Long Shot - Mike Lupica [10]
When everybody quieted down, Mr. Lucchino said, “Anybody else?”
Nobody moved.
The principal looked one way, then the other.
“Is Mr. Hancock really going to run unopposed?” he said.
Still nothing.
Pedro began to wonder if Joe had changed his mind.
“Anybody at all?” Mr. Lucchino said. “Because if not, I’d actually be forced to select somebody myself . . . ”
Joe stood up then, as if he’d been waiting for just the right moment, maybe wanting Ned to think that he was running unopposed.
Joe made his way down their aisle, slowly walking toward the stage as if he was the one who had all day now. He made his way even more slowly across the stage to the podium.
When he got there, he looked over the crowd, still no expression on his face, leaned in and said, “Pedro Morales.”
Sarah stood up, shot her hand straight up into the air the way she did in class when she had the right answer, and shouted out, “I second the nomination of Pedro Morales!”
No applause this time.
The only sound in the auditorium was the rustling of clothes as some of the kids in the front rows turned around to look at Pedro.
Bobby started to put his hands together until Pedro stopped him, not wanting some sort of pity clap from one of his friends.
Then Pedro went toward the stage, trying to make sure he wasn’t running, even though he wanted this over as soon as possible. He knew enough about himself to know this as he made his way up the steps: The guy who’d never wanted to draw attention to himself, who just wanted to be a team guy, was certainly the center of attention now.
He got to the podium and said, “I accept.”
No reaction to that either. But then he heard Mr. Lucchino behind him, saying, “Pedro, you’ve got to speak into the microphone.”
This time he leaned forward, but as he did, the mike poked him right in the nose.
That got a reaction.
Laughter from the audience.
Pedro went back in again, feeling how red his face must have looked, and said, “I accept,” then raced right into the next part, saying, “And I choose Sarah Layng to run with me.”
He wasn’t even sure how much they heard after Sarah’s name because he was pulling back from the mike, wanting to get off the stage as soon as possible.
Mr. Lucchino came back to the microphone for the last time now, to give them the official dates for the candidates’ speeches next week. He told the candidates that they were allowed to make posters for themselves, or have posters made. Then he said the assembly was dismissed.
When Pedro got back to his row, Sarah was standing, hands on hips, but she was smiling.
He turned and pointed to his arm and said, “Why don’t we just skip right to the part where you slug me again for keeping the vice president thing a secret.”
“Why don’t I hug you instead?” she said.
“Not a chance,” Pedro said.
Pedro told his crew that he’d catch up with them, that there was something he had to do.
“What?” Joe said.
“I gotta say something to Ned.”
“I’ll wait with you,” Joe said.
Pedro wasn’t sure exactly what he wanted to say to him, just feeling as if he needed to say something before they were together at basketball practice later.
Ned came walking down the center aisle, Jeff on one side of him, Dave on the other.
Joe stood with Pedro.
When Ned got close enough, Pedro smiled and put out his hand. And for a moment, Pedro thought Ned was going to leave him hanging. He looked down at Pedro’s hand.
Finally he slapped him a casual low five, not much on it. They’d always been closer as teammates than as friends, but had always gotten along fine with each other away from the court.
“Good luck,” Pedro said. “Not that you’re going to need it.”
“Didn’t know you were running, dude,” Ned said.
“Tell you the truth,” Pedro said, “neither did I.”
“Hey, I’ve got a question,” Jeff Harmon said in a loud voice, because it was the only kind of voice he had, as if he went through life with his very own bullhorn. “Why are you running, Pete?”
He was the only kid in school who called him that, and