A Summer Nowhere

Sandy's vehicle was packed, but instead of Sam getting the front seat, Heather had snagged it by screaming out shotgun at the top of her lungs before we even got out the door of my house. I was stuck in the middle between Sam and Brad and my thighs hurt from keeping my legs shut so tight. Sam had destroyed some of my clothes to put me in a cut off jean skirt that was a lot shorter than I was comfortable with, and a black t shirt with the sleeves ripped off. I felt like I might as well be naked; my legs were showing, my bra was showing, and I kept thinking about what my grandma used to say about girls dressing like harlots. I was one of those girls now and even though she was over three hundred miles away, I kept looking around for her to catch me.

“Show a little skin.” Sam had said. “Flaunt those curves.”

She and I hobbled out of the Jeep once we were in the parking lot and Sandy sent us to the Bethel Dipper to get everybody food. Heather wanted a chocolate cone, Brad wanted a cheeseburger, and Sandy wanted a strawberry shake. While I ordered all that and some fries for me and Sam, she pointed at a bag boy helping a lady out to her car from Piggly Wiggly.

“His name is James. He went to Russellville High. Chris knows him from Main Street.” she said. “I think he's adorable.”

If you were in middle or high school and got suspended three times, the fourth time you did something suspension worthy, they sent you to Main Street Academy instead. Her boyfriend Chris had been there at least half a dozen times since I'd known him and all of his friends were pretty comfortable there. But I'd never seen this James character, because we went to county school. He had dark, flat hair with a little fringe over his forehead and he was wearing a black leather jacket, ripped up bleached jeans, and a pair of dirty Converse sneakers.

“What was he in Main Street for?” I asked, watching him accept a five dollar bill from the old lady.

“Truancy.” she said, “I think.”

The only reason Sam had never gotten suspended more than three times was because she was real good at getting Lynn to call the school and make excuses. I'd never even broken enough rules to get detention and I didn't want to know what was so bad that it made them send you home for three days. I tended to keep my head down and do as little as humanly possible to get by without being noticed. That was my M.O.

“He's cute.” I said, watching him linger outside the automatic doors.

“Hey, James!” Sam called loudly, waving her arm in the air. “C'mere.”

“What are you doing?” I whispered, my teeth grinding together.

“Nothing.” she grinned. “Just saying hi.”

“Hey.” James said, jogging up and stopping a couple feet away from us. “What's up?”

“Not much.” Sam shrugged. “Just hangin' out. This is my best friend Jobie.”

I always liked it when Sam introduced me to somebody as her best friend, because she didn't always. We had other friends, but she was the only one I'd consider best.

I lifted my hand to wave at the same time as he put his out to shake and he gave one of those soft little laughs that meant you felt a little bit like an idiot and that made me laugh, too. Then I moved to shake his hand and he moved to wave and it was just ridiculous. I could feel the heat from Sam's cheeks just behind my head and I knew she was fighting the urge to start gushing in the way that she always did whenever I was anywhere near a boy who came anywhere near me voluntarily. She did it every time Gary and I touched each other, even if it was just me pushing at his shoulder or him ruffling the top of my head like I was a Golden Retriever or something. I hated when he did that. But Sam stayed quiet this time.

“Nice to meet you.” he smiled at me, showing off a set of pretty teeth before he looked back up at Sam. “What are you guys up to tonight? Where's Chris?”

“Just riding around.” Sam said at the same time as I said, “He's grounded.”

I didn't know where Chris was, actually. And he probably wasn't grounded. He was never grounded. His parents didn't really pay enough attention to him to know whether or not he needed to be punished for anything. But I imagine that was good for his social life, because if they did, he'd never be able to leave the house. Maybe he'd be in military school or something, because that boy was never up to any good. At least that's what Lynn said.

“Oh.” James mumbled. “I'd love to hang out, but I work 'til close.”

“That sucks.” Sam said, giving a pout, “Hey, listen. Me and Jobie are having a little get together next Saturday. Right, Jobie?”

I hated it when she did this to me. She just made plans off the top of her head and roped me into participating.

“Mm-hmm.” I nodded, like I knew exactly what she was talking about.

“We've got a little chill spot in the woods. Some music, some booze. Just casual.” Sam explained.

“Sounds good.” he nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Count me in.”

I didn't know how he could wear that leather jacket without sweating, but he looked pretty good in it.

“James!” a middle aged lady with graying hair and a double chin yelled out the front doors of Piggly Wiggly. “We need somebody on register three!”

“I'm coming, Kim!” he called back and then turned around to look at me. “It was really nice meeting you. I guess I'll see you guys next weekend.”

“Mm-hmm.” I nodded, feeling like my lips had been glued shut.

He flashed his teeth again and jogged back to the store, his hands still shoved in those pockets.

“Did you see that?” Sam asked, grinning from ear to ear. She looked like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. “He was definitely into you.”

“Have you lost your mind?” I bit out. “And when did this get together idea happen? What about Granny and Papaw?”

“Just now. They'll never know.” she kept grinning.

“What are they gonna' think of the extra cars in the driveway?” I pressed.

Sam shrugged her shoulders up and down, “I'll figure it out. Let's go. Sandy's got a bottle of Boone's with my name on it.”

“Fine.” I grumbled, trailing behind with my hands full while she managed to only carry the fries. “But I'm not sitting in the middle again.”

For whatever reason, hanging out in parking lots reminded me of 1950s movies where greasers and preps all met up to rumble or something, except nobody was really rumbling. We were all just hanging around. We drove around the parking lot and down the street to the liquor store where people in the early to mid twenties hung out. Sometimes, if Sam was too bored, she'd get out and charm some idiot into going in and buying us liquor—which was stupid, because we already had Sandy for that. I don't know why, but the guys hanging out in the parking lot of Bethel Liquors seemed so old to me. In a handful of years, I'd be their age. But it seemed to me like they'd seen it all.

There was always one guy who liked to lean against the hood of his fancy electric blue Chevy Nova. It looked out of place in that dingy old parking lot because it was always so perfect looking: clean and shiny, like it was brand new even though it was from the '60s. I never got his name, but he was always asking Sam if she wanted to go for a ride in his car. She always said she'd love to, but she had a boyfriend or maybe she'd see him around.

One time I had asked her if Chris wasn't in the picture, would she get in that guy's car and let him take her who knows where and do who knows what and she just gave one of her signature shrug-and-smiles and giggled at me like an idiot. I felt like I had to protect her whenever we were out in public because she was about as crazy as a bag of cats. She never failed to surprise me and I just knew that if I didn't keep an eye on her, she'd get herself into something too crazy even for her.
By the time we got to the Houchen's parking lot, I felt like if I didn't get out of the Jeep, my legs were gonna' fall off. They'd been clamped shut in the backseat and I was squished against the window because Sam demanded the other window seat and Brad didn't have any concern for anybody's personal space. He'd been talking my ear off about how his girlfriend Tina cheated on him with a boy she knew from her old junior high. He said she was the only girl he'd ever loved and he wanted to get back at her so bad he couldn't stand it. I could tell what he was hinting at and it made me a little bit sick to my stomach. Plus, the drunker he got, the louder he got and the closer he got to my face. Strawberry Banana Mad Dog 20/20 wasn't the greatest smell on earth by itself, but when you mixed it with cheeseburgers it was especially disgusting.

I had to hold onto the door of the Jeep for support when I finally did jump down because I was pretty sure my knees were going to just give out on me and they almost did when Brad barreled out after me. He bumped into me and I knew it was on purpose. It was either him trying to knock me over or him trying to make me feel his boner. Both had happened on numerous occasions and it made me want to murder him. I stepped forward to steady myself and swayed a little bit on my feet.
“Whoa.” I heard from a large body that was suddenly in front of me and turned around to see Gary, his hands held out just in case I toppled over. It wouldn't be the first time he'd seen me take a face plant.

“How much have you had to drink there, little lady?” he asked, like he was some old time sheriff.

He was wearing a pair of clean, dark boot cut jeans over his black lace-up work boots, and a long sleeved faded black Henley shirt. I wondered if it was just a guy thing where you could wear clothes for cool weather when it was hot outside without sweating to death. I was in barely enough clothes to cover the important parts of me and I was a little bit too warm in the eighty degree heat.

“I haven't had anything to drink.” I told him, gesturing to the idiot behind me. “He's had a little too much, though.”

“Who's your homeboy?” Brad asked, resting his arm over my shoulders.

Sam came around from the other side of the Jeep. Her long blonde hair swinging around her rib cage. She just smiled at us, her icy blues going back and forth between Brad and Gary and then back to me. I wanted to tell her to shut up, but she hadn't said anything yet. When Heather followed, she took one look at Gary and it was like she was a different person. She twirled a strand of hair on her finger and smiled real big. Her hips started swaying as she walked closer, like she was walking up to a stripper pole or something.

“Get away from me.” I groaned, shrugging Brad off and letting out a shudder to tell him I didn't like being touched. “This is Gary. Gary, this is Brad and Heather. They're Dennis' kids.”

“Sorry to hear that.” Gary laughed, leaning back against his truck with his arms crossed over his chest.

I wondered how long he'd been parked there and if Sandy had parked next to him on purpose or because it was the only parking spot left. It was packed; people were hanging out, drinking and smoking, and just talking each other to death. There were so many different stereos going, it just sounded like one big loud buzz of sound with the occasional big booms from cars that had those big speakers. They were the ones that took up the entire trunk and they were always blasting hip hop with the bass so high that you couldn't even hear the music. It was like a competition to see who was the most obnoxious.

“Jobie!” Heather said, like she was about to scold me. “How come you didn't tell me you knew such a cutie?”

Gary looked around like he was trying to figure out who she was talking about.

“I'm Heather.” she said all breathy, like she was Marilyn Monroe or something.

“I know.” he said, jerking his chin toward me. “She just said that.”

Heather laughed like he'd just made the funniest joke on earth and pushed against his shoulder like she'd known him forever.

“Oh, you're just adorable.” she giggled, looking back at me. “He's just adorable.”

Gary looked disgusted.

There was something crazy satisfying about watching Heather get shot down like a duck in the sky. She was so full of herself, you could probably slice her open and another one of her would just pop right out. I loved it when things didn't go her way, because they almost always did and that got old real quick. I'd never seen a boy not fawn all over Heather, but she didn't seem to be doing anything for him.

As a matter of fact, I'd never seen Gary have eyes for anybody. Girls at school practically tripped over themselves to get his attention, but all he really cared about was his horses and his friends. His grades were average and even though he probably could've gotten a ton of college scholarship money through Future Farmers of America or 4H or something, he didn't participate. He just went to school, came home and did all his chores, and then he hung out with us. I'd never even heard him talk about any girls. Sam said it was because he was head over heels in love with me, but that was just ridiculous. She thought everybody was in love with me and usually it was her they were after.

“What are you doing hangin' out with this loser?” Gary asked, nudging Sam's shoulder jovially.

“Thanks, asshole.” she smiled, lifting a full bottle of Strawberry Hill up to her lips and sucking from her crazy straw.

“Just hangin' out.” I shrugged, looking around.

Just about everybody from school was there except for maybe a few kids from Olmstead or Adairville. Those areas were a little too far out to come all the way into town.

“Is she sober?” Gary asked, jerking his chin toward Sandy, who was still sitting in the Jeep talking to some guy that was way too young for her.

“Is she ever?” I laughed, shaking my head.

He pulled a face and told me he'd take us home because he didn't want us riding around with a drunkard and ending up dead in a ditch somewhere. He sounded like my Mama, but somehow I took him more seriously because I knew he could pick us both up and throw us over his shoulders if he had to.

“Thanks.” I mumbled, looking back at Heather and Brad, who were talking to a couple of people on the other side of the Jeep, “But I'm stuck with them.”

“They can sit in the back.” Gary shrugged, laughing. “We could take 'em out to Briggs Lake and see how they like those back roads.”

Sam's eyes widened and it was like her head was nodding itself. It looked to me like she thought that was a pretty good idea and I loved being at the lake, even at night. It was early enough that the bugs weren't too crazy yet, but warm enough so that we wouldn't freeze to death if we decided to wade in the water a little bit.

“Hey, Sandy.” Sam called over her shoulder. “We're gonna' head out to the lake.”

“I can't believe y'all are leaving me here by myself!” she whined.

“Looks like you've got plenty of company.” I said, eyeing the guy she'd been talking to.

Like a five year old, she stuck her tongue out at me and went back to her conversation.

“Come on, y'all.” I rallied Brad and Heather up. “You can sit in the back.”

“Ooh.” Heather giggled, hoisting herself up into the bed of the truck. “I feel like I'm in a country music video.”

I crawled into the cab and scooted onto the middle hump so Sam could sit by the window.

“Don't take this the wrong way.” Gary mumbled, reaching for the gear shift and drawing his hand back, “But you're gonna' have to spread your legs.”

At that, Sam howled with laughter and didn't shut up until I elbowed her in the ribs, at which point she yelped and slapped a hand over her mouth. I parted my knees and positioned my left foot between his ankles. Then I yanked my skirt down between my thighs and kept my hands there to hold it.

“Oh my God, this is the cutest thing ever.” Sam said, her hand still covering her mouth.

She looked like she was in pain and she just couldn't take it. Her fingertips were digging into her cheeks and her grin was bigger than I'd ever seen it.

“Shut up.” Gary and I said at the same time.