Page 58 of Bookish Boys Don't Date Social Girls
Brent nods. “Okay. I’ll have Dad reach out to him at the project and set up a meeting with you guys.”
Suddenly, I feel shy about it. I don’t know why. It’s like Brent is watching me learn to walk or something. “Thanks.”
“I should get back.” He walks backward a few steps, waves, and then finally turns and leaves.
Bek steps next to me, grabs my hand, and rests her head on my shoulder, which her head barely even reaches. “Bookstore Boy likes you.”
I sigh. “I don’t know. If he does, he doesn’t like me enough to go out with me, so it doesn’t matter in the end.”
“Can we just talk about the elephant in the room?” Ava says.
“There’s no elephant,” Bek replies, looking around. “There is no room, for that matter.”
Ava gives her a look before turning her attention to me. “You just got a book deal, Sam.”
My eyes grow round. “Oh my gosh, I did just get a book deal. We have to celebrate!”
“How about we start by breaking down this booth,” Dylan suggests. “The street fair has officially ended.”
“Thank goodness.” I start pulling boxes out from under the tables so that we can pack up the remaining swag and brochures, but I’m thinking about Brent and wondering if Bek is right. Does Bookstore Boy finally like me?
Chapter Twenty-Seven
I rollmy neck to release some tension. The video I just finished watching was intense. That poor person has been kicked out of their house, rejected by their friends, taunted, and bullied. All for owning their gender identity. Sometimes I feel like such a hack for starting this project because of a misunderstanding over if I sleep around or not. But Mom pointed out that it doesn’t matter if my situation is big or small in comparison to others. What matters is that we are providing a safe place, understanding, and pointing them toward organizations that can offer legitimate help.
This is one of those situations when I can’t just leave a “Thanks for sharing your story” comment. Too much has happened to this person to ignore the fact that they need help if they haven’t sought it out. I open the Google document in which we’ve been compiling links to different organizations, and I copy three of them to add to my response.
I love knowing that several of the volunteers we’ve gathered through school and various outreach programs we’ve done, like the street fair, are doing exactly the same thing I’m doing right now. Our outreach has really grown. And I’velearned how to write a thing called a Standard Operating Procedure document. A skill that Ines swears will benefit me when I enter the workforce.
Glancing at the clock, I see it’s time for me to log off for the evening. Over the last few months, I’ve also learned to manage my time well, too. I sit back in my chair and look up at the photo collage Ava and Bek helped me create. There are pictures from when we met at five years old, all the way through to Homecoming just a few short weeks ago.
I tear up just looking at the four of us—because Dylan is always around now, and I’m good with that—arm in arm and laughing. A chuckle bubbles out of me when I remember my shock at seeing Dylan dressed up in fancy clothes. He’s cute. Everyone knows it. But dressed up, he’s hot. Ava was beaming extra bright that night. And she and Bek looked so gorgeous in their sparkly cocktail dresses.
My chuckle morphs into a contented sigh. It was the first school dance I have been to solo. Sans date. When I walked up to the school, I felt vulnerable even though I was surrounded by my friends. The spotlight has remained on my dating status because of the #NoMoreShame project. I think of the boys who made grand gestures to ask me to a school dance in the past and that there wasn’t a single one this time. It hurts a little, but I also understand. By standing up for myself, and then by having it go viral, I put myself in the spotlight. I made dating me scary. I do miss it though. At times I wonder if I’ll ever date again.
But look at my life now. By changing my focus, I’ve taken up reading, volunteered at the library, and started a non-profit. My life is so much more diverse and fuller now. Dating will happen again one day, and I’ll be a better date because of these changes. I’ll have more to talk about, at least.
My text tone dings. It’s from Ava in our group text.
Ava: Hey, Sam, can you get to school a little early tomorrow? Say 15 minutes?
Me: Sure, no problem. Why?
Ava: We have a surprise for you.
Me: What?
Bek: It wouldn’t be a surprise if we told you!
I realize I’ve never really had a surprise before. Even when my parents gave me Sunny, I knew I would get a car for my sixteenth birthday, since all my siblings did. I just didn’t know what kind.
Me: Do I like surprises?
Ava: You’ll find out in the morning, I guess.
Me: And the surprise is at school?
Bek: Yes.
