Saturday, September 7, 2013

that attitude

Josie and Elvis Dean





This was stupid. Why had Josie waited until the last minute to decide this?

Anybody would tell her she was committing social suicide. But she'd passed that a long time ago..now hadn't she?

The moment she heard his voice on her phone she knew it wasn't Leo. Not that she'd ever heard Leo talk, because he hadn't.

But she'd talked then, like she was fine with it. Like this was all a breath of fresh air. As if she was some how rising from what ever misery deep in her heart.

It wasn't exactly what she wanted, yet she wasn't sure she could have gone through with it with Leo, either.

She had to keep thinking this was the right guy. Not the wrong guy.

The horror set in. It might end badly. What if this was a really bad guy?

But he was waiting for her by the water fountain near the concessions. It was just a football game, which had already started. Oh, how she wanted to just drive on to the mall, but bad things could happen there too. Everything was bad, lately.

At least, she was in her dark skinny jeans, a sweater tunic and of course, her favorite thick soled black boots that could certainly bring on the harm. She could drop anyone in the crotch with these things.

She didn't want to come here as if she were the new Sarah Connor, but she might have too. Even at a football game.

But there he was. Not in a jacket, but at least sporting the school colors in a Chieftan's Tee with a long sleeve underneath.

"Glad, you could make it." They flashed their school IDs and got in free.

He'd bought some bottles of water and showed her the way up the stands. He'd brought people.

He introduced his sister and her friend.

Still Josie felt out of her element. She wanted to say she was sick and she couldn't be here. But he looked so pleasant, and they weren't a band a gypsies. Definitely, harmless. And when he sat next to her, he didn't crowd her.

His sister offered her some Twizzlers from the package. Vada smiled as if she were excited to be here while her friend looked on.

"So do you guys go to all the games?" Josie felt bad that she hadn't been to many. She remembered when she was little and how her Mom always wanted to go to the Friday night game. She'd gone with her mother then. It felt like a lost art, when she thought about it. Weren't they suppose to be yelling for their team, or something?

"Not really. Just the ones in town." Dean shrugged.

She looked him in the face wondering if he really remembered her. How she'd been around him at the library. But she didn't dare want to bring it up.

Finally something was happening on the field. There was a wave of roar. Josie looked. Did they stand? Did they sit?

Vada was already cheering, making the seat go up and down.  Josie looked wide-eyed as if she just didn't have that sort of ingenuity. It was true, she felt so old now. Where had her youth gone?

She did her best to cheer along with Dean. There was that happiness in his essence that enjoyed the simplest pleasures. Being a part of school. Being together.

Josie smiled at him as if she really had underestimated him.

4 comments:

  1. I think there are a few obstacles in Josie's life she's been avoiding..the regular routine of high school life. Hopefully, she'll want to catch up on what's she missed.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think Dean will be good for her.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I really feel Josie needs to enjoy this year with her friends and school.

    ReplyDelete