When It Happens by Susane Colasanti

Author:Susane Colasanti [Colasanti, Susane]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Penguin Group
Published: 2011-07-04T21:28:35+00:00

CHAPTER 25

you just know

november 3, 10:13 a.m.

I’m all jittery in drafting. I had this intense dream last night about Tobey. The kind of dream where it feels so real it’s like you’re still in it for the rest of the day. I’m high on butterflies and sleep deprivation.

My hand, apparently with a mind of its own, smacks against my water bottle. Water spills all over the workbench. My calc notes are immediately saturated.

I run over to the paper towels and pull out half the roll. I frantically blot my notebook. Then I raise my hand. I’m dying to talk about this with someone who can give me advice. Mr. Slater’s, like, the only adult I can talk to.

Mr. Slater comes over. “What’s happening?” he says, all chill as usual.

“See,” I whisper, “I’m having this problem.”

I glance across the table at Scott. Why does he even have to be in this class with me? It’s like I’m being stalked by relationship karma.

Scott stops sketching. He slowly looks up.

We look back at him.

Scott picks up his sketchbook and charcoal and moves the whole operation to another table.

I quietly go on. “You know how I’m with Dave?”

Mr. Slater nods.

“Well . . . there’s this other guy I feel really connected to.”

“How do you feel about Dave?”

“I don’t know. Not the same as before. He’s not who I thought he was.”

“What do you mean?”

“All summer I wanted to go out with him. And I thought about him all the time. I had this idea of him that . . . But he’s like . . . It turns out that he goes along with whatever his friends want, and we don’t have that much in common, and . . . we’re on different wavelengths when it comes to sense of humor. He’s just . . .”

“How do you feel about this other guy?”

I get this huge smile on my face. “He’s . . .” I’m trying to take all of these feelings I have about Tobey and translate them into words. It’s like trying to describe how different colors feel.

I look right at Mr. Slater and say, “He’s something real.”

“That’s deep.” Mr. Slater nods thoughtfully. “Then what’s the purpose of staying with Dave?”

“I don’t want to hurt him. And everyone knows you have to work at relationships.”

“Good relationships aren’t so much work that you’re unhappy more often than you’re happy, though.”

I pick at my charcoal stick.

“Sara, when do you think your relationship with Dave will end?”

“What?”

“Are you guys going to the same college next year?”

“No,” I say. That’s another thing. Dave isn’t that smart. And even though I was fighting it because Dave is so gorgeous, the truth is I need to have a boyfriend who’s at least as smart as me.

“So your relationship would have to end then, wouldn’t it?”

I don’t say anything.

Mr. Slater goes, “Even if you had a long-distance relationship, which, by the way, in my experience, never works out, one day your relationship will probably end.”

“Why?”

“Do you want to be

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