“Well, that’s a relief. I’d hate to have to burn all the others.”
“You’ve been spending entirely too much time with Shannah.”
“Maybe. I don’t think I’ve ever threatened to burn anything before.”
“I better watch out. If we get into it when we’re married someday you’re gonna go all pyro on me and burn my clothes on the front lawn. Crazy redneck woman.”
He squeezed her hand to let her know he was joking, but his eyes lacked their typical smile.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“I’d believe that if I didn’t know you so well.”
They crossed through the fence line and continued toward the barbed wire fence in the distance. At that fence, Travis held the second strand down for her with his sneaker while simultaneously holding the top strand up to prevent it from catching on her top. He followed her through the wire and took her hand once more.
“If you won’t tell me, I’m going to try to guess.” She looked at him. “You’re mad at me.”
“Not at all. You’d know it if I was mad at you.”
When he still said nothing, Rachael decided to let it go. He never held back with her, and she knew whatever it was he mustn’t be ready to discuss it.
In the distance she could see the molasses tanks coming into view. The smell of cattle manure greeted her from where she was.
“I think this is close enough.”
“That stink isn’t poop. It’s the liquid feed in those large tanks over there. I think we should build a house out here after we graduate college. Wake up to that smell every day.”
She knew better than to think he was serious.
She saw Taffy grazing near the tanks with ole’ lonesome George beside her.
“How did you know they were here?”
“I’ve been checking them every afternoon since we put them out here. I knew you’d be worried.”
She turned and kissed him, standing on her tiptoes in the deep grass. He wrapped his arms around her and returned her kiss. He reached his hand down and brushed her blonde hair away from her face kissing her forehead.
“I love to draw, but I was born a rancher’s son. Drawing cartoons is something I’ve done since I was little. It’s fun.”
“There’s no reason you can’t do both. A drawing, artistic cattleman.”
“I know, but I gave up on the dream of doing it for a living a long, long time ago.”
“Would you have liked to have gone to school to study art?”
“Maybe in another life.”
“You still can.”
“No, I can’t and that’s okay.”
“Why not take some art classes, too? There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“I guess not. That’s just another reason I love you Rachael Harte. You make me feel like anything is possible.”
“Anything is possible- if you want it to be.”
“Come on. Let’s go jump in the creek. The water’s up.”
“I’m going in fully clothed.”
“Suit yourself. I’ve got on shorts.”
“That better not be all you’re wearing, Mr. No-britches.”
“I’ve got those on too. You wanna check?”
Rachael jumped back a few feet shaking her head.
“Nope. I’ll take your word for it.”
“Thought so. Wimp.” He took off his shirt and threw it on the ground. He slipped off his sneakers, followed by his socks.
“I’m not a wimp. I’m just maintaining clear boundaries.”
“For now.” His eyes gleamed in the afternoon sun. “Let’s race to the creek. I’ll give you a head start.”
“I’m not that fast!” She exclaimed.
“I know.” He winked at her. “But I am.” He paused, “You better get going because I’ll give you fair warning…when I catch you- you’re getting kissed, good.”
Rachael wasn’t sure what getting kissed good entailed but she took off at a sprinter’s pace. The jeans she’d chosen to wear were a bit of a hindrance. She moved as quickly as she could. The trees lining the tree bank were getting closer and closer. She felt the wet soil beneath her feet and jumped in. Another figure flew into the water passing her. She disappeared below the surface. When she came up for air, he was there.
He grabbed her in an embrace and kissed her.
She ran her hand down his side where his cut was almost completely healed, tracing it with her fingertips. Next, she continued her exploration down his sides to his strong waistline stopping there.
“I can’t stand here.”
“I know.” He smiled into her eyes, “But I can.”
Rachael had to hold onto him to keep her head above water.
“Do your ribs still hurt?”
“Not at all. We’re tougher than that.” He bent his head and kissed her again, and again, until it began to turn dark. Crickets chirped and bullfrogs croaked near the water’s edge.
“Let’s get you home.”
Chapter Thirteen
Dance tryouts finally arrived and Rachael was a flurry of nerves. After last year’s embarrassing, yet deserved, suspension off the team, she knew she had to go in there and give it her all. It was her senior year and dancing was just a part of the overall school experience she’d always pictured.
As seniors there was a good chance Maysie and Shannah would be named captains! Rachael was ecstatic for them. While Shannah would protest at first, she’d step up to the role and do a kick butt job. Maysie would accept the position with poise and grace, in typical Maysie fashion. That was one thing you could always count on from her.
Rachael walked to the locker room where she put down her book bag. She opened her locker and tugged out her dance bag where she’d stowed it earlier the same morning. She unzipped the bag and pulled out her tights and favorite pair of Capezio slip-ons. For today, she’d brought a pair of tight jazz shorts with matching Lycra top. She glanced around the locker room and still saw no sign of Maysie or Shannah.
Some of the other younger dancers came filing in and greeted her. Alex and Sidney opened their lockers next to hers and quickly began getting ready. Rachael considered her competition. It wasn’t often that a veteran dancer would get cut, but it had happened in the past. According to Maysie the last time was her freshman year and she remembered it had caused an uproar- especially among the parents and sponsors. When a sponsor’s daughter gets cut, you not only lose the dancer, the program loses the money, too.
This thought increased Rachael’s uneasiness. What if I go in there and dance my heart out- and they just plain don’t want me back? It was a real possibility at this point.
Mr. Greene, the band director, was nice enough, but he’d made it clear how displeased he’d been with her skipping practices and such. While he’d told her he’d love her to try out again in the future, Rachael had no way of knowing if he’d meant it or not.
Rachael heard the door slam behind her and watched as Elena came into the locker room. She was received coolly by the handful of other dancers who made no move to acknowledge her in any way. Rachael was especially surprised at Alex, who not only ignored her, but disappeared into the bathroom with a hairbrush, hair tie, and bobby pins to put her hair up in a bun.
Rachael grabbed her own hairbrush out of the bag and a hair tie; then turned to welcome Elena.
“Hi, Elena. There’s an empty locker over here beside mine if you want it.”
Elena nodded and came over to set her dance bag down. She looked nervous, almost sick. She quickly changed in silence. Rachael seized the opportunity to use the restroom and do her hair.
In front of the mirror, Alex applied some gloss and did a final once-over of her outfit. “Don’t be too nice to her, Rachael.” She whispered.
“Why not? She’s an exchange student, new to school, with very few friends. She hasn’t done anything to us.”
“Not yet. But I think she likes Fred.”
“I think she likes
him as a friend. Give it a week or two- you’ll see. She’ll make friends and you’ll see you don’t have anything to worry about. He adores you.”
“Maybe you’re right.”
“Besides, I’ve been that new girl. Remember?”
Alex laughed. “At least none of us is having her followed into the locker room or anything.”
“I held my own.” Rachael attested.
“And you had Redneck Shannah. Who’s going to challenge that?”
The girls finished up and went out into the locker room where Elena was finishing lacing up her dance boots. Rachael had to admit to herself that Elena was fit, super pretty, not to mention blonde…and sweet. What eighteen year old senior wouldn’t be affected by that …living in his house…under his same roof?
Okay, maybe she should worry, but I can’t tell her that.
“We’re going to walk down to the dance room. Would you like to join us?” Rachael offered to Elena and another underclassman who’d shown up for auditions.
“Sure.” They chimed.
Rachael glanced around and still saw no sign of Shannah or Maysie.
“They must be down there already.” Alex pointed out, reading her thoughts.
“I hope so. I didn’t see them today except for lunch and one class with Maysie. She never mentioned auditions. I guess she figured I was nervous enough already.”
“She was probably right.”
The girls walked across campus toward the football locker room, weightlifting room, and personal trainers’ and coaches’ offices. At the far end, they saw the doors to the dance room standing open. Shannah stood talking outside to Romero.
“Who’s that?” Sidney asked.
“He’s got to be new.” Alex added.
“He’s an exchange student.” Olivia offered. “Romero from Spain.”
“Romero from Spain.” Sidney sounded intrigued.
“Sorry ladies, but it looks like he’s into Shannah.”
“Looks like.” Alex smiled. “She’s got that feminine beauty with a little bit of jock appeal going for her. Not every girl can pull that off.”
“I liken it to some type of animal pheromone.” Sidney chimed in.
Everyone looked at her cracking up.
“Pheromone?” Rachael sounded doubtful.
“Exactly. Pheromone. Some people just have it. I’ve watched her since last year. Guys are just drawn to her, pulled in by some unseen force. It’s gotta be pheromones.”
“I wish I had some pheromone.” Olivia griped.
“Luck of the draw. Pheromone. Some got it. Some don’t.” Sidney, the obvious pheromone expert advised.
Shannah saw them approaching and excused herself from Romero to go inside the dance room. When Rachael and the others stepped inside the dance room, her heart lurched forwards and hurtled headlong toward her feet. There must have been twenty-five girls in the dance room ahead of their group of six. Many of them were new freshman. Rachael should’ve assumed there would’ve been more this year than in year’s prior. Dance was becoming huge at their school. There was a handful of sophomores and a bunch of juniors, like Maysie said, who’d already tried out at the end of last year and would assist in the audition today. Alex quickly walked over to join them. Whatever happened to only two freshman planning on trying out? At this rate Rachael would be lucky to have a spot at all. But, still, there might be hope. In addition to the two existing openings, there were also now the spots previously occupied by Misty and Honey. That would make four openings- total.
Today Maysie was all business. This was an entirely new side to her Rachael had never seen before. No wonder she and Shannah hadn’t been in the locker room this afternoon. By the looks of it they’d been down here getting things ready for the try-outs. Both of them acted as if they’d never seen her before, which was understandable.
They can’t play favorites. This is an audition.
Rachael spied another girl coming in through the opened dance doors behind them.
Amber…
She walked over to where the girls sat in circles chatting excitedly. She was dressed in new dance clothes, her figure much fuller than it’d been the year before. She wore a smile and held her head high.
“Here.” Rachael and Alex slid over making room. “Sit with us.”
“Surprise.” She whispered.
Rachael, Alex, Sidney, and Olivia hugged her. Shannah nodded her what’s up, girl from across the room where she talked quietly to Maysie.
“Time to get started.” Shannah came over to address the group. “I’m Shannah.”
If the girls thought there was going to be more to her speech than that they were mistaken! She wasn’t big on public speaking or small talk. Shannah led them through a series of stretches and warm-up exercises. Most of the girls were experienced dancers and they showed it. Next, Maysie took over the audition explaining things. The first thing she did was ask the girls to line up in straight lines, eight to a row. There were four rows across the studio.
“This year Mr. Greene, the band director, has selected Shannah and me to be your captains. We’re going to teach you a challenging routine that is typical of one we’d use during football season and at competition. Of course we’re not on a field, so it will be in a confined space. Most of you are freshman and probably haven’t danced with a high school band before so blocking and marking is something we’ll teach you in the course of the next few weeks at practice. Therefore,” Maysie paused and walked across the front of the room like a military general inspecting his lines. “Today will be primarily focused on dance, technique, and skill.”
Maysie and Shannah taught the routine which was ten minutes in length, shorter than the average halftime routine yet longer than a typical dance. It combined movement and direction changes, leaps, and triple pirouettes. The descriptive word that came to mind for Rachael was grueling. Shannah must’ve thought so, too, because Rachael caught her looking her way one time and she mouthed the words ‘what up with this, Maysie’?
Rachael nearly laughed but had to maintain her focus. After the longer than necessary routine, they received a water break. Some of the girls went out for water and didn’t return. Rachael hated to admit as much, but she was relieved. Undeterred, Maysie asked them to line up again.
“And then there were sixteen.” She grinned at them.
Rachael watched her strut across the room and thought all she lacked was a crop, one of those short handheld whips carried by riding jockeys.
“Look around you, ladies. Dancing is hard work. Summer vacation has ended. Practice is practice. If you make it, be on time, dressed and ready to dance. A list will be posted on the band room doors tomorrow. Thank you for coming.”
The remaining girls grabbed their stuff and walked away.
Rachael approached Maysie and Shannah reluctantly. “Is it safe to say hi?” She joked.
“I don’t know. Even I was scared about fifteen minutes ago.” Shannah shook her head.
“Sorry, girls, but Mr. Greene said to make it tough. He’s tired of the quitters and problems and all that other stuff.”
“You accomplished that,” Shannah commented. “We’ve never had girls actually not finish the audition.”
“If they can’t commit to finishing the audition, how can we rely on them to finish the season?” Maysie grinned.
“I’m sorry. I was one of those losers last year.” Rachael admitted.
“No. You were suspended. There’s a difference.”
“That’s worse!”
“No. Just a life lesson. Let’s go grab pizza.” Maysie smiled. “And Travis isn’t invited. He’s gotten on my last nerve lately.”
Shannah and Rachael exchanged looks with Amber. They decided to let the newest sibling war slide.
Everyone was so excited to see Amber. It was just like old times. Rachael had to catch a ride with Shannah and Maysie to the pizza parlor since Travis drove her to school this morning, while Amber drove her own car separately. At the pi
zza restaurant they grabbed a booth and ordered the ‘works’ veggie pizza.
“Sorry I didn’t tell y’all I was coming to the audition today. Things have been a little crazy for me.”
“Well, yeah. We get it.” Shannah commented leaving the obvious unsaid.
“We’re just glad you’re back.” Maysie added.
“Me, too. My mom told me last week if it’d help me I could go back to public school with you guys and have a normal senior year with friends.”
“We’re glad she did.”
“But I’m not allowed to date right now. I didn’t want to anyway. I’m pretty messed up- adding a guy and dating to my situation wouldn’t be good.”
“Just know we’ll be here to support you every step of the way, every step.” Maysie reached over and patted her hand.
Rachael sat quietly pondering the audition. She knew Amber was thinking the same thing. Neither of them mentioned it, though, and Rachael decided to stick to safer topics of conversation like shopping and the remainder of the school year.
“My big goal is to lose the weight. I had to go out and find some dance pants that fit this booty.” Amber sighed.
“You look fantastic.” Rachael complimented.
While catching up with Amber was always fun, this afternoon the conversation dragged a bit. It was very difficult to find anything to say that wouldn’t touch on the subject of guys, your figure, or anything that would in some way make Amber feel uncomfortable. Even something as simple as school gossip about who did what at a party, or who hooked up with who, suddenly became off limits. Rachael and everyone else felt like they were walking on eggshells around her. Her situation had forever changed everything.
A little downhearted the girls climbed into Maysie’s car and headed for home.
“It’ll get better, guys. It will.”
Shannah…the redneck voice of reason.
“You’re right. It’s just so new. I’ll never call myself chunky or curvy again in her presence. Like she said she’s got forty-five pounds to lose. She’s just had a baby! A little over two months ago…and today she was at a high school dance audition.” Maysie laid it out in black and white.
“How do you move on from that? I can’t imagine. I think it’s worse now than before.” Rachael added.
Cowgirl Strong Page 13
