Page 178 of Something Rad
I’m practically tweaking as I push my way through the front door of the school. I can’t even pinpoint a particular emotion running through me right now. I’m all over the place. All I know is that I’m dying to see her. This isn’t something that I ever thought I’d say, but,God, it’s been a long two weeks without Cooper.
I was happy to give her the time she needed. I didn’t even disagree with her that it was a smart thing for us to do, to take some time apart to cool down. But that didn’t make it any less difficult. Even though Cooper and I agreed that we wouldn’t make any contact with each other for the rest of the holiday break, I couldn’t help myself. I’d like to say that I tried, but the truth is, I knew exactly what I was doing when I pulled out the phonebook and wrote down her home number on a piece of notebook paper. I also knew what I was doing when I slipped it into the suitcase I was taking on my family’s vacation to Cabo. I knew it would be just like every year. That I’d spend my days alone on the beach and my evenings alone in our penthouse hotel suite while my parents and siblings were off doing…whatever it is they do. The only difference this year was that they didn’t even have to pretend they cared about leaving me alone. We haven’t exactly been on speaking terms since Thanksgiving, and that’s honestly fine by me. But that just made it all the easier to rack up my father’s hotel bill with a long distance phone call to Bay View, California on New Year’s Eve after I’d helped myself to our room’s mini bar.
“Hello?” Her voice came over the line, and I felt myself smile for the first time in two weeks.
“Hey, Cooper,” I said.
“Robbie?” she questioned. “Are you calling me fromMexico?”
“Sí.”
“Are you serious?”
“Sí,” I said again.
“I can see your Spanish has drastically improved,” Cooper deadpanned. “Ms. Jaramillo would be so proud.”
I chuckled into the phone. “Cooper, I have to tell you something.”
“Well, that’s a problem,” she said. “Because you’re not supposed to be telling me anything. Not for three more days.”
“Cooper, please. It’sreallyyyimportant,” I drawled.
“Are you drunk?” she asked.
I glanced back, seeing somewhere between four and six empty and half-empty mini bottles of tequila strewn across the kitchenette counter.Huh, how did that happen?“Not relevant,” I mumbled. “But maybe a little. Now, would you shut up so I can tell you what I need to tell you?”
“Fine. I’m listening.”
I walked over to the window, pushing aside the curtain to watch the fireworks erupting over the beach resort skyline. “Happy New Year,” I announced. “Welcome to 1988, baby.”
A chuckle sounded over the phone, making my brows pull together. “What?” I asked.
“You’re an hour ahead of me, you ding-dong,” Cooper laughed. “But I suppose it’s the thought that counts. Happy New Year to you too, Robbie.”
“Did you just call me ading-dong?” I questioned her.
“Nope. I think you must be hearing things,” Cooper quipped. “You should probably drink some water and go to bed. And don’t talk to me again until you see me at school on Monday.”
I sat up straight at the last little comment she tried to casually throw in there. “Am I not picking you up for school?”
“No,” she said. “My mom’s gonna drive me for the first day back.”
“Oh…” I trailed off, trying not to let the unexpected wave of disappointment that sent through me show. “Well, speaking of…” I leaned against the window, putting on the smoothest tone of voice. “How is Miss Sherri doing?”
“I’m hanging up now.”
“Wait,” I blurted.
“What?” Cooper laughed, exasperated.
“Did you get your NYU scholarship application submitted?” I asked her, knowing she’d planned to spend the majority of her holiday break focusing on that.
“I did,” she confirmed. “Had it postmarked the day before the due date.”
“Well, look at you go, Cooper. How do you feel about it?”
I obviously couldn’t actually see her, but I knew she was shrugging at that moment. “As good as I can. I think it’s the best essay I’ve ever written. And my resume is as strong as it really can be. It’s out of my hands now though.”
