:: When It Happens excerpt ::

tobey

september 5, 9:43 a.m.

I never thought talking to a girl would ever be this hard. So the plan is to accidentally-on-purpose run into Sara in the hall.

The instant the bell rings, I sprint out of class.

I station myself. I wait. Some serious serendipity is about to go down.

Kids filter between classes. Someone bumps into me. I wait some more.

And then I see her.

I start to walk up the stairs.

She starts to walk down.

She looks at me.

I smile at her.

My lip sticks to my front tooth.

I say, "Hey."

And that's when I trip. My books go flying all over.

I never thought it was possible to fall up stairs. But here I am. Living proof of the impossible.

Here was my one chance and I blew it. Could I be a bigger loser?

sara

september 8, 5:17 p.m.

The phone rings while I'm resisting the impulse to blowtorch my calculus book.

"Hello?" I say.

"You are so not going to believe this," Laila says.

"What?"

"Tobey likes you."

"What?"

"Tobey? You know, the guy who's been staring at you every day in class? The same guy you've been staring back at? Does any of this sound familiar?"

"How do you know?"

"He told me."

"Oh my god."

"I'm just saying."

"Doesn't he know I'm going out with Dave?"

"Yeah, but he doesn't really care. He said you're his something real."