Awkward.

3. Dead Beat Father

   "Was that what made you... you know?" Gareth asked, and suddenly, I wasn't in the mood to talk to my friends. Dustin helped by changing the subject a little to take some heat off of me... finally. 

   I saw Mike walking up on the outside Cafeteria stage. It looked like it was all set up for some school spirit shit... and that was the last thing that I wanted to see right now. I don't have spirit or school spirit to cheer. I did see Billy out of the corner of my eye, so I looked over at him. He was doing all but fucking me with his stare.

   "Hey, Hello! Can I get everyone's attention?" Mike said, tapping on the microphone. I was surprised at Mike's popularity, he was just as popular as Billy, and the rest of us were on the opposite spectrum.

   They were doing this to get people's spirits up so they could sign up for football tryouts. Mike told some of the other football teams to drag Billy up onto the stage before he asked for more volunteers.

   "Oh look, Zombie Boy is raising his hand!" Angela called out, and I quickly shook my head.

   Everyone looked at me and laughed. I was about to yell, 'It's just the cast!' but something came over me. Maybe it was my wanting to get away from my friends or my spontaneous backbone, but I got out of my seat and walked up onto the stage, but not before my friends all grabbed after me.

   "Will, I know you didn't raise your hand. You don't have to do this," Mike said, covering the Mike. This was the longest he had looked into my eyes without chickening out.

   "I walked up here, didn't I?" I said, and Mike raised an eyebrow, "Everyone looking might as well give them a show," I took my spot on stage. I looked to the side to see Billy playing to the crowd but giving me a look.

   "Thats so punk rock," Eddie cackled from the table. He then raised his hand, though I knew he was doing this to help me.

   Angela volunteered, came onto the stage, and stood by me. I assumed this was a team effort because he asked for four volunteers. That was confirmed when Mike redirected her to take a spot by Billy and told Eddie to stand by me.

   "Alright, let's get this game started. Will you spin the wheel?" Mike gestured for me to spin the wheel, and so I did, wishing it wouldn't land on something embarrassing like 'Truth or Dare,' 'Spill the Beans,' or 'Underwear Outerwear.' It landed on 'clothes swap'. 

   At least I got Eddie and not Angela as a team partner. I was about to back down before some of the football team brought up a tarp hot glued to a couple of PVC pipes in a makeshift rattan screen.

   "Okay, so you will be given one minute to strip off your clothes and swap with your partner. You can only help yourself, and as soon as you get dressed, you come out here. The first team out wins a fifty-dollar gift card to the Starcourt Food Court!" Mike said before confetti was popped out of the stage. "It's on!"

   I don't know what made Eddie and I want to win. Maybe it was my chance to beat Angela, and Eddie wanted to beat Billy. By the time I had my shirt off, I had forgotten about my binder. Eddie had raised an eyebrow and looked at me, confused, as if he was already in his boxers. Better him than Angela. We were safely secured, and a building behind us blocked anyone's view.