Fourteen. My least favorite age. Yeah, I have a good reason. I was a puffy eyed, friendless freak. Sure, puberty was to blame for the puffy eyes, and the frizzy hair, but the friendlessness was totally on me. When I was fourteen, I was annoying. That’s all there is to it. I didn’t know how to conduct myself in groups of people, and I was loud and annoying. And Jasper Williams wasn’t afraid to tell me I was an annoying freak. He did it very publicly that summer. I don’t even remember how I ended up at the pool that day, but I’ve regretted it ever since. I was standing alone under the high dive, waiting for my little sister to show up. She was twelve, and thought she was all grown up, so she wanted to walk to the pool by herself.
At that moment, Jesse Jenkins was climbing up the ladder to the board. Everyone knew he was a wimp, and no one believed he’d actually dive off the board. Jasper Williams had dared him to, and like any fourteen year old boy, he’d taken the dare.
I was a little scared for Jesse. So, understand that I was coming from a worried frame of mind, and I had no idea what else to do, so I yelled up to Jesse.
“HEY! Jesse! Don’t do it! You might get hurt! Don’t listen to what those jerks said!”
But my yelling had the opposite effect on him. It was like it hardened his resolve to jump off the damn high dive. I continued yelling at him, right up until he actually jumped off. At that point I started screaming. Jesse hit the water hard, and his head didn’t pop up at first. I ran to the side of the pool, searching for him in the murky pool water. I just wanted a glimpse of his brown hair, wanted to make sure he was okay.
I heard laughing behind me, and turned to see Jesse standing with Jasper Williams, and they were pointing, and laughing at me. I felt my cheeks flame.
“Look Jesse, she was so worried, silly little freak! He doesn’t care about you! Go home you weirdo!”
I stood up, and turned away, knowing I was close to crying. I didn’t even turn to my sister, who had shown up in the middle of everything, when she called my name. I got on my bike, and rode straight home. I didn’t go back to the pool that summer, or any summers after that. I’m 17 now, but that day still haunts me. My social status is still pretty low, but at least I’m not a freak anymore. Jesse moved away last year, so there weren’t many reminders of that day, other than Jasper walking around school. He’s the big man on campus now. He hasn’t even looked my way since freshman year, when I tripped in the cafeteria, and then he was only laughing at me, because he was behind me in line. He’s little brother, Clark is in my class. He nice, but I’ve kept my distance, because I don’t want a repeat of that day. Clark wasn’t at the pool that day, but I’m pretty sure every single person at my high school heard about it by the next day.

I was walking through the hall, on the way to my English class, when I hear my name. I look up to see Clark Williams walking towards me.
“Amy! Hey, wait up!” He called, speeding up.
“Hey Clark” I said, worried about what he would say. I have this worry all the time that someone is going to humiliate me.
“Hey, I just talked to Mr. Kent, and he said we’re partners of the science fair. So, do you want to meet up sometime? We can meet at my house, later. But only if that works for you.”
I sighed. There was no way out of it. I couldn’t have him at my house without my mom freaking out, and asking him if he was my boyfriend. That would be embarrassing.
“Sure, I’ll be there” I said, and made to continue on my path to class, but Clark grabbed my arm, and held me back. He smiled at me.
He really is a cutie I thought, before banishing any thoughts along those lines from my head. This was Jasper’s brother, which meant he could be just as mean.
“Do you need a ride?” He asked his hand still on my arm. I shook him off, and shook my head no, my blonde hair falling in front of my blue eyes. I’d rather walk than ride in his truck.
“Come on Amy, I know you don’t have a car. My house is two miles from here. It’d be tomorrow before you’d get there.”
I stared into his brown eyes, wanting to believe he was different from his brother, but my head was over ruling my heart.
“Okay, sure. Meet me after you’re last class, at your truck. See you then.” And before he could grab my arm again, I was off down the hall, jogging now, because that damn cute guy had made me late.

Two hour later, I stood by Clark’s truck, waiting for him. He was already fifteen minutes late. I heard my name called for the second time today, and looked up to see Jasper this time, his face alight with glee.
“It’s like she thinks he’ll be on time. She’s still just as weird and freaky as she used to be” His friends laughed, and I looked down, letting my hair cover my face.
Suddenly I felt a hand on my arm. It was Clark, and he was glaring at his brother.
“Cut it out Jasper. You’re being a dick”
“Aww look! Nerds protect their own! Tell my brother, are you gonna kiss her later? Or just look at her, like you do with every other girl you’ve ever brought home?”
Clark’s hand on my arm tightened, and I flinched away. He looked down at me, his face apologetic, and then he reached around me, and unlocked the door to his truck, holding the door open for me, all the while glaring at his brother.
I slid across the front seat, and buckled myself in. Clark followed, and after he put on his seatbelt he started the truck. I jumped with the radio came on, louder than I’d ever listened to anything. He looked at me guiltily, and turned it down.
“Hey, sorry about that.” He said, and I knew he wasn’t talking about the radio. I shrugged, and reached out, and turned the radio back up. I couldn’t help it I loved “Suit & Tie”. I started humming along, and Clark grinned at me, and suddenly he was singing along, his voice high and girly. I knew this wasn’t something I normally did, and I knew maybe I shouldn’t let my guard down, but his singing was so contiguous, that I couldn’t help laughing, and I started to sing along with him. We didn’t stop singing until the song was over. He grinned at me, and I blushed.
He turned the radio down some, and looked over at me.
“So, tell me about you. I don’t really know anything about you; you never talk to anyone at school. Do you have any friends there?” He asked, and I felt my heart sink. I didn’t want to have this conversation.
“Nope" Everyone thinks I’m a freak, thanks to your brother. I don’t mind it”
“I’m sorry, my brother awful. I live with him, and I can’t stand it. I remember when I was twelve; he took my favorite teddy bear, and tore it up with his dumbass friends. He’s always been a jerk.”
I laughed.
“You still had a teddy bear when you were twelve?”
“Yes. Don’t make fun. I loved that thing.”
“Don’t feel bad, I had a stuffed unicorn until I was thirteen, so I’m not judging”
He smiled at me, and I smiled back, for once in my teenage life, I was totally open, and I wasn’t pulling my hair around to hide my face.
We were still smiling at each other when I realized we weren’t moving anymore. I looked out the windshield, and my mouth dropped open.
“This is where you live? No way! This house is beautiful!”
He lived in a huge log cabin type of house.
He laughed.
“Yep, this is where I live. Come on, let’s go get started.”
I followed him into the house. It was huge. I couldn’t help but stare with my mouth open.
Clark led me to the kitchen, where a tall, pretty woman was bent over the stove, pulling a tray of cookies out. She turned to us, a smile on her face.
“Hi Clark!" How was school?” She asked, giving Clark a motherly pat on the shoulder.
He smiled at her, and I turned around to let them have a conversation. I let my eyes rove over the house. This place was absolutely huge, and the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. The woodwork was crazy good, and everything was so clean. My house is clean, but it’s a ranch, in a normal neighborhood, so it wasn’t anywhere as nice as this house.
I jumped when I heard my name. I turned to see Clark smiling at me, a plate of cookies in his hand. I looked around. His mother had disappeared. I shrugged and followed Clark into the basement.
He motioned for me to sit on the couch, and he placed the plate of cookies right in front of me. I smirked at him.
“That’s probably not a good idea. I’ll eat all of them in about 2 minutes”
He grinned at me.
“Have at   it. I don’t mind”
His blue eyes locked with mine again, and I was finding it hard to escape them. His full lips pulled up into a half smile, and I blushed, looking away. I didn’t understand how I was attracted to him, and I’d barely known him half an hour. But he already knew me better than most did. I grabbed a cookie, not meeting his eyes, and watching as he rolled his chair across the room, and grabbed a laptop. My eyes widened at the MacBook Air he held. I had always wanted one, but my parents couldn’t afford one for me. They said maybe when I graduate. He laughed at my awestruck expression. He handed it to me, and I took gently took it.
I gingerly set it on my lap, and caressed the top.
“Are you just going to look at it? Open it; we’ve got research to do. Nerd.”
I flinched at my usual nickname, but relaxed when I saw the grin on his face.
I stuck my tongue out, and hit the power button.
Sometime later, I heard loud footsteps above our heads, and Clark groaned from his spot next to me on the couch. He’d moved shortly after he’d handed me the laptop, and over the last half hour, had been steadily closer to me. Our thighs were now pressed together, and I was having a hard time keeping my girlish squeals in, and my brain thinking straight.
I heard the door at the top of the stairs slam open, and before I knew it, the basement was full of senior boys, Jasper at their head. He smirked, his eyes narrowing in on us.
I shrunk into the couch, and without meaning to, into Clark. His arm curled out my shoulders, and his body tensed. They glare he shot at his brother was scary.
“Jasper, get out of here. Take your goons, and go play somewhere else.”
Jasper just grinned evilly, and shook his head.
“So you and this nerd can screw around down here? Hell no, I want the TV. You guys leave.”
Clark looked down at me, his eyes apologetic. I smiled at him, and stood up, his arm dropping from my shoulders, and brushing along my body until it landed back on the couch. I felt tingles everywhere his arm touched, and I ducked my head to hide my blush from Jasper. But I wasn’t fast enough, because the next thing I knew, Jasper was laughing
“Aww, the little nerds got a crush on Clarky…how cute. Just so you know, freak, my brother will never like you back. Even though he’s a nerd, he doesn’t date freaks.”
I felt the tears building, just like they always had around Jasper. But, just as I was about to run from the room, I felt a hand on my shoulder, and Clark spun me around, and placed his lips on mine. My eyes closed, and I didn’t move for the first few seconds, my hands limp by my side. But when I felt Clark’s hands tunnel through my hair, it was like my brain snapped into action, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. My lips were smashed against his, and all I could think was him. I felt his arms wrap around my hips, and, going on instinct, I jumped, wrapping my thighs around his waist. The sounds of woops and hollers pulled the two of us out of our embrace. I glared at Jasper, suddenly not afraid anymore. I unhooked myself from Clark, and, after grabbing his hand, I walked right up to Jasper, putting my face in his, and spat out two works.
“You’re pathetic”
Then I punched him in the nose, and pulling Clark behind me, headed up the stairs.
Once I got to the kitchen, I stopped, shock running through me at what I had just done. I had just faced down my biggest fear. I turned to the adorable boy next to me, a huge smile on my face. His face mirrored mine, and we just grinned at each other.
“Amy, will you be my girlfriend?” He asked, his grin slipping a little bit. My response was throwing myself into his arms, and kissing him again.