by Casey Peeler
Chauna
The moment Walker said “swings” I couldn’t wait. As a child, that was my favorite thing to do, besides going to Boondocks to hear Daddy sing. As you get older, you realize people leave this earth when you aren’t ready to let them go. I loved taking a minute to remember those carefree times, but when he mentioned the word “prince,” I almost lost it. All I could think about was my best friend and Logan’s twin brother, Lane. He’s gone, and it’s all my fault.
“Hey, Prince Charming, are you gonna save me from my mean stepmother or what?” I ask in my Cinderella dress with my hands on my hips.
“Hold on. I’m killing a dragon over here!” Lane says with his pretend sword. “Got ’em!”
I quickly recover and drag Walker out of the park so we can finish the tour and get to the lake for some fun.
We ride Walker’s bike to the lake, and I have to admit, I love wrapping my arms around him. As he pulls off to the side to park, I wonder who will be here today. An afternoon at the lake with friends, cold drinks, and no worries is exactly what I need after the flashback I just had.
As I look around to see who is already here, I see Logan. I can tell by the look on his face he’s not happy to see me with Walker, but today isn’t a day to argue. It’s a day to have fun and focus on what’s to come… summer.
Walker
As we make our way toward the small house off the shore of the lake, I notice that Logan looks like he wants to beat my ass. I quickly look away when I hear Chauna speak.
“Walker, let me show you around,” Chauna says as we enter the wooden cabin. “This is where we keep our stuff. There’s a bathroom, kitchen, and a place to get out of the sun. Mark’s parents own it, so we can use it whenever we want. Honestly, I don’t even think Mark knew about the party until someone told him at school. That’s terrible, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. Not really respectful,” I reply.
“No, but you’ll find around here people think what’s yours is yours and what’s yours is mine.” She laughs as I take a minute to process it.
“That’s wrong on so many levels.”
“Well, Mark’s older brother used to throw some massive parties in his day. It kinda just trickled down to him. He’s a party guy, but not to that extent. Most people know that and try to be respectful of his place. You can guarantee that there’s always a party here at the end of school, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, and sometimes even one during the winter.”
“Please tell me swimsuits aren’t required for December?”
“Heck no! It’s more of a sit by the campfire and roast s’mores kinda party. It’s fun, though.”
“I’d be able to wear my jacket then,” I say with a smirk.
“Exactly. Now come on. Let’s change so we can hit the water,” she says.
Within minutes, we are both in our swimsuits, and she’s asking me to put sunscreen on her back. Don’t think about her cute body and that your hands are on it. Just. Don’t. Do. It. After applying the sunscreen without incident, we grab our towels and walk toward the dock.
“Hey, Logan!” Chauna says as she runs toward him and drops her towel. His face is priceless when she pushes him straight into the water while she remains on the deck. I about bust a gut laughing because he didn’t see it coming.
When he climbs back on the dock, I can see that she’s in trouble. I think I’m ready to get in the action and let Logan know I’m here to have some fun, too.
“Hey, Logan, Chauna seems to be giving you some trouble there,” I say with a wink. He looks at me like I’m an idiot, but then notices I’m moving closer to Chauna.
“Seems like it,” he agrees.
“Who, me?” Chauna says in a sweet Southern drawl. I look at Logan to see if he understands my thinking as I step behind her. He steps in front of her, and we have her trapped. She backs into me for safety, but I grab her around the waist and Logan lunges for her legs. On the count of three, we toss her into the water and burst out laughing. We are both going to be dead.
Chauna
Reaching the surface, I’m ready to whoop some ass. I expected that from Logan, but Walker? Not so much.
“Y’all better run like hell!” I yell as I swim toward the dock. They both just stand there, and I know that I don’t stand a chance with either of them. Instead, I focus on my assets and make them work for me. I slowly pull myself up the stairs and watch as both of their mouths hit the floor while I adjust my bikini bottoms just enough and walk right past them to grab my towel. What better way to get back at them than to do nothing.
The remainder of the day, we hang out at the lake. The crowd grows, and we each take turns on the jet skis, riding the pontoon, and just chilling on the dock. When the sun begins to set, we know it’s time to pack up and get ready for a night that involves Sammy’s Drive-In, big trucks, loud music, and a bunch of country bumpkins getting down in a small town.
Walker isn’t going to know what to do with all of us crazy country kids. We change clothes, and I pull my hair back to keep it from getting tangled while riding on the back of his bike. When I walk out, I notice that Walker doesn’t have his jacket on.
“No jacket tonight?” I question. “I thought you wore it all the time.”
“I’ll wear it when we ride, but that’s all. It’s too hot for that here,” he states with a shrug.
“Yeah, it’s hot as Hades around here. Come on. Let’s get outta here.”
As we make our way off the front porch, I notice Logan is still here.
“Hey, Lo, you going to Sammy’s?” I ask.
“Yeah, but I gotta make sure everyone clears out before I can leave.”
“Okay, we’ll see you there,” I say as I give him a hug bye.
He pulls me in closely and whispers into my ear, “Be careful with him.”
“Don’t worry,” I say as he lets me go.
“Promise me,” he says.
“I promise,” I say as I kiss him quickly on the cheek and then make my way toward Walker.
Chapter 14
Walker
Watching her place her perfect lips on the side of Logan’s face made me cringe. I know I have no right to feel this way, but those two have something that I can’t quite understand, and I’m jealous. The question is, what do I do about it? As she walks toward me with a huge smile on her face, all my craziness evaporates into the evening sky.
“You ready?” she asks.
“As I’ll ever be,” I reply.
After swinging my leg over my bike, I pass Chauna a helmet, and we put them on together. As she swings her leg over, I hold still and wait for the moment she wraps her arms around me. I take a deep breath as she eases into me and rev the engine to life; all eyes are on us.
“Hold on tight,” I say, and she pulls herself even closer. We take the driveway slow, but when we hit the main road, I pull the throttle and we pick up speed as we make our way toward Sammy’s. As we approach the drive-in, I realize that Chauna is completely right; this place is nothing like it was earlier today. The Sammy’s Drive-In light is lit up like Christmas, and it reminds me of Flo’s Café in the movie Cars. There’s so much neon, and instead of cars, there are monster trucks everywhere. Pulling the bike in, we park, and I look to Chauna for direction as country music plays in the background.
“Welcome to Barber. Where the trucks are hot, but the girls are hotter,” she says with pure sexiness. In this moment, I know that this is just the beginning of an epic, new chapter in my life.
Chauna
The moment those words came out of my mouth I knew I probably shouldn’t have said that, but it’s the truth. Looking around, all we see are trucks with lift kits and American flags flying in the back and a lot of attractive women. One day, while I was at Sammy’s, I overheard Logan saying that line to someone. I made a mental note of it, and Walker gave me the perfect opportunity to use it. His reaction was priceless, and I’ll never forget it.
I take his hand and pull him toward the crowd th
at is forming at the picnic table. As we approach, I see Ally and Beth. They are hanging out with a few other people from school. Ally is being her flirty self, and there’s someone who’s got her attention. Beth is talking to a few guys, but I know she’s really waiting for Mark to get here.
“Hey, y’all!” I say as we join the group.
“Hey, Chauna… Walker,” Beth says cautiously.
“Y’all have fun today at the lake?” I ask.
“Of course! Don’t we always? Plus, Ally here has picked up a new one.” Beth laughs, and I do, too. That’s the running joke. Ally is absolutely beautiful, but doesn’t like to settle for just one guy. In fact, I think it’s more of a game of cat and mouse for her. Walker and I grab a drink and take a seat next to them. That’s when Beth starts a game of twenty questions with Walker.
“So, Walker, what brought you to town?” she asks.
“My parents. They like to move around a lot,” he says flawlessly.
“Have you always ridden a motorcycle?” she banters to him.
“Since I was old enough to drive.”
“You don’t sell drugs, do you?” she asks with no filter at all, and I spew my drink from my lips.
“Beth! Really?” I say with fire laced in my voice.
“Hey, just lookin’ after my girl is all,” she says as she tosses her hands in the air as if she’s done nothing wrong.
“Nope, don’t sell or use drugs. I will have to admit, I do like a cold beer every now and then,” Walker says, not missing a beat. I am completely embarrassed as my hands cover my blood red face. He leans into me and tells me it’s no big deal, but it is a big deal to me. Then, as if right on cue, “Hush, Hush” by Pistol Annies blares through the speakers, and every girl at Sammy’s goes bananas. We all jump up and begin to sing our hearts out.
Taking a minute to survey the crowd, it’s obvious the guys, and especially Walker, are enjoying our show. When the song ends, we go back to our groups and act as if we didn’t just bust out in song.
“Y’all do that often?” Walker asks.
“Every now and then.” I shrug.
“Well, it was the hottest thing I’ve seen in a long time.” He smiles, and I nudge his shoulder. Within fifteen minutes, Logan and Mark have arrived, and we all sit and tell on each other as we let Walker in on some of our secrets.
Just as Logan and Walker seem to be getting along, Walker’s phone rings, and it’s obvious he can’t ignore it. He excuses himself, and I watch as his demeanor changes almost instantly. It’s obvious he is trying to act as if everything is okay on the outside, but it’s not. As he hangs up the phone, he walks back to the table, and I can already see a goodbye coming.
“Hey, Chauna, I gotta get home. Thanks for the tour today,” he says.
“Is everything okay?” I question.
“Yeah. You want me to take you home?” he asks.
Looking at Logan, I know he’ll take me home. “Logan can give me a ride, but let me walk you to your bike,” I say as I stand and follow him to his bike without a word.
“Look, Walker, I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m here if you need me, okay?” I say as I place my hand on his chest.
“Thanks, but some things are out of my control. This is one of them. I can’t thank you enough for today.”
“Anytime,” I say as he steps away and throws his leg over his bike. As he revs the engine to life, I stand there until his taillights vanish onto Barber Mill Road. Just as I begin to turn, I feel Logan behind me.
“I don’t think that guy is good for you, Chauna. I don’t like him,” he admits.
“Well, I do,” I say as I turn and make my way back to our friends.
Walker
Driving away from Chauna was hard, but knowing that I had to let Logan take her home killed me. The moment my phone rang, I knew that Ivan was ready for another run. I make my way past the old mill in no time. It’s amazing how good and bad neighborhoods can be so close to each other. Pulling into Ivan’s, I’m greeted by Jimmy and my dad.
“You ready for a run, son?” Dad asks.
“Sure. Where to this time?” I question.
“Same route, but this time I’m going straight to Boondocks to deliver, so meet me there when we leave.”
“Got it.”
“Hey, Jimmy, you running, too?” I ask.
“Yeah, but I’m going south to deliver to another bar. James is my lookout,” he states.
“Be careful, dude,” I say. I slide my helmet back on, and just like that, I’m back in a life I can’t get out of… yet.
Chapter 15
Chauna
I woke up Sunday morning and got ready for church at Barber Baptist. Daddy played the guitar for the praise team, and I sat with Ally, Beth, Mark, and Logan like I do every week. After the pastor dismissed us at twelve o’clock with the benediction, Daddy and I made our way to The Station for lunch. Their homemade meatloaf, mashed potatoes, okra, and pineapple casserole make up my favorite meal. After lunch, Daddy and I went back to the house so I could get ready for the last two days of school.
When I woke up this morning, Daddy had a breakfast of champions waiting for me. He wanted me to have a good meal before my exams. I felt confident I would do well on my tests, but regardless the grade, I knew he’d be proud of me. Our exam schedule is different than a regular school day, so I only saw Walker at lunch from a distance. He didn’t come over to say hello, and I’m not sure why. I wonder if it had anything to do with the reason he had to leave the party early on Saturday night.
I’m studying for my Tuesday exams when my cell phone buzzes, and I see a text from Walker.
Walker: Can’t wait till bio tomorrow.
Chauna: I can’t wait to see you, but not looking forward to the exam. ;)
Walker: Oh, really?
Chauna: Yup! Hate you had to leave early Saturday, but I understand.
Walker: I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.
Chauna: Promise?
Walker: I promise.
With those words, I decide to let Walker in. I hope it’s a promise he can keep, because even though he doesn’t know it, he’s filling a void in my heart, and if he breaks it, I may never recover.
Daddy makes another killer breakfast for me Tuesday morning. I smile, knowing that Walker will be in class today, and summer officially starts as soon as the Barber High baseball team plays their last game, and hopefully clenches another title this afternoon.
With a crazy exam schedule, I get to start my day with chorus and end it with Walker and biology. Chorus is a no-brainer and an easy A. I take a few minutes when that exam is over to study for biology, but what’s the use? If I don’t know it now, I won’t be able to cram for a test that’s right after lunch.
As the bell rings for lunch, I make my way to the cafeteria. Walking in, I spot Ally and Beth already at our table. Making my way through the line, I see Logan and Walker taking a seat at our table as well. It makes me smile to see Logan welcoming him. As I approach, I have to quickly decide where to sit. There is an open seat beside Walker, Logan, and Ally. I quickly choose Ally. This way I am across from both of them. Lunch goes by quickly, and after I throw my trash away, I wait for Walker to do the same. We walk side by side to biology.
“You ready?” I ask him.
“I guess. You?” he questions.
“As I’ll ever be.”
Walking into biology, Mr. Wall has removed all items from the walls, and we still sit in our assigned spots.
“Mrs. Jackson, glad to see you before the tardy bell today,” Mr. Wall states. “Looks like Mr. Bentley is making a good impression on you.”
“I guess so,” I say as we take our seats. He takes a minute to explain the length of the test and when grades will be ready. As he passes them out, I glance toward Walker and smile. As the clock ticks, I breeze through the exam, but Walker finishes in record time. Each time I glance up from my test, I see his eyes on mine. I’d love to know what’s going on in that
cute little mind of his.
Walker
The moment all tests are handed in, I get to hang out with Chauna until the bell dismisses us for summer. We spend the last thirty minutes of the school day talking about the weekend, and of course, she has a few questions for me and why I left. I answer as vaguely as possible without actually lying to her.
“You going to the game this afternoon?” she asks.
“Maybe.You?” I ask.
“Um, do you know what Logan would do to me if I didn’t show up?”
“No, actually, I don’t,” I say, wondering exactly what their relationship is.
“Logan and I have been friends forever. He swears I’m like his good luck charm. I’ve never missed one of his games.”
“Never?” I question.
“Never. Not since he started in little league at the park.”
“Dang. I guess you are his biggest fan.”
“Well, me and his mama.” She laughs.
“Yeah, I’ll go. Can I sit with you?”
“Of course,” she says as the bell rings and we both walk out of class together. We stop by her locker to make sure it’s cleaned out and then walk to her truck where Ally and Beth are waiting.
“Hey, y’all!” she says.
“Hey! You ready for some baseball?” Ally asks her.
“Yeah, we are.” With that “we”, I know I’m now part of the group.
Chapter 16
Chauna
We make our way to the baseball field and sit in our usual spots so Logan can find us in the crowd. Before the game starts, I yell his name to let him know I’m here. The game is a nail-biter. At the bottom of the sixth, we are up by one. With two outs and someone on second and third, Logan hits a homerun. Logan strides across home plate, and as he enters the dugout, he looks my way and points to me like he has since I can remember. When it’s time for us to go back on the field, we know this is it. If we can hold them, we’ll be state champions again. Logan takes the mound, and all I can see is focus and determination in his eyes. Batter one steps up to the plate and hits a single, batter two strikes out, but batter three hits a line drive right to Logan and my heart plummets until his glove reacts and catches the ball as we squeal with excitement. The next batter hits a grounder to the shortstop and makes for an easy play to second. When the umpire calls him out, the stands and players go crazy. Barber High baseball has done it again.
