Page 102 of Something Rad
“My Dad was a Navy pilot.”
My brows raise, a million thoughts running through my mind. One stands out from them all though.
Wasa Navy pilot.
Shit.
“Was?” I question, hoping it’s not what I think it is.
“Yeah,” she breathes. “I know. It’s stupid–”
“It’s not.”
She lets out a sigh. “He died when I was four.”
Dammit.
“He was doing a training exercise. It was a freak accident.”
“I’m…” I say, shaking my head. “I’m really sorry, Cooper.
“I have some memories of him,” she continues, “but not many. I was just barely a kid when I knew him. But…I don’t know. I know you probably think I’m a dork.”
I don’t tell her that I think she is. Now’s not the time.
“But movies have always just made me feel things.Sodeeply. A lot more deeply than I think they make other people feel things. And the first time I sawTop Gun…” She goes quiet for a moment, seeming lost in thought. “My dad wasn’t in the Navy long. He’d just barely gotten his wings by the time he died. But I guess I just like to imagine, if he wouldn’t have gotten in the accident, that he would have gone on to be someone like Maverick. That he would’ve done amazing things. Been a hero. That he would have just done something…been something…”
“Rad?”
I see her shift in the darkness, and I think she turns her head to look at me. “Yeah,” she mutters. “Yeah, I suppose. And I guess thinking that is better than the reality. The reality that it was all for nothing and now he’s just…gone. That he’ll never get the chance to do something rad. Or just…be my dad.” We’re quiet for a few seconds, and then Cooper lets out a dry chuckle. “I guess maybe I’m the one that likes to live in a fantasy world after all.”
I just sit there, lips parted, not having a damn clue of what I’m supposed to say to her, but knowing that I should definitely say something. “Cooper, I–”
We both startle, the door handle suddenly starting to jiggle behind us. I feel Cooper start to sit up in front of me. “Hey, Cooper–”
“Yeah,” she says. “I know the drill.” I shake my head, brows pulled together, just as the door barely cracks open, a line of light streaming in. I find Cooper right in front of me, just inches away. I open my mouth to say something, but a heavy lump has settled its way into my throat, preventing me. She leans in further, and I feel my stomach drop. When we’re just a breath apart, she reaches up, swipes her fingers over her lips, then brushes her fingers across my mouth, transferring her lipstick onto me. Like I did back in the janitor’s closet on Monday.
A million years ago.
Cooper’s gaze flashes once from my now red stained lips to my eyes, then she slowly raises to her feet. “I’m going to find a bathroom,” she says. Then she walks out of the closet, leaving me sitting here on the floor with my heart in my stomach.
I hear a scoffing sound and turn my head to find Jesse holding open the door, making me immediately push myself to my feet. I don’t even realize Denise is at his side at first, her hand on his shoulder and her head peering around the side of him. “Geez, man,” Jesse says, looking me up and down. “I was thinking of giving you an apology, but now I’m thinking you owe me a thank you instead.”
I straighten out my jacket, walking right up to Jesse until I’m looking down on him. He tries not to look intimidated, but he’s not very good at it, his dark eyes going wide and his tan cheeks going pink as he has to tilt his head back to meet my gaze. “I don’t need you to give me an opportunity to be with my girl,” I tell him, taking a step closer. “She wants me all on her own. First and foremost,” I say, smirking in a way that I know will keep Denise up tonight. Even though I’m not really thinking about her right now. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
I walk right past them, feeling Denise’s eyes burning into me the entire way. I don’t give her the satisfaction of looking back.
twenty-one
SARA
I open my locker door, reaching for my camera and stuffing a few extra rolls of film into the front pocket of my jeans.
Even though I got to leave class a few minutes early, the halls are already buzzing with students anxious for our midday pep rally. Our girls volleyball team is taking on our archrival, Golden Gate High, in their game tonight, and it’s an annual tradition that we have a mini pep rally before lunch on the Tuesday of the game to get everyone in the fighting spirit.
I usually love this pep rally. It’s a nice change to see the whole school hyping up the girls once in a while. Our boy athletes get drooled over enough on a daily basis as it is. I can think of a few right off the top of my head…
Well, maybe just one right now.
