Anything Goes on a Friday Night

by Sara Daniell

  He bowed his head and rubbed his bottom lip with his thumb before looking at me again. “I hope life is good to you, Ellie.”

  A few tears fell down my cheeks. “You too, Channing.”

  He stood and inched closer to me. “Is it okay if I hug you?”

  I nodded.

  We held onto each other for several seconds before letting go. He pressed his lips against my forehead and brought my hand to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on the top of it.

  “Bye,” he said quietly.

  “Bye.”

  I got in my car and left.

  I OPENED THE FRONT door when I saw Finn pull up. I leaned against the door jam and smiled at him. When he got up the steps, he kissed me.

  “Hey,” he said smiling.

  “Hey.” I moved so he could come in. My dad came out of the kitchen and held his hand out to Finn. Finn took it and gave him a firm shake.

  “I’m glad you could make it tonight,” Dad said as we followed him to the kitchen table.

  “Yeah, me too.” Finn looked at me while my dad’s back was turned and winked.

  Finn sat next to me, and Dad sat across from us. I was so nervous. This night could go so many ways.

  After the food was passed around and our plates were full, Dad looked at Finn.

  “Elena tells me that you two are going to be apart for a year.”

  “Yes, sir. The school I want to go to near her has a waiting list. They said for sure I can attend next year.” Finn took a bite of his food.

  “Elena got into colleges around here too. Did she tell you that?”

  I furrowed my brow. “Of course I told him.”

  Finn smiled and set down his fork. “I know, and I refused to let her settle for less just to stay here with me. One year won’t kill us. We’ll make it work, and that will give us time to make a plan.”

  Dad smiled. “I appreciate that. Elena is smart, and I feel like Stanford is going to be great for her.”

  “I agree. And I should apologize for not asking your permission before I asked her to marry me.”

  Dad laughed. “It’s okay. I’m sure Elena has filled you in on all of the gory details about our life. I wouldn’t have asked me either. Congratulations, though. I hope it works out for the both of you.”

  Finn found my hand under the table and laced his fingers in mine. He smiled at Dad. “Thank you.”

  The rest of dinner went well. Dad and Finn talked about Finn’s plans to open a welding shop wherever we decided to settle down one day. Dad seemed to thoroughly enjoy talking to Finn, and if I was correctly reading into how this night was going, I’d say he liked Finn.

  I walked Finn out to his truck and kissed him. “Thanks for coming tonight.”

  “Of course.” He tucked loose hair behind my ears and kissed my forehead, which reminded me of seeing Channing earlier today. His lips were there only a few hours ago.

  Tell him, Ellie.

  I closed my eyes before looking at Finn again. “Finn, I have something to tell you.”

  “Okay?”

  “I saw Channing today, and by choice, I went to his house so we could talk. He needed closure, and so did I. Things have been shitty between us, and he needed to apologize, and I needed to hear it. We talked, I told him about our engagement, and he’s happy for us. Truly. Please don’t be mad. I needed this to happen. We said our goodbyes, and that’s it.”

  Finn was pissed. The look on his face said it all. “You went by choice to talk to him? What the hell does that mean?”

  “It means he saw me washing my car, he stopped and asked if we could talk, and I said yes. You have to understand that he was a huge part of my life, Finn. Saying goodbye to him on good terms was important to me. You can either be pissed, or you can just let it go. I don’t want to fight with you.”

  He put his forehead to mine and sighed. “I’m insanely jealous when it comes to you. And he’s such a jerk.”

  “It was goodbye, Finn. Nothing more.”

  He kissed my lips softly. “I know. I trust you. So, do you have to go back inside, or can I steal you for a couple of hours?”

  “I can come out. What’d you have in mind?” He wiggled his eyebrows, and I laughed. “I’ll go get my purse.”

  I LOOKED OUT THE window at a sign that read “Kerrville Municipal Airport”. I looked at Finn with his arm resting on his open window. I looked back out my open window and pulled my hair back in a ponytail.

  “Ummm, Finn?” I said pointing out the window. “That’s a no trespassing sign.”

  He chuckled and kept driving.

  I stuck my head out the window and gasped when I saw a plane take off. It was so close. I sat back down in my seat. “I thought this place was closed!”

  “Not tonight.”

  He pulled off into a distant field and came around to my side of the truck. He opened the door. “Come on.”

  “We’re going to get arrested, Finn!”

  He laughed. “Probably.” He grabbed my hand, and I got out.

  We climbed on top of his truck, and he put his arm around my waist. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. Watching the small planes take off and glide toward the stars was hypnotic.

  “What on earth made you think to bring me here?”

  He kissed my forehead and smiled. “I was just thinking that we hadn’t done anything stupid yet. And doing something crazy stupid with you is on my Last-Days-Before-Ellie-Leaves Bucket List.”

  “You made us a bucket list?”

  He chuckled and nodded. “Sure did.”

  “What else is on this bucket list?”

  “Everything else has already happened. This was the last one.”

  I smiled. “I love this, Finn.”

  “I thought you would.”

  Another plane took off, and we both watched, holding each other close. I didn’t want this to end. Graduation was in four days. That meant I left in five. My mood changed in an instant, and Finn noticed.

  “Don’t think about it. Not tonight.”

  I swallowed hard. “How do you know what I’m thinking about?”

  “Because I’m thinking about it too. Let’s just forget about it and pretend like we still have forever before you leave.”

  “I don’t have to leave, Finn. I can stay here.”

  “Don’t say shit like that, because I’ll cave and take you up on it. I would hate myself forever. You’re going. Stanford is a huge accomplishment.”

  I looked at my ring and smiled sadly. “I’m going to miss you so much,” I whispered as the damn waterworks started.

  Finn held me tighter and kissed my cheek. He was about to say something when blue lights lit up the field. “Shit,” he said through laughter.

  We hopped off his truck. The cop came walking through the field with his flashlight. I looked at Finn who was digging in his billfold. He pulled out his driver’s license and held my hand while we waited for the cop to get closer.

  “What are you kids doing out here? This is private property.” The cop shined his light on Finn’s license plate and then took the driver’s license Finn was holding out to him.

  “I’m Ricky Kerr’s grandson.”

  The cop shined his light on his driver’s license and looked at Finn. “Lucky you.” He handed it back to Finn and looked at me. “Your boyfriend is lucky, or you both would have been going to jail.”

  I didn’t know what that meant, but I nodded like I did. “Yes, sir.”

  The cop looked at Finn seriously. “You should head home soon.”

  Finn put his driver’s license back in his billfold and nodded. “We will.”

  After the cop left, I looked at Finn and shoved his shoulder. “What the hell?” I laughed.

  “My grandfather owns this place. He used to take me out here all the time as a kid to watch the planes.”

  “Then why didn’t you tell me that?”

  “What fun would that have been?” He laughed some more.

  “I thought we were doing
something crazy stupid?”

  He kissed me and smiled against my lips. “Silly girl, I can’t get you arrested right before you leave for Stanford.”

  “I guess you’re right. Should we go?”

  He shook his head. “Later. I’m not ready to let you go home just yet. Let’s watch a few more planes, and then we’ll go.”

  I kissed him and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Okay.” I closed my eyes and smiled when his oil stained fingers brushed against my cheek.

  ON OUR WAY BACK to my house, I sat in the middle of the seat, as close to Finn as possible. “Does your grandfather really own that place?”

  His free hand rested on my thigh. “Yeah.”

  “Your last name is the name of this town, and you said your ancestors founded this place?”

  He chuckled. “That is correct.”

  “Does that mean your family is loaded?”

  He burst into laughter and shook his head. “Not anymore. There used to be a ton of money, but my family are heavy drinkers and gamble like crazy.”

  “That sucks!”

  He shrugged and smiled. “They’re motto is: you can’t take it with you when you die, so spend it while you’re alive.”

  “Are they at least paying for your college?”

  “Nope. That I’m paying for myself. I’ve been saving money from working at the shop.”

  I scrunched my nose. That seemed awfully selfish of his family. “Well, I’m proud of you. But I hope that heavy drinking and gambling isn’t in your future plans because I’m not so sure I’d still want to marry you,” I teased.

  He turned into my driveway and parked. He looked at me and laughed. “I can assure you that I’m far from anything like the rest of my family.”

  “They sound awful.”

  He shook his head and half-smiled. “Nah. They’re great actually. Selfish, yes, but they are good people.”

  I raised a brow. “How can you be selfish and a good person at the same time?”

  “I don’t know, they just are. Are you done talking yet?”

  “What?”

  “I really want to kiss you right now. You are only here for 120 more hours, and I only get a fraction of those with you. And I’d rather spend a majority of them with my lips on yours instead of us talking about things that really don’t matter.”

  I laughed. “Well, what are you waiting for then?”

  He laughed and cupped my face in his hands, pressing his lips against mine. His tongue. God, I loved his tongue. He kissed me so perfectly, and I tried my hardest to memorize each one so I could remember how this felt. Maybe it’d get me through the next year without them.

  One of his hands stayed in my hair, and the other went to my inner thigh. I gripped the front of his shirt and kissed him harder. We couldn’t do this here. Not in my driveway where Dad would see.

  “Finn,” I said out of breath. “Backroad.”

  I didn’t have to tell him twice. He put the truck in reverse and headed out to our spot at the river.

  TAP.

  Tap, tap.

  I rolled over toward the window, squinting my eyes. I had stayed over with Jane to have one last night with her before I left. I looked at her; she was sound asleep.

  “Jane,” I said, shaking her shoulder. “Jane,” I said again, shaking a bit harder.

  “Hmmm?” She rolled onto her side to look at me. “What is it?”

  Tap.

  Tap, tap, tap.

  “Did you hear that?” I asked, pulling the covers to my chest like they’d protect me.

  She sat up. “The wind moving a branch?”

  Tap!

  We both jumped.

  She got out of bed on her tiptoes and grabbed the lamp on her nightstand after unplugging it from the wall.

  “Seriously?” I whispered and followed close behind her as she made her way to the window.

  “Got a better idea?”

  “Maybe go wake your parents?”

  She ignored me and pulled back the blinds. She screamed. I screamed.

  Finn?

  I moved from behind Jane and placed a hand on my pounding heart. I lifted the window pane and saw Finn with tears rolling down his cheeks.

  “I know I said I’d leave you alone tonight so you and Jane could hang out, but I can’t sleep. All I can do is think about tomorrow, Ellie. You’re leaving tomorrow night after graduation, and I won’t see you until Christmas break. Do you realize how long that is? That’s—”

  “Stop. I know how long it is.” I climbed out the window and looked at Jane. “Be right back.” I followed him into Jane’s backyard.

  “I lied. I can’t do this. So much can change in a year, and what if you meet someone smarter than me? I’m sure guys at Stanford could offer you a whole hell of a lot more than I can. Maybe I was crazy for proposing. I shouldn’t have done that. Am I being too possessive? Holy shit, Ellie, I’m an asshole! And here I am intruding on your night with Jane, and—”

  I grabbed his face and kissed him. When he started to say more, I kissed him again. I kept kissing him until he calmed down.

  He held me tightly against him. “I’m so sorry for acting like this.”

  I started laughing. “Finn, shut up.” I looked up at him and kissed his jaw. “I won’t go. Just tell me to stay.”

  “No. No way. You’re going. I’m being stupid.”

  I wiped his tears and smiled softly. “I love you.”

  “I thought I was prepared for this, but I’m not. There are so many what-ifs.”

  “Finn?” I said calmly, trying to get him to relax.

  “What?”

  “I love you.”

  He let out a heavy sigh and a few more tears. “I love you, too.”

  We both looked toward Jane’s room when we heard her dad. I looked at Finn. “I better go back in there before he calls the cops on you, and your grandfather decides not to get you out of this one.”

  “Actually…”

  I laughed and kissed him quickly. “Bye, Finn. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  He kissed me before walking toward the road where his truck was parked.

  “Elena, get back in the house,” Jane’s dad said.

  “Yes, sir.”

  I climbed in through the window and looked at Jane who was hooking her lamp back up. I shut the window and closed the blinds. I walked over to the bean bag near her dresser and sat down. I pulled my knees to my chest and rested my head on them.

  Jane sat at the edge of her bed. “Are you okay?”

  I looked at her. “Finn was a mess tonight. I hated seeing him like that. Are we…” I didn’t want to finish what I was saying, but I knew I could be honest with Jane. “Are we moving too fast? I mean, we’ve been together for a while now, and I don’t think you can really follow any sort of rules when it comes to loving someone, but, we’re engaged.” I looked at my ring. “Oh my God, Jane. I’m engaged!” I sat up straighter and ran my hands down my face. “Everyone thinks we’re crazy, don’t they?”

  She bit her bottom lip and nodded. “Afraid so. But others’ opinions mean nothing. This is between you and Finn. And if I have to admit it, I’m a little jealous. You two are so perfect for each other. If anyone can make it, it’s you two.”

  “You really think so? A year is a long time.”

  She yawned. “Then in a year, when you two are finally together again, you’ll know how to love each other as passionately and deeply if you were still having to be apart.”

  I chuckled. “How the hell did you get so smart? You sound like a Chinese parable.”

  She laid down in her bed and pulled her covers to her shoulders. “I read a lot. Let’s get some sleep. Stop worrying. It’ll all work out.”

  I got back in bed. I closed my eyes and sighed. Jane was right. Finn and I would be just fine.

  I STOOD AND STARED AT myself in the full-length mirror in my room. I adjusted my graduation gown until it sat right on my shoulders. I smoothed out the wrinkles and smiled at mysel
f. I was graduating today. I would leave to start my journey at Stanford tonight. After today, it’d be just me for a whole year.

  8,760 hours with just me and the people I’d meet in California.

  All of a sudden, the air in my room was gone. I couldn’t breathe. I hurried to the bathroom and splashed some cold water on my face and gripped the edge of the counter as I took deep breaths. I could maybe handle this transition better if someone was coming with me to help me get set up in my dorm, but my dad had to stay here to help Nancy. She was seeing a therapist and getting help after being diagnosed as bipolar.

  There was a knock on the bathroom door. “Ellie, it’s time for you to go. Nancy and I will see you after the ceremony.”

  “Okay, Dad.” I stared at myself in the mirror and started wiping away the mascara that was running. I fixed my make-up, this time remembering to use waterproof mascara.

  I stood up taller and gave myself a reassuring nod in the mirror. “I can do this,” I whispered. Stanford is what I’ve been waiting for my whole life.

  I walked into my room and slipped on my black heels. I found my phone to call Finn.

  “Hey, are you ready?” I could hear the low rumble of his truck.

  “I am. Are you almost here?”

  “Pulling onto your street now.”

  I peeked out my window and saw his truck pull up in front of my house. “I’m on my way.” I hung up, grabbed my purse and graduation cap, and headed out of the house.

  I got into his truck and did my best to smile. Finn reached over and held my hand. I almost lost it when he kissed the top of my hand but somehow held it together. I stared out the window the whole way to the football field.

  Once we parked and got out, Finn stopped me before I could go any further. Sweat was already forming on his forehead, and we hadn’t even made it five steps. Texas heat was unbearable most days.

  “What’s wrong, besides the fact that you’re leaving tonight?”

  I gave him the bravest smile I could muster. “Nervous. So much changes today.”

  “You got this, Ellie.”

  I nodded and looked toward the field where our classmates were headed. “We should go.” I took his hand and gave it a squeeze, and we made our way to our seats.