Redneck Debutante

by Jenny Hammerle

  His eyes narrowed. “The thing I don’t get is how you can like someone so much that you hate them and need to completely end your friendship with that person. That’s messed up, Rachael.”

  “It’s hard to explain.”

  “Good. Because I don’t care to hear your explanations. Save those for Colten.”

  Travis walked his horses at a very fast pace. Rachael knew it was a warning to stay away from him. Rachael did exactly that. She didn’t feel like talking to anyone right now. She was wearing flip-flops. She had sand and dirt stuck between all of her toes. She even had blisters! Worse, she smelled like a horse and she was tired. Then, to top all that, she had lost her best guy friend in the whole world due to her own stupidity!

  Only six hours to go.

  Just then Rachael heard the telltale rumble of the Honcho coming up the driveway. That and the incessant barking of the beagles in the dog coop on the back could mean that none other than JJ had arrived. With him he’d brought two other men. One strongly resembled him and might be his brother, AJ. The other man, upon closer inspection, was probably in his early twenties. He was surprisingly hot! He was actually properly attired—wearing shoes and all!

  Who is this guy?

  The three of them relieved the three oldest women—Rachael’s mother, Aunt Margaret, and Mrs. Baxter—of their horse-walking duty.

  Rachael’s mother made her way over to Rachael and said they were going home to rest for a while. “How are your feet holding out in those flip-flops?”

  “Great! They’ve gone numb!” Rachael joked, handing them to her mother. “I better just take them off. I don’t want any more blisters. Besides, it looks like JJ is barefoot.”

  “JJ is always barefoot.” Rachael and her mother shared a laugh. “If you are really okay to continue, then Maysie will run you home in a while.”

  “I’m fine,” Rachael reassured. “I have youth on my side.”

  “Funny, dear, very funny.” Her mother walked away and was gone.

  Suddenly the super-hottie headed for Rachael. “Hi, na’am, I’m Tristan. I live out in Myakka City. I’m friends with the Baxters. If you’d like to take a break, I can walk your mare for you.”

  “That would be nice, Thank you. I’m Rachael.”

  “Nice to meet you, Rachael.”

  Rachael went inside to take a much-needed potty break. Maysie came in to take one as well. They each grabbed a can of soda and ate half a sandwich that Mrs. Baxter had just made.

  Rachael grabbed an extra can of soda and half a sandwich and headed back outside to continue the horse walking. On her way to where Tristan was with her horse, she walked up to Travis. She handed him the soda and sandwich. “I thought you might be thirsty and need a snack.”

  “Arsenic?” He raised his eyebrow.

  “Yes. Tons of it. I figure if I kill you I won’t have to work so hard at avoiding you.”

  He actually laughed and took a huge bite. “Death never tasted so good.” Then he merely started walking again.

  Small steps. We’ll be friends again. Whether he wants to or not.

  Rachael took her horse’s lead rope.

  Tristan seemed content to walk with her for the next few hours. “So tell me about yourself, Rachael,” he requested in his Southern accent.

  “I am originally from Palm Beach. Moved here a few months ago. I’m a sophomore at the high school with Maysie and Travis.”

  “Oh. I thought you looked much older than that. So do you ride much?”

  “Just started. Maysie has been giving me riding lessons for over a month now. We usually work together every Sunday afternoon. It’s fun, but a lot more difficult than I had expected.”

  “No. It’s just new to you is all. In time it will come naturally, but you do have to practice. Do you have a horse of your own yet?”

  “No. Not yet. They require such a huge investment of both time and money. Currently I’m short on both.”

  “What do you spend most of your time doing?”

  “Dancing. Maysie, Shannah, and I dance together at the high school. Do you know Shannah?”

  “Sure do. Know her father too. Good people.” He eyed Rachael and then continued, “Dancing huh? What type?”

  “Jazz, hip-hop, ballet. And you, do you dance?”

  He laughed. “No. Not if I can help it. I’m a cowboy. I train and ride horses and work with cows. When I was your age, I liked to show steers.”

  “Show steers. What is that?”

  “In the county fair. Have you ever been to the fair and seen the huge livestock barn?”

  “Yes. At the Florida State Fair.”

  “Then you have seen show steers, and probably hogs and heifers too.”

  “That sounds like fun. I have a heifer now. Travis gave her to me as a gift. Maybe you can help me with her this summer. I would love to learn how to properly work with her.”

  “I wouldn’t mind showing you a few things, but Travis could show you too. Up until last year he showed steers every year in the fair. He has all the right experience.”

  “Well, that’s a little difficult. We aren’t exactly talking right now.”

  “Did you break up or something?”

  “No. We’ve never even dated. We just had a disagreement.”

  “Must be a pretty big one.”

  “Why do you say that?” Rachael asked.

  “I’ve known Travis his entire life, and I’ve never known him to be so angry with someone to not be speaking with them, especially a pretty girl such as yourself.”

  Rachael blushed, then said, “I guess I bring out the angry side of him.”

  “Don’t beat yourself up over it. If he’s really angry with you, it might be a good thing.”

  She frowned. “I don’t see how it could be a good thing. He’ll barely speak to me or even look at me.”

  “That bad, huh?”

  “Yep. I brought him a can of soda and a snack a little while ago, and he asked me if it was poisoned with arsenic.”

  “That’s funny.” Then Tristan caught his slip-up. “What I meant to say is, if he’s making jokes with you, he may be beginning to come around to the idea of being friends with you again. You’ll see. Give him time. Look—here he comes now.”

  “Hey Rachael, I’ll take Creamsicle. Maysie is going to run you home.” Travis sounded moodier than ever.

  “Okay. But I can stay and help out. I don’t have anywhere I need to be.”

  “No. We don’t need your help now that the guys are here. Go home and get cleaned up.”

  Rachael felt as if she were being dismissed.

  “Rachael?” Tristan called. “Thanks for walking with me. I’ll make sure to stop by this summer to help you with that heifer.”

  “Thanks Tristan. It was nice meeting you.”

  What was that?

  A “Thank you, Rachael” from Travis would have been nice.

  So he does hate me.

  “Don’t sweat it, Rachael. Travis is just being a jerk,” Maysie said when they were seated in her car a few minutes later.

  Rachael said nothing and merely nodded.

  As soon as she was home, she ran a steaming bubble bath. After soaking for over an hour, she went to check email. She posted a note on her Facebook saying she’d be home for the holidays. It was still a couple of weeks away, but she was elated!

  Rachael spent all day Saturday and Sunday working with Taffy. She figured this groundwork thing, while obviously intended for a horse, could be done on a heifer as well. Rachael’s visions of grandiose fizzled, though, when she realized that just getting Taffy to lead on her lead rope without pulling would take all day Saturday and half of Sunday.

  She also taught her to back up. Things might be progressing more slowly than anticipated, but she would eventually be a well-trained cow!

  *

  The next few weeks at school flew by. She never saw Travis anymore. She didn’t have any classes with him, and her interaction with Maysie was limited to lunch, t
he ride to and from school, and dance practice.

  Maybe it’s better this way.

  The end of football season was quickly approaching. Rachael and the dance team had a large band competition this Saturday in Tampa. Rachael should be nervous, having never participated in a band competition before, but she wasn’t. Probably because the routines they would be performing they had been working on and doing for half-time for weeks. Rachael was sure she could even do it in her sleep if she tried.

  At school Gabe and Shannah had finally become a real couple. They walked to and from classes together every day. Gabe was so sweet about it and seemed to worship the ground Shannah walked on. He even joined them at their lunch table, even though it made him and Fred the only two guys. Fred had started dating Alex right after homecoming and had never stopped. Even Maysie and Adam were dating. It was hard for Rachael to be surrounded by all of these couples day after day. She hadn’t seen Colten since her trip to Palm Beach over a month ago, and she had no hope of seeing him anytime soon.

  Colten was still on restrictions, which included any overnight trips to visit Rachael. According to Colten, he couldn’t even stay at friends’ houses right there in Palm Beach. His grades had continued to drop, and his parents were taking drastic measures to make sure he brought them up before the end of the school year.

  Rachael’s only hope was he would be off restrictions in time to attend her Sadie Hawkins Dance on Valentine’s Day weekend. It was only a few months away. She kept telling Colten to behave and really buckle down. She wanted him here—no, she needed him here. But February seemed so far away.

  Rachael also had the promise of seeing him during winter break. She couldn’t wait.

  *

  On Saturday, disaster struck. Colten called her first thing in the morning.

  “Hey. Are you ready for your band competition today?”

  “Sure am. I think it will be fun. I’m anxious to see what the other dance teams have put together. Some of them should have amazing choreography.”

  “I’ll bet. I wish I could be there.”

  “Me too. But we’ll see each other soon enough. Winter break is right around the corner.”

  “Yes, well, that’s why I’m calling.”

  “What’s wrong?” Rachael could tell from Colten’s voice something was wrong.

  “I have some bad news. My family is going skiing in Park City for the entire holiday. We leave the Friday school lets out and get back the Sunday before it starts again.”

  Colten’s announcement was met with utter silence. Then Rachael started crying.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes. It’s not your fault. I understand. I’m just disappointed. I was so looking forward to seeing you. Now it won’t be until Valentine’s Day weekend.” She sniffled.

  “I know, but then it will only be a little bit until spring break and your Ball. Then we’ll have the entire summer to look forward to. Think positive.”

  “I’ll try. I have to go. Talk to you tonight after the competition.”

  Rachael lay on her bed and sobbed until her eyes burned and she thought she didn’t have any fluid left in her entire body. After a while she fell asleep.

  *

  There was a light knock at her door.

  “Rachael? Rachael? Are you ready?” Maysie opened the door. “OMG! You don’t look ready to leave for the band competition. What’s going on?”

  Shannah stood in the doorway beside Maysie. “I’ll get her some coffee.” She disappeared down the hall.

  “Come on, my friend. I’ll help you get it together.” Maysie went to her closet and pulled out the sequined uniform they were supposed to wear. In Rachael’s drawer she located her dance tights. Then her jazz boots, which were in one of her cedar shoe boxes.

  “Makeup,” Maysie muttered. “We need lots and lots of makeup. We can do it on the bus ride to Tampa. Come on. We have to go, or we’ll be late.” She grabbed Rachael’s makeup bag from the bathroom and threw everything in her dance bag, including her cell phone off of the bedside table.

  Rachael got up and put on some flip-flops.

  “You look great,” Maysie encouraged.

  Shannah appeared back at the door with a sandwich and a huge mug of coffee with a fitted lid. “I don’t know about great, but it will have to do.”

  They rode in silence to the school, where they would be meeting the rest of the band members to go to the competition.

  “Want to talk about it?” Maysie asked.

  Rachael just shook her head and sipped her coffee.

  When they got there and boarded the bus, Rachael took a seat with Jody, whom she wasn’t really close friends with. Jody liked to read on the bus rides, so she wouldn’t expect Rachael to talk at all. On queue, as expected, Jody produced a huge book and began to read. Rachael appreciated the quiet.

  Then, suddenly, Maysie was beside her. “Jody, change seats with me. I need to do Rachael’s makeup. We can’t let her compete today looking like that.”

  Jody hopped up and sat beside Shannah.

  Maysie started applying Rachael’s makeup. “You don’t have to speak. Just sit there and look pretty. I’ll do all the work.”

  After what seemed like a really long time, Maysie announced, “All done. Now you can go back to your deep, dark place of depression.”

  Rachael actually cracked up. “Am I really that bad?”

  “Yes. I thought for sure someone had died or something tragic. Besides, look at you. You’re wearing a pair of really small guy’s boxer shorts, a tank top, and no bra! You didn’t even get dressed today, did you?”

  “OMG! I didn’t realize I was still in pajamas.”

  “I noticed too,” Shannah hollered from over her seat. “And I’m sure all of the male band members noticed.”

  As Rachael looked around, she noticed the multiple sets of eyes on her.

  Mark, their drum major, said, “Love the new look, Rachael! It really suits you. Gotta love that sunshine state.”

  “Thanks.”

  So I’ll change as soon as I get to the competition.

  As Rachael stood, she realized this particular pair of pajama shorts simply said Florida across the butt. Obviously Mark had already noticed that.

  When the bus arrived, everyone stood to get off. When Rachael, Shannah, and Maysie made their way to the door and down the steps, a roar went up from the crowd waiting just outside in the parking lot.

  In the front was a group of students holding a banner that said, Go Maysie! Shannah! Alex! Amber! And Rachael!

  Rachael immediately recognized the group as including Gabe, Adam, Clay, Fred, and Travis. All of the boyfriends were there to cheer their girlfriends on—or sister, as the case was for Travis—in the competition.

  Everyone’s boyfriend but mine.

  “Thanks, guys, for coming! What a nice surprise,” Maysie crooned.

  “That’s real cool.” Shannah never got too excited. She stepped over and gave Gabe a peck on the cheek.

  Rachael said hi to everyone, then followed the band in the general direction of the locker room to get changed.

  “Go Florida!” she heard Travis and several of the other guys yell. Since most of the schools were from Florida, Rachael had the definite feeling they were not cheering for the state in general.

  Travis jogged up beside her. “Forget to get dressed today?”

  “Something like that. So you are talking to me again?”

  “Yep. I tried hating you, and it didn’t really work for me. So I’m willing to give this friendship thing a try again if you are.”

  Rachael stopped. Dropped her dance bag. And hugged Travis long and hard. “I’ve missed you, Travis.”

  “Missed you too. Go on, Florida. You better go get changed.”

  The band competition was exciting! There were bands from all over Florida. Some had flag corps and baton twirlers. The uniforms for the dancers ranged from full suits with sleeves and everything, to nonexistent with the smallest tops, s
kirts, or shorts Rachael had ever seen!

  Who designs this stuff?

  Rachael watched as band after band took the field. She and Maysie studied the dance teams’ moves, committing their favorites to memory for use in their own routines. After two hours, an announcer announced that East Manatee High School would be next on deck. They all left the warm-up area and proceeded to the sidelines.

  Okay. Now I’m not so calm as before.

  Rachael could hear her heart thumping in her ears. The band that was on the field concluded. The announcer announced over the loud speaker, “Now marching, East Manatee High School.”

  Their band marched out onto the field, heads held high, smiles in place. The next several minutes flew past like a breeze. They were done, and it was so easy. But they were not completely done. They needed to wait for the awards ceremony. It would be several hours until then, and they had time to kill. Their band director told them to meet back at the concession stand in two hours.

  Rachael and her friends went to scope out all of the other dance teams’ outfits. Maysie was taking mental notes for when they were seniors and would get the chance to design one new uniform for the dance team. It was an EMHS tradition. They thought the neatest uniform was a cat-suit design with holes cut into it on the abdomen—both sides. It was one solid piece of spandex from neck to ankle.

  “Do you think it would be too hot?” Rachael imagined herself sweating in the cat suit.

  “No. Remember how cold you were at last night’s game? I think we could use a cold weather option,” Maysie stated.

  “I agree. I was so cold I thought I was getting sick,” Shannah griped.

  “Then it’s agreed. We like this one. Remind me to sketch it later.”

  The girls headed to the parking lot to say hi to the guys. Rachael felt like the odd girl out. She was the only one who didn’t have a boyfriend with her.

  Travis and Trisha sat talking on the back of his tailgate.

  I wonder if they are back together again.

  “Come sit with us,” Trisha called.

  “No thanks.” Nothing like a third wheel. “I need to call Colten.”

  Rachael dialed Colten. When he didn’t answer, she just left a message.