Page 73 of Something Rad
Her jaw dropped, and she started to angrily sputter out a response, but both of our gazes snapped to the side, landing on Jesse and Paul walking by and looking straight in our direction. In automatic response, I reached for Cooper’s shoulder and she grabbed a handful of my vest, each of us pulling the other to us.
I don’t know why, but I found myself kissing her forehead again, just like I had in the parking lot, our chests slamming together awkwardly and causing both of us to let out a huff. We both played it off to the best of our ability, holding the forced hug for ten painfully long seconds–literally, with both of us counting out each number with gritted teeth– and then slowly pulled back from one another.
Jesse and Paul were much further down the hallway by then, neither of them looking in our direction any longer. I was still staring after them when Cooper suddenly spoke up.
“Okay, it’s my turn now,” she said.
“For what, exactly?” I asked.
“My first rule,” Cooper replied, forcing a not so sweet smile on her face as she pulled me closer by my vest to whisper to me. “Put on a show. Put your arm around my shoulders. Press up against me if you have to.” My brows raised, and she stood up on her tiptoes, getting close enough that I could smell whatever floral shampoo it was she used. “But touch your lips to any part of me again and I’ll shave your head in your sleep.”
And just like that, she dropped back down on her heels, giving my vest two gentle pats, before spinning around and walking off.
I guffawed. “See you later, baby,” I called after her.
She turned around, walking backwards for a few steps, the most forced smile on her face.
I opened one side of my vest, hiding my hand and sticking out my thumb and pointer finger to mimic a gun. I flicked my hand up, motioning the finger gun like I was letting off a shot at her.
Cooper’s hand went straight to her chest, a reaction to being fake shot to my eyes but a sweet gesture to all the other eyes still left lurking in the hallways. “I’ll miss you so much, honey,” she called back, raising her other hand to brush her hair away from her face. I scoffed out a laugh when I noticed her pushing her hair aside with only her middle finger, tilting her head at me with a tight grin as she did so.
Jesus, Cooper, I’d thought.
But it worked.
It worked so damn well.
People aren’t nearly as subtle as they think they are. The cocked heads, the points, the questioning glances between friend groups, the hands half covering mouths, the whispers. They were all giving us exactly what we wanted. It was almost too easy. Too good to be true.
Something catches my attention in front of me and I glance up, seeing Denise passing right in front of me. She turns her head back forward at first, acting like she’s going to keep on walking by, but then her feet start to slow. I push my headphones off as she comes to a complete stop before me.
“Hey,” she says.
“Hey yourself,” I say back.
We stand there for a moment, neither of us saying anything more. And as the seconds go on, I start to feel it.
Denise clears her throat, pulling the textbook in her hands closer to her chest.
I swear I’m not just imagining it.
“So, you moved on pretty easily, didn’t you?”
I can barely stop the smile from spreading across my face.
There it is.
I push off of the lockers, taking a step closer to her. “Noticed, did you?”
Denise purses her lips. “Was pretty hard not to with the two of you strutting all over school all day plastered to each other.”
“Be careful, Denise,” I tsk. “You’re on the verge of making me think you care.” She narrows her eyes at me, and I take another step closer. “Or maybe even that you’re jealous.”
“I’m not jealous,” she laughs dryly.
“Right, of course not,” I nod. “Just a little hypocritical.” Denise raises a brow in confusion. “How’s Jesse?” I ask.
“He’s one of your best friends. Why don’t you ask him?”
