The Nerd Had Fallen

CHAPTER 4

Portia could not erase from her mind the event that had happened earlier.

Her dreamed man, King Luther Daniel, spoke to her.

As a result, she smiles all day and is more inspired by what she does. Who would not be sent to heaven if a handsome creature like King Luther Daniel will help and protect you?

She was quietly walking out of the gate as she was about to go home but her excitement and joy did not diminish, that was the first time King Luther noticed her and spoke to her.

He was like a superhero earlier who defended me. I'm sure if he becomes my boyfriend, no one will oppress me anymore. But of course, that's impossible, she said to herself in her mind.

Portia passed the basketball court. She goes through the court every time she goes out of the school but the varsity team of the Senior High School of Reinbert Academy doesn't practice there very often because there are three basketball courts of Reinbert Academy, and the one she goes through on her way out is the basketball court of Junior High School.

"Dude! I'll get it!"

Portia was suddenly distracted when the ball suddenly went in her direction, good thing she quickly dodged, otherwise her head might have been thrown away if she got hit by the ball.

"I'm sorry, Miss."

Portia immediately turned to the man who owned that voice. Of course, she knew that voice very well.

It is owned by King Luther.

"Did you get hit?" the young man concernedly asked her. "I'm sorry."

"I'm fine," Portia said shyly. She couldn't look the man in the eyes, she was afraid of being drowned out by his deep looks.

"Oh, it's you again," he seemed happy to see her face. "Do you remember me?"

Portia smiled at the man. Who can forget you, King Luther Daniel? she said in mind.

"Yes, I remember you. Thanks again," she said shyly.

"You're going home?" King Luther asked as he is bouncing the ball. It was as if they were close acquaintances who had just stopped somewhere to talk.

"Yes."

"Will someone pick you up?" King Luther asked again.

"Yes. Ah---my parents are coming to pick me up."

"I see. Come on, I'll help you with what you're carrying," King Luther said and was about to take the books in her arms but she avoided.

"No, thank you, King Luther. It's fine, I can handle it alone."

"No, I insist. Just call me Luther. Isn't your name Portia? The smartest in STEM?"

"Huh?" Portia's shocked reaction. Does he know me? "You know me?"

King Luther laughed softly and Portia couldn't help but look at his perfect set of teeth and marvel at the handsome sound of his laughter.

"Of course, I know you. You always win the contests you participate in, you always receive recognition, don't you?"

Portia scratched her head out of embarrassment, she's not used to being complimented by him, he is not just a normal person, he is her crush after all and he is naive about her feelings. She did not know whether she would be happy or ashamed.

"Come on, maybe your parents are waiting for you outside," King Luther said. He turned to his varsity colleagues who were watching them talk and was waiting for the ball that King Luther was holding. "Dude, I'll just take Portia to the gate, I'll be right back," he said and threw the ball to his comrades, he took the books that she was holding and he accompanied her out of the gate.

When they got out of the gate it was just right because Portia's parents were already waiting outside the school inside their car.

"Is that your parent's car?" King Luther asked her while pointing at their car.

"Yes. I better go now. Thanks a lot," Portia said and immediately took back the belongings King Luther had brought for her.

"Hello, Momma, Dad." Portia kissed her parents' cheeks. It was as if her parents were teasing her, so the emotions that she had been holding back escaped, and she giggled with laughter.

"Someone's very happy right now," her mother said referring to her.

"Mom, I'm just happy," she tries to deny but her eyes are very happy that she can never lie especially to her parents who know her better than she knows herself.

"You have a long story to tell, Darling," her father said teasingly.

She did not hear any trace of resistance from her parents so instead of being nervous she was excited to continue to tell her parents.

She did not notice the time they had arrived at their house. She immediately went up to her room to get dressed. When she finished getting dressed she went to the kitchen where her parents were there talking.

"I'm glad that Portia is slowly becoming normal like the teenagers of her age," she heard her father said to her mother, Portia did not proceed to enter the kitchen first.

"Me too, Hon. I'm inevitably worried about her but I'm just happy that somehow I can see that she's enjoying school by not just studying." she heard her mother agreed to her father.

"Portia is a great blessing to us. Of course, I want her to become successful but I also want her to enjoy her teenage years because the teenage stage only comes once and I don't want her to regret that she wasted it.

"It's very normal on her age to make friends, crush, relationships, heartbreaks. No matter how much we protect her, she needs to experience all of those things to make her become a tough person."

"That's right, Hon. All we have to do is support our daughter and make sure she is always safe. I trust our daughter. I know she won't let us down."

Portia could not stop herself from entering the kitchen where her parents were. She crossed their distance and hugged her parents with great gratitude.

I'm very lucky to have parents like them.

"So, who is he?" Portia's father asked her as they started eating dinner.

Smiling, Portia answered her father's question, "He is King Luther Daniel, Dada. He is my crush since I transferred to Reinbert Academy," she confessed confidently.

Her parents looked at each other before looking at her again.

"He is your first crush, I guess?" her dada said.

Portia smiled again and nodded.

"I see. He's lucky then," his father said with a laugh. "What made you like him, Darling?"

"Well..." Portia breathed deeply before acted like she is thinking, she looked away like she is collecting the best adjectives that could describe her ultimate crush. "He's undeniably attractive, Dada."

Well, it is true. King Luther's overflowing physical appearance and his way of carrying himself make him more attractive. He dresses very well, walks very well, and manages to communicate with others very well. It's not shocking that he is famous, he handles everything very well too.

"And?"

"And... He's very talented." Portia described King Luther with a smile. She sounds like she is very fascinated by the young man and her parents understand her. "He sings very well and can play a lot of musical instruments. His voice is very manly whenever he speaks... But whenever he sang, it hits different. He is also best in basketball. He's always the MVP whenever their team joins a competition."

"And?"

"And... And... He's a self-proclaimed bad boy... But... But he never made fun of me---" Portia remembered what he had done for her lately, "He was nice and he treats me well instead. He saved me from those mean girls, Dada."

Her father nodded. "Hmm. That's great then. You better choose the best man for you, Portia. Someone who respects not just you but also the people who are important to you."

Portia nodded too. "I know, Dada. I'll keep that in mind."

"Also, be mindful and be careful, you're still young and naive of what love can do in our lives," her father noted, "It's very normal to get hurt because of love but make sure that it's worth the pain."

"It's just a crush, Dada, nothing more," Portia tried to convince his father but her father just laughed at it like he was not fully convinced that's why she pouted.

"Darling, there's no crush that lasts for years. It must be something more than that."

Portia looked at her father intently. What does it mean it's more than that?

"Tell us more about him. Give us an update. Whenever it gets abusive, better move away than sorry, alright?"

"Yes, Dada," Portia answered. Though my parents sound like they are thinking that King Luther is more than my crush. Why are they acting like I'm having "something" with him anyway? she said on her mind.

"Remember that we're always here for you. Dada and Momma are your best friends too, alright?"

"Yes, Dada. Thank you so much."

"That's my daughter," her father messed her hair before they continued eating.

After their dinner, she washed the dishes and went up to her room, and started doing her homework just like her every night routine.

After doing all that she needed to do, she immediately climbed to her bed. She can't wait for tomorrow, she is very excited to see him---far more excited than usual.

When morning came, Portia woke up happier than usual, new lesson for the day is not the only thing that excites her anymore, her interaction with King Luther already adds to her list. It was a dream come true to have an interaction with the man she dreamed about.

When she arrived at school, she cannot help but smile, she is indeed in a good mood and no one can change that.

Opening up with her parents is the most satisfying feeling and being supported and accepted hits different also. She feels more confident about it knowing that her parents were just behind her back, always ready to give her the suitable advice she could get.

She greeted all the teachers she meets on her way to her room. She is even more inspired to participate in the activities during their class.

When lunchtime came, she went alone to the canteen like usual, she ordered her usual order and seated on her usual seat as she waits for the person she always waits to come for lunch.

She looks like a stalker waiting at every opening of the door hoping that the person she had been waiting for comes.

She was about to finish her meal when King Luther Daniel and his friends arrived. His physical appearance earns attention so much that even though there were too many people in the canteen he was noticeable and his appearance was still attractive.

He was surrounded by beautiful young ladies but it didn't seem to notice the sticky and seductive looks of some but it was her that he saw, they had an eye to eye contact and King Luther smiled at her and even raised his hand to wave

She smiled shyly and her face immediately became warm, she immediately blushed at the action and she felt so special.

Thus after her lunch, she had to leave even though King Luther was still in the canteen because she had finished eating and she had to go back to the classroom to prepare everything she would need for their next class.

She just sat there quietly in her seat listening to the class, her intelligence dominates, even if she doesn't study her lessons, she will probably still top the class.

When their last class was over, Portia was also the last to leave the classroom because she had taken out a lot of things so she would also have a lot to fix and keep.

She first went to the comfort room to look at herself in the mirror, a task she was not used to doing.

She is not insecure but she becomes more conscious of her physical appearance. It's not a bad thing, instead, it is good for her because she became more aware of herself and more caring.

Portia wasn't expecting to see King Luther again but she was shocked when she saw King Luther's friends hanging out on the bench and already wearing sporty attire.

They were talking and they didn't notice that she was staring straight at them because she was looking for King Luther Daniel

"Portia..." She almost jumped because of shock when suddenly someone intercept her way and called her.

Her heart had not yet recovered from the extreme nervousness when her heartbeat extremely again after realizing that it was King Luther.

"Are you going home?" the young man asked her.

"Y-Yeah," she said shyly and also stuttered.

"Come on, I'll take you to the gate. I'll take your books," he said and immediately snatched the books she was hugging.

Portia frowned, embarrassed because it was King Luther who was carrying her books, "Isn't your training starting yet?"

"They can start even without me. The gate is just nearby," King Luther said to her and they started walking out of the school like they did yesterday.

Portia, on the other hand, stopped herself from smiling even how hard it is to stop her emotions. On the way that King Luther is treating her, she felt that she was a very beautiful woman, very special... and someone very important.