Page 200 of Something Rad
“Well…not anymore,” Alice mutters, completely cracking under pressure.
“Alice,” I groan, smacking a palm to my forehead.
“Not anymore?” my mom asks.
Everyone goes quiet. I don’t say a word. Alice thankfully doesn’t either. I see it as realization slowly dawns on my mom, her shoulders dropping and her mouth falling open. “Oh my God,Sara Beth Cooper! Was it that Summers boy?”
I let out a strangled sigh. “I–”
“Oh, for the love of God,” my mom grits, resting a hand on top of her head. “You know, his parents are two of the worst people I know?
“I can certainly imagine,” I mumble, half to myself.
“But, I must say,” my mom continues, shaking her head, “that boy was a charming little shit when I met him.”
A sound like choking comes out of Alice at the same time I take the opportunity to flop back down on my bed. “Yeah, well, it was all a lie,” I mutter, resting my forearm over my eyes.
“Oh, I’m sorry, hon,” my mom says. “I don’t know what happened between you two.”
I don’t say anything, and, as a result, it grows silent in my bedroom. I can feel the awkward tension thickening, but I let it continue to build, keeping my eyes shielded from the outside world. I start to think that maybe my mom left, but she quickly corrects my thoughts when she speaks up again, her voice in a hushed whisper.
“I have to say…he also has really great hair.”
My forearm pulls away from my face, my eyelids heavy.
“He does, doesn’t he?” Alice whispers back to my mom. “It’s annoying, honestly.”
“Oh my God. I love you both, but can you please leave.” I sit up on my elbows and find both Alice and my mom with wide eyes, looking like they were just caught red-handed. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be rude, but I’ve had a really long and crappy day and I’d just like to be alone now.”
The two of them exchange one more look before Alice rises from my bed and my mom takes a step back. “Sure, of course, hon,” my mom says. “I just really do need a pair of pantyhose–”
“Right,” I say, remembering her saying that when she originally walked in. “In my closet, either in the bin on the top shelf or thrown somewhere on the floor.”
My mom gives me a nod, slipping into my closet to begin her search.
“Are you okay?” Alice mouths to me when she’s out of earshot.
“Not yet,” I whisper back, being completely honest. “But I will be.”
I hear a grumble from the closet. “I’m not sure I’m having any luck here, Sara. We may need to make a trip to the store this weekend–Oh, wait. Here we are!” I see my mom’s back as she starts to back out of the closet, pantyhose in one hand, but then she pauses. “Hey,” she says, reaching up and plucking something off the shelf, “where did this come from?” When she turns around, I see she’s holding something sparkly, and my stomach instantly drops.
She’s staring down at the plastic thing in her hand. “What is this?”
“Nothing,” I mumble at the same time Alice says, “Oh, that’s her Homecoming Queen crown.”
My hands cover my face once again.
Dammit, Alice.
“You wonHomecoming Queen?” my mom asks, shocked.
“Oh my God,” I say into my hands.
“Oh…I was…just kidding?” Alice offers.
“Sara?” my mom questions me, not taking the bait.
“It’s a long story,” I tell her.
