Page 144 of Just for the Cameras
Bennett glances at me and shakes his head. “Remember, don’t poke the bear.”
“Right.” OC straightens. “Okay, so hidden talents? Anything you want to share with us, something like…I don’t know, do you write poems?”
“Poems?” I lift a brow.
“Yeah, you don’t seem like the intellectual type,” he says, making me growl. “I meant the Shakespeare type.”
“What about singing? Can you sing?” Bennett asks.
“Do you think I’m about to sing to a girl so she will talk to me? You had a higher chance with a poem.”
“Yeah, Bennett, what a stupid suggestion.” OC shakes his head. “Whobrought that guy?” He clears his throat and continues, “We clearly can’t have you ask her out because she won’t even talk to you.”
“What about doing something with the flamingos?” Bennett asks. “That would probably make her really happy.”
“Ooh, like donate money to her cause,” OC says, but I shake my head.
“No, that won’t impress her. I think that would only piss her off more because it would be like paying to win back her affection.”
“Right. See, another dumb suggestion, Bennett. Come on, think,” OC says while tapping his chin.
“That was your idea, numb nuts,” Bennett shoots back.
“You sure?”
“Yeah.”
“Huh.” OC chuckles and scratches his cheek. He’s such a fucking idiot. “Okay, how do we like the flamingo thing, at least?”
“Has potential,” I say. “But there isn’t much that we could really do. You’ve seen the exhibit. It’s kind of shit with that wall and the chicken wire…” An idea perks up in my head.
“Fuck, look at his mind at work. You can actually see the gears turn,” OC says, leaning in close.
“If he punches you, I’m just going to stand over you and nod. Because with comments like that, you had it coming,” Bennett says.
“I could handle a punch from him,” OC says. He sizes me up. “Eh, it would hurt like a bitch, but I wouldn’t be flattened.”
“Want to see?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “Have a photo shoot with the giraffes tomorrow. I’m good.”
“What’s your idea?” Bennett asks.
I tug on my hair, thinking it over. “Well, there is this wall the zoo put up during the bird flu to help keep the birds safe. It’s really haphazard, and they put windows in it, but covered them with chicken wire, so it’s hard to see the flamingos sometimes. I’m not sure they would let me replaceit because that would take time and permits, but I know how to paint. So what if I painted the wall to be something that would draw attention, something people would want to take pictures in front of? Then I can paint the chicken wire black because it takes the glare off the wire and you can see through it easier.”
OC glances at Bennett and back at me. Then, like a fool, he starts to slow clap. “Look who just became president of the Gladdy Daddies because, dude, that’s genius.”
I chuck a pillow at him, skidding it right across his face.
“Hey, I gave you a compliment.” He touches his jaw.
“You also called me ‘dude’ and made a spectacle.”
“Facts,” Bennett says as he reaches into his bag and pulls the seaweed out.
“You want a pillow to the fucking head too?” I ask.
Bennett slowly lowers the seaweed back into his bag.
