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Authors: Christopher Grant
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Social—”
“There you are.” Only God knows why I know her SS number.
“Oh.” She smiles for a split second, then frowns. “Well, how come my name’s not on top?”
“They probably have it ordered alphabetically but only show your SS number so—”
Before I can finish speaking, Sohmi and Sabrina let out ear-piercing shrieks. I guess that means they made round two. Cherise goes over and gives them high fives.
“I don’t get it.”
“Me either.”
Malika and Tamara are shaking their heads and talking about Cherise, Sabrina, and Sohmi.
“I don’t understand what the big deal is. It’s not even like they’re real athletes.”
“I know, right? What do you think, Teenie?”
“Uh-huh.” I hardly hear a word of what they’re saying because my attention is focused on the other side of the room. I think I heard Tamara say she wanted to join the football team. She has got to be crazy.
I wasn’t sure before but now I know that’s the list I’ve been waiting for for three months. I recognize two girls who were sitting near me during a YSSAP info session. One of them is trying to contain her own happiness while she does her best to keep her friend from crying.
“Do you know those girls?”
I didn’t realize Cherise was standing next to me. I shake my head at her question and say, “No, I don’t know them.” Sabrina and the rest of the crew start walking back to the table.
“Okay. So … why’re you staring over there so hard?”
“I think that’s the list for that program.”
“Oh! The one to Spain?”
“Yup.” Wow, she actually remembered.
“Mmm. Girl, you’re so lucky to be going. There are going to be a ton of cute Spanish boys, and you know how I love me some Spanish boys.”
“Not that kind of Spanish, Cherise.” I won’t even lie. When I was younger, I thought everyone that spoke Spanish was caramel-colored and from Puerto Rico. They all just gotlumped together as Spanish people. “And I don’t even know if I got in yet.”
“So why are we standing over here?”
My fingers have been crossed so hard that the tips are starting to turn purple. Cherise nudges me a little, encouraging me to go look at the list. I’ve waited a long time for this moment and now that it’s here, I’m not so sure I want to know the results.
“Come on, Teenie. Hurry up. I gotta pee.”
Cherise always comes up with the most eloquent ways to motivate me. With that, we finally walk over to the list.
Cherise asks, “Do you see your name—I mean—number?”
I’ve scanned the list four or five times. It’s not there. I can’t believe it. “No.” I worked so hard and I didn’t get it.
“Youuuuu didn’t make it?”
I shake my head. What did I do wrong? My grades were good enough. I’ve never worked so hard in my life.
“We’re going to that office, because that has to be some kind of mistake.”
“No, Cherise, it’s okay. My name is not there. I didn’t make it.”
“No, it’s
not
okay, Teenie. We’ve been looking forward to this for months.” We? All this time I thought she didn’t want me to go. “There’s no way you’re not going.”
“But what else can I do? I didn’t get it.” My eyes are starting to tear up.
“Well, first thing you’re gonna do is stop that damn crying. We need to go talk to somebody about it.”
“How’re we going to do that?” I wipe my face. “We can’t just walk out of the lunchroom.”
“Leave that to me. Let’s go get our bags.”
We grab our bags and walk to one of the exits. There are two attendants guarding the door. “Cherise, let’s just forget it. We can go later.”
“Later when? The basketball game is today.”
“But how are we going to get out?” I’ve just watched the door monitors turn back like four students as Cherise and I get closer to the door.
“I
said
leave that to me.”
By the time we reach the exit, Cherise is hunched over and leaning on me for support. She lifts her head to the door
“There you are.” Only God knows why I know her SS number.
“Oh.” She smiles for a split second, then frowns. “Well, how come my name’s not on top?”
“They probably have it ordered alphabetically but only show your SS number so—”
Before I can finish speaking, Sohmi and Sabrina let out ear-piercing shrieks. I guess that means they made round two. Cherise goes over and gives them high fives.
“I don’t get it.”
“Me either.”
Malika and Tamara are shaking their heads and talking about Cherise, Sabrina, and Sohmi.
“I don’t understand what the big deal is. It’s not even like they’re real athletes.”
“I know, right? What do you think, Teenie?”
“Uh-huh.” I hardly hear a word of what they’re saying because my attention is focused on the other side of the room. I think I heard Tamara say she wanted to join the football team. She has got to be crazy.
I wasn’t sure before but now I know that’s the list I’ve been waiting for for three months. I recognize two girls who were sitting near me during a YSSAP info session. One of them is trying to contain her own happiness while she does her best to keep her friend from crying.
“Do you know those girls?”
I didn’t realize Cherise was standing next to me. I shake my head at her question and say, “No, I don’t know them.” Sabrina and the rest of the crew start walking back to the table.
“Okay. So … why’re you staring over there so hard?”
“I think that’s the list for that program.”
“Oh! The one to Spain?”
“Yup.” Wow, she actually remembered.
“Mmm. Girl, you’re so lucky to be going. There are going to be a ton of cute Spanish boys, and you know how I love me some Spanish boys.”
“Not that kind of Spanish, Cherise.” I won’t even lie. When I was younger, I thought everyone that spoke Spanish was caramel-colored and from Puerto Rico. They all just gotlumped together as Spanish people. “And I don’t even know if I got in yet.”
“So why are we standing over here?”
My fingers have been crossed so hard that the tips are starting to turn purple. Cherise nudges me a little, encouraging me to go look at the list. I’ve waited a long time for this moment and now that it’s here, I’m not so sure I want to know the results.
“Come on, Teenie. Hurry up. I gotta pee.”
Cherise always comes up with the most eloquent ways to motivate me. With that, we finally walk over to the list.
Cherise asks, “Do you see your name—I mean—number?”
I’ve scanned the list four or five times. It’s not there. I can’t believe it. “No.” I worked so hard and I didn’t get it.
“Youuuuu didn’t make it?”
I shake my head. What did I do wrong? My grades were good enough. I’ve never worked so hard in my life.
“We’re going to that office, because that has to be some kind of mistake.”
“No, Cherise, it’s okay. My name is not there. I didn’t make it.”
“No, it’s
not
okay, Teenie. We’ve been looking forward to this for months.” We? All this time I thought she didn’t want me to go. “There’s no way you’re not going.”
“But what else can I do? I didn’t get it.” My eyes are starting to tear up.
“Well, first thing you’re gonna do is stop that damn crying. We need to go talk to somebody about it.”
“How’re we going to do that?” I wipe my face. “We can’t just walk out of the lunchroom.”
“Leave that to me. Let’s go get our bags.”
We grab our bags and walk to one of the exits. There are two attendants guarding the door. “Cherise, let’s just forget it. We can go later.”
“Later when? The basketball game is today.”
“But how are we going to get out?” I’ve just watched the door monitors turn back like four students as Cherise and I get closer to the door.
“I
said
leave that to me.”
By the time we reach the exit, Cherise is hunched over and leaning on me for support. She lifts her head to the door
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