever again get to use a tiger’s nose ring to announce my presence?
Dan opens the door a few seconds later and walks back into the house. No “Thanks for coming over,” or, “I hate you because you were mean to my best friend.”
“Look, Dan, whatever you want to say just—”
He cuts me off by holding up a hand. “Don’t say another word. First we shoot each other. Then we talk.” He waves a hand for me to follow. But I don’t have a tendency to run after people who threaten me with violence, so I turn around and head back down the steps. “I didn’t mean literally, dumbass,” he yells from inside.
I look up at the sky and pray for patience before following him.
Inside, Dan stands on a winding staircase to my left, and in front of me is a uniquely decorated living room. A deer’s head is mounted over the brick fireplace. A bear in an I’m-going-to-rip-your-face-off stance takes up the far corner. One wall is covered in various stuffed fish.
“Your dad likes to hunt, huh?” I ask.
“Nope. He’s a taxidermist. Those are all things people requested to be done but never paid for.”
“What does your mom do?” She has to be a lawyer or something considering this house.
“Watches Home Shopping Network mostly.”
“I didn’t realize there was so much money in taxidermy.” I poke the bear’s paw, expecting it to attack.
“My dad is one of the best. Do you know how much talent it takes to stuff a giraffe?”
I shake my head.
“About twenty thousand dollars’ worth, my pom-pom-loving friend.”
The pieces of the puzzle slowly fit into place. “Wait, is your dad Taxidermy Todd? The Taxidermy Todd?” I can’t believe it. Everyone knows Taxidermy Todd in Natchitoches. He’s the hometown boy who made it big.
“Uh, yeah.” He shakes his head. “You really don’t pay attention to things outside your own little world, do you?”
At first I want to deny it. But then I think of not remembering Corina at the restaurant and I have to own up to the fact that I really haven’t been paying attention to anyone else. But I’ll only admit it to myself. No need to give Dan more ammo.
I follow him upstairs to his room, which is about three times the size of my own. The walls are papered with random posters featuring anime characters and superheroes, and apparently, the guy really has a thing for Natalie Portman. On the wall across from his bed, there’s a big flat screen. Beneath it is an array of almost every gaming system I’ve ever heard of along with stacks and stacks of games.
Dan sits on one of the two black beanbag chairs in front of the TV and picks up a controller. The screen clicks on, and the words “Shoot Your Face!!!” splash across it in bloody letters.
I sit in the other beanbag chair. “You know, I’ve heard these games can warp your mind.”
“That’s crap. I’m a well-adjusted teenager. Believe me, my parents had me tested. Now, pick up that controller and let’s do this.”
He tries to show me what all the buttons do on the controller, but the only ones I remember are the right trigger fires my weapon and Y reloads. I scroll through the different characters, but of course, there isn’t one woman. Finally, I settle on the biggest, burliest guy. He has a blond Mohawk and is missing both front teeth. I name him Bob.