Page 184 of Something Rad
“Okay,” I breathe. “Al, honestly, you’re scaring me. What is it?”
“I…” she trails off, swallowing hard. “I need you to prepare yourself, okay?”
“Prepare myself?” I question her. “Alice, please, just spit it out.”
“Hey, are you gonna take our picture?” a girl’s voice calls out.
My attention snaps forward, as I see the winners I just heard Principal Whileyman call out forBest Eyes.“Yes!” I blurt. “So sorry.” I turn to Alice. “It’s gonna have to wait, Al, I’m sorry.”
“But, Sara–”
I’m already moving away from her, stepping forward to take Mark Davies and Nancy Fuller’s photo.
Once I’ve gotten what I need, I spin around to find Alice still standing there.
“Alice–”
“Sara–”
We both speak at the same time, but are both cut off by the voice of Principal Whileyman.
“We’re winding down with our last few awards here. Next up we haveMost Likely to Succeed. For the boys, we have Jesse Lamonte!”
Cheers erupt from the crowd as I step closer to Alice.
“Alice, I don’t understand what you could possibly have to tell me.”
She rolls her lips into her mouth before she speaks again, her voice barely at a whisper. “It’s Robbie,” she says.
“Robbie?” My brows raise. My first reaction is to ask if he’s okay, but I know he’s okay. I just laid eyes on him mere seconds ago. “What about him?”
“It’s something…something I heard him say. Sara, I’m so sorry, but–”
“Sara Cooper!Come on up here, hard worker.”
My spine steels as I spin in the direction of Principal Whileyman’s voice.
What?
He motions towards the stage. “Yep, that’s you Ms. Cooper. You won. Get up here.”
I…won? Most Likely to Succeed?
“Oh, shit,” Alice mutters from behind me. “Well, go on,” she says when I don’t move for several seconds, nudging me towards the stage.
I force my feet forward, heading for the steps that lead up to where Eugene’s photo booth is on the stage. Jesse gives me a tight smile as I join him, and I give him an equally stiff nod back. We scoot as close together as we can without touching at all, ready for the picture. I find a genuine smile coming to my face as Eugene takes it, realizing this is yet another thing I never expected to happen this year.
Jesse exits the stage first, and my smile is still lingering as I follow shortly after her. I just reach the bottom of the steps, ready to spin on my heel and head back to my photo station, when someone catches my wrist.
“Oh,” I breathe, feeling myself blushing against my will. “Hi, Robbie.” Whatever smile is left on my face falters when I realize how frantic Robbie looks.
“I need to talk to you,” he blurts out, his tone urgent.
“Um…” I chuckle awkwardly. I try desperately not to jump to any rash conclusions, but my brain is failing me.
What the hell is going on?
“Cooper, really–”
