My Blue River (18 page)

“Who is she?” I asked.

“Her name is Misty,” he replied.

“Is her hair really pastel blue or is that you being creative?”

He let out a small chuckle and replied, “Yeah, it is. Pretty edgy for Blue River, right? I’d say she’s almost a hipster”

“Seriously? So she doesn’t wear all that cowgirl crap that everyone else does?”

“Nope. She is totally different from most of the girls here, kind of like how Jack is totally different than every other guy you’ve dated.”

I dismissed whatever point he thought he was making.

He added, “Wanna know something else? She wears those really thick rimmed glasses that you and I call nerd glasses, but she actually needs them to see!” His voice became excited just talking about her.

“That’s sort of funny. Have you actually met her or is this a distant, near stalker relationship you have going?” I asked.

“I’m not stalking her! I met her in art class. I was looking at her watercolor painting when she walked up behind me and asked if I liked it. I was actually about to give her some tips on how she could use the watercolors a little better, but when I turned around and saw her I…well, let’s just say I suddenly didn’t know how to critique art anymore.”

I gave a hearty laugh as I pictured Aaron fumbling for words while flushing cherry red.

“I can’t believe I haven’t seen her before. It’s not a very big school,” I said.

“That’s because you don’t notice anyone but yourself…and Jack.”

“Totally not true.”

“Yeah, it is.”

“It’s because I don’t associate with sophomores.”

“No, it’s because the entire sophomore class is afraid of you.”

“Whatever,” I decided to let him think he’d won the argument. I gently punched him in the arm. “Are you going to ask her to homecoming?” I asked.

He let out a sarcastic laugh followed by a heavy sigh. “I’m pretty sure she doesn’t date my kind.”

“And just what exactly is
your kind
?”

“The pot smokin’ kind. I’m a stoner, remember?”

“Then don’t be a stoner.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“Aaron, you need to admit your problem to Mom and Dad, right after you admit it to yourself. Look around. Moving to Montana, living in this house, everything is because they want to help you.”

“No way, and don’t you say anything either! Besides, I don’t even really think I have a problem!” he yelled. But something in his voice gave away that he was not that certain of his conviction.

“Fine! Calm down. I won’t, but you need to try to do better. She just might be a good reason to try, don’t you think?” I pointed to his drawing of Misty.

As he looked back at the drawing, he smiled and I could tell he liked her a lot. In fact, he was enamored with her. “Hey, I have a favor to ask of you. I’ll be right back,” I said as I stood up.

Not waiting for a response from Aaron, I left his side and literally ran into the house and up to my bedroom. I grabbed a stack of photos I had taken over the summer. I was nearly skipping from the happiness this conversation had brought me. I was happy that Aaron was coming around to the idea of admitting he has an addiction and that he would consider fixing it.

I returned to my spot on the lawn next to Aaron.

“So what’s this favor you want to ask of me?” asked Aaron.

“Don’t worry. It’s a favor you’ll enjoy. I know I have these photos to remember everybody by, but could you sketch a few of them for me? Whatever ones you want to do is fine by me. It doesn’t matter.” But it did matter; I secretly hoped he would sketch an entire book of Jack.

“I’ll try. I sometimes have trouble with different faces and I do draw better stoned and since you just asked me to stop…” his voice trailed off.

I gave him a lopsided smile then begged, “Oh, come on. Please?”

He seemed to be considering the position I placed him in, but eventually, he surrendered. “I’ll try, but I can’t promise you anything.”

“That’s all I ask.” I knew we weren’t just talking about the drawings. He wasn’t sure he could give up his addiction.

“Thanks, twerp.” I laughed as I ruffled his hair once more.

“You’re welcome, snoberella.”

16. Homecoming Games

It had been just over a week since my disagreement with Jack about my being, or not being, a spoiled brat—just over a week since I had deliberately argued with him while test driving my new Land Rover, which I was now calling “Rover.”

The Blue River High School Homecoming was now upon us and for weeks, everyone had been talking about making floats for the parade and the royalty elections. I hadn’t thought twice about any of it. With one quick question, Mac changed that.

“Addy!” Mac called out to me in the student parking lot. “Hey, you have a minute?”

“Sure. What’s up?”

“Well, I was wondering if…um…if you’d go to the homecoming dance with me?”

I tripped on his words and fumbled through mine, “I—um—I—I don’t know, Mac. I don’t think—I just don’t think that’s a very good idea.”

“Oh. Okay. Is this about Jack? I thought you two weren’t dating.”

“It’s not about whether I’m dating Jack or not, which I’m not, it’s that I don’t want to date anyone while I live here. It’ll just be so much easier to leave this summer if I’m not
attached
…know what I mean?”

“Oh, yeah. Totally. I’m off to college at the end of the year, too, Addy. I expect nothing, really. I just want to go as friends.” He paused before begging. “Come on, please. Besides, I was elected one of the homecoming king candidates. I’m potential royalty! You can’t let me go alone!”

My expression must have looked as if I were pained because Mac asked if I was alright to which I replied, “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. Hey, can you let me think about it tonight?”

He looked surprised at my response but said, “Sure, but let me know soon, okay?”

“Yeah. Sure. I won’t keep you waiting. Thanks for being patient.”

“No problem. I think you’re the bomb, Addy, so seriously, no pressure. Whatever you choose is fine.”

We said our goodbyes and Mac left. I got in my car and played everything out in my mind.
Okay, Mac is the quarterback. That holds some status, right? I can write home to Sheridan without embarrassment about attending tiny Blue River High School’s homecoming because I went with their local celebrity, the quarterback. He may even end up homecoming king. Blech. Who am I kidding? I don’t care about that crap, not like Sheridan does.
I then cursed myself again for even caring about Sheridan’s opinion.

My thoughts turned to Jack. Even though we’d recently had our test drive fallout, we had previously been together so much that people were wondering about what relationship status. But if my argument with him during the test drive hadn’t pushed him away, this surely would and for some sick reason, I wanted to keep Jack away from my heart. I concluded it couldn’t hurt to accept Mac’s invitation. Mac expected nothing from me and had even said as much. I was so enveloped in my own thoughts that the tap on the window made me jump out of my seat.

“Ah!” I yelped.

It was Jack and he was smiling from ear-to-ear.

“Oops! Sorry I scared you,” he apologized.

“Jack, you scared me to death!” I held my hand over my heart.

“I saw that. So, were you thirteen hundred miles away again?” he asked.

“Yeah, something like that. What’s up?” We had barely spoken two words since “the incident” so seeing him standing at my car window with a huge smile on his face was very surprising.

“I was just thinking about homecoming. I was thinking it would be fun to get a big group together for the dance. Wanna go?” I knew immediately that he had let all the small stuff go and now wanted to make amends. It was so typically Jack to take the high road and be forgiving. I felt horrible for the news I was about to deliver.

“Oh, um…yeah, about that. I…um, well, it’s just that Mac just asked me to go to the dance and I said…I said… yes.”

His face froze as I struck an arrow through his heart. This was an awful thing to do someone so sweet and gentle, but it had to be done. This was probably something my mother would refer to as “tough love.” He’d learn from this and walk away a better man.
Yeah, right. He’d walk away full of hurt and wanting to hate me.
But it was in everyone’s best interest. Mac would just be a casualty of war if he got attached.

“Oh.” He flatly replied. He visibly shook his head as if he had just taken a blow to his skull. “I…I…uh, okay.” Clearly, he was at a loss for words. It took a moment for him to regain his composure, but once he did he stood up straight, backed away from my car, and very confidently said, “Well, I guess we’ll all see
you and Mac
at the dance. See ya, Addy.”

He turned and quickly walked away to his Jeep, not bothering to look back at me. I didn’t need to see his face again to know he was full of hurt and anger. The gravel spray his Jeep tossed let everyone else know, too.

As soon as I arrived home, I looked up the only MacKenzie listed in the notebook thin Blue River phone book, asked for Mac, and accepted his invitation. I dismissed his failing attempt at downplaying his excitement.

********

I only had four days to prepare for my date to the homecoming dance. I was grateful this small town didn’t go all out when it came to attire for this semi-formal event. I had plenty of designer dresses on hand so I randomly picked a little, black dress. I’m not sure I even truly thought much about it.
Is it Ralph Lauren or Versace? I can’t remember
. I put my hair into a curly up-do, threw on some makeup and called it good—good enough for a boy like Mac. He was an okay guy, but no one I would ever seriously date.

I felt very little inside as I waited for Mac’s arrival and when he did, I walked as fast as I could in my high-heeled shoes to avoid any moments with my family that may involve taking pictures. This was one moment I didn’t want to memorialize. We ate at the best restaurant in town, The Cattle Club. The name left something to be desired, but the food was shockingly fantastic.

When we arrived at the school parking lot, we saw Aaron and some girl he had been hanging out with lately. His date was doing the best she could to guide his drunken body to the sidewalk. I grabbed her by the arm and told her she better not let him drive. I came to learn he’d spent the summer taking a State driver’s Ed. course, getting a permit and now, he was out with an actual driver’s license. She nodded in agreement. I warned him not to get caught to which he responded, “Got it covered, Sis.”
What an idiot
. I felt sad that clearly, our heart-to-heart talk had not had the impact on him in the way I had hoped it would.

We were headed for the gymnasium doors when I stopped dead in my tracks. Jack was helping a girl out his Jeep. Mac hadn’t even opened my door for me. I gaped after Jack and his date until I realized my pie hole was hanging wide-open and could have caught flies. I was in complete shock. Aaron whispered in my ear, “that must bite,” then walked off in raucous laughter.

Go in a big group, huh? What’s this? Oh, just lovely. It’s the girl from the bathroom, the one I call Red.

“Ready?” asked Mac.

I managed to recompose myself. “Uh, yeah, I’m ready,” I replied.
Ready to smack the crap out of Jack is more like it.

He held his arm out to escort me which, had I not seen Jack with another girl, I otherwise would have declined.
The nerve of Jack coming with some girl after making such a big deal out of us going as a group!
I cursed him under my breath even though I knew this whole mess was my fault.

“Hi guys!” yelled Jack, making sure we all saw him with his date.

“Hey, Coop!” said Mac, giving Jack the “man hug,” bumping into each other’s opposite shoulders, giving one pat on the back. I rolled my eyes.

Jack turned his attention to me in order to make introductions. “Hey, Addy, I don’t think you’ve ever met Amanda. Amanda, this is Adelaide. She goes by Addy. Addy, this is Amanda. She goes by Mandy.” His voice was thick with sarcastic arrogance. I really wanted to punch him in the gut. We all stood in silence as an uncomfortable feeling hung in the air.

“Yeah, we met over the summer at The Barn,” interjected Amanda as she clung to Jack’s arm. She was clearly very proud of her conquest. I couldn’t resist the need to take her down a notch.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I just don’t seem to remember you.” I knew I sounded like a snob and I didn’t care.

Her lips pursed as her nostrils flared. I had done my job, but then she just held on tighter to Jack’s arm. My lips began to involuntarily twitch as I glowered at her. She pretended not to notice. I snapped out of it when Mac suggested we get inside and “get our dance on.”
Does anyone even really say that?

As we greeted everyone, there was a lot of talk about the football team’s big win, especially whatever part Mac played in that victory, which seemed to gain him some extra attention. Mac was eating it up and if I didn’t know better, I might have thought he had single handedly won the game for the team.

While everyone else discussed that game, I realized that Jack and I seemed to be playing a game that no one would win. He would place his hand on Mandy’s back so I would grab Mac’s arm. Mac seemed to like that and would respond by putting his arm around my waist. I would then realize I was misleading Mac and let go. Jack would smile a victorious smile.

The D.J. put on a slow song and as it started to play, the dance floor rapidly filled with pubescent bodies, eager to have an excuse to hold one another close.

“Hey, you don’t mind if I borrow your girl, do you, Mac?” asked Jack, as he was already pulling me away to the dance floor.

“Uh, I guess not Coop,” answered Mac as he watched us walk away.

Once we assumed our dance positions, I wasted no time. “So, going to the dance in a group, huh?” I threw his words back at him.

“Not going to date while I live in Blue River, huh?” He threw my words back at me.

“Whatever.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

We danced in an uncomfortable silence for a moment until Jack broke it by saying, “You seem a little jealous, Addy.”

“Why would I be jealous? I’m here with the quarterback of the football team.”

“Division B football team, by the way. That has to be well below your standards.”

“And Mandy has to be well below yours.”

“Whoaaa! What’s that about? You don’t even know her.”

“I don’t plan to, either. By the way, I’m fairly certain she is one of the girls I overhead in the bathroom on the first day of school, so I’m really happy you asked her out. It takes the pressure off of me. Now I know I have NOT ruined her life.”

“Is she? Huh, imagine that,” he sarcastically replied.

Holy crap!
He planned this!
He was becoming more and more arrogant, and nobody beat me at my own game. Before the song had even ended, I decided I was done and began a dramatic exit.

“Guess I’ll let you get back to
Candy
.” I sneered, deliberately saying her name wrong. I tried to release our hands, but Jack held on tight.

He pulled me closer and said, “Remember how this feels. Sucks doesn’t it?” He stared intensely into my eyes. I diverted my gaze from his piercing stare.

“I won’t even dignify that with a response. I’m leaving,” I hissed. He released me and I returned to Mac, who stared suspiciously back at Jack.

I couldn’t wait to end the evening. I was certain Mac would be named homecoming king, so I waited for the crowning of his royal moment. I then complained of an extreme headache and asked him to take me home. He was disappointed but obliged.

“Thanks again!” I called out to Mac. He left me standing on the porch of my parent’s house. He seemed disappointed with receiving just a quick peck on the cheek, but it was all I could do to muster up that much affection. I was grateful he hadn’t tried for more. I sat down on the porch swing, grabbed the blanket that had been left, and reflected on the Jack incident.
Why am I so jealous?
We weren’t in a relationship, we had never kissed and more importantly, I had made it clear we couldn’t date.