“Ah ah ah. Now remember it’s for the good of the school,” Principal Hame chided.
“Fine! There was some rough-housing on the catwalk, someone fell into BRODY CARMICHAEL,” Mina spoke his name loudly. “And he fell over the safety railing.”
“And you saved him?” The reporter asked. Did she detect a note of sarcasm in his voice?
“Yeah, I guess I did. I wasn’t thinking, I just reacted. I grabbed for him and got his backpack. I started to go over the railing too, except that Nan…” Mina pointed to her friend who was screaming in the bleachers, “grabbed me and saved both of us. Nan Taylor is the real hero of the story, not me. She even sacrificed her iPhone in the attempt to save us.” As soon as Mina directed to attention to Nan, the reporter and her flock of photographers moved on and up the bleachers toward a surprised Nan.
“That was a brave thing you did,” Mrs. Colbert leaned in and whispered over her shoulder.
Mina shrugged. “I didn’t do anything special. Only did what anyone else in my situation would have done.”
“I’m sure that’s not the case, but you can keep telling yourself that if it helps you sleep better.” Mrs. Colbert smiled knowingly. Her short spiky hair and blue-colored, wing-tipped glasses gave her an approachable edge, though her quips and riddles often left Mina more confused than enlightened.
“Why are they not interviewing Brody? I thought for sure they would be all over him.” Mina glanced over her shoulder to see a furious Brody glaring in her direction again. She swallowed nervously.
“They can’t. The Carmichael family has forbidden the newspapers from harassing their son.”
“But I thought no one could silence the media,” Mina looked back up toward where Brody was now sitting. Not a single photographer bothered him. Another flash of light in Mina’s direction, and she was seeing stars again.
“That’s what they want you to think, but the biggest pocketbook speaks loudest.” She grinned, causing her cheek to dimple. “They allow their own names, photos and stories to be printed, but the Carmichaels control all publicity regarding their son.” Mrs. Colbert walked away to settle down Steve and Frank who took their shirts off and were waving them above their heads, trying to get on the news.
Through the next hour Mina stayed in the gym, retelling the same story over and over. Just when didn’t think it could get any more humiliating, it did, because by lunchtime she was on YouTube.
“That was exciting!” Nan gushed as she pushed her tray along the lunch line. She was wearing another black shirt, this time dedicated to a certain sparkly vampire. She picked up an apple, turkey sandwich and a pink frosted cupcake from the line and swiped her lunch card through the electronic reader.
Mina was too stressed to eat. She grabbed chocolate milk from the cooler and paid, following Nan to their favorite table by the window. They were stopped three times by students wanting pictures and autographs.
“I bet your followers have doubled,” Mina commented as Nan waved cheerily at the group of freshmen who kept pointing and whispering.
“Tripled! But who’s counting?” she smiled. Obviously Nan was.
Mina shook her milk, and began to think about her string of bad luck getting to school.
“What’s with the scowl?” said Nan.
“You wouldn’t believe the morning I had.”
“I know, I was here, remember.”
“No, I’m talking about before I even got to school.” Mina began to relay the entire morning’s events, even up to Principal Hame's office, but Nan only heard one thing.
“WHAT!” she squealed, kicking Mina excitedly under the table. “Are you serious? You get to go to Brody Carmichael’s house?”
“Nan, you’re not listening. Something strange is going on. I think I’m going crazy.” She looked out the window and could see the sky beginning to turn green, a sure sign that a storm was coming.
“You bet you are. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about the Carmichael’s as soon as you saw me.”
“You’re missing the point.”
“No I heard it. You’re being terrorized by strange domestic animals. I’ll buy you some repellent.”
“Don't forget the donkey. I don't know if I would call that a domestic animal. What do you make of that?”
“You said yourself it could have been a large dog. But do you hear yourself? You are going to Brody’s house. You’ve had a crush on him for two years. When were you going to tell me?”
“I’m telling you now!”