Eight Ways of Seeing Conveyer Belt Sushi

Misha J. ‘29

1 A circle that goes round and round, a never ending carousel of maki.

2

Lightly chilled ikura and tempura eaten on a nice, hot day

3 Stacks of plates on a private table.

4

Delicate pleats of seaweed, flaky and fragile

5 A lovely runway filled with bliss for sashimi and nigiri presented by the two.

6

The first bite, always best. The fine grains of rice with thin cuts of sliced sashimi with flowery notes.

7

The fluffy taste of fatty tuna melting like popsicles in your mouth on a light summer day.

8

No words necessary, just the dry sound of a motor.

I’ve known Andy Carpenter since I was eight years old. We met on a playground when he decided it was a smart idea to take my Barbie and bury it in the sand. I slapped him. God, I love that memory. Now the two of us are in tenth grade, our friendship still going strong. Except for the fact that my two other friends, Caitlin and Flora think I like him. And I don’t even know how! Yes, I think he is cute, and he is sweet, but every girl in our grade thinks that. Who wouldn’t? He has the cutest smile with dimples, and his hair flops perfectly on the right side of his face. What can I say, Andy Carpenter is perfect in every way. But no, I do not like him. I mean sure, my stomach does somersaults when he smiles at me, but that’s probably because I have midterms coming up, and I’m insanely nervous for them. And yes, we flirt around sometimes, but that’s because everyone around us flirts, and it would be strange if we didn’t. I don’t get why Caitlin and Flora make a big deal out of nothing. I’ve explained this to them many times.

“Hey Emily,” Veronica March, my sworn enemy and nemesis says to me. I roll my eyes at her.

“It’s Emi, and what do you want?” I ask, glaring at her.

“I was just wondering if you’ve heard about Ashley Garcia and Andy.” A small smirk appears across Veronica’s ivory face.

“What about them?”

“They’re going out on Friday.”

“Hah, that’s not funny.”

“Hey, ask him yourself.” Then she walks away.

I have never liked Ashley Garcia. I mean yes, she is probably sweeter than honey, but I have always known she was a kiss-up. Also, Andy would’ve told me about liking her. I walk through the sun-soaked hallways of Hackley to Andy’s locker near the art room.

“I heard the stupidest thing,” I say to Andy.

“What?” Andy asks me.

“That you’re going out with Ashley Garcia,” I say laughing.

“Um…I am going out with her.”

“Haha, very funny, Andy.”

“I’m not joking, Em.”

Arya G. ‘27

I stare at him in shock. He is telling the truth. I don’t say anything; it’s like I have completely shut down and forgotten how to talk. Ashley Garcia and Andy have gone out on a date. I can’t comprehend it. Ashley isn’t Andy’s type…is she? I mean sure, she is pretty and nice, but that is it. Everything else about her is…boring. Andy has never mentioned anything to me about her either, so when…when did he start talking to her?

“Em? Em, you good?” Andy asks me.

“Uh yeah…yeah I gotta get to class.” I say.

I turn away from him, walking through the crowded hallways of my school. Thoughts run through my mind faster than a cheetah. Millions and millions of thoughts, all about the same thing: – how did they get together? When did they start talking? How long has he liked her? How long has she liked him? Ashley Garcia is not good enough for Andy. I’m sure she’s only with him for attention. I’m not surprised if she is. She’s never mentioned anything about liking him. That was all I thought about throughout the morning. Andy and Ashley. Ashley and Andy. I didn’t even realize it was lunch time; Caitlin had to drag me out of math class and to the cafeteria. And right there was obviously Andy, sitting and laughing with Ashley Garcia.

“Ugh.” Watching them, I scrunch up my face like a kid being made to eat their vegetables. “I wanna puke.”

“I think they’re cute,” Caitlin replies, also looking over.

“I mean sure, but it’s weird seeing Andy with a girlfriend,” I say, stabbing my food. “Plus he never told me about her, and I’m really mad at him about it.”

Caitlin and Flora look at each other, then at me.

“Are you jealous?” Caitlin asks. I look at her and scoff.

“No.”

“She definitely is!” Flora says, joining Caitlin. The more I deny it, the more the two keep making fun of me about it. I am getting annoyed with them and tell them to shut up. “Jeez, Em. We’re just joking.”

“I-” I start to say just as Andy walks up with Ashley. I look up, staring at them. Andy has a smile that reached to the ends of his face and Ashley’s milk chocolate skin shines just like her perfect smile. “Hey.”