The Nights Were Young (7 page)

              All the while, Marie snuck looks at her phone to see if she had any new text messages, or at least a missed call. But there was nothing.

              Later, in her bedroom, Marie had trouble concentrating on her homework. Why hadn’t he messaged her yet? Or tried to call? She left her homework on the desk and went to the window, and she stared out over the lake and towards the starry night sky. Maybe he was in jail. He could have been out there anywhere beyond the water and hills; he had her number, and maybe he was just as nervous to talk to her as she was to him. No – he was too cool for that.

              **********

              The next day at school, Marie felt just as anxious.

“Have you seen Travis at all today?” Marie asked. She was walking to class with Kate beside her.

              “No. I don’t think he came. He got in a fight yesterday with some douchebag in the parking lot,” Kate said.

              “I know. I was there.”

              “Why didn’t you tell me?” Kate asked. She stopped and turned Marie to face her. “I heard they practically killed each other.”

              Brandon approached them. He was dressed different, more cleaned up and presentable. He had bothered to comb his hair and wear jeans that fit him. “Hey Marie,” he said quickly, joining them at her side.

The three continued slowly down the hall.

              “Did Mom say what time she would be home?” Kate asked him.

              “I don’t know. Why?” He tone showed his annoyance to talk to his sister.

              “Cause I wanted to have Joey over.”

              “Joey from the cliffs – that Joey?” Marie asked.

              “Of course,” Kate said. “How many Joeys are there in town?”

              “He’s a total dweeb,” Brandon said, brushing his hair to the side. He looked at Marie, “Don’t you think?”

              “I don’t know,” Marie answered.

              “Whatever,” Kate said. “He’s gorgeous and he’s really sweet.”

              “Yeah he’s a loser,” Brandon said. “The dude just sits there wherever he goes, unless he drinks, and then he’s just all over the place.”

              “How would you know?” Kate asked. “You don’t hang out with him.”

              They were nearing the end of the hall that led into another where Kate and Marie would have to separate.

              “You’re having him over huh?” Marie said. “Are you guys gonna…”

              “What – sex? No way. I haven’t known him that long,” Kate said, shoving Marie.

              “I don’t think the guy could do it, even if he tried,” Brandon said.

              “Shut up, asshole,” Kate said as she pointed to Brandon. Then she looked at Marie. “I’ll see you later girl.”

              “Bye,” Marie said.

              Kate left for her class, leaving Brandon and Marie walking together. They turned the corner and continued down the hall. He moved closer to her.

“I heard you got in a fight yesterday,” he said.

              “I didn’t. Travis did.”

              “Yeah, he told me about it. Apparently you jumped on the guy’s back or something.”

              Marie laughed. “I did what I could. Do you know where he is?”

              “The guy you jumped? Why? You want to finish him off, ‘cause I’ll totally kick his ass if you want,” he offered enthusiastically.

              “No, no. Travis. Do you know where Travis is?”

              Brandon’s shoulders sunk in disappointment; she was asking about Travis.

“Oh, yeah. He got suspended for the rest of the week for the fight. So did that other guy.”

              “Oh wow.”

Marie slowed down when she got to her classroom. She could see the other students staring at her and whispering. “How many people know about the fight?”

              “It’s all over school. If it was just Travis and some average guy then no one would care, but he fought off that football player so everyone cares I guess.”

              “That’s stupid,” Marie muttered.

              “Yeah… yeah, it is. Hey, uh… that new werewolf movie is coming out this Friday,” Joey said. 

              “That ridiculous looking one? Full Moon Fangs?”

              “Yeah that one. I was uh –” he seemed nervous, “do you want to see it with me Friday night?”

              “I can’t Brandon. I’m grounded. I’m sorry.”

              “Oh. Alright.” He hung his head.

              “I’m sorry,” Marie said. She watched his spirits plummet.

              “It’s cool,” he said, “I gotta go.”

              He walked quickly away from her, not looking back.

              Marie walked to the back of the now quieted classroom and sat at her desk.

              A few minutes into class her cellphone vibrated. It was a message from Kate.

KATE: What r u doing after school?

              Marie groaned under her breath. She texted her back.

MARIE: I’m grounded, so nothing.

              She returned to pretending that she was taking notes, which were scribbles in her notebook.

              Her phone vibrated.

KATE: Then skip last class with me. We need to go to Wake Up.

              Marie’s stomach dropped.

             
Holy shit
, she thought.
Skip class?

              She drummed her fingers nervously on the desk. She wanted to, but what about her mother? Really though, her mother wouldn’t even know. She couldn’t control her forever, right?

             
Screw it
, she thought.

MARIE: Hell yes.
 

              **********

              When she should have been in the last class of her school day, Marie sat with Kate at the only coffee shop in town, the Wake Up Shop. It was in the town square, in one of the century-old buildings that had been kept well enough to run an establishment. The walls were wooden and the floor boards creaked when they walked across, and Marie felt a bit smothered in the smell of espresso.

              “They serve ice cream here,” Kate said. “You want some?”

              “No, just coffee.” Marie was starving, and looking at the ice cream made her stomach growl.

              “Damn it, Marie, do you ever eat anything?”

              “Yes,” Marie lied. “I eat all the time. That’s why I’m so fat.”

              Kate froze and glared at her. “Do you seriously think you’re fat?”

              Marie wanted to say yes, but she could see it would end with Kate fighting her endlessly.

              “No, I’m just joking,” Marie answered, faking laughter. “I’m not hungry, though. No ice cream. Just coffee.”

              They got their drinks and sat at a table in the corner. They were the only ones in the shop besides the barista.

“It’s so nice having a girlfriend around now. None of my guy friends would ever be caught dead in this place,” Kate said. “They make fun of the dudes that come in here.”

“It’s called the Wake Up Shop,” Marie said. “It’s kind of a dumb name.  I can see why they don’t want to come in.”

“Well the coffee is fucking great,” Kate said. “What do you think?”

Marie took a drink. “It really
is
great.”

“No, no. Tell me how you really feel, Marie. Tell me it’s
fucking
great.” Kate leaned forward and grinned. “Say it.”

“Why?” Marie asked, laughing.

“Because you’re already skipping class. I want to see you go bad, Marie. Go really bad.”

“You’re stupid,” Marie said, shaking her head. She laughed. This was her friend, a girl that would delight in hearing her swear about a coffee shop.

“Come on…”

Marie rolled her eyes. She said softly, “The coffee is really
fucking
great.”

“Oh come on. That’s how my grandmother would say it,” Kate taunted. “Show me you mean it.”

Finally, Marie said loudly, “The coffee is really
fucking
great!”

They smiled at one another in silence.

The barista heard it while she was cleaning the espresso machine. She paused for a moment. “Well…” she said.

Marie and Kate looked at her, expecting her to ask them to leave.

But the barista shrugged and said, “Thanks,” and then she continued cleaning the espresso machine.

Marie and Kate started laughing with one another.

After coffee, Marie went back home. She watched some TV, she did some homework, she finished another college application, and then she forced herself to jog around Crossfalls Estates. It was so quiet in that place, tame and still.

              It was nearly midnight, and she couldn’t sleep. She flipped through television channels and sighed, when the screen on her phone suddenly lit up. Her heart jumped and she sat up quick.

Is it him?

There was a new message from an unknown number.

5469873523: Hey it’s travis what’s up?

She leaned up against her headboard and held her cellphone tightly. 

MARIE: Nothing. I’m just watching TV. Are you ok?

While she waited for his reply she saved his number under a name she thought was appropriate. “TROUBLE”.

TROUBLE: ya i’m good. that guy punched like a girl

              She laughed.

MARIE: haha. Well sorry if I got you in trouble.

TROUBLE: don’t worry about it. you were worth the fight

              She rolled her eyes.
He’s so cheesy
.

MARIE: Thank you. So why were you there anyway?

TROUBLE: my Marie senses were tingling

She laughed and tugged at her hair.
He’s so dumb
. She bit her lip, staring intently at the screen.

MARIE: Sure they were. Did you have detention or something?

TROUBLE: you think I’m always in trouble? Haha don’t worry about it I was just glad I was there to protect you

              They texted for two hours before they said good night to one another. Their conversation wasn’t anything deep, just tiny nothings back and forth. Travis had mentioned how pretty he thought she was once; she ignored it and changed the topic.

              **********

              They barely communicated while Marie was at school. The night before, they had the fight to talk about. Marie had nothing to start a conversation with now, but she wanted to.

              Kate was sitting next to her at lunch. She was busy texting Joey, who was her boyfriend now.

              “So how’d it go?” Marie asked.

              “How’d what go?” Kate said.

              “Last night. Did Joey come over?”

              “No. My mom had the night off so nothing happened, story of my life.” Kate took another bite of her sandwich.

              Marie looked at the salad in front of her. It tasted awful, and there was half of it left in the bowl. She pushed it away from her.

Kate’s phone jingled and she quickly reached into her pocket. She laughed, looking at the screen. “Joey, you are such a dork.”

              Marie caught Brandon looking at her from his lunch table. He looked down instantly, embarrassed. She checked her phone - nothing. She did not want to be the first to text him, but… 

MARIE: You’re so lucky you don’t have to come to school. It’s so boring here!

He did not send a message back during lunch, or even during the next two hours. It was at the end of the day when Marie was walking out of school that her phone finally vibrated.

TROUBLE: haha

“Seriously?” Marie said.

That was all he wanted to say to her? Now she ended up seeming like the dork she had dreaded being.