Stuck with Mr. Popular ( COMPLETED)

chapter-6

Dedicated to  prachi for making me love being myself.
****

"That's completely unfair," he exclaimed, bitterness evident in his voice.

"I mean, it's utter nonsense how she treated that girl," he continued.

"She has an innocent face. The complete opposite of what she turned out to be."

"That's because you judged her solely on her appearance," I interjected.

"Of course I did. That's what everyone does," he defended himself.

"Yes, that may be true, but you don't have to be like everyone else."

"What do you mean?" he inquired.

"What I mean is that people tend to judge others based on their first impressions. They assess appearances, clothes, or even the brand someone wears. But you know what? Looks can be deceiving."

"Is that so?" Raymond chuckled.

"Absolutely. Otherwise, there wouldn't be any robberies or crimes in this world," I explained.

Raymond was on the verge of probing further, but suddenly a realization washed over him, leaving him visibly awkward. It was as if he had been caught red-handed, as if he were the one to blame.

 "I suppose you have a point.", he replied in agreement.

It always bothered me how our society judges people solely on their appearance. It's just not fair.

Do we really know what someone else is going through? Do we truly understand them? How can we assume that a person wearing pyjamas is a hobo and not someone who simply prefers the attire?

"You know how it feels. Don't you?", Raymond had a sympathetic look on his face. Which only made me more annoyed. 

"I do know what it feels like to be judged. Okay? It happens to me every day at school. People see me with my books, studying at the library, or asking teachers questions, and they automatically label me as a loser. So, all I get is ridicule and hurtful comments, simply because...because..."

The truth of who I really am suddenly struck me.

"Because?" he pressed me to finish my sentence.

I glanced down at the table and took a deep breath.

"Hey, look at me, princess." He gently lifted my chin, and our eyes locked.

"Good. Now tell me the reason," he whispered, his piercing gaze urging me to reveal my true self.

"Because I'm a nerd," I finally admitted, staring into his captivating blue eyes.

"You should take pride in that, princess," he said, his hands resting on my shoulders, encouraging me.

"More than half of those jerks out there don't possess even half the knowledge you have. You enjoy studying, right?" I nodded in agreement. "Then why be ashamed of it, princess? Why? Embrace it and be proud to be a nerd," he concluded.

I looked at him, rendered speechless.

Not because of what he said, but because I had also judged him unfairly. The Raymond sitting here is not the same person I encounter at school. No, he's different. But then it dawned on me that perhaps this is the real Raymond, and I never took the time to truly know him. Like everyone else, I had assumed he was the school's bad boy.

"What?" he asked, giving me a questioning look.

"You're not who I thought you were," I said, gazing into those mesmerizing blue eyes.

"And neither are you. You're beautiful too," Raymond said, still holding my gaze. I hadn't realized how close we were, feeling his breath on my face. His lips tempted me, and my heart raced within my chest. If he leaned in any closer, we would be kissing.

No! Sophie, stop it. Snap out of it.

And just like that, I regained my senses, as did Ray.

We discussed our topics further and decided to meet at Raymond's house after school tomorrow. He mentioned that having me there to help with his doubts would make his work easier, and I agreed.

Finally, I arrived home. Ray dropped me off, and I waved goodbye to him. As I turned to open the front door, someone suddenly swung it open and almost shouted at me.

"How was your date, sweetie?" she practically yelled, causing me to jump in surprise.

"Oh, Mom, you scared me," I replied, trying to catch my breath.

"I'm asking how your date went, Soaf?" she scrutinized, her eyes scanning me suspiciously.

I glared at her.

"It wasn't a date, Mom. It was about a project," I explained.

"Ohh, don't be shy, my dear. After all, I'm your mother, and you can share things with me," she said in an overly sweet tone.

"Ughh...MOM!" I almost yelled, realizing I was blushing.

Yes, blushing.

Why are you blushing?

Stop it.

"Aww, my little doll is blushing," Mom cooed, her voice high-pitched.

"Why don't you invite him for dinner, Soaf?" she suggested.

I looked at her, giving her a disappointed look, and shook my head.

"What? I'm just giving your love story a little push," she defended herself.

"Well, there's no need, Mom. Raymond and I are just friends. Okay? And, I don't even know if he considers me a friend. Maybe I'm just an acquaintance or merely a project partner," I said, irritation lacing my tone.

I turned around and made my way to my bedroom.

Mom and I used to be very close. I used to share everything with her, every problem I faced. She was always there for me. But when I started high school and faced bullying, I chose not to burden her with those issues. I didn't want her to worry. I thought it would pass, but it never did.

Now hardly anyone even notices me at school, so the bullying has stopped. But some still make fun of me. It always disappointed me that I couldn't find a friend who would treat me well, solely because I'm a nerd.

****
Hey guys

Another update. I hope you like it. What do you think about soaf's transformation into a confident person? Do you think Ray is falling for her?
Please let me know what you think in the comments.

And yeah. Please vote ,comment and share.

Thank you for reading. :-)