Page 32 of Something Rad
She hesitates slightly, her shoulders stiffening uncomfortably.
“This is a small town. And I went to multiple of your birthday parties in elementary school. Don’t make it weird, Cooper.”
“Trust me, you don’t need any of my help in that department,” she mutters, continuing on.
“Well, weirdisthe new charming.”
“According to who?” she questions, exasperated.
“Do you want a ride home or not?” I push, ignoring her question.
Cooper blows a breath out of her nose, seemingly resisting the urge to look in my direction. “I’m not going home. And I said no.”
“I’m pretty sure you never actually said no, but fine. Have it your way.” I shake my head, then find my eyes trailing down to the hanger she’s carrying. Now that I see it up close, I recognize it as one of the burnt orange vests the employees of Groovy Movie wear. I guess she must work at the local video rental store
“Are you going to work?” I ask. “At Groovy Movie?”
“Are you stalking me or something?” she asks, throwing her hands in the air and finally turning sideways to glare at me as she walks.
“Hey, excuse me for trying to show a little Southern hospitality,” I say.
“We live in California, doofus.”
My foot accidentally slips and hits the brake for a second, causing my Camaro to stutter awkwardly.
Did she just call me adoofus?
“And not evenSouthernCalifornia,” she continues.
I roll my lips into my mouth. “What even isSouth?” I ask, simply trying to egg her on at this point. “Isn’t location really just a construct created byThe Manwhen you think about it?”
Cooper’s feet skid to a stop and she turns fully towards me. “What are you doing, Robbie?”
“Just trying to make polite conversation,” I say, grinning. I see the simple action cause Cooper to tighten her balled fists, and I grin even wider.
“Don’t you have a hot date to get to?” she asks.
“So youwereeavesdropping.”
Her face instantly goes pink.
Busted, Cooper.
“I wasn’t eavesdropping,” she insists, starting to walk again. “It’s just impossible to ignore the grating sound of your voice. Now, please, go pretend to be somebody else’s knight in shining armor”
I scoff out a laugh. “I don’t have to pretend, Cooper.” I could keep going all day with her, but my glance at the clock telling me it’s 5:17 makes me cut my set short.
I really do have a hot date to get to, after all.
“Right, well, it’s always a pleasure chatting with you, Cooper, but I really do have to get going. I’ve gotta pick up Denise and get to Mary Lou’s–Oh, wait. You already knew that.”
I see the color of her cheeks deepen even further, but she doesn’t entertain me.
“And how silly of me,” I continue. “I should’ve known you wouldn’t find it hot outside. Hey, Cooper, say hi to your father, Satan, when you get home for me, will you?”
Cooper slowly turns to look at me, her lips parting and eyes narrowing.
I push my sunglasses back up my nose and flash her a huge grin in response. “Have a nice walk,” I say, then hit the gas, speeding off.
