Dirty Faces- Book 1

Chapter 14: Fightin' Words

Jack narrowed his eyes. "Talked to Leslie Williams after Sunday school yesterday. She said you had supper at her house th'other day."

"I heard that, too, Ginny added. "From J.D. How come?"

"I was already there and they asked me to stay."

Ginny thought a minute and then wrinkled her nose. "You're not...Noooo..."

"What?"

"You? A girl? She seems so nice...what's wrong with her?"

Jack had turned his head to hide the smirk on his face. Kody's cheeks burned hot. "I just like talking to her, that's all," he said quietly.

"You're right, Ginny," Jack said, once he was able to control his facial expressions again. "She's a very nice girl, and pretty, too. I don't get it either." He grinned at Kody. "So ya gonna take her out sommers?"

"Yeah, Friday," he admitted, still clearly embarrassed. "Going to the diner. That is, if it's OK with her daddy."

"The diner?" Jack scoffed. "Aw, no, man. You can't take Miss Leslie to the diner."

"Why not?"

"You gotta take her some place nice."

"I asked if she wanted to go somewhere Friday and she suggested the diner."

"Well, OK, if you say so. But Jeb Payne's havin' a dance in his barn that night..."

"Yes, Jack. Because that would ensure a second date."

*****

Jack and Kody had been working in the fields with Uncle Bill since before daylight and had finished early enough to reward themselves with a late dinner at the diner. After a glass of sweet tea they were still parched and both their glasses had been sitting empty for some time; apparently Peggy was taking one of her frequent smoke breaks. The bells on the door jingled and more sweaty, sun-baked customers entered and seated themselves.

"Hope they ain't thirsty," Kody muttered.

"Knew I shoulda winked at Peggy when she brung out the food," Jack said, staring outside with his head leaning on the plate-glass window.

They were too tired to talk and too thirsty to finish their food with no beverage, so they just sat silently in the booth, Kody leaning on the table, his head in his hands, and Jack gazing thoughtlessly out the window.

"Oh," Jack suddenly uttered, sitting straight up in the booth. "Uh-oh."

Kody jerked his head around to look out the window at the scene behind him. There was a group of kids on the dirt patch by the school and two of them were fighting.

"Oh no."

He slid out of the booth and ran out the door, the bells jingling wildly, Jack following closely behind.

"No, no, no, no, no," he mumbled as he ran for the dirt patch.

"Hit 'im harder, Ginny!" he heard the little red-haired girl yell.

His sister, who had been rolling around in the dirt with her opponent when he first looked out the window, now had the boy, who was considerably bigger than her, pinned to the ground. She had her arm drawn back, ready to strike the next blow. Becky Kelly and J.D. Williams stood by cheering her on, near enough to see the action in detail but far enough away not to be pulled into the scuffle themselves.

"Ginny!" Kody shouted.

Too late. Her fist came down hard on the boy's face.

"Nice one!" J.D. commended.