• Carl is an average nerd. To be Carl is very easy and at the same time extremely hard, almost impossible. Many people don’t realize just how hard of a job it is to be a good nerd, how hard it is to find a bully who actually knows what bullying means, how hard it is to remain determined to make Josh’s homework since it’s always the same old assignment. Or how hard it is to keep girls away when they actually start liking you. I mean, seriously. What’s wrong with today’s kids?
    Only two days ago some guy actually patted him after the usual bullying after the third class. It haunted Carl ever since. That guy actually put his name as a respectable nerd at risk. Such thing would never have happened in the old days. And as if things weren’t bad enough at lunch Susie, one of the prettiest girls in the school, told her boyfriend to leave him alone.
    But anyway, I will tell you how Carl’s life changed forever and he was forced to transform from a respectable and intelligent nerd to a hateful, disgusting and stupid cool guy. It all started as usual. Carl woke up at 6 am to do Jeremy’s homework on chemistry, he really needed at least a B, boy that guy was dumb. So anyway, the sky was white and empty, it was a little windy but nothing unusual for that period of time. Carl woke up… … … I said Carl woke up… … … WAKE UP CARL!!!
    “Ok, ok. No need to shout like that. Jesus Christ!”
    So as I was saying, Carl woke up, washed his face, bushed his teeth and put on his glasses. He was ready to start working on Jeremy’s papers when his stomach gave his a reproachful groan. Going to the kitchen he took a bowl and prepared for the mythical adventure of finding his milk and cereals. He began by searching in the fridge but as I expected he found nothing. Continued by opening every cupboard he could see and after half an hour he seemed to give up on the idea of eating something. Maybe I should help him, although for a nerd Carl is really careless. Hey Carl, try looking in the bathroom for the milk on the sink and behinde the TV in the living room for the cereals.
    “Why would I…”
    How should I know? You’re the one who put them there.
    Anyway after eating his meal Carl finally found the time to do that stupid homework. It was a piece of cake as usual but you can’t expect anything from guys who think kangoroos live in Austria. After finishing the papers he still had some time until the school bus came so he decided to continue writing his fantasy novel while dreaming that one day he will be as famous and rich as J.K. Rowling. He sat in front of his computer, in front of a blank page, daydreaming about girls shouting his name and movies made after his books. About giving lectures and autographs. He might even receive the nobel prize for literature one day. And he will be so rich that he will finally afford that expensive telescope he’s been wishing ever since his visit at the NASA center. KEEP DREAMING CARL. You won’t make much money selling blank pages. Oh, and by the way, you’re missing the bus.
    “WHAT? Why didn’t you wake me up earlier?”
    And spoil that the fun?
    “I will give you fun. Just wait. One day I will find out who you are and…”
    What? Send me to the principal? I’m the narrator kid, you can’t catch me I don’t even have a physical form. And anyway you wouldn’t even exist without me. Now stop fooling around and move your lazy a** to catch the bus.
    The bus came and Carl took as usual a seat in the last row thinking about a way to punish me for playing around with him. He actually believed that he can touch me. Nobody can touch me, I’m imortal. But enough with me this is Carl’s story so I will try to interfere as little as possible and be as objective as I can.
    Arriving at the school, he got out with the other students and headed for the English class. Jeremy’s had chemistry fourth periode so there was still time. He decided not to worry for the moment, Jeremy will find him anyway some time later. He always did. As he though about that he suddenly felt something very strange. It was like an urge to rebel against himself, against the school, the bullies, everything and everybody. It scared the hell out of him because it wasn’t in his nature to feel such things. So scared he was actually that he didn’t even notice that Ginny, the girl who defended him two days before, greeted him. After English came Geography with little surprises apart from John failing to locate the UK on the world map even after the teacher guided him all the way until London. To top it all they were anounced that next day they will have an exam on Europe.
    During the break, while he was at his locker looking for the books for his next period, Jeremy paid him a visit, as he thought he will, to receive his tribute. As like things weren’t bad enough his friend from the chess club Max came to his for a very unusual reason. He usually only came to play chess with him but today he looked strange, his face was red as if he took a dive into ice-cold water and he looked a bit dizzy.
    “What’s wrong Max? You don’t look good.”
    “Doesn’t matter, you won’t believe what just happened to me. You know Ginny, right?”
    “Yeah, she’s the girlfriend of that Fred Flintstone who plays in the football team.”
    “Not anymore mate, not anymore. They had a monster fight this morning because she caught him humiliating a kid from the science club to take him money. He had promised her that he won’t do it again, but you know how he is. So they had this fight where she accused him of being a heartless b*****d and said that she would rather date a farting rhino than him.”
    “So what?”
    “Just listen will you. I don’t know what happened after because she stormed away but a few minutes after that she came to me asking me whether I was your friend. Can you imagine that? The prettiest girl in the school talked to me. TO ME. So I told her that I know you and then she gave me this note and asked me to give it to you.”
    “Why me? I don’t even know her.”
    Does it really matter if she knows you or not? She’s the prettiest girl in the school you moron, it’s your chance. Don’t waste it.
    “Will you shut up! I thought you were gone.”
    “Hey, what did I do?”
    “What? No, not you Max. It’s just… doesn’t matter.”
    Careful Carl, you don’t want people to think that you’re mad do you? And take that note already I’m starting to get nervous even though I already know what’s written inside.
    Carl took the note from his friend and opened it. He read it a few times and even though it was short and precise he failed to grasp its meaning. He never got notes from anybody and this only made things even worse for him. It looked something like this:

    “Dear Carl. I’m me Ginny, I greeted you this morning but you didn’t seem to
    notice me. I’m sure that you had your reasons considering what that stupid
    boyfriend I had did to you. Can you please meet me after school, behind the
    school? I will be waiting for you under the old oak tree. Please come, I really
    need to speak to you.

    P.S: Don’t worry about Brad, he won’t be disturbing you anymore, I promis.”

    Way to go Carl. I told you this is your chance to actually have a life. Now don’t chicken out and meet the girl and see what she wants. Maybe something good will result from this.
    “Hey, you know what. I have a life and I like it. Why can’t you leave me alone?”
    Sorry Carl, can’t do that, I have a story to write, I’m a writer.