Page 76 of Something Rad
“There will be so many people there. They won’t even notice we’re missing.”
Robbie turns his eyes away from the road, giving me a pointed look.
I let out a sigh. He doesn’t even have to say it. That look communicates it just fine.
Everyone will noticehe’smissing.
“I feel like we could come up with a story,” I say, fiddling with the powder blue fabric of the dress I borrowed from my mother’s closet. I’ve never been to a single dance in my high school career that I wasn’t taking photos at, and, considering that I had zero intentions of breaking that streak in my senior year, I had nothing even remotely appropriate to wear to a dance. The one semi-dressy outfit I own, I already wore on Friday.
“Like what?” Robbie questions.
I pause, taking a moment to think.
“You want me to tell everyone that we never got out of your driveway because you couldn’t keep your hands off of me and that we were too deep in the throes of passion to make it to the dance?” he offers.
I mimic a gagging sound. “Fine, let’s go to the stupid dance,” I mutter, crossing my arms.
“We’re already going, Cooper. We’vebeengoing.”
I slam my head dramatically into the headrest.
“Even if you give yourself brain damage before we get there, I’m still dragging you into the school gym behind me,” Robbie says.
“Is that a genuine offer?” I ask. “Because I might be willing to compromise on that.” Robbie gives me a side-eye right as we roll over the speed bump I’ve been dreading.
Shit.
I bump my head several more times against the headrest.
“Mind telling everyone giving us funny looks as you drag me behind you to vote for me for president?” I ask.
“Now you’re just getting greedy, Cooper,” Robbie says, pulling into a parking spot. He turns to face me. “You’ve got to put some work in here too, you know.”
I close my eyes tightly, turning my head in his direction. “I know,” I say. “I’m sorry. This just…”
“Isn't your thing?”
I open my eyes again, seeing him staring at me with a crease between his brows. I glance down, taking in his outfit for the first time, considering I didn’t get much of a look at it as he was fighting me into his Camaro.
Darker jeans than normal, a button up shirt, and a black leather jacket. I lean forward just enough to get a glimpse of his shoes and see that he’s traded his Converse for Nikes. I suppose this is Robbie Summers,elevated.
I must admit, it’s nice.Helooks nice.
And that makes me want to walk in there on his arm even less.
I know every girl in there is going to be looking at him. Which means they’ll all be looking at me too.
Great.
“Yeah…you could say that,” I nod.
“You’ll survive. I promise,” Robbie assures me, killing the engine. He pulls the key from the ignition, the Heart album he had been playing immediately cutting off as he does so, making it entirely too quiet all of the sudden. It seems obvious that Robbie finds the silence uncomfortable too by the way he clears his throat and quickly reaches for his door handle.
“Wait,” I say, wrapping a hand around his upper arm and pulling him back.
“What, Cooper?” he grunts.
My mouth hangs open as I stare at him, not actually knowingwhatit was I intended to say, but just knowing I’m not ready to go inside yet.
