As Elliot strolled to the front, he seemed as cool as a cucumber. He rummaged through the hat before finally plucking out a prompt. “Is it better to be book smart or street smart? Why or why not?”
“After you take that hood off your head, you may begin.”
Elliot groaned, tugging at the fabric until it collapsed around his neck. His gaze wandered up to the ceiling and remained there for a second as if he were contemplating his first words. Then, with a sudden spark in his eyes, he snapped his head forward, turning his attention to the class. “Street smarts play a large role in any human being’s life, especially those who are old enough to drive. In order to get from place to place, it is important to have an understanding of our roads and the streets we live on. Google Maps and navigational systems can only get you so far. Street smarts also consist of understanding traffic patterns and following the law, so that we all drive safely.”
His words caught me off guard as I struggled to mask the shock on my face.
What the hell was he talking about? How could he not understand the question?Shit.This would tank his overall grade.
I gave a small shake of my head, trying to catch his attention, but he didn’t notice. The students around me began murmuring to one another.Shit times two.
“Is he stupid?”
“What is he even saying?”
“No idea.”
I rubbed my forehead tentatively as Elliot continued.
“The last thing anyone wants is to hurt another person and get into a collision because they lack street smarts. This type of awareness is what shapes our integration into society, and although Summerville may be a small town, accidents can happen anywhere, which is why it’s important to be careful and learn about our roads.” Elliot cleared his throat and paused briefly. “Now, after hearing me speak, I know what you all must be thinking—none of that made any sense. Well, that was exactly the point, because my position is that book smarts are superior to street smarts, and now you can clearly see why. If you lack the general knowledge necessary to dissect and interpret data, you cannot function in any given community.”
Sothat’swhat he was doing!
Thank. Fucking. God.
That was actually kinda brilliant. Elliot smirked, extending his arm in a mock mic drop. I let out a slow and measured exhale through my nostrils as the sound of soft laughter rippled through the room. I even heard an audible—Ohhhh.
“Well, wasn’t that a nice surprise,” Mrs. Hawthorne complimented. “You may take your seat, Mr. Keller. Next, Jacelyn.”
The impromptu verbal essays dragged on for another thirty minutes until the sweet chime of the bell finally cut through the air.
I pushed through the rest of the day, and thanks to Elliot, Kendra, Andrew, and Dani, it was far less unbearable than it could have been. Meaningless conversations, shitty jokes, and gut-wrenching laughter were the perfect formula to get through it all. I made my way through calculus, anatomy, and AP environmental science, clinging to the moments I’d gathered throughout the day, using them as fuel to keep going. By the time the final bell rang and everyone else headed home, I still had to stay behind.
“Kendra, Andrew—ready for practice?”
“Nope.”
“Hell yeah.”
We all stepped into the locker room, dropping our bags onto the floor.
With the official cheer season over, the lockers were already occupied, packed with the soccer team’s gear.
I yanked open my bag, rummaging through it until I pulled out a pair of black spandex shorts and a plain t-shirt.
The air was thick with humidity, and muffled conversations drifted around me.
I peeled off my clothes, swapping them for my athletic wear. Lowering myself onto one of the benches between the rows of lockers, I leaned down and tossed my clothes inside.
My fingers gripped the zipper just as Meredith called out. “Clarke, Coach Smithson wants to talk to you.”
I stared at her questioningly before jogging over to the coach’s office and knocking on the door. When I stepped inside, her face lit up, only for her expression to quickly shift into a slight frown.
She motioned for me to come closer, gesturing for me to take a seat.
I settled into the chair beside her, resting my hands in my lap.
“So, you don’t think Andrew is fitting in well?”
