Chasing Ellie: A Chasing Fireflies Spin Off

by Paige P. Horne

  “Dad, look at all these options here.” I spread out a bunch of brochures Maci and I printed from the library of different colleges. He looks down and skims them.

  “Ellie, none of these are near here.” He picks one up, looking it over, and squints his eyes. I slide off the stool and grab his glasses from the other counter in the kitchen.

  “Here.”

  “Thanks. I can’t see like I used to. Your dad is getting old.”

  “Nah, just going blind.” I smile. He chuckles as he puts his glasses on and scans his second pair of eyes over the papers in front of him.

  “I don’t want you that far from me.”

  “It’s not that far.”

  “It’s hours away, Little Miss.” He drops the paper and removes his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose. The man who’d rope the moon for me wipes under his eye.

  “Dad?” I can feel my forehead wrinkle with concern. He sniffs and casts his eyes in my direction. They are red and glossy.

  “You’ve just grown up. One minute you were wearing a Supergirl cape jumping off chairs pretending you could fly. You would run to me, and now you want to run away.”

  I reach over and grab his hand. “Dad, I’d never run away from you. I just want to see what else there is, ya know?”

  He nods and squeezes my hand. “My wild child.” He smiles, but it lacks authenticity.

  “I’ll be okay,” I reassure him.

  “I know.” He sighs, and I hate the worry I see in his eyes.

  “I’ll make some popcorn. We can look at these later. Wanna watch Mrs. Doubtfire?” I ask, trying to lighten the mood.

  “Yeah, that sounds nice.” He stands up, and I wrap my arms around his waist, squeezing him tight and breathing in his dad scent. He’s my biggest fan and comfort safe.

  “I love you, Dad.”

  “And I love you.”

  *

  I turn eighteen on a rainy afternoon. The sun hides behind gray clouds and thunder constantly roars in the afternoon sky. Lightning flashes, causing the town lights to blink as we sit outside of Banner’s bar under a canopy.

  “I’m going to give Piper a ride home,” Dad says, standing up.

  “Okay, I’m going to sit here for a while longer,” I tell him as I stand too and give him a hug.

  “Happy birthday, Little Miss.” He pulls away and grabs my hand in his. I feel something metal, and I look down when he lets go of my hand. My head jerks back up to his face, and I knit my brows in confusion.

  “What are these?”

  “Those, Little Miss, are the keys to Old Blue. He’s all yours.”

  I gape at him, and a smile slowly spreads across my face as tears blur my vision. I hear Leigh holler and Maci clap as I jump into my dad’s arms, causing him to laugh.

  “Are you for real?”

  “Yes.”

  “Thank you,” I say with a straight face, looking at him seriously so he will know how much it means to me. I love that truck. It will always remind me of home no matter where I am. That truck is home.

  “You’re welcome. Take care of him.”

  “I will. I promise.”

  Piper gives me a hug, and then she and Dad drive off in her car, leaving me with Old Blue. Uncle Mark and Aunt Leigh drive Anne home after they fill me with stories of my childhood that I already know because I lived it. I love them, though. Maci stands and gives me a birthday card.

  “You’ve grown into a beautiful young woman, just like your mama was,” she says, smiling at me. “You’ll go far. I just know it.”

  “Thank you, Maci.” I wrap my arms around her. Banner gives me a high five before they go inside the bar. I had a few friends come, but they’ve already left so I sit here by myself thinking about a boy I wanted to come, but didn’t bother to make it.

  I sigh and open the card Maci gave me. She tells me she loves me and she’s proud of me, and inside the card is a very nice gift card that says spend on college dorm room items.

  I smirk and stand up. Grabbing my keys from the table, I walk to Old Blue, and just as I’m about to climb in I hear a familiar voice.

  “Leaving the party already?”

  I smile to myself, and my heart skips a beat. Turning, I see my boy with a smoke hanging out of his mouth. He hits it hard one last time before tossing it to the ground, smiling up at me after he stomps it. I lean against the truck as he walks over. His eyes look toward the canopy, and he slides his hands into his pockets.

  “Where’s your car?” I ask.

  “I parked back a little way. Wanted to walk since the rain has stopped for a moment.” Tommy did finally save up enough for his own ride. He just had to find a different hiding spot for his savings—the bank.

  “The chief give you this?”

  “Yep, Old Blue’s finally mine.” I smile as I pat the classic.

  “Nice.” He leans back on his heels. “You wanna get out of here?” he asks in a cool tone.

  “Yes,” I say because I wouldn’t want to spend my birthday with anyone but Tommy Kingsley. He nods.

  “Leave the truck. We’ll take my car.” I shrug and toss my birthday card into the front seat before shutting the door.

  Tommy sticks out his hand for me to grab. I take it, eager to feel his touch again after so many months without it. His hands are still rough when we link our fingers, and I like the feel of them against mine.

  “Where we going?” I ask, looking over at him.

  “You’ll see, birthday girl.”

  We’re a little way out of town when Tommy turns onto a small road. He drives down it a few miles until he turns again and I notice a field that was once cleared out. It’s grown up now for the most part, and I look over at Tommy as I realize what it is.

  “Was this a drive-in?” I ask him. “It’s a ghost town.” The concession stand is still there and all the speakers you hook up to your vehicle. Tommy pulls the car up front beside one of the speakers and puts it in park. He rests his hand on the bottom of the steering wheel and scratches his left ear with the other before he lifts his snapback and looks over at me. “This place looks like it hasn’t run in years.”

  “It hasn’t.”

  “So, why are we here then?”

  He sighs and gives me a small smile. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.”

  “Well, we’ve both been busy,” I say, knowing that’s a bunch of shit. He nods and looks out the front windshield.

  “I broke it off with Mandy.” Tommy runs his finger over the bottom of the steering wheel and bites the inside of his cheek.

  “You did?”

  “Yeah, just wasn’t going anywhere.” He sighs and moves so his back is against the door. “You with anybody?” he asks.

  “No.”

  He smirks. “Ellie Williams, the girl who doesn’t get too close.” I don’t argue because it’s true, and Tommy knows it better than anyone.

  The thunder roars and the wind picks up, moving the tall grass around us. Then the rain starts to come down. “Hope you’re not planning on us getting out,” I say.

  “Nope. We’ve got everything we need right here.”

  I look over at him as he kills the engine and lifts from his seat. He then starts to climb over into the back. “What are you doing?” I laugh.

  “Come back here with me.”

  I grab the seat and spin myself around, standing up on my knees and throwing my leg over. Tommy takes hold of my arms and pulls me down with him, making me laugh more. I notice a blanket and a bag of something along with a laptop.

  “What’s all this?” I ask him.

  “Well, I wanted to take you somewhere all those losers you’ve been dating never have.” His lip lifts with a playful smile as his eyes dance with amusement.

  “You think you’re funny, don’t ya?”

  He shakes his head. “Just stating what I know is true.”

  “How do you know they didn’t take me on amazing dates?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest and looking at his.
He’s grown, this boy I’ve missed.

  “You’re with me, aren’t you? You’re single, right?”

  I poke my lips out and shrug. “Got me there.”

  He smiles that cute boyish smile, making my heart leap around in my chest. He reaches down and grabs the bag. “I’ve got candy, popcorn, and drinks. There are several movies uploaded onto the computer, and I’ve brought a backup battery in case it goes dead.”

  I'm taken aback and my eyes dance around at all the things he has brought. “You did this for me?”

  “It’s not a big deal.” He shrugs.

  “It is to me. How did you even know about this place?”

  “Your pops.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, said he and your mom came here. Of course, back then it was running.” He kinda laughs as he picks up the laptop from the floor.

  “What's funny?”

  “He also threatened my lower body parts if I tried to do anything with you out here.” He opens the computer as I watch him. I gaze at his hands and my eyes move to his wrist, over his forearm, following his tanned skin to his bicep, trailing over his shoulder to his neck until I reach his face. He looks over at me, and I swallow because his face is so cute and serious.

  “Are you?” I ask softly.

  “Am I what?”

  “Going to try to do anything?”

  “No,” he says, his tone deep and sure. “We’re best friends, remember?” I can hear the hint of resentment in those words. Like he secretly hates them.

  “What movie do you want to watch?”

  “Doesn't matter to me.” I lift my legs, thankful that he has a roomie back seat as he opens the computer and picks us out something. The rain falls harder, beating against the roof of the car and bouncing off of the hood.

  Soon, the windows are fogged from our breathing, but we're into the movie and our hands are into the candy. But my mind is on neither, and it takes all the restraint I have to not give in to what my heart so strongly wants. I do it, though. I do it because the fear is stronger.

  Tommy’s slouched down, his legs spread with the computer on his lap. I’m hugging my knees, not even paying attention as Will Ferrell threatens to put his ballsack on his stepbrother’s drum set. I’d normally laugh, but my mind is on this boy next to me and how close he is yet so far away. It’s centered on the strong urge I have to link our fingers and kiss each of his scarred knuckles and his callused palm. How I wish he would move the laptop and let me take its place, kiss his lips, and breathe in his closeness. My mind is focused on my thumping heartbeat and his chuckle as he laughs at the movie. I sigh inwardly and tell my brain to shut the hell up. That’s not an option. We’re not an option. After all, I’m leaving and I can’t have anything change my mind.

  Chapter Eleven

  Ellie

  Wintertime gives us snowflakes and rosy noses. Dinner with my grandparents reminds me why we don’t do it often. Grandma Debbie, my mom’s mom, complains about our house being a mess. She’s a control freak and supposedly used to drive Mama up the wall. Grandpa Walter, my mom’s dad, tells her to shut the hell up. Those were his exact words. Dad almost spit his beer out, which earned him a hard look from the one who likes to dictate how people run their house. The chief can’t stand Grandma Debbie. I think if he had it his way, she’d have died along with Mama. Harsh, I know, but he tells me she’s always had it out for him and hated Mama married him. For that alone, I like Grandma Ruthie better. I’ll always be on the chief’s side.

  Grandpa Jackson, my dad’s dad, sneaks me a five-dollar bill like it’s a secret and Grandma Ruthie, my dad’s mom, rolls her eyes because it’s not. She gives me a twenty by the way and tells me to keep it to myself. They’re hilarious and per the chief they’re nothing like they used to be. Which I assume is a good thing, because I like how they are. We sit and eat, talking about me going off to school before Grandma Debbie starts one of her rants, blaming my dad for Mama’s death. She cries, my dad goes silent, and everyone leaves. It’s routine.

  Dad always keeps to himself after this dysfunctional family get-together, and I think it’s because his mind goes back to that horrible day he found Mama on the bathroom floor. He shuts down and disappears in Old Blue. So, I wash the dishes, and then I put my coat and knit hat on and make my way out to Mom’s garden and Bear’s grave that sits out past it. Sitting down cross-legged, I feel the cold ground through my jeans. I look up at the trees as golden rays dance among the dead leaves. Slipping my hands into my coat’s pockets, I sniff and blow a piece of unruly hair away from my face.

  “Life is forever changing, Bear,” I say, looking down at the small handmade cross that reads Bear, the greatest dog that ever lived. Twilight covers the sky, and I wipe the sadness from under my eyes. “I miss you more than you’ll ever know.”

  *

  I step onto the Kingsley’s porch and hit my knuckles against the old door. Ronnie answers with a high smile that reaches his red eyes.

  “Tommy’s upstairs.” He turns around, and I walk in passing him and his tools. He climbs the ladder and catches me watching. “The lightning has struck again,” he says as the ceiling fan spins fast above his head. I’m waiting for it to smack him. “The lights no longer work and the toilet is running again. It’s the damnedest thing.”

  “Maybe you should call a plumber and an electrician,” I suggest.

  “Nah, we Kingsleys take care of our own issues. Shit!” he curses as a spark shoots out from a hanging wire.

  “Probably should cut the switch off,” I say, climbing the stairs as he sticks his finger in his mouth. I lightly tap on Tommy’s door as he opens it. He’s just gotten off work. He’s dirty, and his hair is a sweaty mess. When he rubs his hand through it, I see why it’s all over the place.

  “Hey, L.” Smiling like he didn’t expect me, but happy I’m here, he says, “I’m gonna grab a shower. You can wait in my room.” Watching him walk away, I see he’s in light jeans that have dirt stains on them, a shirt he used to wear in high school, and work boots that appear to have some clay dried on them. He looks delicious. He turns around as he’s walking to the bathroom. “Or you can join me?” He lifts his brow, and I roll my eyes. “Your loss.” He shuts the door, and before I turn, he opens it again with his shirt off.

  “Yo, Hudson, where are all the damn towels?”

  “In the dryer,” Hudson yells back from his room.

  “Ellie, would you go grab me one?”

  “They’re probably still wet,” Hudson throws in.

  “Shit.”

  “I’ve got it. Get your shower.” I jog down the steps, passing Ronnie again. Smirking, I see the ceiling fan off. He actually listened to me. I swear, the man’s injured his brain from too many drugs. Opening the dryer door, I feel the towels are still damp, so I take all of them out but one and then turn the knob before I hit the Start button. Leaning against the dryer, I look back at the handyman as he cuts a wire. What the hell is he doing?

  “You graduate this year?” he asks me.

  “Yep.”

  “Going to college?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. My boys don’t have the sense God gave a screwdriver. They should have taken their asses to college. Learned a thing or two.”

  “You got some college money stored away they don’t know about?”

  Dropping the wire cutters, he gives up as he waves both hands, dismissing the broken ceiling fan or lights—I’m not sure what the problem is now. Ronnie climbs down the ladder and pulls out a half-smoked cigarette from his front pocket. Grabbing a box of matches from the table, he strikes one, lighting his smoke before he waves the fire out.

  “They could have gotten into a sport or buckled down harder on their studies. Gotten themselves a scholarship. Hell, they could have applied for some loans,” he says, puffing on his smoke.

  I don’t remind him that they’re the ones who pay the bills around here. “But instead, one wants to work in a restaurant and the other want
s to work in construction. Beats the hell out of me.”

  The dryer goes off, and I roll my eyes at Ronnie when I spin around to grab Tommy’s towel. I put the rest back in and turn the thing back on before I make my way up the stairs.

  I knock my knuckles on the door. “Got your towel.”

  “Can you put it on the counter?”

  Steam surrounds me when I walk in and lay the towel down. The glass is fogged, but I can see the outline of his body, and wow. The once boy is no longer a boy. Construction has done him well.

  “You want to get in too, or are you just going to stand there and stare?”

  I swallow my embarrassment, realizing he noticed me goggling. But then I think, what if I do want to get in? Why don’t I just grow some balls and do what I’ve wanted to do with this boy? Man.

  “That’s what I thought. I’ll be out in a minute, Norman Bates.” His dig pisses me off, and without thought I shut the door behind me, kick off my shoes, and slide my jeans down my legs. My sweater goes next, and before I know it, I’m walking toward the shower.

  Totally naked with water dripping from his hair, he has an amused smile on his lips when I step in. Watching the water river down his face, slide across his Adam’s apple, and move over his collarbone, I swallow and peer back at his face.

  “What are you doing, Ellie?” His regard washes over me. I’m not naked like him, but I feel it as his eyes wander. I look braver than I am, because honestly, what am I doing? He doesn’t cover himself. Confident and cool almost acts like I’m not in his space as he continues to run the soap over his chest, tilting his head back so the water washes it off. From the looks of it, he has every right to be self-assured.

  He puts the soap on the holder, and I grow braver. Stepping forward with a racing pulse, I reach out and grab his hand. I’m close now. This isn’t a big shower.

  I look up from our linked fingers, and he blinks water away from his eyelashes. I say kiss me with mine. Tommy’s pupils dilate and my pulse quickens, sending rushing blood all over my high-strung body. A smile I can’t even pretend isn’t gorgeous appears on his face, and I lean my head more toward his. He bends down, and against my ready lips, he whispers, “You want me to kiss you?” I swallow my nerves. “Say it, Ellie.” He’s inches from where I want him.