Hiding From Us

33. robin

robin_ur_dignity: hey, spidey. what’s up?

     peter_parker: it’s me and leigh’s 1 month anniversary. congratulate me.

     robin_ur_dignity: congratulations. have you kissed yet?

     peter_parker: please, robin hood. kissing was like how we met. we kiss like seven times a day now.

     robin_ur_dignity: wonderful. let’s change the topic.

     peter_parker: i’m changing places because i’m at school now. see u in 5 mins though?

     robin_ur_dignity: yeah. i’ll be there.

     peter_parker: coolio. see you later alligator.

     peter_parker: you’re supposed to say ‘in a while, crocodile’.

     robin_ur_dignity: dunno if i can, spiderman.

     peter_parker: ooohh burrrn. ha. good one. see you in 5, i guess.

     Technically, I saw him in three minutes and twenty-three seconds, but he was waiting for me at the front of the school, and I was especially surprised that he would be there because A) it was cold and B) it was snowing and C) Parker was a Florida guy, and then I also thought about D) the one-month anniversary between him and Leigh, which lead to the question of E) him being there for me instead of his girlfriend. Either way, I was glad to see him. He looked flustered and, somehow, attractive in a green, overlarge O’Neill jacket. There were snowflakes melting in his hair and his cheeks were pink.

     I walked up to him. ‘‘Thought you’d be with Leigh.’’

     ‘‘She’s studying for a test,’’ he replied. ‘‘She’s no fun when she’s serious. Nobody is, really.’’

     ‘‘It’s called being responsible and mature.’’

     ‘‘Meh. Whatever. It’s boring.’’

     I punched his shoulder lightly. ‘’So you find it boring to be plain old Peter Parker because being Spiderman is so much more fun?’’

     Parker grinned at me. ‘’Oh, who said I was being Peter Parker right now?’’

     He walked me to my locker, where I hung up my backpack and coat and got out the super good novel I was currently reading. We found a couch in the library, and I turned to my page and started reading. 

     ‘’Oh, goats,’’ Parker said exhaustively, and I frowned at him. He frowned back. ‘‘Yeah, I don’t cuss. Samuel G. Brown had a very dirty mouth when I was younger, apparently, so Mom made this whole list of replacement cuss words I could use, and that involved not taking the Lord’s name in vain, so I’m taking the goat’s name in vain instead.’’ He made a little ta-da movement with his hands. ‘‘Also, are you going to just sit there and read? ‘Cause I’m leaving if you are.’’

     ‘‘Let me just finish this page, then. It’s this super good book.’’

     ‘’Oh, really? I like super good things. Give me a summary.’’

     I turned to him and showed him the cover of the book. ‘‘It’s called Jealous, and it’s about a girl and a guy who are best friends in high school. And then the guy, Marco, gets a girlfriend and his best friend, Amy, goes through all her issues of jealousy because she ends up liking Marco, too, and then Marco ends up liking Amy. Happily ever after.’’

     Parker said, ‘‘Marco?’’

     ‘‘Polo,’’ I replied.

     ‘’Oh my goats. Not really.’’ He laughed. ‘‘That sounds incredibly cheesy, Hood. I pity you. That’s almost worse that Leigh’s history test she has to study for.’’

     ‘‘Shut up. It can be really good for real-life scenarios.’’

     ‘’Ha. Scenarios. That’s the word of the day, Robin Hood. I love planning scenarios.’’ He cackled in mock evil. ‘‘Scenarios scenarios scenarios scenarios . . .’’

     I said, ‘’Oh my God, you’re annoying.’’

     ‘‘Goats.’’

     ‘‘What?’’

     ‘‘Thou shall not taketh the Lord’s name in vain, remember?’’

     ‘‘Right. Apologies. Oh my goats, you’re so freaking annoying.’’

     The bell rang and we went to French class, where I sat with Kim and Grace. Everyone was buzzing about something exiting, so I asked Kim what it was.

     She looked at me like it was obvious. ‘‘The dance, bro. Hellooooo. We can finally forget about middle school courtesies and be party animals, Robby.’’

     ‘’Oh, right. Sorry. Um, when is it?’’

     ‘‘Next Friday. It’s a ‘Season Dance’. Isn't that the lamest thing ever?’’

     Grace frowned at Kim. ‘‘It’s in the middle of fall and winter. That’s why it’s called ‘seasonal’.’’ 

     ‘‘Right. Thanks, Gracie. Anyway, apparently it’s optional to come with a date, I guess. Do you have a date, Robby?’’

     ‘’Of course not,’’ I answered. My preference date is already taken. ‘‘What about you guys?’’

     Kim scoffed. ‘‘Well, Gracie’s probably going to with her boyyyfrieeeeeend, right? Isn’t it ironic that Grace has a boyfriend and we don’t? No offense, Gracie.’’

     ‘‘None taken,’’ she said. ‘‘And also, it is ironic.’’

     ‘’Oh, hush.’’ Kim laughed. ‘‘You know, I never thought I’d tell you guys this, but I think I have this giant crush on Henry and I know I kind of asked him out to go skiing but skiing’s not a very romantic date, is it? And I don’t know if he likes me but I kinda hope he does ‘cause then we can actually get some romantic stuff to happen on that skiing date, but if we go to the dance next Friday, then that will totally be a boost, I guess—’’

     She kept talking about how she thought Henry was super cute and how he was shy but not too shy and he wasn’t even that nerdy and, quietly, Henry walked up behind her and frowned and grinned as he listened to her conversation. Grace and I caught his eye, but none of us had the heart or the companionship to tell Kim that she was basically confessing her feelings to Henry right there (which made us terrible friends, but it was really funny). 

     Finally she stopped to take a breath and Grace said, ‘‘Kim, you might want to turn around.’’

     And she did. And she stood face-to-face with Henry. (Well, not actually face-to-face. Henry was about eight inches taller than her, because Kim was short, but they were close enough that it was cute and awkward at the same time.) 

     Henry said, ‘’Uh, hi.’’

     Kim said, ‘‘Shit. I mean hi.’’

     They gazed at each other for a few long seconds. Then Kim laughed nervously and said in a quiet voice, ‘’Oh my God, this is so awkward.’’

     I said, ‘‘Goats.’’

     ‘‘What?’’

     ‘’Um. Never mind.’’

     Henry was still staring at Kim. His eyes said Dang, the best thing in the world just happened to me. 

     Kim said, ‘‘How much did you hear?’’

     ‘’Um. Not much. Some. Most.’’

     Kim swore with her mouth, but not her voice. Henry smiled timidly. 

     ‘’Do you want to go to the dance with me?’’ he asked.

     Kim said, ‘‘Yes,’’ quickly. Then, ‘’Um. Yes. Yeah. Yes, I do. Sorry. I’m, like, shitting myself. No, not actually, though. Oh. My. God. I’m sorry. I’m such a mess right now—’’

     Henry reached down and held her hand for a brief second. 

     Kim shut up.