Magnolia's Fall From Grace

by Zara Teleg

  Maggie swallowed. “Hurt them, how?”

  If she only knew what I had done in the past few years for my father and my club. I might have broken just about all of her Commandments.

  “Never mind.” I grabbed her journal. “Let’s see if you have added any new things to that list.”

  Magnolia

  Shannon and I walked to the parking lot just before two. Smoking a cigarette and leaning against a sports car with flames painted on the hood and down both sides was Sissy in all her wild glory. Sunglasses covered her eyes, and her fiery hair matched the flames and glowed under the afternoon sun. Slightly sunburnt skin was visible in her cropped tee shirt that was stretched across her braless chest. The belly ring she wore sparkled on her flat stomach exposed in her low-slung tiny black cutoffs. As usual, no shoes were on her feet, and back rubber bracelets lined both arms up to her elbows.

  “Come on, we got lots to do.”

  Shannon and I looked at each other. Oh boy. Shannon just smiled and shrugged. “Let’s go.”

  I sat in the back and was glad I did. Sissy took off like a bat out of hell. She had the music so loud, my butt was vibrating. “Yes! Van Halen!” Shannon shrieked as she began to play an imaginary keyboard on the dash. Sissy slapped her hands against the steering wheel, drumming as the two sang “Right Now.”

  I held onto the door handle as Sissy flew around turns and the car bounced up and down the gravel roads until we were on a highway. Shannon was screaming in delight with her arm hanging out the window.

  “Where are we going?” I tried to yell over the music and wind whipping through the car.

  “What?” Sissy continued bobbing her head to the music.

  “Where are we going?” My body thrusted forward and then back as she skidded to a stop at the traffic around the bend.

  “Sorry.” She laughed. “The mall.”

  “Yes!” Shannon threw her fist in the air.

  A few exits later, we finally got off the highway. My head was spinning from Sissy’s erratic driving. We came to a traffic light where the mall was just ahead. A black Camaro slid to a stop next to us.

  “Nice ride.” The guy gave Sissy a head nod. She pulled her sunglasses over her hair and eyed the guy, revving the engine. My stomach soured. I didn’t like where this was going.

  “Hold on, girls.”

  Sissy spun her wheels, popping the clutch and flying off the line as the light changed to green, and so did I. Sissy stuck her arm with the middle finger up as she blew past the car full of guys and drove around to the back entrance of the mall and skated to a stop. In the space next to us, a formally dressed woman clutched her children close to her when Sissy hopped out through the window, holding flip-flops in her hand.

  “That was awesome.” Shannon excitedly attempted to hug Sissy and nearly knocked her over as she tried to put on her shoes. I peeled myself from the sticky leather seats. My body was on pins and needles, and my knuckles were still white as we entered the wonderfully air-conditioned mall.

  “We should hit the arcade before we leave. Do you think they have Mortal Kombat?” Shannon asked as we passed a group of teens smoking while cheering on their friends who were playing. “And the record store,” she added. “I miss my posters. Maybe they have one of Axl Rose that I can hang in our cabin.”

  Sissy was speed walking and passed the carousel loaded with kids going up and down the colorful horses. She also passed Hess and other department stores before stopping in front of Deb Shops. I thought we were going in, but no, she pointed to the store next to it. It wasn’t even a clothing store—it was a skate shop that was blaring some kind of alternative music that sounded like repetitive noise, and it had strobe lights flashing through the place. Walking on the black and white checkered floor, it reminded me of a store on the boardwalk with all its made-to-print tee shirts. Lines of skateboard decks were covering one wall, and a boy was rocking back and forth on a skateboard in a circular wall cutout.

  “This store is rad.” Shannon was already flipping through the band shirts as the guy in the back with electric-blue hair looked up from his Thrasher magazine.

  “Sissy, what’s up, girl? You haven’t been here in weeks.” He winked. “You brought company.”

  Sissy just said, “Yup.”

  She hopped up on the counter, crossing her legs and grabbing a lollipop that was in a carousel. Sissy sat there pointing to clothes we should try on as she sucked on the cherry pop that turned her lips and tongue bright red.

  “That’s perfect for you, Maggie.” Sissy motioned for me to twirl. The short black skirt clung to my hips. She paired it with a thin black tank top and a pre-ripped Van Halen tank top.

  “You need boots.” She pointed to the rack that was on the far wall.

  “Marshall, how much more do I owe you for the Docs?” she asked, pulling a five-dollar bill from her pocket. Marshall flipped to a page in a notebook and marked down the money.

  “Sixty more and they’re yours.”

  I could see her disappointment. She rolled her eyes. “At this rate, it will be winter, and my feet will have grown before I pay them down.”

  “But they’ll be worth it.” Marshall pulled a box from under the counter. Sissy’s name was written on a paper and taped to the top. He lifted the lid and she sighed like she was in love. In the box was a brand-new pair of purple Doc Martens boots that looked like ones I was admiring in black on the shelf.

  “Soon we will be together, my friend,” Sissy said to the boots as she held them to her chest.

  Shannon paid for her huge pile of clothes. I was up next.

  “Dairy Queen is next door. You guys want something?” Shannon asked us. “I’m paying.”

  “I want a Cherry Misty float,” Sissy announced as she hugged Shannon.

  “You okay finishing here, Maggie? We can get the drinks.”

  “Sure. Oreo Blizzard for me. I’ll meet you there in a few minutes.” I wanted to stay behind so I could talk to Marshall.

  Marshall was folding my purchases. His baggy black jeans were practically falling off his skinny body. “Uh, Marshall. Um, I was wondering, could I pay off Sissy’s boots? I’d love to surprise her with them later.”

  He smiled, nodding his head. “She’ll love that. Nobody ever does anything for that girl.” My eyes grew three sizes when I noticed the barbell stuck through his tongue. I slid the credit card my mom had given me for emergencies across the counter. I winced when he rang up the total and I signed the receipt. Marshall placed them in a bag Sissy couldn’t see through. I walked out smiling. I couldn’t help it—I was at the mall with girlfriends! I was having ice cream and buying clothes! The girls waved me over. We sat at the little red table sipping our drinks and making a quick plan for the other stores they wanted to hit. No wonder she picked us up so early.

  I roamed around the record store as long as I could. Sissy and Shannon were in deep conversations about bands I never heard of. After they checked out all the shirts, they knelt on the floor, sorting through discount bins of cassettes. There was nothing in the store I was interested in.

  “I’m going to walk to the fountain.” That earned me two grunts and a wave. I followed the roaring sound around the corner to spot the enormous fountain that was decorating the center of the mall. I watched with interest as a mother handed each of her kids pennies. Their father picked each child up and placed them on the thick marble ledge surrounding the fountain. I sat on its edge, listening as the mom told them a magical story about making their wish and tossing coins. Each child closed their eyes, turned around, and tossed the coin over their shoulder.

  I rummaged through my bag until I found a coin. What harm could come from a little wish? Turning around, I closed my eyes and made a wish.

  I wish I could have the courage to let myself enjoy this summer, my new friends, and try new things with no regrets.

  As the penny left my fingers and flew through the air, I felt relief in giving myself permission to have fun.

&n
bsp; For our next stop, we followed Sissy into a waterbed store. The salesman in the store, of course, kicked us out after Sissy made loud comments about pervs watching themselves having sex while the three of us were lying together on a waterbed that had mirrors on top. My face was as red as her Misty float when we ran out of the store laughing hysterically. The man, with his oversized glasses and large mustache, yelled after us, “I told you not to come back here, girl!”

  “You guys ready? We gotta go.” Sissy pointed to the enormous clock in the center of the mall, still panting from laughter and our escape.

  “We can’t leave without making a permanent memory of today.” Shannon pointed to the photo booth where a few twelve-year-olds were retrieving their photo from the slot.

  We piled in the tiny booth, laughing at the faces we made. When Shannon handed me my sheet, I almost didn’t recognize the happy image of myself. It didn’t look like the girl who had come here a month ago.

  On the way back to the clubhouse, I let myself enjoy Sissy’s speed-demon driving and put my arm out the window and sang to the Bon Jovi song Shannon had me acquainted with.

  Sissy’s mom brought up sweet tea and a whole tray of makeup to Sissy’s room.

  We spent two hours being girls, listening to music, trying on everything from our bags and Sissy’s closet, and doing makeup. Shannon looked like a new person. Her makeup was perfection, and her hair was in a long braid that tamed it. She looked like a rock star in her newly cut Guns N’ Roses cropped top over a black jean skirt and combat boots.

  I was last to sit in the makeup chair. “You know, this hair is so long. You should think about trying something new.” Sissy held out a long, thick piece of wavy, white-blonde hair. I gave it a moment of thought. I spotted the movie poster for Poison Ivy on the wall and loved the way Drew Barrymore’s hair looked.

  I pointed to the poster. “You think it would look good like that?” I looked at my waist-length hair and back to the poster.

  “Hell yeah!” the girls screeched.

  “Maaaaaa!” Sissy yelled. “Ma went to beauty school before she ended up with me.” Sissy’s face fell. “She almost graduated, but I came early.”

  My back was to the mirror, but that did not stop me from seeing the blonde locks floating to the floor as Sienna worked her magic.

  “What’s that for?” I leaned back as Sissy flicked a lighter close to my face.

  “Eyeliner.” She laughed as she ran the sharpened black pencil through the flame. “It goes on better this way.” I’d have to take her word for it considering she’d hung a towel over the mirror so I couldn’t peek as I got dressed.

  “Wow,” Shannon and Sissy both said as I walked out from behind the closet door where I had changed.

  “Well, I want to see.” I was ready to look at myself in the mirror.

  “Those boots kick ass.” Sissy folded her arms, admiring the job she did on my makeover. I could feel the weight of the giant hoop earring swaying from my ears.

  “Ready?” Shannon ripped the towel away from the mirror.

  Standing before me was a reflection of a sexy blonde who looked about twenty-two. I had long legs, and the black skirt and the little black boots made me appear way taller than I was. The double tank tops made my breasts look big and my waist tiny. I walked closer to the mirror. My hand ran through my sexy new hair, and I blinked and admired the black line over my eyelids and the flame-red lipstick matted on my lips.

  “Holy… I cannot believe this is me.” I turned around and looked at my back in the mirror.

  “Alright, stop admiring yourself. I gotta get my clothes on.” Sissy held her tiny black dress in the air.

  “You girls come with me. I want to take a Polaroid when Sissy’s done.”

  While they were chatting earlier, I wrote Sissy a short note on the back of the mall picture and placed it in the box with the boots on the bed.

  Sissy,

  Thank you for the best day ever. I’ll never forget your driving or the guy from the waterbed store.

  Xoxo,

  Maggie Grace

  Chapter 10

  Venom

  “Boys, be patient. It takes us ladies a whole lot longer to get ready.” Sienna ushered the three of us off the porch so she could introduce the girls, whatever the hell that meant.

  Viper, Mongo, and I waited as Sienna cleared her throat and used a cucumber she had just picked from the garden as a microphone.

  “Gentlemen, may I introduce you to your female escorts tonight.” She tugged open the rickety screen door.

  “Ma, stop.” I could hear Sissy begging her.

  “Ms. Cecilia is wearing a hot little black dress and her new boots.” Sissy waved her arm as she rolled her eyes, trotting down the stairs. Her little black dress was more like an extra-long tank top with a heavy belt and purple Docs. Her red hair was down and fanned in the air when she spun around for our whistles.

  “Next up, we have our little Shannon. Styled in her new braided hair with a funky little black number. Shannon pumped her fists in the air as we encouraged her with catcalls. She did the same spin as Sissy when she reached the top step.

  “And for the finale, boys, try to control yourself. I don’t know if you are ready for this.” Sienna turned to the door and whispered, “Come on, darlin’, it’s just for fun.” Then she turned back to us. “Magnolia, sporting her…”

  I heard no more words. One black heeled boot stepped out of the house. Maggie’s long legs made it impossible to look away. The little black skirt hugged her curves, and my breath left me. Her long hair was cut to the middle of her back. Long sweeping bangs fell to the side of her face. Instead of her beautiful angelic makeup-less face, her lips were cherry red and her eyes were lined in black. Her lashes were dark, framing green pools that I could drown in.

  Viper slapped my shoulder. I wasn’t whistling or catcalling like I had been for the other girls. I was speechless. She was a sight. I walked past everyone and straight to her, bowing down and taking her hand and kissing it as I watched her face turn red as she smiled.

  “You like?” She looked at me through her thick black lashes.

  “I like.” I inhaled the perfume that was lingering on her skin. She shivered when my nose brushed across her neck.

  “Hey, we look good too.” Sissy stomped her boot.

  “You all look gorgeous! I feel like we are going to need backup to keep other guys away.”

  Tonight we took two cars. Sienna agreed to watch little Vice, my brother Vicious and Holly’s baby. I could tell Holly was a bit worried about leaving him, but he was in good hands with Sienna.

  “I can’t believe you won’t tell us where we are going again.”

  “You girls are going to have fun.”

  We drove for nearly an hour to get to the small bar down the coast, deep in the Bayou. We pulled into Pussy Willows. The parking lot was packed.

  “This is a bar. We aren’t old enough to get in here,” Shannon pointed out.

  “Tonight, we are.” Viper tugged hard, opening the glove box.

  “Remember those pictures I took?” An evil grin spread across his face.

  “Gina, this is yours.” He handed Shannon a card. “Andrew, here you go. And Ms. Charlene, this is you.” He placed a card in Maggie’s hand. Her eyes were wide as she accepted it and looked from the ID to me.

  “Forge is a master at IDs,” Viper touted.

  More cars were filling the large stone lot in the middle of nowhere. The yellowing sign outside read Crazy Crawdads Cover Band, Saturday.

  “Are you sure about this?” Maggie hesitated as I helped her out of the truck.

  “Don’t worry. Once we get through the door, we’ll be fine. Vicious knows the band. They play great covers and some originals too.”

  “What’s taking so long?” Sissy trotted over from the other vehicle arm in arm with Holly.

  “Hey, sis. Have you met Shannon and Maggie?”

  “Hi, I’m Holly. We haven’t formally met but
, I saw you two at the bonfire.” She placed her other hand over Maggie’s and leaned into her. “Thanks for your help with Mongo.” She winked. “Now, let’s go, dance!”

  Our group had no trouble getting past the bouncers with our new IDs, but I could see Maggie looked nearly green when the rough guy in leather and tattoos looked at her and then at the ID before waving her through. Shannon was bouncing all over, excited to hear the band. It was getting more crowded by the minute. We found a table in the far corner, close to where the band would play.

  I used my body as a shield to protect Maggie from being gawked at in her fucking walking hard-on outfit. She was killing me, and I was going to get Sissy for this one.

  A round of beers was set on the table in front of each of us. Shannon leaned into Maggie, whispering something in her ear.

  “To new friends and fun times ahead.” Viper lifted his glass, inviting everyone else to do the same.

  We clanked our glasses together. Even Maggie drank down the liquid gold.

  Magnolia

  I lifted my glass like the others, trying to feel the relaxed excitement that they all did. I was here, using a fake ID, underage drinking, and hanging around people my family would definitely not approve of. But the biggest sin was that I wanted to be here, to do these things, to lose myself in the music and the night.

  Putting the glass to my lips, I gulped down the bitter liquid and slammed it down like the rest of the group.

  Sissy whistled loudly when the singer came out on stage. The man strutted out in blue jeans and a tight black tee shirt, showing off his muscular build. Tattoos decorated his arms, and his light-blond hair brushed past his shoulders. If he wasn’t so manly, I’d say he was almost pretty. A saxophone started to play behind him as his baritone voice had the women swooning.

  Freedom began to flow through my veins as the beer worked its magic. I went and took Sissy’s hand, and she pulled me onto the dance floor. The four of us girls danced and danced. The guys smoked cigarettes and downed more beer as the hours wore on.