In a Flash by Eric Walters

she also wrote that one of her friends was like Roberts’ little puppy dog and that he was afraid of cutting school that day.”
    â€œShe wrote that?” I demanded.
    â€œThat’s sort of the
Reader’s Digest
version. I doubt people even know it’s you she’s talking about.”
    â€œMaybe it’s not me.”
    â€œJulia only has two close friends, and I’m going to join the boycott.”
    â€œDo you really care about the school dance?” I asked.
    He laughed. “I’m willing to walk out of school for almost
any
reason.” He paused. “I’m just not sure why you don’t want to walk out.”
    â€œI didn’t say I wasn’t going to.”
    â€œSo you
are
going to join the boycott?” he asked.
    â€œI didn’t say that either.”
    â€œThe problem is that if you join it now, it’ll look like Julia has you whipped.”
    I knew what he was saying. I’d been thinking the same thing.
    â€œI just don’t know why this is such a big deal for her. He’s taken away other things more important than a dance,” I said.
    Oswald shook his head. “She’s upset because she was going to the dance with somebody.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œShe had a date.”
    â€œWith you?” I gasped.
    â€œDo you think I’m crazy...crazier... crazy
again
?”
    â€œSorry, I just thought that maybe—”
    â€œThat maybe I’d lost my mind again?” he asked.
    I shrugged.
    â€œDating Julia
once
was more than enough. She’s going with Trevor.”
    â€œTrevor who?”
    â€œTrevor Maclean. He asked her to the dance.”
    I knew him. He was older, in grade twelve, and on the football team.
    â€œSo, if there’s no dance, there’s no Trevor,” Oswald said. “That’s why she’s upset. Losing the dance would mean losing the chance to go out with him.”
    â€œI didn’t even know she liked him,” I said.
    â€œShe wouldn’t tell you,” he said. “She tells
me
things like that. And do you know why she tells me these things and not you?”
    â€œBecause you’re the
bestest
girl
friend she ever had,” I answered sarcastically.
    â€œShe tells
me
because I’m her old boyfriend and she likes to rub it in. Shedoesn’t tell
you
because she still hopes that someday you
will
be her boyfriend.”
    I tried to hide the surprise. “Yeah right, like that’s going to happen.”
    â€œYou have to admit that you’ve thought about it,” he said.
    For a fleeting second I considered telling him about our half-date, but thought better.
    â€œI’ve thought about never talking to her again, but that isn’t going to happen either,” I said.
    â€œI can tell you from experience, if you do date her, you
really
will think about that.”
    There was a loud buzzing sound as the PA came to life.
    â€œAttention, please.” It was Mr. Roberts. I’d never heard him on the PA before. I didn’t have a good feeling about it.
    The noise in the cafeteria faded, but not everybody was paying attention.
    â€œEverybody stop!” he yelled. “All talking, all walking, all teaching, everything stop!”
    The cafeteria became eerily quiet.
    â€œIt has come to my attention that there is a planned boycott of school.”
    It had taken less than a day for him to become aware of it. I wasn’t surprised.
    â€œI want to advise students against taking part in this protest. There are consequences for any action in life, and I want you all to be aware that the consequence for this will be a three-day suspension.”
    â€œHe can’t give the whole school a three-day suspension,” Oswald said as the cafeteria buzzed with conversation.
    â€œAnd,” Mr. Roberts continued, “you have my word that
all
students taking part will receive that punishment. If there are one hundred students, then one