Our eyes lock at once. The spotlight is all on me, but I panic and run out of the auditorium. So much for love at first sight. A DAY EARLIER “Robin, go do it! Ask her,” Bowie pushed me towards Jenni’s table, but I resisted. “No, Bowie. She’s probably not into people like me. Besides, my parents would freak! I’m still in a closet, you know.” I lied. Obviously I had come out. Everyone is school knew I was nonbinary. Bowie sighed. “Okay. But I heard from Mia who heard from Lenny who heard from Katie’s older brother Max who heard from Giana’s mom who heard from Penny that Jenni likes you.” I blinked. “Bowie…that’s called a rumor. Besides, we’re going to college next year! I have more important things besides crushes. Like grades…and ice hockey…oh, and also college applications…and the talent show…oh, Bowie! Frick, the talent show auditions are right now!” I ran out of the cafeteria and into the auditorium. “Am I late?” I asked Mr. Bell. He shook his head. Most people sang or had short skits. My English teacher Mr. Holden encouraged me to read one of my poems in front of the entire school. Later, I found out that I had gotten into the talent show. I was going to be the last one to perform. Gulp. The next day, all contestants in the talent show met up two hours before the show for pizza. I talked and laughed with Buzz West and Claire Howard. Then it’s time to perform. Dancing…singing…instruments…then i’s my turn. The spotlight is all on me. But in the audience, I lock eyes with Jenni. She smiles and gives me two thumbs up. Terrified, I drop the mic and run off the stage and out of the auditorium. I an hear the laughing and snickering. I hear some dance music in the background. Then someone comes and stands next to me. Jenni. “Um, hi.” “Were you going to read a poem?” She asks, looking at my paper in my hand. “Um, yeah. No use in going back in there now.” I say, not looking up. Are my cheeks pink? I’m pretty sure my cheeks are pink. Jenni scoots closer to me. “Well, I’d love to hear it.” I take a deep breath and unfold the paper. “Uh, it’s free verse. Ahem. ‘The mockingbird flies. It soars and soars and soars. It can live like this forever. Except the bird is alone. It has no one. It needs a friend…someone to love. So it searches. For a friend. For someone to love. And the mockingbird finds someone. A best friend. Someone to love. “‘And finally the mockingbird is happy. It has someone to love, and the someone loves it back. Almost like something perfect.’ Um, that’s it.” I open my eyes again, not realizing they were actually closed the whole entire time. “That was amazing.” And Jenni does the unexpected. She kisses me.
