Read The Duff: Designated Ugly Fat Friend for Free Online

better one later. You’ll just wind up spending that extra cash on the repairs if you don’t.
     You remember that, Bumblebee. If I teach you one thing in life, let that be it.”
    “Sure, Dad.”
    Suddenly I felt like an idiot. How could I have gotten so worked up last night? Clearly it was over nothing. I mean, yeah,
     he and Mom were having issues, but it would probably blow over like Casey said. He wasn’t depressed or sad or even remotely
     close to touching a drop of alcohol.
    Still, I knew Mom’s latest absence was hitting him kind of hard. So I figured I ought to try and make it easier on him. I
     knew he was probably feeling a little lonely lately, and I guess that was partially my fault too.
    “Wanna watch TV?” I asked. “I don’t have much homework due tomorrow, so I can wait and do it later.”
    “Sounds good,” Dad said. He swiped the remote from the side table. “There’s a rerun of an old
Perry Mason
on right now.”
    I grimaced. “Uh,… okay.”
    “I’m kidding, Bumblebee,” he laughed, flipping through the channels. “I wouldn’t do that to you. Let’s see…. Oh, look. There’s
     a
Family Ties
marathon on TV Land. You used to love this show when you were little. You and I used to watch the reruns when you were about
     four.”
    “I remember.” I settled onto the couch beside him. “I told you I wanted to be a Young Republican because I thought Michael
     J. Fox was cute.”
    Dad snorted and adjusted his thick-rimmed glasses. “That didn’t happen. My Bumblebee’s a liberal now.” He put an arm around
     my shoulders and squeezed. And I knew this was what he needed. Or maybe we both did. Just a little bonding time so that the
     house didn’t feel quite so empty. I mean, I loved the quiet, buttoo much of it might drive you crazy after a while. “What do you say we watch a few episodes?”
    I smiled. “Sure, Dad.”
    About halfway into the first episode, I had this weird revelation. Okay, so when I was a kid, I had a major crush on Alex
     P. Keaton (Michael J. Fox’s super-Republican character on
Family Ties
), but twelve years later, I was in like with Toby Tucker, a Young Democrat. Did I have a thing for politicians or what? Maybe
     I was, like, destined to be the wife of a senator… or I might wind up being the First Lady.
    Nah. Politicians didn’t marry Duffs. They didn’t look good enough on the sidelines of debates. And I wasn’t the marrying type,
     anyway. I had a better shot of being the Monica Lewinsky of the future. I’d just be sure to burn all, um, incriminating dresses.
    Hey, Obama was kind of sexy for an old guy. Maybe I had a shot.
    I bit my lip as Dad laughed at one of the sitcom-y jokes. How was it that even
Family Ties
brought me back to that word?
    Duff.
    God, Wesley and his damn pigeonholing just wouldn’t leave me alone. The word was taunting me, even in my own home. I scooted
     closer to Dad, trying to focus on the show. On our time together. On anything but Wesley and that stupid label. I tried to
     forget about that damn kiss and how idiotic I’d been.
    Tried, tried, tried.
    And, of course, failed miserably.

5
    When I was in kindergarten, I had a traumatic monkey bars experience. I’d been halfway across, my legs swinging beneath me,
     when my hands got sweaty and made me slip. I fell for what seemed like a mile before landing on the ground in a heap. All
     the other five-year-olds laughed at me and my scraped, bloody knee. All of them but one.
    Casey Blithe walked out of the gawking group of grade-schoolers and came to stand in front of me. Even back then, I knew she
     was beautiful. Blond locks, hazel eyes, rosy cheeks… the epitome of five-year-old perfection. She could have been in pageants.
    “Are you okay?” she asked.
    “I’m fine,” I said through thick, hot tears. I wasn’t sure whether I was crying because of the pain in my knee or because
     of the way all my classmates were laughing at me.
    “No, you’re not. You’re bleeding.