The Online Job - Chapter 4

OTHER CHAPTERS | ALL STORY LIST

The rest of the day was kind of strange starting with Tara turning and looking back at Nathan smiling at him. Then lunch came and Tara actually invited him to sit with her and a few other girls. Nathan only thought it was odd, but the other girls at the table couldn’t believe their ears. He knew that none of them wanted to have anything to do with him but Tara couldn’t stop talking to him, and not only to him but also about him. “Allie, don’t you think that is so cute the way that Nathan turned that stupid jersey into such a cute outfit, and all with the help of a single belt?”

Then she did something that would change so much forever, she gave him his new name. “Oh, Natti I can’t wait to go shopping with you.” Not missing a beat or even seeming to stop and take a breath, “Oh what fun, shopping after school, now who would have ever thought that a boy would come up with an idea like that.” She then stopped and if you were watching closely you could have probably seen the gears turning inside of her head. Boy, she questioned herself? She looked at Natti and then just smiled returning his smile. The thought came into her mind, “Why hadn’t she ever noticed how cute he was before?”

When Tara had asked, well more like demanded that he sit with her and her girlfriends he just naturally asked her if it would be okay if his friend Steve joined him. Tara didn’t seem to care one way or another just saying, “Oh okay, I don’t care I mean after all it’s a free country.” That wasn’t the case and Steve and Nathan, or now Natti knew it would have been certain death to sit down at the table without her permission.

It was obvious that the other girls at the table didn’t appreciate Natti’s company or that of the other boy that sat in silence for the most part. They were talking and this girl sitting across the table from Tara was interjecting bits and pieces into the conversation and finally, Natti spoke up, “Hey Shyla why don’t you use primer on your eyelids and smooth it out to the sides of your face before you add your eye shadow? I’m sure that it will create a more even base for your shadow.” This comment stopped all the conversation at the table and everyone looked to Shyla.

You know Shyla, I think he may be right added, Tara. A girl at the table named Remy added that she did that sometimes, but didn’t need to do it that much since she wasn’t out in the sun that much. With that comment, everyone looked at Shyla and she looked at the faces now looking at her trying to think of something to say.

Shyla looked at Natti and responded that she just didn’t have the time this morning, and besides she was just going to school. Natti then addressed the group asking if anyone had any lotion with them. Another one of the girls said that she had some in her locker and that they could drop by there after lunch and she could use some. He then added that would help her out until she got home. Another one of the girls added that she had some eye shadow that would be perfect.

After that exchange, everyone went back to eating and talking and the daggers didn’t flash out of their eyes seeking Natti’s heart. Steve and Natti had been accepted into the group as much as two boys could have been accepted into a group of girls. After they had finished lunch they walked out together and Natti and Steve parted from the group and headed off to their study hall after stopping by their lockers and grabbing some books from their lockers.

As they walked they talked with each other. Steve mentioned to Nathan or now Natti that the girl named Remy was pretty cool. They had been talking about video games and he had found out that she played a game called, “Final Fantasy.” Both of the boys had heard about it but neither had ever played the game.

Steve was relating their conversation about the game. Steve finally summed up the game by comparing it to Kill Zone but without the actual action, or going into outer space. Steve then asked him if he was really going shopping with Tara after school? Nathan said that he was and then asked if he would like to join them. Steve declined the offer and then added that it might not be a good idea for Dennis Hartman to date Tara. Nathan asked why would that have anything to do with them going shopping?

Steve just kind of shrugged his shoulders and said that she had been dating Dennis Hartman, and he might kind of see it as a date and become jealous. You know how some boys could be so possessive. Nathan looked at him and replied that they weren’t going to the movies but just going to a store to buy some clothes. Well, I know Steve said, but maybe that lunkhead can’t see the distinction between going on a date and going shopping. Anyway, I don’t want to go, as my mom is picking me up and we are going over to my aunt’s house.

Nathan hadn’t thought about how his shopping trip with Tara would be viewed by someone that had refused to let him show him how to make money. He had to think of something to say in case he was confronted by the concrete brain head. He thought that maybe he could say that she was going to get him a present and wanted him to help him pick it out. Then he would be mad that she would pick someone that wasn’t a member of his circle.

Finally, he came up with the idea that he would tell him that she was going to get him a video game and she wanted him to use his discount. He didn’t have a discount but then he wouldn’t know that. But why would she want him to get the game? She had enough money that she didn’t need to get a discount so why would she take him and not one of his friends? Then he hit upon the idea. She wanted him to do it because if she asked one of his friends then he would know what it was that she was going to buy for him. Yeah, that would be what he would tell him. Leaving the study hall and walking to his locker what he thought would happen did happen.

No sooner had he turned into the hallway where his locker was located the troop of football baboons was waiting across from his locker. As he walked up he could see the future shit chaser with his back to him and then turning when one of his friends pointed Nathan out. The look of anger immediately turned to one of disgust as he approached and said, “What the fuck are you supposed to be?

I didn’t know the Miami Dolphins made dresses for limp wristed femboy.” Then turning back to his pack he continued the verbal assault, “Oh look it isn’t a dress, it’s a jersey made for real men”, and then turning back to Nathan he continued, “Not for useless faggots.” He moved even closer and got right in Nathan’s face and said, “Look faggot the only reason I’m not pounding you into a pile of useless slug shit is the fact that I heard that you found out a way to make money on the internet. Is that what you were going to tell me yesterday? Well, you can tell me now.”

Nathan knew that this would be his chance, “I’m not telling you anything, and I’m damn sure not going to help Tara with her electronic surprise gift for you.” The shocked look on his face confirmed that he hadn’t heard yet about their proposed shopping excursion that afternoon. Nathan knew that pretending like he wasn’t going with her was a way that he could get him to make go with her. Sure enough, the shocked look on his face told him that he was in control and he only had to lead him down whatever path he wanted to take him.

“What gift could she want you to help her with”, he responded with a sneering tone in his voice. Nathan acted a little confused saying that he didn’t know, but she was talking about going to “Game Box” since I had a discount there. He watched as the gears slowly moved in his brain, “I’ll bet she’s going to get me MLB22.

But it’s not supposed to be out yet.” Nathan said that he didn’t know as he didn’t play that game, but they have released all the time for customers that buy a lot of games as he did. Dennis smiled and then frowning again turned back to Nathan demanding, “Listen to me toe jam, you’d better go with her, and also give me that link, you got that or else your mother won’t have to worry about buying you oversized clothes intended for your betters, you got that?” Nathan stepping back told him, “Well it won’t be a surprise now since you know about it. I’ll give you the link. I was trying to do it yesterday, but you threatened me so I didn’t want to get pounded into slug shit, whatever that is. You better act surprised when she gives it to you.

“Don’t worry about what I’ll do, you just need to worry about keeping your filthy hands off of her, as if she would let you touch her. Then Nathan stepped back and pulled up the link on his phone and asked for Dennis’s phone number so he could text him the link. As the larger boy recited his phone number and Nathan entered it into his phone his thoughts were racing about how easy it would be now to sabotage the larger boy's online footprint.

Dennis stepped away when his phone alerted him now that he had a text message. He looked down at his phone and saw the text. He looked back at Nathan and asked, all I have to do is to answer some questions and they will pay me? Nathan replied that he did and he had made almost a hundred dollars in 2 days. Dennis turned back to his friends and loudly exclaimed that they would be rolling in the dough before they knew it, and the group of them walked off together boisterously shouting all at the same time. Nathan watched them walk off thinking how stupid they were.

For the rest of the day, Nathan wondered what Tara saw in Dennis. After talking to her a little his opinion of her had risen from airhead to single-minded school girl. As he walked out of his last class she was there to collect him. He said goodbye to Steve and walked away with her as she told him that she had texted her mother and she had agreed to drop them off at the mall. As Tara got into the backseat and patted the spot next to her Nathan got in and sat down. She introduced him to her mother and then showed her what he had done with the jersey.

Her mother seemed much more intelligent than her. He greeted her politely with, “Good afternoon Mrs. Morgan. I want to thank you very much for taking us to the mall. Tara has told me that you and your husband are really enjoying the antique Korean dresser that you bought in my mother’s store. It’s so nice to hear that her customers are pleased with their purchases.”

Mrs. Morgan looked at Nathan and made the comment that she was indeed enjoying it. Then she noted that she loved shopping at Fantasy Furniture. You could find items there that stood out and you couldn’t find them anywhere else. She continued, please tell your mother how happy we are with the dresser. So Tara tells me that you two are going shopping and she is going to help you find some clothes. She does excel in that department and she can shop for hours, of course, I don’t want you shopping for hours today. Tara then pressed the question about the jersey. Her mother did agree it looked very comfortable. She also made note that it wasn’t the usual thing that she saw boys wearing these days.

When they arrived at the mall Mrs. Morgan drove in and found a place to park, and Nathan was wondering why she was parking and not dropping them off and then leaving. Nathan was thinking about asking her if she was coming in with them, but then Tara asked for him. She told them that since she had called and asked her to drop them off she thought this would be a good time to get her another cellphone case. Nathan agreed with her especially since he noticed her expensive iPhone, “I agree with you, my mother always told me if you take care of your things then they will take care of you.” Mrs. Morgan nodded approvingly and thought that this boy was a lot different than the other boys that her daughter usually brought around.

After they entered Nathan and Tara parted from her mom and Nathan was following her lead he confided in her, “Tara I think I might have involved you in a fiction with your boyfriend.” Tara responded by asking who he was talking about and then figured out what he meant. Do you mean Dennis? He isn’t my boyfriend, he is just someone that I date. We aren’t the least bit exclusive, and you’re probably correct that the whole school probably thinks that, but I can’t control what other people think. Besides, that means I only have one person to deal with.

He is a boy and he is someone that I date, but if someone asked me out other than him I might go with them depending on whether or not I liked them. Nathan responded that the whole school thinks that he and you are a couple and what’s more he thinks that. She turned to him and stated that he doesn’t, and I have told him so on more than one occasion. I told him that I didn’t want to be tied down to just one person. Walking briskly and adding, let’s start out at Margie’s. They always have quality and good prices.

Nathan walked alongside of her and told her more of the encounter, “Well I think he was about to beat me up and so I told him I was coming with you to assist you in buying him a video game. I didn’t want to tell a lie but I’ve gotten quite used to breathing and I would like to continue at least for the foreseeable future.” Tara thought that he was being very mature in telling her and she understood. She stopped just before they entered the clothing store and turned to him saying, “Now don’t worry.

I’m not going to buy him a video game, and he isn’t going to touch you. I have ways of dealing with him. He will do whatever I tell him to do, or not to do. There is something that Mr. BMOC doesn’t want anyone to know, and he knows that I can and will make his life a living hell. Now don’t you worry, I have learned how to cope with bullies early on, and Dennis isn’t even a very good one.”