Page 40 of Something Rad
When I don’t respond after a few seconds, he slowly turns to look at me. He raises his eyebrows at me, pushing me to answer him.
I tilt my head, my own brows raising. “No,” I say simply, seeming to irritate him more.
Robbie, still breathing hard and now flexing his fingers at his sides, nods.
I don’t know what’s going on with him today, or what would have possibly have him so worked up, but I don’t have the time or energy to care. Especially not this morning.
No, Robbie Summers and his shit are the absolute least of my concerns.
We both stare back at each other in some sort of annoying challenge for several seconds. We maintain eye contact for the most part, but, gradually, each of us starts glancing towards the door leading outside and to Ms. Cage’s class, realizing the bell will be ringing soon.
We both suddenly storm for the door at the same time, Robbie moving away from the lockers and me finally pushing off of the vending machine. You can feel the irritation radiating off of both of us and culminating into one big ball of rage as we grow closer. Robbie makes it to the door half a second before me, getting a scoff out of me as he shoves it open. I am hot on his heels as he heads outside, but am quickly met with a sharp pain to my nose when Robbie suddenly stops in his tracks and I ram straight into the brick wall of his back.
“What the–?”
“Hey, watch where you’re going, would you, Cooper?”
We both shout at each other at the same time.
When I step back, rubbing my already sore nose, I see the reason for our collision. Robbie apparently had to stop in place that very moment, after racing me to the door and insisting on walking out of it first, for the very important task of putting his sunglasses on.
I literally stomp my foot in irritation. “Are you kidding me?” I fume.
“What?” Robbie asks, looking back at me like I’m insane as he continues walking.
I storm right after him. “You seriously have to put your sunglasses on to walk fifty feet? Are your eyes going to burn up and melt out of your head in the time it takes us to get to the classroom? Your poor little pupils must be under so much stress–”
Robbie spins around, continuing to walk backwards as he addresses me. “Actually, the iris is what controls how much light is let into your eye–” he breaks off, seeming to cringe at something, then looks back at me, flexing his jaw. “Please, for the love of God, can we talk about anything other than eyes?”
I let out a laugh. “Well, that’s rich coming from the optometry prince.”
Robbie shakes his head, turning back forward. “Yeah,youwould think so, wouldn’t you?” he mutters under his breath.
I know I should ignore him, but I’ve simply hit my limit. “Excuse me, what is that supposed to mean?” I ask, speed walking right up next to him as we approach Ms. Cage’s portable.
He stops, turning to me. “Well, you just got me all figured out, don’t you, Cooper?”
My mouth falls open in surprise, but I don’t shy away from him, steeling my spine. “Well, it’s not like it’s hard.”
“Yeah?” Robbie asks, taking a step closer.
“Yeah,” I confirm, taking my own step closer. “I don’t have to figure you out, Robbie. Iknow. Because you justmakeeveryone know about you. Even if they don’t care, they justhaveto know.” His brows pull together. “Gotta know all about the golden boy and his perfect family and the way he’s just used to getting everything he wants without any effort on his part.”
“You really think it’sthateasy?” Robbie asks, moving even closer. That you can justknowme,” he pauses, snapping his fingers between us, “just like that?”
I don’t respond, blowing a deep breath out of my nose. I shake my head, moving to walk around him, but Robbie side steps, blocking me.
“Fine. Let me try,” he says.
I start to question him, but he cuts me off.
“Sara Beth Cooper,” Robbie starts, putting up one finger. “Comes from a perfectly content middle class nuclear working family.” He puts up another finger. “School has always come naturally to her, but one of her parents, maybe even both, are always pushing her to do better, giving her resentment for both of them and a serious chip on her shoulder.” He adds another finger, stepping closer. “She’ll easily graduate first in her class and has had her college applications and decisions sorted since the first day of summer. She dreams of a stable yet excruciatingly boring career as a doctor or engineer where she can expect the same outcome out of each and every day for the rest of her life.” He steps so close that I’m forced to retreat a step backwards as he raises another finger. “And, lastly, she never feels like she’s good enough, no matter how much she succeeds or how hard she tries, so she voluntarily works a part-time job at the local movie rental shop and helps out at the library after school.” He leans so close that I can smell his cologne, the warm woodsy amber scent invading my nose and fogging my brain. “Because she’sdesperateto feel something.”
Robbie closes his fist, slowly lowering his hand. “How’d I do?” he asks, his chocolate brown eyes narrowing on me.
I ignore the painful lump in my throat and burning in my eyes, raising my chin as I close the remaining distance between us. “Couldn’t be more wrong,” I say. The smug expression on Robbie’s face wavers slightly. “And you’re a realass.”
“Ms. Cooper!”
