The next morning I was up in my room running laundry across the clothes line outside my window. The previous night, or morning, I didn't make it to bed until well past 1:00am. However, I made sure to set my alarm clock to the innocent time of 7:00am before going to sleep. Once it went off, I jumped in the shower and rinsed off the mildewy film coating my hair and arms. The charade continued on through breakfast, and my mom was none the wiser to my midnight escapades. But as I sat there pinning laundry around noon, a series of yawns seemed to rise endlessly from my mouth and an overall tired feeling hung over me.
Downstairs, the phone rang and my mother shuffled around to pick it up.
"Eleanor," My mom yelled from downstairs, "It's Bonnie."
I finished pinning the wet skirt in my hands and quickly jogged down the stairs. I smiled at my mom as she handed me the phone and went back to dusting her bedroom. It amazed me that on her one off day she'd rather spend it elbow deep in dust bunnies.
"Hey, Bonnie," I said.
"Okay, so should I get a baby doll or should I wear my ballerina swim dress?"
"What?"
"I mean I've had the ballerina swim dress since I was like...fifteen, but the baby doll looks really cute."
"Bonnie, what are you talking about?"
"A swimsuit for Jack's party tonight!" Bonnie exclaimed.
"Oh jeez, that's tonight?" I thought. "How could I have possibly forgotten that?"
"Ha ha, I'm fractured. Like you forgot about Mr. Dreamboat. I'm serious Ellie, I have no idea what to wear."
"Well, if it makes you feel better, I don't think I even own a swimsuit,"
"Oh! Well, then let's go shop for some together," Bonnie said, "If you want, my mom can take us. She'll be going to Sears anyway."
"Doesn't she have to go to work today?"
"No, somebody came in this morning and offered to clean the grease traps for all the lunch ladies, so she'll be home early. What's your address?"
"Forty-nine Oaks Street."
"Forty-nine Oaks, got it. Okay, we'll pick you sometime before one."
"Okay see you then, Bonnie,"
"Bye, Ellie,"
I sat the phone back on the hook with a clank.
"Hey, mom!" I shouted, "Jack's party is tonight so Bonnie's mom is coming to take Bonnie and I shopping for swimsuits this afternoon."
"Alright," She replied from her bedroom, "There's a ten in my purse. But, Ellie, you better be done with that laundry before she gets here, or your gonna have a musty-smelling mess to rewash when you get back."
I clicked my tongue and scoffed with a laugh, shaking my head. I reached around the counter top to her purse and pulled out the ten before running back up the stairs.
~
"So, Bonnie," I said as we walked into the store, "Your mom seems pretty nice."
Bonnie's mother was a stiff and quiet lady, much the opposite of her voluble daughter. The whole car ride to a nearby Sears was done in total silence, as Bonnie's mother neither spoke nor allowed the radio to play. Her face just focused ahead with a calm, content expression upon it. Bonnie sat equally still and quiet until we were dropped off.
"Yeah, she's a bit of a stickler for quiet and order," Bonnie replied, "We don't own a TV and the phone is only allowed for "imperative circumstances" as she puts it. She says it's important for people to appreciate the world as an observer."
"Sounds nice."
"It's maddening."
The two of us bursted out laughing as we rounded the swimwear aisle.
"So you gotta tell me," Bonnie said, as we started looking through the swimsuits, "What's got you in such a perky mood,"
"What do you mean," I said, holding up a baby-blue one piece.
"Well, you've been humming that Shake, Rattle, and Roll song since we got out of the car, and you've just got this happy smile. So, tell me. Did you and Jack go out late last night."
I gave her a timid smile, though it wasn't because I did go out last night. It was who I went out with.
"Okay, you've got to tell me everything," Bonnie said, crossing her arms, "Where'd you go, what'd you do, what did you say to each other..."
"I didn't go out with Jack last night, Bonnie..." I sighed, "Don't wig out when I tell you this, okay?"
Bonnie set down the swimsuit she was holding, her full attention now on me. I tentatively held a palm to my cheek as I tried to look for the best way to tell her this.
"Remember how I told you that Rider had asked me out?" I asked, and Bonnie's bright smile began to wane, "Well, he came to my house at about eleven last night, wanting to take me to this bash."
"Oh my g- You didn't," Bonnie said, her jaw going slack for a moment.
"Technically, I had already accidentally agreed in class. I kind of had to go. You know, for honor purposes."
"Please, tell me you didn't get arrested."
"No, Bonnie. Nobody got arrested. It was really cool, and I actually had fun."
I figured she didn't need to know about the whole "police chase" incident. Generally, that was something nobody really needed to know about.
"So where did you guys go?" She asked, going back to looking through the swimsuits.
I told her about the drive out to the barn and the rock n' roll that was being played inside.
"Did you dance with someone?" She asked.
"Yes, with a bunch of different people."
At her appalled expression I explained further.
"It wasn't that kind of dance. Nobody had to be a couple to dance with each other. We all just danced to dance."
"Wow, I've never heard of that," Bonnie said quietly, "So are you and Rider, like, jacketed now?" She asked.
I laughed as I played with the pink ruffles on a two-piece.
"No, Bonnie. I didn't even dance with him. We're just friends, that's all," I said.
"Famous last words," Bonnie mumbled as she held up a polka-dotted bikini, "I think you should wear this."
"There is no way I'm wearing that!" I laughed at the red two-piece.
"Ellie, if Marilyn Monroe can do it, so can you."
~
At around five o'clock that evening, Dusty's car pulled up to my driveway. When I returned home from shopping with Bonnie, my mom had found one of her old swim-suit coverups for me to wear out the pool. Though it was a bit faded from use, it was still very nice for being nearly twenty years old.
I gave my mother a hug goodbye before I got in the car and headed out to the address Jack had written down.
The pool at Hillcrest Park was one of the biggest I had ever seen. As Dusty, Bonnie, and I pulled into the parking lot, I could see the early-evening sun glittering on the water as the pool stretched the length of a football field. Walking inside, we were met with the sight of nearly two hundred seniors from West Manchester crowding the water and poolside. From the crowd walked Jack along with some of his teammates.
"Hey, guys," Jack said, catching Dusty in a handshake.
"Some party, Jack," Dusty said, glancing around the venue, "How do you manage it all?"
"It's no harder then being the Captain of you guys," Jack reposted at the laughter of Bonnie and I, "So food and drinks are at the snack bar and towels are sitting on the other side of the pool."
"Thanks, Jack," Bonnie said before grabbing hold of Dusty's arm, "Come on, babe, let's go check out that snack bar."
Once Bonnie and Dusty had walked away, Jack threw an arm around my shoulder.
"Hey, Baby, glad you could make it," Jack said.
"I actually didn't really know if I should at first," I said, "I kinda lost you at school."
"Yeah, sorry about that. I had to get a few things done before tonight, but I'm here now so let's have some fun.
At that, Jack took my hand in his and led me around the pool. His hand swallowed mine in it's hold, and I couldn't help but notice how big he was. He was a lot like Rider in height and size, but Jack's football-sculpted build made him seem much bigger and a bit intimidating. I felt a tingle go through me at the oddly intimidate gesture, but I didn't try to pull away from it. However, this was only the start of the evening.
Things got a bit stranger when Jack's "fun" turned out to be me following him in the pool, around the pool, or around to his guy-friends.
"Hey, Cap," one guy we met said, "Is this that Ally girl?"
Jack just laughed, going about the conversation with his hand over mine. In between conversations, I would randomly lose Jack in the crowd. So, my "fun" consisted of either following Jack around or looking for him.
"Hey, Bonnie, have you seen Jack?" I asked, after Jack had disappeared from the pool again.
"Uh, yeah. He, Dusty, and a couple of the other guys went to the pool house," She said, lounging in a chair."
I sighed, looking through the crowd for any sign of Jack.
"What's wrong?" Bonnie asked.
"I've hardly seen Jack all night," I replied, "We will be hanging out, and then he just disappears. Then I find him again, and he acts like nothing's happened. I'm not sure what's going on."
"It's probably nothing. It's his party, and it is a big party. I've hardly seen Dusty either, there's just so many people here. I wouldn't worry about it."
"Yeah, okay," I said with another sigh, "You know, I think I'm just gonna dry off and go look for him."
"Okay, El."
I climbed out of the pool and grabbed a towel off one of the racks as I headed for the pool house.
"Threee...Twoo...One!"
From behind there was a loud splash and several startled screams. Looking past the crowd of laughing people, I could see several of Jack's teammates dramatically burst through the surface of the pool. A few other guys stood by the pool, holding onto one another as they doubles over laughing. I turned back to the pool house when I bumped into someone.
"Heyy, baby," A voice said, as a heavy arm rested around my shoulder.
I looked up to see Jack smiling down to me with a silly grin plastered on his face. His clothes sat disheveled on him and his wet, curly hair laid limply against his forehead. He walked me around the crowd and back towards the pool house, all while holding my shoulder tightly under his arm.
"You digging this bash or what?" He grinned.
Then it hit me. As his words tumbled from his mouth, a slight yet distinctly sweet scent of bourbon filled the air. We came up to the side of the pool house, and I quickly pulled away from his hold.
"J..Jack, are you-?" I started.
"Having a blast? Yoou bet," He smirked, "Don't have a cow. You've seen people drink before."
"Yeah, the one beer my father would have on the weekends. He wasn't in high school and he wasn't drunk."
"Yeah, well, your dad isn't here, so what does it matter?
I was taken aback, and a flash of anger went through me. I knew he didn't mean it that way, but it still hurt nonetheless.
"The boys and I just had a few drinks, that's all." He said, draping his arm around me again, "Besides, there's another thing alcohol is good for."
Jack turned and pushed me against the side of the pool house. His freehand moved down and unfastened my towel, carelessly dropping it behind him. He cupped a hand against my cheek and leaned forward.
"Hey, stop!" I said, pushing my hands against his shoulders, "What are doing?"
"Come on, Baby, loosen up a bit."
He leaned down again, reaching behind my neck and untying the top of my swimsuit.
"Hey!" I yelled shoving him back, "What do you think your doing? I said stop!"
I pulled away.
"Come on, El-" He said, spread his hands on either side of me.
I ducked under his arms and tried to walk away, but Jack suddenly reached out and grabbed me. His hand locked around my wrist in a grip so tight it was painful. Despite my resisting he managed to drag me back to the wall and pin my shoulders with his strong hands.
"I know you're no square, El. What's wrong with you? You gonna be the captain's girl you can't be a square."
I finally understood it all. I wasn't becoming Jack's girl, I was trying out for "The Captain's girl"; nothing more than a filler for a position in his reputation.
"And the captain needs his girl, right?" I retorted.
I tried to move again, but Jack pushed down harder against my arms. A bone-deep pain throbbed from my arms, and my eyes met a Jack's dilated glare. The tension building in his numbing grip made my heart start racing, and, for a moment then, I had this terrible feeling that he was about to really hurt me.
Suddenly, he pushed off of me. His intensely blue eyes looked at me with a wild gaze, and I took my chance to run. I scrambled away, never taking my eyes off him until I made it back to the safety of the crowd. I hastily looked for Bonnie, finding her standing by the fence with Dusty. I rubbed my tender arms and fought against the tears welling in my eyes, as I quickly walked up to her.
"Bonnie, I need to go home," I said, in the steadiest voice I could manage.
Bonnie immediately noticed the shakiness in my breath and legs.
"Ellie, what's wrong?" She asked, putting her hands on my shoulders.
I just shook my head.
"Please, I-I just need to."
"Okay, okay," She nodded gathering her towel.
"We were actually just looking for you," Dusty said, "Some guys snuck in hooch, so were gonna flee the scene before something bad happens."
I only nodded steadily in response. With shaky fingers, I fumbled to put on and button up my cover-up dress. Bonnie gingerly draped her towel over my shoulders, and walked with me as the three of us slipped out of the party.
~
"Ellie, are you okay? What happened?" Bonnie asked as I sat silently in the back of the car, her eyebrows raised in concern.
"I'm fine. I just don't really want to talk about it."
"Well, I just can't believe it. Dusty, you said something was happening?"
"I'm not all too sure," Dusty shook his head, "Jack had us go to the pool house to get some ice from the cooler. Next thing I knew, some of the boys were passing around bottles of Glen Grant."
"The idea..." Bonnie huffed, "Are you sure you're okay, Ellie?"
"Yeah, I just want to go home."
Bonnie nodded somberly. I turned and rested my head against the window, watching the passing lights go by. I continued my silence, knowing nobody would believe what happened tonight. My arms and wrist throbbed with every movement, as the muscles strained from being crushed.
As we drove into town, the neon sign of Freddie's Dinner stood high and bright in the night sky. Below sat the diner, a soft glow illuminating the empty tables and booths as closing hour approached. However, as we drew closer, I noticed a black dot sitting at the bar inside the diner. Squinting against the glare of the light, I realized that black dot was actual a familiar leather jacket and ragged bandana. A gasp escaped my lips and my heart fluttered as a strange sensation of happiness washed over me.
"Dusty, wait, could you pull over here?" I rushed.
"Here at Freddie's? Ellie, it's about to close," Dusty said.
"Yes, yes I know. Just..please I see someone I really need to... Just please, I can get a ride home from here."
"Well, okay."
Dusty turned into the deserted parking lot and pulled up to the curb outside the front door. I hopped out and went up to Bonnie's window.
"Thank you guys so much," I said.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Bonnie asked.
"Yeah, I don't mind driving back to your neighborhood. It's not too far from our street," Dusty added.
"No it's okay. You guys go on home, I'm good."
"I'm sorry about whatever happened," Bonnie said as Dusty pulled away, "Call me if you need anything! I'll see you Monday!"
I waved as the drove off before turning back to the diner. A bell chimed as I pushed past the door, and into the restaurant. As walked across the room, an elderly man polishing the countertops looked up at me.
"You may want to hurry, Miss, we'll be closing down in ten," The man said with a whistle in his words.
"Yes, sir, I won't stay too long," I nodded, my voice sounding out across the quiet room.
Rider immediately swiveled around to me, a look of surprise in his face that quickly shifted to a smile. At the sight of his smile, a warmth instantly spread through me and began to ease my frazzled nerves.
"Hey, you mind if I sit here?" I asked.
"No, no go ahead," Rider said, and he moved his basket of fries.
I sat in the stool next to his and rested my head in my palm. My eyes wandered aimlessly around the room as I took in the rarity of the sight. In the afternoons I'd spent at Freddie's, not once had the diner been anything but packed. It was strange to see the place so void of it's normal unrest.
My eyes swept along the shelves of jars and bottles behind the counter, just taking in the random things sitting there. As my eyes made their way toward the adjoining wall, I suddenly stopped when I noticed Rider staring at me.
"What?" I asked.
"What's wrong?" He asked, all cheerfulness gone.
"Nothing's wrong."
Rider titled his head.
"It's nothing."
"Dolly, you wouldn't show up to a closing diner this close to your bedtime if it was "just nothing"."
"Had-dee-har-har," I said, "I imagine you were dying to say that."
"I would say it was more of a fleeting desire," he said, "Seriously, what's wrong?"
"Rider."
Rider raised his eyebrows at me, and I sighed. I gingerly rubbed a hand over one of my arms, a growing ache already forming.
"I just had a bad night, okay."
"Care to share?" He asked.
"Not really."
Rider looked to me again, his coaxing eyes gently gazing into mine. I sighed again, looking down at my hands.
"Have you ever mistaken something bad as something good?" I asked him, "Like you thought that something really cool might be happening, but then it just completely fell apart out of nowhere."
Rider didn't say anything at first, just nodding along to what I was saying. His attention then went to his basket of french fries, and he fumbled with the paper lining.
"Let me show you something," He said before swiveling towards the kitchen door, "Hey, Freddie! Got any slurgs left?"
There was a pause before the elderly man came out with a pink milkshake in his hand.
"Son, you're just lucky I hadn't locked the refrigerator for the night," The man, Freddie, whistled as he sat the cold treat in front of us."
Rider handed him two dimes, and Freddie smiled at the two of us before returning to the kitchen. Rider reached into the basket and pulled out a small French fry.
"Take this fry," Rider said, holding up the fry, "It's a crunchy, salty potato stick that probably has more grease on it than fry batter."
"Mm, leave it to Rider to make a French fry sound disgusting," I thought.
"Now take this Milkshake," He said pulling the glass towards us, "It's sweet, creamy, and cold."
Rider picked up the French fry in one hand and the milkshake in the other.
"They're good by themselves, but..."
He took the fry and dipped it into the milkshake, gathering a pink glob on the end. He then passed me the wilted fry to me.
"Ah, but they're an even better combination together," I finished poetically, taking the fry and popping it in my mouth, "I may be a drag, but even I know about French fries and milkshakes."
Rider laughed then sobered, leaning forward in his chair.
"Even the most unlikely things can come together to make something amazing. Maybe what happened today wasn't so bad, just needs a chance to become something amazing."
Rider slid the fry basket towards me. I looked to him curiously as he casually went from his eloquent analogy to scooping fries.
"Wow," I laughed, thinking over what he had said, "You and Alice gotta tell me where the poetry section is in Vogue magazine."
Rider just smiled and shrugged.
He and I shared the remainder of the fries, dipping them in the cold cream of the milkshake, as we sat in the sleepy silence of the diner. In the quiet, I couldn't stop thinking about what Rider had said. I could see the truth to what he said, but, I just couldn't feel like it applied to Jack and I.
"Alright, kids," Freddie said as he walked in from the kitchen, "Closing time. I gotta get home to the missus and you two have a curfew."
"Thanks for everything, Freddie," Rider said as we got up.
"It's my pleasure. Drive safe, now," Freddie warned as he collected our empty glass and fry basket.
The door bell rang again as Rider and I walked outside to the curb. The air tingled against my bare arms, and I sighed serenely into the cool night.
"You know?" Rider said as we stood out there under the stars, "Tonight doesn't have to be a total bust. We could-I don't know...do something?"
"You got something in mind?" I asked with a laugh."
"Yeah, I think I got the perfect place."
He started to walk off, but I grabbed his arm.
"Wait," I said pulling him back, "Are we legally allowed to go this place?"
"Oh, yeah, yeah. I wouldn't...I'm not going to do that again," He said sheepishly.
"Bummer," I said, briskly walking past him to his car, "I was hoping you had something wild planned."