Page 64 of Something Rad
“Goodbye, Robbie.” She steps forward, moving to close the door.
I stick my arm out, stopping it from closing all the way.
Cooper’s gaze snaps up, meeting mine through my sunglasses. “You’ll think about it?”
She tilts her head, her eyes searching my face. What she’s looking for, I have no idea. But she doesn’t exactly seem satisfied with whatever it is she’s finding.
“I said I would.”
“Okay,” I say.
“Okay,” she says back.
When I don’t move after a moment, Cooper glances at my arm still in the doorway. I pull it back.
“Bye,” she says, closing the door in my face.
fifteen
SARA
Tap tap tap tap tap.
I continue to bounce the pen against the top of Groovy Movie’s check-out counter as I take a sip of Jolt, doing anything I can to quiet the voices inside my head. Anything to disrupt the continuous swirl of thoughts and non-stop replay of the conversation that occurred in my bedroom just a few hours ago.
No, I’m not going to think about it. Not going to think about what was said. What was discussed. What was…offered.
Because it’s ridiculous. And revolting.
But…it may just be the only chance you’ve got.
I shake my body out, brushing the invisible devil on my shoulder off.
No, it’s not happening. I won’t do it. I’ll find another way. Or maybe I won’t. Regardless, I’m not going to think about it right now.
About four seconds go by.
I mean, who does he think he is?
He shows up to my house–to mybedroom–completely unannounced and out of nowhere. He shows up with myjournalof all things, is a complete ass as usual, insults me and throws my own problems that I never should have told him about in the first place back in my face. Then–then, he has the audacity to offer a simple solution to all those problems. The simple solution ofdating–no,fake datinghim?
I feel my face begin to heat and my stomach starts to bubble with nausea all over again.
Then I remember I’m not supposed to be thinking about this.
No, I’m not going to think about the absurd offer. Or the fact that tomorrow is the deadline to sign up for the student body president race. Or that I don’t have any idea what I’m going to do when I don’t sign up for it. When I don’t become the yearbook editor or have anything more to put on my resume. I don’t think about how slim my chances already are of getting one of the scholarships to the NYU screenwriting program.
I’m top of my class, I work a part-time job outside of school, I have lots of community service hours, and have participated in nearly a dozen extra curricular activities…but I know that every other person that was accepted into the program is most likely in the exact same boat.
A voice suddenly booms from behind me, making me jump. “Hey, good to see you again, Mrs. Roper!” I hear a door close as my boss and the owner of Groovy Movie, Mr. Ritter, walks into the store from the back office. It’s then that I realize a customer is browsing a shelf of movies just a few feet away from the counter. I didn’t even hear her come in.
God, I’m losing it. Get it together, Cooper–
I stand up straight, and resist the urge to slap myself in the face.
Sara. Get it together,Sara.
I run a hand through my hair and straighten out my burnt orange work vest, attempting toactuallyget myself together.
