This is our first line in chapter one, which lets us know right off the bat that having a reputation is important to Nick…and that he doesn't have a good one. Although we can think of several things worse to be than a "mandork."

We wonder if the loser corner of the cafeteria is cordoned off from everyone else. Is it separated by a moat? Who are these losers in the corner? Nick acts like every single person in the school is popular except for himself.

Nick has found himself at the bottom of the social totem pole, and that means that everyone is free to pick on him simply because he's unpopular. And he's unpopular because people pick on him. It's a vicious cycle. But that sure is how it works in high school.