Nobody
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Students disperse the assembly room and it becomes quiet again.
Bill and Ben look through the pictures on the camera as Stan seems to look around for someone.
"you guys take this school spirit thing really seriously," i chuckle, "well, you seem to take everything seriously but—"
"—shush. one more joke and i might wish i did become a rabbi," he looks around, "let me introduce you to my other friends. if that's okay with you?"
i try to keep a low profile. father says it's best with the way things have been. but maybe that's what i've been doing wrong, maybe ducking my head down and rejecting all people is what's got me here, in yet another state.
"as long as they don't have a massive stick up their butt like you."
"i should've become a rabbi."
before i can laugh a bubbly red head pops up out of nowhere and wraps her arms around Ben tightly, "hey babe! how's the report comin?"
"great, i think we have a front page for the newspaper," he kisses her freckled cheek, "the routine looked great by the way!"
She sweeps at her cheer uniform and cockily grins, "i'm not the cheer choreographer for nothin."
Ben looks to me, "Bev, this is Richie, new student."
she waves at me and glances at the cig behind my ear, "there's a smoke spot behind the bleachers, we should totally hang sometime i can show you around better than Mr. cactus over here" she gestures to Stan who rolls his eyes
i grin and nod, "i know, i'm sure a brick could do better than old man Staniel here."
" 'Stan'." Stan corrects waving us off as we laugh
"anyways, Mikey's? happy hour starts soon," she looks back at me, "you should come, it's the only cool hangout in the city not crowded with assholes."
"where's our head cheerleader?" Bill asks, looking around
Bev points, "giving his usual pep talk to the team, i don't know how he does it most of those girls are dumb as rocks."
Ben and Bill jog over to the huddle of girls, "interview time! tell us, how does it feel getting a crowd this riled up? being top student at this university do you think it has an effect?—" their voices trail off as i turn back to Bev and Stan.
"so what are you studying Molly Ringwald?" i ask
"fashion," she says with a cheeky grin, "i'm gonna be styling models on the cover of Vogue Magazine" she poses with her hand on her forehead
"cool, so we'll be in the same hall. Stan here is gonna become a Rabbi."
Bev cocks her head at Stan and he lightly punches my shoulder, he smiles at me and i think i've found people i like. Beverly was like a female version of me and i like my banters with Stan.
"Be—v! Sta—n" a light voice drags their names out and the sound of footsteps approaches us, "so Mikey's? i could use a couple drinks after that stunt im gonna be sore for days—" the voice breaks off and his eyes meet mine, his mouth in a small 'o' shape as he seems to lose his words.
my parents have always said i have a problem with never being able to stop talking, today i've proved them wrong. as i look down at this sweet boy i can't seem to think of a single thing to say. up close he was even more beautiful, i could see a million words in his eyes yet i couldn't speak. a galaxy of freckles lightly sprinkling his button nose and cheeks. his hands were so small and clasping onto the straps of his backpack that rested against the soft curve of his back. his tight shorts peeking out from under his cheerleading skirt and his long sleeve shirt tightly framing his chest and arms. his hair had a bit of curl to it and i wanted nothing more than to run my hands through it and pull it back to look closely at his soft pink lip—
