Page 183 of Something Rad
Well, now that I think of it, I’m not sure I’ve really thought through what I’ll do if he’s decided it’s just a phase for him. I mean, it’s what I always assumed. It’s the reason I’ve been so hesitant with him. But if it turns out I was right…
“And Sara? What about you?”
Actually, there’s nothing to think through. As we said, if one of us decides we’re done, we tell the other, and we move on. I’ve lived my life alone for eighteen years. I don’tneedRobbie in it.
“Ms. Cooper?”
But…I mightlikehim in it. It might be…just a little bit better…if hewasin it. Is it so bad to feel that way?God, what has happened to me?
“Hello, Earth to Sara?”
The hand waving in front of my face makes me snap to attention, Eugene and Principal Whileyman coming into view.
“Oh, yes–Sorry. I’m all good to go!” I smile sheepishly, fumbling for my camera around my neck and holding it up.
“Great,” Principal Whileyman says. “As students come in, I’ll just have a few announcements to make, and then we can get into announcing the superlatives. We’ll keep it fairly short and sweet. You all are welcome to wait behind the stage until we get into announcing students for awards, then you can come up to take their pictures in front of these lovely backdrops you two set up.”
“Us two,” Eugene cough-chuckles under his breath.
Okay, maybe it was mostly him.I might have been a little distracted while I attempted to help him set up the blue fabric photo booths on the makeshift stage this morning before school.
“Sounds good to me,” I respond to Principal Whileyman, ignoring Eugene’s jab.
“Perfect,” he says, adjusting his tie. “And thank you both again for helping out with this on the first day back.”
“Of course. No problem at all. Just doing our jobs,” I nod.
And, with that, Eugene and I park it behind the stage as students start to file into the gym. I find myself staring at the floor and back at my dingy wall of choice, getting a nervous fluttery feeling in my stomach at the thought of seeing Robbie again. I know it’s going to happen this morning, if not at this assembly then during Ms. Cage’s class, but, for some reason, I’d just rather not see him from afar. Not when I can’t talk to him. Not when I can’t see his facial expressions up close. I know myself, and I know I’ll need approximately ten seconds face to face with Robbie to know where we stand. To know if he suddenly woke up this morning completely over what happened between us, completely over the thought of anusat all. I just…I just need ten seconds.
The assembly starts and, as promised, Principal Whileyman keeps the introductory pieces short. He welcomes everyone back to school, hypes up the continuation of the basketball team’s current fantastic record, rattles off some upcoming events, and reminds everyone to keep their focus for the next four and a half months.
As he begins his opening spiel for announcing the winners of our senior class superlatives, Eugene and I make our way out from behind the stage to take our places off to the side of the stage by our respective photo backdrops. We decided we’d alternate which booth people are sent to so Principal Whileyman can get through every category as quickly as possible. It occurred to me, as I wasn’t doing a very great job of helping Eugene to set up these backdrops on the stage this morning, that I never even voted for superlatives. I’m not even positive what all categories there will be. I was way too stressed out during finals week to pay any attention.
I guess I’ll be surprised with whatever’s to come.
Principal Whileyman jumps right into it, starting with the award forMost Athletic.The captain of our football team is called for the boy and the captain of our volleyball team is called for the girl, a round of cheers and applause going off, before they make their way to my booth for me to take their photo together.
And so it begins.
I get in the zone, snapping photos left and right as I trade off with Eugene. It only takes a few categories before Robbie is called, which is honestly a few more than I thought it would take. He wins the boy’s award forBiggest Class Clown, and thankfully it’s Eugene’s turn to take photos at that point. I feel my gaze drawn to him, but I refuse to look, focusing on the people in my booth. I even feel like I see him trying to catch my attention out of the corner of my eye as he swaps places at Eugene’s booth with Brad, who has just won forBiggest Flirt, but I shake off the feeling, grinning to myself.
You can wait, Robbie.
A couple more categories are called out until Principal Whileyman announces thatBest Hairwill be next, and I immediately let out a snort. Lisa McDaniel is called out as the girl winner and Robbie isshockinglycalled out for the boy winner. Again, I’m thanking the probability gods that Eugene is up again to take their photo. I don’t think I could take the smug grin on Robbie’s face or the ridiculous commentary he’d have to make to me about winning that particular award.
I click the button on my camera, taking a picture of Bay View’sMost Musicalboy and girl, when I feel a hand grip my arm and turn to find a wide-eyed Alice standing beside me.
“Oh, Alice, hey. What’s up? How’d you get down here–”
“Sara, I need to talk to you,” Alice cuts me off, her voice low.
“Oh,” I say, my brows scrunching. “I mean,now?”
“Yes, now.”
“I’m…uh…a little bit busy here.” I hold up my camera. “Can we just talk about whatever it is at lunch?” I start to turn back towards the stage, and, in the process, my eyes snag on Robbie, who seems to be frozen at his photo booth, his eyes darting frantically between me and Alice as Lisa poses next to him for the camera. I start to tilt my head at him, wondering what that look is for, before Alice gives my arm a gentle yank, forcing my attention back on her.
“Sara, it really can’t wait until then. I mean it,” Alice insists.
