Trials and Tribulations of a Country Boy

Picking Jackie Up & School

 Chapter 2: Picking Up Jackie & School

 Location: Jackie and Jared's House

 Scotty pulled up to his aunt Shauna's house and turned Loretta off. He got out of the truck, walked up to the door, and knocked three times.

 "Hang on!" called Jared from the other side. A couple seconds later, he opened the door to find Scotty standing there.

 "Hey hey! What's up cousin?" he shouted excitedly.

 "Hello. Right back at cha! What up, Jared?" Scotty asked, embracing his cousin. The two hadn't seen each other since Ashley's birthday when everybody had heard about Kevin's car accident.

 "Did your mom tell you about picking Jackie up and taking care of her?"

 "Why yes, she did," said Scotty. "Is your little sister here?"

 After listening for a second, Jared said, "I believe she just got done brushing her teeth. Jackie!"

 "What, Jared?" she asked.

 "Scotty's here to take you to school," he told his little sister.

 Then, Scotty heard a happy squeal as Jackie ran to the door to see him.

 "Hey there, kiddo!" Scotty said, picking his little cousin up and giving her a kiss. Letting out a laugh, he asked, "Dagum, you sure got a lot of energy, huh?"

 "Yes." Jackie then gave her cousin a humongous smile. Scotty then returned her smile by giving her one of his own, and another kiss.

 "Where is your car seat, Jackie?" Jared asked.

 "By the TV," Jackie stated.

 Scotty put her down so that she could get the seat. When she did, he took it and put it in the backseat of Loretta.

 "Wait, I have to go get my backpack!" Jackie cried out.

 "Okay. Go ahead," Scotty said.

 After Jackie did that, she ran to Loretta and got in her seat.

 With a chuckle, Scotty said, "Well, I guess we're off."

 "Alright, Scott. Talk to you when I get home," Jared replied.

 "Dagum, Jared. Don't call me Scott," said Scotty, pretending to be stern.

 Of course, Scotty and Jared heard Jackie giggle in the backseat.

 "Hey! You be quiet in there!" they jokingly threatened simultaneously.

 However, Jackie only giggled even more.

 "Alright. Bye Jared," Scotty laughed.

 "Bye Scotty. Bye Jackie," Jared laughed.

 "Bye Jared!" yelled Jackie.

 Soon after, Scotty drove off.

 Later...

 After Scotty and Jackie had gotten food at Bojangles, Scotty was driving toward Jackie's school. At one point, he looked at the backseat and noticed that Jackie was quiet.

 "Hey. What's wrong, Jackie - O?" he asked softly.

 "Nothin," Jackie said sadly. "I just miss my Daddy."

 That statement made Scotty's heart break a little. He and his family loved Kevin as much as Jackie's family did. They considered him the best uncle ever.

 "Yeah? You miss your daddy?" Scotty asked her. Jackie nodded sadly.

 Turning around and stroking Jackie's leg, he said, "It'll be okay, kiddo. Even if he dies, just know that your dad'll always love you, no matter what."

 "How big?" Jackie asked with a small smile.

 "Hmmm..." Scotty took his hands and opened them up wide. "This big."

 Jackie let out a bigger smile, making Scotty smile in return.

 "There ya go," he said softly, and at that moment, his song 'Water Tower Town' was playing on the radio. It had just been released to country radio about a week ago.

 "Yay! Scotty, you're on the radio!" Jackie squealed.

 "Yep." Scotty turned up the radio, and the two cousins sang along.

 "In a water tower town, everybody waves. Church doors are the only thing that's open on Sundays!"

 After the song was over, Scotty finally pulled up at Jackie's school.

 Garner Magnet High School

 After pulling up at his high school, Scotty looked by the front and saw Gabi and the rest of his friends.

 'Dagum! Gabi looks so gorgeous in that purple shirt today,' he thought to himself. Just then, he got a flashback to how he'd first met her...

 Flashback

 A 5 year old Scotty McCreery and his mom Judy were at his kindergarten school. They were walking down the hall to where Scotty's classroom would be.

 "Mommy, I'm scared," Scotty whimpered nervously.

 "Scotty honey, what are you so gosh darn nervous about?" Judy asked her youngest child.

 "I'm scared that I'm not gonna make any friends on the first day, Mama," Scotty told her.

 "Scotty. Of course you will," Judy reassured him. "See? We're at your classroom right now."

 After the two walked inside, a little girl with light brown hair and green eyes walked over to them.

 "Well hi there, little girl," said Judy. "What's your name?"

 "Gabriella, but I like being called Gabi," Gabi replied. She looked at little Scotty and said, "What's your name?"

 Scotty looked up at Judy, and she said, "Go on."

 "My name is Scotty," he said. "Nice to meet you." The two kids shook hands.

 "You're cute," Gabi told him.

 "Um... Thanks?" Scotty asked nervously.

 Gabi just giggled at him and looked toward a group of kids.

 "You wanna come play with us?" she asked.

 "Okay. Bye Mama!" Scotty yelled, running over with Gabi.

 "Bye honey!" Judy waved to her son and left the school.

 From that moment on, Scotty and Gabi quickly became fast friends.

 End flashback

 Scotty continued looking at Gabi and let out another goofy smile. After, he got out of Loretta and walked toward his friends.