Missing Out

"Well, did you feel that earthquake?" I asked hopefully to the boy so disappointed to have slept through the big topic of discussion.

"What earthquake?"

"The aftershock, the one at 10:15."

"Are you serious?" he whines with the tone of a carnival-goer short of money for his tickets.

I nod half-apologetically. Smile because I can't help it. Oh, high school, all about being either with the in-crowd or the out, even when it comes to potential natural disasters.