Jake hasn’t bought a hot dog in a week.
He really doesn’t like me.
We used to never talk at school.
Now we’re total strangers.
We passed each other in the hallway one day,
no words exchanged.
I went back into class.
Some people were talking by the board.
<
“Lily should be the banner girl. She’s the
prettiest.”
“Don’t say that. They pick by grades from first
period.”
“That’s because the first place person is also
good looking.”
“Our class’s first…”
They all glanced in my direction. My sister, for
once, stayed silent.
I ignored them and wrote out the answer to the
math problem in front of me.
The principal said that each class needed to
pick one boy and one girl for the banner
carriers.
Jake did it every year.
<
“You and Jake look great together. Our class
will look the best.”
“Hunks should pair with hotties.”
“We don’t want uglies ruining it.”
That’s when Jake walked into class.
“Dude, you’re doing the banner thing with Lily.”
I paused.
“Whatever,” Jake said in a laid–back tone.
I glanced over. He grabbed his jacket and left.
The class started to yell again.
I bowed my head. Lily was laughing, pretending
to be mad at the guys. She was turning red.
It was field day.
794
The class was a mess. I was checking off the stuff we got for field day.
Liz came over, looking at the candy on my desk. “You never eat candy.”
I took out the chocolates in my pocket. “These
are for someone else.”
“Who?”
“Someone who needs it.”
The boy behind me slowed down with his pen.
He’d heard it.
Jake just stared at the girl. Then looked away.
During the banner parade, I stood at the back.
Lily was in a dress with her back all open, and
high heels. She followed Jake.
They looked great.
I put on a red vest and stood under an umbrella
by the track.
For the 2000m run, Jake and Josh were in it.
Jake won.
People were all over him.
“You’re amazing, man. You totally destroyed
them!”
I glanced at him. He was in the crowd, sweating
but not out of breath.
He took a bottle of water.
VITEN JOSIT CLOSSEU THE TIME, I Stepped past the
ՏՏԵԱԼԵ ՈԵ,
crowd and went to him.
He was panting, putting his hands on his knees,
“You okay?”
I went to help him.
He collapsed on me. “So dizzy…”
Josh was thin, forced to run.
“Dizzy? Low blood sugar?”
I took out a chocolate from my pocket and
shoved it in his mouth.
“Let’s go to the nurse.”
He leaned up but stayed on my shoulder.
“Thanks.”
I felt someone staring and saw Jake.
<
He narrowed his eyes.
I took Josh to the nurse and went back to class.
Jake was in the hallway, arms crossed.
“You gave my candy to someone else?”
“I thought you gave it to me.”
“So?”
Jake blocked my path like a jerk.
“Are you mad?”
“Mad? Why would I be mad? Give your candy to
whoever you want.”
He turned and left.
