Dumb Jock 3: Appearances Matter by Jeff Erno

appeared quite accurate. She did look kind of grouchy. “She’s the owner,” Galen explained. “And she loves me. Thinks I’m cute. Her son Chad is on my soccer team, and we’re best friends.” “It’s who ya know that counts,” Shannon agreed. “Speaking of which, who are you?” Galen asked , batting his eyes and smiling sweetly. “I’m the popular kid’s best friend,” she countered. “Shannon.” “Well it’s an honor to meet you. Any friend of the popular kid is a friend of mine.” He extended his hand across the table and they shook. I was feeling a strange mixture of emotion. To have Galen sitting right next to me was like something out of my fantasies. My heart was beat ing rapidly , and I wanted nothing more than for him to just stay right where he was, heaping on loads more undeserved flattery. Yet I also felt a bit embarrassed. It was awkward because I didn’t know how to respond to him. If I said the wrong thing, I could ruin everything. One tiny little slip-up and Galen would see how wrong he was about me. I wasn’t really a popular kid. I was a dork who wrote fan fiction and jacked off to mental images of shirtles s jocks clad only in soccer shorts and incredibly long, white socks. “I’m surprised you don’t get yourself into trouble with your girlfriend,” Shannon said. “With all that flattery you toss around, it’s almost like you’re flirting.” Sometimes I couldn’t believe Shannon had the balls to say the things she said. “First of all, I don’t have a girlfriend,” Galen informed her. “And