Gwendy's Button Box

13

She tries to smooth things over the next day at school, but Olive refuses to talk to her. The following day, Friday, is more of the same. Just before the final bell rings, Gwendy slips a handwritten apology note inside Olive’s locker and hopes for the best.

On Saturday night, Gwendy and her date, a junior named Walter Dean, stop by the arcade on their way to an early movie. During the car ride over, Walter pulls out a bottle of wine he lifted from his mother’s stash, and although Gwendy usually passes on such offers, tonight she helps herself. She’s sad and confused and hopes the buzz will help.

It doesn’t. It only gives her a mild headache.

Gwendy nods hello to several classmates as they enter the arcade and is surprised to see Olive standing in line at the snack bar. Hopeful, she flips her a tentative wave, but once again Olive ignores her. A moment later, Olive walks right past her, large soda cradled in her arms, nose in the air, giggling with a pack of girls Gwendy recognizes from a neighboring high school.

“What’s her problem?” Walter asks, before sliding a quarter into a Space Invaders machine.

“Long story.” Gwendy stares after her friend and her anger returns. She feels her face flush with annoyance. She knows what it was like for me. Hey, Goodyear, where’s the football game? Hey, Goodyear, how’s the view up there? She should be happy for me. She should be—

Twenty feet away from her, Olive screams as someone bumps her arm, sending a cascade of ice-cold soda all over her face and down the front of her brand new sweater. Kids point and start to laugh. Olive looks around in embarrassment, her eyes finally settling on Gwendy, and then she storms away and disappears into the public restroom.

Gwendy, remembering her dream about Frankie Stone, suddenly wants to go home and shut the door of her room and crawl under the covers.