chapter 12 07

“One hundred twenty-two dollars and fifty cents?” I thought the Booster queen was gonna polka. “You're pooling your resources to have lunch with this fine young man?”
“Yeah!” they call, then look over Jenny's way. Everybody looks over Jenny's way.
Jenny just shrugs and goes back to cleaning a nail.
“Well, then! One hundred twenty-two dollars and fifty cents going once... One hundred twenty-two dollars and fifty cents going twice ... Sold to those two beautiful young ladies for an all-time record of one hundred twenty-two dollars and fifty cents!”
“Dude!” Mike whispered when I got back in line. “Shelly and Miranda? How am I supposed to follow that?”
He didn't even come close. He got Terry Norris for sixteen bucks, and the most anyone else got was forty. And when it was over, all the guys told me, “Dude! You are, like, the man.... Score!” but I didn't feel like the man. I felt wiped out.
My mom came up and gave me a hug and a kiss like I'd won a gold medal or something, then whispered, “My little baby,” and clickity-clicked off in her high heels, back to work.
So I was wiped out, embarrassed, and then practically dragged to the multi-purpose room by Shelly and Miranda.
The Boosters had outfitted the MPR with little tables for two, all decorated in shades of pink and blue and yellow, with balloons and streamers everywhere. I felt like the Easter bunny with my stupid basket boy lunch clutched in both hands while Miranda held on to one arm and Shelly latched on to the other.
They gave us the biggest table and whisked in an extra chair, and when everyone was seated, Mrs. McClure said, “Boys and girls? I don't think I need to remind you that you are excused from class for the rest of the day. Enjoy your lunches, enjoy your friendships.... Take your time, relax, and thanks again for supporting your Boosters. We wouldn't be us without you!”
So there I was, with the two hottest girls on campus, having lunch. I was “the man,” the envy of every other guy in school.
Buddy, I was miserable.