The Changing Season

by Manchester, Steven;

  “You mean to look for Vicki, right?” Mark asked.

  “So you did see her?” Billy said, surprised.

  “Of course I saw her,” Mark said. “I figured she’d be here today.” He shook his head and smiled. “Why else do you think we’re here…because I enjoy standing for hours in the scorching sun?”

  Billy grinned at his friend’s cleverness and consideration. Mark was absolutely selfless before being selfless was a cool thing. With a nod of gratitude, he told Mark, “Let’s go.” They followed the stampede in.

  It was a junk food junkie’s paradise. The smells of popcorn, fried dough, French fries and everything you’d never find in Ma’s kitchen filled the air. The boys bought an early lunch before starting on their quest to find Billy’s blonde infatuation.

  It didn’t take long. Billy had just stuffed the last half of a corn dog into his mouth when he spotted Vicki. She was standing near the Fraternal Order of Police dunk tank with her friend. Go talk to her, you chicken shit! he told himself. You’re never going to get the chance again. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he nodded at Mark and then rushed over.

  Ten feet from the girls, Billy could feel his face burn red. It took a moment before he drummed up the courage to look at Vicki and catch her gorgeous caramel eyes shining back at him.

  After a quick hello, it took six throws of a baseball and almost all his pride before Billy submerged the heckling victim—a muscle-bound cop—into the water. It was well worth it! he thought, blushing as both Vicki and her friend clapped for him.

  The angel smiled. “Nice to see you again,” Vicki said, indicating that she’d noticed him at his graduation party.

  Billy was taken aback.

  Giggling, she pointed at her friend. “And this is my friend, Emma.”

  Emma smiled.

  Small talk gradually led to an awkward stroll. Vicki smelled as sweet as candy apples. Billy couldn’t get over it. She was so easy to talk to and even easier to listen to. And she’s even prettier than I remember, he thought. The whole time, he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

  Billy fought past the fear of rejection and confessed, “I was hoping I’d see you again.”

  “You were?” she asked, grinning.

  He nodded. “Yep.”

  “Me too,” she said.

  Billy was taken further aback. “Really?” he asked. “We never got a chance to talk at my party. I didn’t even think you noticed me,” he added, feeling stupid as soon as the words left his lips.

  “Of course I noticed you,” she said, wearing the cutest grin. “You don’t think I came here today because I like parades, do you?”

  Billy could feel his face blush again. Oh my God, he thought, this cannot be happening to me. It’s too good to be true.

  “So what should I know about Billy Baker?” Vicki asked, wearing a smile that tested the strength of his knees.

  “Not much to tell,” he said, clearing his throat. “As you know, I just graduated from high school and I’ll be going to college in the fall.”

  “What’s your major?” she asked.

  “Liberal Arts,” he admitted, slightly embarrassed. “I really have no idea what I want yet.” It still amazed him how self-conscious he felt about his lack of direction in life.

  “There’s still plenty of time to decide,” she said, smashing his discomfort.

  “What about you?” he asked.

  “I’ve been accepted into a nursing program in the fall.” She shrugged playfully. “I’ve wanted to be a nurse since I can remember.”

  “So you’ve always wanted to help people, huh?” he asked, impressed.

  “Nah, I just like the white uniforms,” she joked.

  Billy laughed. And she has a sense of humor too, he thought. This is unreal.

  “I just started volunteering at a nursing home to prepare myself for some of the gross stuff.” She shook her head slightly. “I hope I can get used to it.”

  “Well, if it makes you feel any better,” he said, “I just took a job at the local animal shelter, cleaning out cages for the summer.”

  “That does make me feel better,” she teased.

  “Good,” he said.

  “An animal shelter, huh? I love animals.”

  “Me too,” he said. “I’ve had my dog, Jimmy, since I was a kid. He’s so awesome. You should see some of the crazy things he can do.”

  Vicki stopped for a moment, peering into Billy’s eyes. “I’d love to,” she whispered.

  Billy felt his knees wobble once more. “You will,” he promised.

  There was a giant bouncer set up for little kids and, though Billy and Mark would have surely tackled it without the girls around, they pretended not to even notice it.

  Whether it was the warm air, the way the sun was quietly setting over the bay, or the sweet sounds of children at play, people seemed to embrace the rare feeling that, if only for the day, everything in the world was good. For Billy, however, the desperate hopes for love had surfaced and he couldn’t remember feeling more alive. He took a few deep breaths and finally took the plunge. “Are you seeing anyone right now, Vicki?”

  She searched his eyes for a long moment. “I was hoping…you,” she said. Her eyes sparkled when she smiled.

  Billy was speechless. When he’d composed himself, figuring there was enough oxygen to carry his words, he asked, “What about that guy you hugged at my party? Is he…”

  She laughed, halting him. “Oh my God…no! That’s Wyatt. We’ve been friends since the first grade. He’s like my brother.”

  “Friends?” Billy repeated and laughed, feeling relieved. “That’s good,” he mumbled.

  Vicki laughed again before diving back into his eyes. “Emma and I are going to South Kennedy Park to watch the fireworks tonight. Do you guys want to join us?”

  Excitement ripped through Billy’s body. He looked sideways at Mark, whose face betrayed a hint of disapproval. Billy’s eyes went wide and he quickly leaned in toward his friend, giving him the unmistakable look that he needed his friend; now more than ever, he needed a wingman.

  Mark lost the sour puss and smirked in surrender.

  “Great,” Vicki said, returning to Billy’s eyes.

  “What time?” Billy asked, trying to sound cool and collected.

  “Just before it gets dark,” she said. “We’ll wait for you near the water fountain on Broadway.”

  Mark and Emma both nodded, seemingly uninterested in the plan or each other.

  ⁕

  Billy and Mark arrived at the fountain an hour before dusk. “You’re so pathetic,” Mark told him. “She said just before dark.”

  “It is before dark,” Billy countered with a weak shrug. “Besides, you’re the one who started this whole thing.”

  Mark’s eyebrow rose.

  “Which I really appreciate,” Billy added, taking a deep breath. “I don’t want to miss her, okay?”

  “Relax,” Mark told him. “I’m just playing with you.”

  As they waited, Billy and Mark kicked through the litter that covered the ground until arriving at a stage that hosted local talent—with Billy constantly looking back at the fountain on Broadway. They stayed for nearly ten minutes before Billy decided, There is no local talent. People sang off key, children danced while tripping over their own feet and through it all, the audience struggled to hold back the laughter. Even if he’d wanted to, Billy couldn’t have laughed. He was too busy monitoring the water fountain.

  And then he saw her. It’s Vicki! His heart raced and threw off his breathing. He took three quick steps toward her before he stopped and decided to watch. While Emma was shaking her head and laughing at Vicki—much like Mark had done all day—Vicki was craning her neck left and right, like she was searching for him. The sight of it stole the rest of the air in Billy’s lung
s.

  When Billy and Mark finally approached, Vicki’s eyes lit up. It made Billy feel like the luckiest man amid a crowd that was growing thicker by the second. “You made it,” he said.

  “I was just going to say the same thing about you,” Vicki said.

  As Vicki and Emma led the boys toward the bay—with Billy sneaking a couple of looks at Vicki’s backside—the four walked through South Kennedy Park where young lovers cuddled on blankets and parents yelled for their kids to sit still. There was a sea of people, most lying on their backs, watching as the fireflies blended in with the stars above. On the bay, anchored boats drifted in circles waiting for the show to begin, while the burnt smell of sparklers filled the air. Even the distant sounds from the carnival wafted over on warm breezes. Billy decided, It’s the type of night wasted on anyone but lovers.

  Vicki staked a piece of lawn, making sure she sat beside Billy.

  A few kids lit off some bottle rockets, causing the girls to jump.

  Laughing, Mark turned to Billy. “At least they’re pointing them into the air instead of at each other like we did when we were kids.”

  Billy laughed.

  “You fired bottle rockets at each other?” Vicki asked, grinning.

  Billy nodded. “Just to maim and disfigure,” he said, “never to kill.”

  She laughed again and, as each moment passed, the darkness crept in closer. Suddenly, Billy noticed that Vicki was doing the same. While a fire engine waited at the base of the giant hill, a man dressed in an overstuffed jumpsuit set up his fireworks. It’s going to be a while yet, Billy realized and leaned his head on one elbow to begin a conversation of whispers. Vicki’s eyes sparkled at every word.

  Billy learned that Vicki was seventeen, five months younger than him, and had just graduated from Somerset High School. He discovered that her favorite food was pizza, her dream was to live on the beach with her twelve children and she absolutely hated people who lied. “And I love classic movies,” she said.

  “You do?” he asked, trying to sound happy about it. “…like Casablanca and Gone with the Wind?”

  “No,” she said, “like Dumb and Dumber and Wedding Crashers.”

  “No way,” he said excitedly.

  “Way,” she said.

  “That’s awesome! I love those stupid movies, but my knucklehead friends never want to watch them with me.”

  She laughed. “Well, I guess they’re not real knuckleheads like you and I are.”

  “You know what I mean,” he said.

  She placed her hand on his arm. “I love mindless comedy,” she said, “and the more stupider, the better.”

  “The more stupider?” he asked, grinning.

  “That’s right,” she said grinning. “And I’d watch them with you.”

  Billy swallowed the golf ball which had instantly formed in his throat. “That would be awesome,” he mumbled.

  An hour whipped by and, to Billy’s surprise, he had learned only a fraction of what he wanted to know about Vicki. When she asked him about himself, he almost felt it a waste of time. She pleaded, playfully, so he rambled on and it felt wonderful. No one’s ever been interested in my past or my dreams for the future, Billy thought. While they spoke, he realized he was actually seeing Vicki for the first time. She’s so beautiful, he thought. Besides the dirty-blonde hair and caramel eyes, there was something more he just couldn’t place. Unashamed, he searched her face longer than he’d ever looked for anything.

  There was a loud boom, while the sky lit up with red and blue fireworks.

  The first set of fireworks illuminated the dark skies. “Oooh,” the crowd moaned.

  Billy and Vicki lay on their backs and watched.

  There was another boom. Vicki reached for Billy’s hand, folded her fingers into his and left them there. His entire body tingled from a rush of pure joy.

  The next set of fireworks was a mixture of red and green, like the giant petals of a flower blooming before their wide eyes. “Aaah,” the crowd responded in glee.

  Billy couldn’t help it any longer. As they held hands, he turned to steal a peek at Vicki, but found he was too late. She was already staring at him; the fireworks reflected in her soft eyes made him swallow hard. He smiled. She giggled innocently, squeezing his hand tighter.

  There were multiple booms.

  Billy and Vicki watched the rest of the show in each other’s eyes. It was absolutely breathtaking. Suddenly, the truth hit him and nearly melted his heart. Although Vicki was as pretty as the next girl, only when he studied her eyes did he discover the truth: Vicki’s real beauty is on the inside. In just a few hours, she’d tattooed his heart, leaving an indelible mark.

  “The fireworks are over, Billy,” Vicki whispered, “and Mark and Emma have left.” She giggled. “Actually, everyone’s left.”

  “Who?” he asked with a smile, but he never left her gaze. To him, the show had just gotten started.

  When they finally left the park—walking hand in hand—Billy asked Vicki, “Can I call you?”

  “Yes, please,” she said smiling and punched her number into his cell phone.

  “When can I see you again?” he asked.

  “As soon as possible,” she said, stopping to meet his eyes. “Listen Billy, I really like you, I do, but if I’m not around all that much over the next few days, please don’t think it has anything to do with you.”

  “Oh okay,” he said, feeling his heart sink. This really is too good to be true, he thought.

  “My family’s going through a tough time right now, so…”

  “What is it?” he asked, genuinely concerned—and equally excited that she was telling the truth.

  She shook her head.

  He grabbed her hand. “You can tell me,” he said.

  “But we’ve only just met and I don’t want to ruin…”

  “You won’t ruin anything,” he promised, giving her hand a squeeze. “Honestly, Vicki, you can tell me,” he whispered.

  She took a deep breath and her eyes filled. “My Aunt Lily recently attempted suicide and was just released from the hospital.”

  “Oh, my God,” Billy said, at a loss for any other words. “I’m so sorry,” he finally managed, now feeling stupid that he’d allowed his doubts to surface so quickly.

  Vicki was quiet for a bit. Billy could tell she was trying to contain the strong emotions that were bubbling just beneath the surface. “Ever since my cousin Dalton died in a car accident, the family’s tried to heal, but…” She stopped again, on the verge of crying.

  Billy gasped. Dalton, he echoed in his head, his blood curdling. Dalton was Vicki’s cousin? Shock threatened to wrestle him to the sidewalk. While Vicki struggled to maintain her composure, Billy whispered, “So Dalton was your cousin?” He was desperately hoping it wasn’t true.

  “Yeah, my first cousin,” she confirmed, her eyes glistening with tears. “My aunt hasn’t been able to accept that he died in a drunk driving accident.” She paused. “According to the autopsy report, Dalton had very little alcohol in his system.”

  “I didn’t know your cousin, but I heard he was a great guy,” Billy said, trying to be as supportive as his pounding heart and dry mouth would allow.

  “He was,” Vicki said, turning quiet again. She was clearly torn up over her cousin’s death, as well as her aunt’s unrelenting grief. “Dalton’s funeral was the saddest thing I’ve ever experienced,” she whispered.

  “I bet,” Billy said, not knowing what else to say.

  She shook her head, quickly wiping her eyes. “I saw you standing in your yard that day, watching us drive by,” she said, smiling slightly. “You were with a black dog.”

  “That’s Jimmy,” he said, giving that sorrowful afternoon some thought. “Like I said, I really didn’t know Dalton, or I would have…”

  She grabbed his
arm. “It’s fine, Billy,” she said, “I understand.”

  “I’m so sorry it was your cousin who died in that terrible accident,” Billy whispered, meaning it on more than one level. “And I really hope your aunt is able to find some peace soon.” He nodded. “Whatever you need, I’m here for you.” He then pictured Charlie’s guilty face confessing his terrible sin and felt like he was going to vomit.

  “Thank you, Billy,” Vicki said, “you have no idea how much that means to me.”

  Billy did what he could not to puke up all that churned in his gut.

  ⁕

  It was late when Billy—exhausted and filled with so many mixed emotions—called Mark’s cell phone. “Thanks for having my back today, bro,” he said. “I owe you, big time.”

  “Have you guys already made plans to see each other again?” Mark asked rhetorically.

  “We have,” Billy said. He couldn’t have concealed the excitement in his voice if he’d been held at gunpoint.

  “You like her a lot, huh?”

  “Now there’s an understatement,” Billy said, wanting desperately to confide in Mark about all he was feeling; about how he was falling for a girl he was already keeping the truth from. But I can’t, he thought. I can’t even tell Mark. I gave Charlie my word.

  “Well, that’s it then,” Mark said solemnly. “Between the new job at the pound and the new girlfriend, there’s not going to be any time to…”

  “I thought about that,” Billy said, interrupting him. “I’m sorry, bro.”

  Mark snickered. “Don’t be. I’m just busting your chops.” His voice turned serious. “I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to go down like this.” He paused. “Now I need to go find a girlfriend I guess.”

  “What about Emma, Vicki’s friend?” Billy asked, still struggling not to spill all the poison that boiled inside of him.

  Mark snickered again. “I meant a girl who knows how to smile.” He paused for a moment. “Why? Did Emma say something about me?”

  “No,” Billy said, grinning. “I’ll see you soon, Mark.”

  “Sure you will,” Mark said, though they both knew Billy was stretching the truth on that one.