Landon's Plan
It is tradition for my family to go over to the Bradshaw's house for dinner on the first day school. Though instead of a home cooked meal as usual, we treat ourselves by ordering in pizza and sitting around the fire outside. We mostly tell funny stories that we've heard a million times before. Our parents always tell the most and try their hardest to embarrass us. For the most part they succeed.
I was sitting in between my mama and Jenna. Travis Hillwood, of course, sat beside Jenna and was telling her all about his cowboy friends. (That girl never takes a break!) Hunter and Landon were sitting directly across from me. They were talking quietly to each other in low tones. Hunter looked overly amused about something, which is never a good thing.
"Andrew," Hunter asked my daddy, smirking at me. "Won't you tell the story of Annie and the sprinklers?"
"No!" I glared at Hunter. "Please don't, Daddy," I pleaded.
"Sorry baby girl but I 'ave to tell it. It's everyone's favorite." He looked at the cowboy then looked back at me smirking, "plus Travis has never heard it."
"And he doesn't ever need to hear it."
"I think everyone needs to hear it," chimed in Landon. "It's cruelty to keep it from us."
"Landon!" I gave him a pointed glare, to which he replied my shrugging casually.
"Do you want to hear the story, Travis?" My daddy asked the cowboy.
He looked a bit undecided at first but quickly came to a decision. "Well I can't not be told the story now that y'all have made such a big deal about it."
"Good choice, son." Replied my father, who looked more excited than he probably should be about telling the awful story.
I turned my pleading look to my mama. She was my last hope of holding on to what little dignity I have. She shook her head, laughing. Well there goes my dignity!
"When Annabelle was about seven years old," he began the story. "We used to set up a tent in the backyard. Every weekend we would go "camping" in the backyard. This particular weekend Suellen was out of town so it was just me and Annie."
I felt my face already starting to heat up remembering the ordeal. I placed my face in my hands too embarrassed to look at any one. Especially Travis Hillwood. Why do I even care what the cowboy thinks of me? I shouldn't care! His opinion of me means nothing! Why am I so embarrassed?
"I woke up early and remembered that the sprinkler system was set to go off. So I went out front to turn it off. After that I went inside and made myself a cup of coffee. Later I hear screamin' and cryin' from outside. I turned the sprinklers off in the front yard not the backyard!" He was laughing hysterically remembering my finest moment. Everyone joined in, some were laughing so hard that they had tears in their eyes.
The cowboy looked amused. And it made me mad. I felt the need to defend myself, "it's not funny! It was traumatizing! I woke up to water hitting the tent, soaking everything in it including me. I look over for my daddy but he isn't there. I was just a little kid of only seven with a wild imagination and no daddy to offer her a solution or comfort! Plus, the zipper was stuck so I was unable to escape. I haven't been able to camp in the backyard since!" I was empathized with more laughter.
"That's actually really sad," Jenna said.
"Oh please Jenna," I said sarcastically. "If it happened to you it would have been the end of the world. You wouldn't have gone campin' ever again. And you always bring it up to get whatever you want. Luckily for everyone your parents don't put up with that."
Not knowing how to respond, Jenna stuck her tongue out at me and her siblings who were agreeing very openly.
Faith, being the sweet mediator that she is, turned to Landon and asked him to play his guitar. Landon was happy to oblige. He ran inside and came back out, guitar in hand, in less than a minute.
"What would y'all like me ta play," he asked after he settled back on his log and strummed a few notes.
Hunter stands up automatically with a huge grin on his face, as if he was planning something. He looks at Landon with an evil smile, not trying at all to hide his scheming. "I would like to request a song dedicated to my lovely wife," he winked at me. "Everyone here knows that Annabelle's favorite band is the Zac Brown Band... and her least favorite is the Landon Bradshaw Band. But hopefully my little brother doesn't ruin her song too badly." I was laughing along with everybody else at Hunter's antics. Well everyone wasn't laughing. Landon looked like he wanted to bring up his guitar and smash it on Hunter's head. And Travis Hillwood, well the cowboy didn't look too happy either for some reason. "If you haven't already guessed what song I am requestin' than you're a loser, but I'll tell ya anyway. Sweet Annie."
I smiled sweetly at Hunter. All though he was just messing around, it is really nice of him. Sometimes just the little things that he does make me feel good. I never read into his proclamations of love or his showings of affection, I know that they are all just fun and games. Plus, I could never feel that way about Hunter. But that doesn't mean that things like this don't make me feel special. Don't make me feel worthy of someone's affection and love.
Landon grunted, before he played the first few notes and started to sing. Hunter was only kidding when he said that the Landon Bradshaw band was my least favorite band. They were all very good, but Landon is the star of the group. He has a amazing voice and is very skilled on the guitar. He only ever has to listen to a song once to know how to play it flawlessly. I believe that if he really wanted to, he could go out and make it big time all on his own, but Landon is too loyal to his friends to even think about doing that. He won't be making it without his band beside him.
By the time Landon got to the chorus, Hunter had gotten back up again. He walked around the fire until he stood in front of me. I looked into his playful eyes and then down to the hand that was extended towards me. "Dance with me?"
I stifled back a laugh and took his hand. He led me away from the fire and our families. He placed his hand around my waist and held my hand with his other. I let my left hand rest in the place between his shoulder and chest since I wasn't quite tall enough to place it on his shoulder. He looked down and smirked at me, "you ready, pipsqueak?" He then started to lead the dance, not allowing me to have a chance to respond to his little joke. No pun intended.
We two stepped in the grass, amongst the lighting bugs, and under the stars in silence. It would have been very romantic had it not have been the fact that he was Hunter Bradshaw and our family sat only a few feet away and we're looking directly at us.
I looked over at them. Our parents looked happy. They actually believe and even secretly wish that Hunter and I will eventually stop this game and become a real couple. I laughed at the thought it.
"What's so funny," Hunter asks?
"Huh," I look up at him. "Oh nothin'. Just look how happy our parents look."
He glanced over my head and laughed as well. "You're right. They are probably fantasizin' about our weddin'."
"We've already had a wedding," I reminded him, laughing.
"A real one," he specified. "With an actual pastor, not a pastor's nephew."
I shrugged, "it was the best we could find on such short notice."
My eyes then landed on Landon. He was still playing his guitar and singing Sweet Annie, but he was staring straight at us. His eyes cold, intense, and unyielding. He looked immensely pissed off about something. It was completely out of his character. I can't help but wonder if this has something to do with his plan.
I brush it off and continue dancing with Hunter. "You know you look real pretty tonight."
I blushed, "you always were a charmer Hunter Reid Bradshaw."
"It's true! My brothers and Travis can't keep their eyes off you. They are probably jealous that I am here dancin' with you and they don't get to."
I laughed, "you're funny, you know that? Plus there is only one man here that I care about whether or not he thinks I'm pretty." Hunter gives me a smile thinking I'm talking about him. "Sloan." He pouts and I laugh, kissing his cheek.
The song ends and I walk back over to the rest of the group. I pick Sloan up off of Emily's lap and place him on my hip. "Will you dance with me baby?" I ask him.
Sloan nods and asks Landon to play Hukuna Matata. According to Emily, Sloan is going through a big Lion King phase right now.
So I awkwardly try to dance with Sloan to Hukuna Matata. I pick him up and whirl him around out in front of me. We later get joined by Faith, Emily, Hunter, Jenna, and the cowboy. Maddox stays put, pretending that he is too cool to dance to an acoustic version of Hakuna Matata with his family. And our parents take out their phones to capture the whole scene on video.
When we were all excused from dancing, everyone headed back into the house. I stayed behind; I wanted to go see Dance Partner. Landon offered to come with me. I only accepted his offer because I knew that he was finally going to tell me his master plan.
We waked to the stables together in compete silence. The only sound was the crunching of the dead leaves beneath our feet. Landon held himself in a confident yet nervous manner. I believe he feels sure of this plan of his, but is nervous of my reaction and willingness to participate in it. And I don't blame him, from the little I know, I want nothing to do with any of it.
We walked into the stables, and he made sure that the doors were tightly shut. I sat on one of the benches that Dan made for us back when we were too short to actually reach the stalls. Landon stayed by the doors looking at me, trying to figure out the right words to say.
I started the talking for him when I realized that his words weren't coming out of his mouth any time soon. "What was that all about back there? The glaring at Hunter while we danced?"
"Well the plan is for you to be my fake girlfriend, but we can't just pop the relationship out of nowhere. People have to see it comin' for it to be believable. Why do you think Hunter asked you to dance? He caught me "staring" at you and said that you looked beautiful. I of course agreed, so he wanted to make me jealous."
I nodded. He may be crazy, but he is still somewhat of a sane crazy. The plan seems well thought out with some logic behind it. But the entirety of whatever the plan is, is absolutely nuts. What could he possibly gain out of having a fake girlfriend and why me? It seems to me that Brandi's suspicious are right. She's been saying for years that her son's ain't got the sense God gave a goose. For the first time I believe that it's true. "Why do you need me to be your fake girlfriend? What is this plan?"
"I need you to be my fake girlfriend so I can get Brittany to be my real one," Landon blurted.
"Now I know you've gone insane," I said aloud.
"Just listen," he reasoned. "You know that I've fancied Brittany for a long time, but she only sees me as a friend. Now rumors have been goin' around that Ramsey is gonna ask her out! I need you to be my girlfriend to make her jealous."
"Wow," I said soaking it all in. "Number one, good for Ramsey! He hasn't so much as looked at another girl since Kylie Sue cheated on him." Landon glowered at me. I raised my hands in surrender, "sorry! It's true!"
"What are your other points?"
"Number two, Brittany isn't the jealous type. I really don't think that you can make her jealous by datin' another girl if she is interested in Ramsey. Number three, you really don't know a girls mind. If Ramsey, a perfectly good and sweet guy, asks her out and the only thing that's holdin' her back from saying yes is you, but you already have a girlfriend, she's going to say yes. This is just goin' ta blow up in your face! It won't help you at all! Just be honest and straight up with her. Ask her before Ramsey does!"
"I may be a little too late for that," He said. "Jay texted me sayin' that he saw Ramsey's car in Britt's driveway when he was goin' over to Bethany's house."
Landon looked deflated. He pulled out his phone and read the text again, torturing himself with it. I slowly walked over to where he stood, took the phone out of his hand and deleted the message. I gave him back his phone and gave him a hug. "I'm sorry," I whispered.
"I just don't know what else I can do, Annie." I whispered back. "I think that this is my only chance."
I sighed pulling away from him, "alright I'll do it. But we will not start dating right away. Give it at least two weeks, and then you can "ask me". Also this pretendin' will not go on past Halloween."
"Christmas," he countered.
"Thanksgiving," I compromised. "That'll give you about three months."
"Alright," he agreed.
"Also we are not kissin'. Ever! If people ask when then we'll say that I'm just not a fan of PDA."
"I completely agree. Kissin' you would be like kissin' one of my sisters. Any more rules?"
"Yes, if any rumors start to fly around that we had sex... I will kill you."
"Well you don't have to worry 'bout that. I'm trying ' to win Brittany over not send her runnin' for the hills." I placed my hands over my hips. His eyes widened realizing what he said sounded like, "no, no, not like that. I just meant that... Well... Oh you know what I meant! Please don't kill me."
I laughed, reaching up to pat his cheek, "you're lucky you're cute." I walked around him and out the door.
Looks like I'm going be Landon Bradshaw's girlfriend. Gosh, I really am going to have to be able to say that without wanting to throw up.
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A/N:
Happy thanksgivin' y'all! I hope y'all have a great one and stuff your faces with some great food! I just want to say how thankful I am to all of my readers. I really love writing and gettin' to share share my story with y'all makes me so happy, you have no idea. I love getting all the positive feedback and the votes and the new followers. So thank y'all for letting me share my work with y'all and thank you for reading and sticking with me even when I don't update so frequently all the time! Love you all!
-Madison