Making our Future in History

Day fourty: After School

We won by one of our largest margins so far this season. It was getting cold, and I was wrapped up in his jacket that I held tight around myself. I watched the parade of football players and cheerleaders go by. I stood there long enough to watch the Marching Band to go by.
After they marched by Bennett came back over to me.
"Ready to go celebrate?"
I nodded in response.
He put his hand on the small of my back to usher me to his car. I let Kendal have mine to go home with so that he could 'be the gentleman' (rolling eyes).
We got into his car and drove to the best burger place in our town. Everyone went there after any and every won sporting event held by our school, or any other major event held at our school.
One thing you have to know is how much bigger our town is than a pin hole on a map, and it's not that much bigger. The biggest thing about our town is the square miles between the main part of town and most of the homes/farms around us. We're spread out to the point where our biggest rivals are a school that is about thirty minutes to an hour away, so, everyone knew everyone and everything. And the looks we got when we walked in were to be expected.
The high school was like an even tinnier town within itself.
Once we walked in I saw that every football player, cheerleader, and sport enthusiast was in that building and everyone knew everyone else's business.
We sat down across from each other in the same booth that we had a couple hundred times, and yet this time it was different. I wasn't trying to talk or get engaged in a conversation. I was sitting there staring at the wall behind him.
"Kate, talk to me."
I went from the wall behind him to looking him dead in the face.
"What do you want me to say? That you're forgiven? That I'm sorry I doubted how much you liked me? What? What do you want?"
     He sat back and looked at me.
     "I just want us to be like we were."
     "Take away the cheating that you did. Then we'll talk."
"I told you..."
"We both know that what you said was bull shit."
     He didn't respond. The waitress came over.
     "Bennett, Kate, I have not seen you two in a long time." She said, "the same thing that you always used to get?"
     "Yes ma'am." He said.
     "Alright then. It will be out shortly."
We sat in silence... Well, I did. Everyone came over to congratulate him on the victory. I sat on my side of the booth with a polite smile to everyone one that came over.
When the Sheriff came over I pretended not to notice. We all knew him, and Bennett's dad never did like me.
"Congratulations, son of mine. Keep it up and we will win state for the fourth time."
"Yes sir we will."
Kim, the waitress, came back with our drinks. She set them on the table, and I pick up a straw.
"Kate."
"Sheriff Turner."
     That was our interaction. His father liked the cheerleader better. No surprise there.
"Well, I'll leave you two."
"Okay, I'll see you at home, Dad."
"Right son."
He walked away and I started to drink my sweet tea.
"Well?"
I sat back.
"Well, what?"
He leaned forward and looked at me.
     "My dad."
     "Your dad's an ass."
     He laughed and leaned back.
     "I know."
*****
     "Thanks again, Kim." He said handing her money.
     "No problem. I'll be right back with your change."
     "Alright." He said.
     "I'm going to run to the restroom." I said getting out of my booth, "wait for me here."
     "That was one time a sort of long time ago."
     "Bennett..."
     "Okay, I will." He said with a laugh and a smile.
     I walked away to the bathroom. I walked into a stall at the same times other girls went out.
     "Can you believe those two?" One said, "why her?"
     "Because he's getting something he shouldn't."
     "But he could have gotten it from me."
     Oh... It's Linsey.
     "He did get it from you."
     "Nope. That's what he told me to say." She said, "he just wanted me to do it because he thought it would better their relationship in some way. Right, that didn't work."
     "I thought you at least gave him head."
     "I did do that." She said, "that was the deal."
     I felt like throwing up my amazing hamburger.
     I stood there until I knew that they were gone. I walked passed our booth and walked outside into the October air.
     I sighed and watched my breath dissipate into the surrounding air.
     "The food that bad?"
     I jumped at the sound of Mr. Hanes's voice. He was sitting down on a bench.
     "I didn't see you there."
     "I got that."
     I walked over to him.
     "May I sit?" I asked gesturing to the spot next to him.
     "Go ahead."
     I sat next to him and sighed again.
     "You okay?"
     "Sure, you?"
     "I can't complain."
     We sat in silence.
     "Bennett?"
     "How'd you figure?"
     "Lucky."
     I laughed.
     "How lucky could you be?"
     "Is that a remark to my ex-fiancé?"
     I looked down at my nails.
     "Nope, because I can't say anything."
     "How's the food?"
     I looked at him with a surprised look.
     "You've never eaten at Fred's? It has the best hamburgers this side of the Georgia/Alabama state line."
      "Good to know. I think I'll have one."
     "I don't think you should. I know you should." I said, "you're new here. Aren't you."
     "Ah, yes, you have caught me. I'm from a county that is a good few hours from here."
     "Everyone is a good few hours away."
     He nodded his head.
     "This is true."
     Someone cleared their throat and we looked up at Bennett. I stood-up.
     "No wonder you told me to wait."
     I smacked him across the face.
     "Liar." I said then started walking away.
     "Where are you going?" He called.
     "Home."