Page 117 of Something Rad
Robbie’s brows pinch for a second before he nods. “Yeah, I guess so.”
A weird feeling twists through my stomach. Even though I brought up thewhole line of girls,the image of them in my head right now leaves a bad taste in my mouth. “I’m sure Denise would love to do it,” I say, trying to mask the tightness in my throat.
“Yeah,” Robbie agrees, his voice low. “She would.”
“I guess I wouldn’t mind having a t-shirt,” I blurt out before my brain even has time to process the words.
I slowly look up at Robbie to find his forehead creased. “Yeah?”
“I mean, I believe I’ll have earned it after being your fake girlfriend for a whole month. I think it’s only fair for all my trouble.”
Robbie snorts, a smirk pulling at his lips. He takes a step closer, resting his hand on the book cart next to my hip. “You’retrouble, Cooper.”
I roll my lips into my mouth, trying not to smile, and Robbie’s eyes flick down to watch me do it before meeting my eyes again.
My mind starts racing at a million miles an hour as Robbie and I stare at each other. I start to remember all of the things I have to do and worry about over the coming week. Hell, the comingmonths. A stupid t-shirt should be the last thing on my mind. Much less a t-shirt for the sake of Robbie Summers. I’m sure I won’t hear another word from him the minute Homecoming is over. The minute he has Denise back on his arm and I win student body president…ordon’t. I feel my smile fade from my face. I guess it won’t really matter to him at that point. I swallow hard, suddenly feeling very foolish. I force my eyes away from Robbie’s, my gaze trailing down to his chest. I start to turn back towards the book cart, but Robbie nudges my shoulder with his.
“Hey.”
I glance up at him hesitantly, and he tilts his at me.
“I’ll get you a shirt, Cooper.”
My lips press together as I search for the hint of sarcasm or teasing in his tone or on his face, but I can’t find it. “Okay,” I breathe.
Robbie’s throat bobs, something conflicting flashing through his eyes before he steels himself, taking a step back from me. “How are you feeling about this Friday? The election? Your speech?” he asks.
I blow a breath out of my nose, irritated with the way he can seem to read my mind. “I’m trying not to feel anything at all about any of it.” I pick up a stack of books from the cart, turning around to put them away on the bookshelf behind us.
“I overheard Jesse and Paul talking at our basketball meeting,” Robbie says, coming around to lean against the bookshelf at my side. “Ginger dropped out of the race.”
“What?” I question, nearly dropping the book in my hand. “Why?”
“This is agoodthing, Cooper.”
“But why did she drop out?”
Robbie crosses his arms, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.
“What is it?” I ask, raising an eyebrow at him. “Tell me.”
Robbie’s tongue pushes into the side of his cheek. “She didn’t think she had a chance against you.”
My lips part, and I shake my head, not believing it for a second. “That’s really funny, Robbie,” I deadpan.
“It’s not a joke,” he insists.
I look at him and can see in his face that he’s serious. “You heard someone say that?”
He nods. “Paul.”
Paul and Ginger are close. I’m pretty sure they’ve dated on and off all of junior high and high school. Something in me knows that if Paul said that, it’s the truth. I just have no idea ofhowit’s the truth.
“But…why?” I mutter. “How? Why would she feel that way?”
“Because everything is going exactly according to plan, Cooper. Don’t you see it?”
“See what?”
