r/shortscarystories
2 yr. ago
Feeling_Sky_7775
Today the popular girl befriended the weirdo
Layla was the most popular girl at school. The girls idolized her, and the boys lusted after her.
She sat next to Arnold in algebra, but she strongly preferred not to. Arnold was the class “weirdo.” He was socially inept, smelled a bit funky, and would always read manga and comics during study period. Layla would occasionally strike up a conversation with him, but would soon regret it when she was met with uncomfortable silences and awkward tension.
Behind his back, Layla would mock him around her friends. She wasn’t sure why, probably because it made her feel superior. In turn, her friends would taunt him to his face. They’d do anything to impress her. She felt bad for enabling their behavior, but she got a thrill knowing they would follow her every move.
It’ll toughen him up, she would tell herself.
But, Layla decided today was different. Today, she wanted to be nice to Arnold.
“Hey Arnold, how are you today?”
“Hi Layla, I am okay.”
A prolonged silence ensued.
“Whatcha got there?”
“Oh, it’s uh, nothing, it’s just uh some dumb comic book.”
“I don’t think it’s dumb, let me see!”
She feigned interest as she flipped through the pages.
“This is cool! You should show me more after school sometime.”
He shuffled around, turning red, visibly uncomfortable. “Um, yeah that would be cool.”
She blinked flirtatiously. “Well maybe we could go on a date sometime, and you could show me then.”
He let out a nervous laugh and nodded. Turning back to his desk, Layla could see him hiding his goofy smile.
Today, Layla wanted to be nice to Arnold.
Today, she wanted Arnold to like her. She hoped that Arnold would want to see her again.
Because in class today, Layla caught a glimpse of the gun hiding in Arnold’s bag.