The Nights Were Young

by Calvin Wedgefield

  “No really! I think we should hang out some time. What are you doing this weekend?”

  “I’m not even allowed out. I’m grounded.”

  “Oh come on. I’m sure you can come out at least after school or something.” He stood in front of her, smiling and looking at her with his brown eyes. “I’m really nice. I promise.”

  “I’ll bet you are.” Marie looked away down the hall. She wanted to look less interested in him than she was.

  “Is this about last night?” He leaned in and spoke lower, “Look, I didn’t mean to fall on you. It just--”

  Marie laughed a little. “No, it’s not that.”

  “Then it is something. What is it?”

  He wouldn’t take his eyes off hers.

  “I think,” Marie answered nervously, “you’re a player. That’s all.”

  He burst into laughter so loud that others stopped to look. “What are you talking about? I’m not a player.”

  “Kate said you hook up all the time, with a lot of girls.” Marie started to walk forward around him.

  He moved in front of her. “Well don’t listen to her.”

  “What about that girl last night?” she asked, taking a step back from him.

  “Who? Kristen? What about her?”

  “Is she your girlfriend?”

  “No,” he said quickly. He looked down and ran his fingers through his hair. “She’s not anymore. We had a thing, a weird thing, but it’s done. Look, Marie…”

  Oh God, he remembers my name, she thought.

  “I’m not trying to just get with you,” he said. “I’m sincerely just asking to get to know you. You seem like a cool person.”

  Cool? Really? A cool person? Marie looked down the hall at the door to her classroom. There were just seconds left before the bell rang. Travis’s class was probably on the other side of the school, and he probably didn’t care that he would be late.

  “Can I have your number?” he asked.

  She walked past him towards her class.

  “I don’t know,” she said.

  “Well, what about this weekend?” he called after her.

  “I don’t know!”

  She didn’t want to look back; still she glanced around to see Travis still standing there in an empty hall, waiting for a reply. Smiling, she continued forward and walked into the classroom.

  **********

  Marie didn’t see Travis for the rest of the school day, but she thought about him. Maybe he was genuine, but her instincts told her his intentions were simply physical. She had decided a long time ago she would never go all the way with a boy who already had with someone else. It was trashy, a lesson her mother had taught her. With that in mind, she was almost certain Travis could not be a candidate for her. He was good looking, but he was probably full of ego. But he knew how to have a good time and could probably show Marie a really good time, but he was probably just trouble at the end of things.

  By the time Marie had finished talking with her English teacher about college applications and left the building, the parking lot was virtually empty. There were a few faculty cars, Marie’s Mustang, and one black Camaro parked not too far from hers. As she walked to her car, she noticed the husky jock from the lunch table leaning against the hood of his Camaro. His eyes groped her.

  She approached her car.

  He hopped up and walked to her. “Marie, right?”

  “Uh… yes.” Marie said, unlocking her door.

  He extended his hand. “My name’s David.”

  There was a transparent grin stretched across his face.

  Marie hesitantly shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

  He waited for her to say more, but Marie kept quiet, hoping he would get the hint and leave her alone.

  “You’re Marie Wrangler right?” he asked.

  “Yes that’s what I said.”

  “I’ve been asking about you.”

  Well that’s not creepy, she thought.

  “You don’t really hang out with too many people,” he continued.

  “I guess not. Look I need to go.” She tried to get into her car.

  “Hold on a minute. I just wanted to talk to you a bit.”

  He grabbed her by the arm when she tried to turn away.

  “Hey!” she yelled instinctively.

  He loosened his grip and put his hands back in his pocket, then tried too hard to act embarrassed.

  “Sorry about that. I guess I get ahead of myself sometimes. Look uh – I’m having a party this weekend out at my parent’s lake house. It’s about an hour and a half from Crossfalls and uh – I wanted to see if you wanted to come. I can give you a ride if you’d like.”

  While he was talking, a beat-up red truck drove into the parking lot. It was Travis. He honked the horn and smiled. There was some decades-old blues music blaring from his speakers. He parked next to Marie and turned off the engine. Her shoulders dropped and she felt able to breathe easily again.

  “What the hell is this guy doing here?” she heard David mutter.

  Travis jumped out of the truck and strolled up to them. He seemed unusually excited.

  “What’s up grounded girl?” Travis asked with a grin, a much more genuine one than David’s.

  “Do you mind, trailer trash?” David said. “We’re talking.”

  Travis laughed. “Calm down, fatty. I might have a candy bar in my truck for you.”

  Marie burst out in laughter. She shut up quickly when she saw David’s scowl and his clenched fists. She covered her mouth, trying to keep herself from laughing. Travis was watching her, grinning, happy he’d made her happy.

  David shook his head and stood in between the two. “So you want to come or not, Marie?” he asked. “The party’s gonna be pretty awesome.”

  “I’m sorry,” Marie said. She cleared her throat and forced herself to speak seriously. “I don’t think so.”

  “For real?” David raised his voice. “You don’t want to come? You don’t even have to pay for anything.”

  “Look,” Travis interrupted. “She said no.”

  David whirled around and shoved Travis. “Am I talking to you, trailer trash?”

  “Hey!” Marie shouted. “Don’t call him that!”

  The jock whipped around and put his finger in Marie’s face. “Stay out of this.”

  “Don’t put your hand in her face!” Travis ordered.

  “Then tell the bitch to shut up for a minute,” David said, turning around to face Travis.

  Travis lost it. He reared back and slugged David hard across the face.

  “What’d you call her?” he screamed.

  Marie jumped back to avoid the rampage. David and Travis fell to the concrete; David shoved Travis’s face down and got on top of him. He brought his fist down, but Travis dodged aside and David punched the hard pavement. While he screamed in agony Travis threw him off and stood. David furiously charged at him and knocked him against his truck. Travis kept shoving his hands away so that David could not get a grip on him. Before Travis could throw another hit, David punched him hard in the stomach, knocking his air out.

  “Travis!” Marie yelled.

  David pushed Travis back against the truck and stepped back. He was rearing his foot back ready to kick Travis when Marie jumped on his back, locked her arms around him, and nearly brought him down again. David threw her off of him. She landed on the ground and he was ready to hit Marie. He stopped himself, but he was heaving with anger.

  “Dumb girl,” David said. “Go stand over there till I’m done.”

  Travis was standing straight again.

  David turned around and laughed. “Let’s go, trailer trash!”

  Travis charged forward and they locked. Travis got in a few punches to David’s face and chest while David returned more against Travis’s chin. They were both bleeding by the time Marie noticed the school’s security guard racing to them.

  “Guys, the guard is coming,” Marie said.

  They
immediately stopped and turned around. The school’s security guard, an overweight, middle aged man in a faded blue uniform was running towards them.

  David fled instantly, scrambling into his Camaro and revving the engine. His tires screeched and smoked when he sped out of the parking lot. Travis did not even bother hurrying away. He leaned against his truck, breathing heavily. He was drenched in sweat, bruised and bleeding. Marie touched some of the cuts on his face.

  “Travis, why’d you do that?”

  “He’s deserved an ass kicking since third grade,” he said, still heaving to catch his breath. “And you heard what he called you. I’m not gonna let anyone call one of my friends that.”

  “So we’re friends now?”

  Travis smiled, and even with a bleeding lip and a swollen, red eye he didn’t seem bitter, and he didn’t seem to care about the pain. “We’d better be.” He stared at her happily, his one good eye darting back and forth between her eyes. “You need to get out of here, pretty girl. I’ll see you around.”

  The guard finally reached them. He was furious. “Get your hands on the hood of the trunk right now!”

  “See you later, pretty girl,” Travis said fast.

  He broke into a run for the football fields on the side of the school.

  “Damn it!” the guard yelled. He looked at Marie; he decided to chase Travis, though he was not going to be successful. Marie watched her hero sprint across the parking lot and disappear around the corner. The guard followed after, and then she was alone.

  Pretty girl? Those words made her heart beat faster.

  Travis had at least earned something. She pulled a piece of paper from a notebook in her bag, then wrote seven digits on it and placed it on the driver’s seat in Travis’s truck. At the bottom of the paper she left a message:

  Thank you,

  Marie

  **********

  That night was usual. She ate a quiet dinner with her parents, though only half of what had been on her plate. Her mother performed her ever-constant nagging of finishing college applications while her father nodded and agreed with her.

  “I’ve almost got them done,” Marie answered. “We can mail them next week.”

  “Good,” her mother said. “Make sure you let me look at them before you put them in the envelopes.”

  All the while, Marie snuck looks at her phone to see if she had any new text messages, or at least a missed call. But there was nothing.

  Later, in her bedroom, Marie had trouble concentrating on her homework. Why hadn’t he messaged her yet? Or tried to call? She left her homework on the desk and went to the window, and she stared out over the lake and towards the starry night sky. Maybe he was in jail. He could have been out there anywhere beyond the water and hills; he had her number, and maybe he was just as nervous to talk to her as she was to him. No – he was too cool for that.

  **********

  The next day at school, Marie felt just as anxious.

  “Have you seen Travis at all today?” Marie asked. She was walking to class with Kate beside her.

  “No. I don’t think he came. He got in a fight yesterday with some douchebag in the parking lot,” Kate said.

  “I know. I was there.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” Kate asked. She stopped and turned Marie to face her. “I heard they practically killed each other.”

  Brandon approached them. He was dressed different, more cleaned up and presentable. He had bothered to comb his hair and wear jeans that fit him. “Hey Marie,” he said quickly, joining them at her side.

  The three continued slowly down the hall.

  “Did Mom say what time she would be home?” Kate asked him.

  “I don’t know. Why?” He tone showed his annoyance to talk to his sister.

  “Cause I wanted to have Joey over.”

  “Joey from the cliffs – that Joey?” Marie asked.

  “Of course,” Kate said. “How many Joeys are there in town?”

  “He’s a total dweeb,” Brandon said, brushing his hair to the side. He looked at Marie, “Don’t you think?”

  “I don’t know,” Marie answered.

  “Whatever,” Kate said. “He’s gorgeous and he’s really sweet.”

  “Yeah he’s a loser,” Brandon said. “The dude just sits there wherever he goes, unless he drinks, and then he’s just all over the place.”

  “How would you know?” Kate asked. “You don’t hang out with him.”

  They were nearing the end of the hall that led into another where Kate and Marie would have to separate.

  “You’re having him over huh?” Marie said. “Are you guys gonna…”

  “What – sex? No way. I haven’t known him that long,” Kate said, shoving Marie.

  “I don’t think the guy could do it, even if he tried,” Brandon said.

  “Shut up, asshole,” Kate said as she pointed to Brandon. Then she looked at Marie. “I’ll see you later girl.”

  “Bye,” Marie said.

  Kate left for her class, leaving Brandon and Marie walking together. They turned the corner and continued down the hall. He moved closer to her.

  “I heard you got in a fight yesterday,” he said.

  “I didn’t. Travis did.”

  “Yeah, he told me about it. Apparently you jumped on the guy’s back or something.”

  Marie laughed. “I did what I could. Do you know where he is?”

  “The guy you jumped? Why? You want to finish him off, ‘cause I’ll totally kick his ass if you want,” he offered enthusiastically.

  “No, no. Travis. Do you know where Travis is?”

  Brandon’s shoulders sunk in disappointment; she was asking about Travis.

  “Oh, yeah. He got suspended for the rest of the week for the fight. So did that other guy.”

  “Oh wow.”

  Marie slowed down when she got to her classroom. She could see the other students staring at her and whispering. “How many people know about the fight?”

  “It’s all over school. If it was just Travis and some average guy then no one would care, but he fought off that football player so everyone cares I guess.”

  “That’s stupid,” Marie muttered.

  “Yeah… yeah, it is. Hey, uh… that new werewolf movie is coming out this Friday,” Joey said.

  “That ridiculous looking one? Full Moon Fangs?”

  “Yeah that one. I was uh –” he seemed nervous, “do you want to see it with me Friday night?”

  “I can’t Brandon. I’m grounded. I’m sorry.”

  “Oh. Alright.” He hung his head.

  “I’m sorry,” Marie said. She watched his spirits plummet.

  “It’s cool,” he said, “I gotta go.”

  He walked quickly away from her, not looking back.

  Marie walked to the back of the now quieted classroom and sat at her desk.

  A few minutes into class her cellphone vibrated. It was a message from Kate.

  KATE: What r u doing after school?

  Marie groaned under her breath. She texted her back.

  MARIE: I’m grounded, so nothing.

  She returned to pretending that she was taking notes, which were scribbles in her notebook.

  Her phone vibrated.

  KATE: Then skip last class with me. We need to go to Wake Up.

  Marie’s stomach dropped.

  Holy shit, she thought. Skip class?

  She drummed her fingers nervously on the desk. She wanted to, but what about her mother? Really though, her mother wouldn’t even know. She couldn’t control her forever, right?

  Screw it, she thought.

  MARIE: Hell yes.

  **********

  When she should have been in the last class of her school day, Marie sat with Kate at the only coffee shop in town, the Wake Up Shop. It was in the town square, in one of the century-old buildings that had been kept well enough to run an establishment. The walls were wooden and the floor boards creaked when they walked across,
and Marie felt a bit smothered in the smell of espresso.

  “They serve ice cream here,” Kate said. “You want some?”

  “No, just coffee.” Marie was starving, and looking at the ice cream made her stomach growl.

  “Damn it, Marie, do you ever eat anything?”

  “Yes,” Marie lied. “I eat all the time. That’s why I’m so fat.”

  Kate froze and glared at her. “Do you seriously think you’re fat?”

  Marie wanted to say yes, but she could see it would end with Kate fighting her endlessly.

  “No, I’m just joking,” Marie answered, faking laughter. “I’m not hungry, though. No ice cream. Just coffee.”

  They got their drinks and sat at a table in the corner. They were the only ones in the shop besides the barista.

  “It’s so nice having a girlfriend around now. None of my guy friends would ever be caught dead in this place,” Kate said. “They make fun of the dudes that come in here.”

  “It’s called the Wake Up Shop,” Marie said. “It’s kind of a dumb name. I can see why they don’t want to come in.”

  “Well the coffee is fucking great,” Kate said. “What do you think?”

  Marie took a drink. “It really is great.”

  “No, no. Tell me how you really feel, Marie. Tell me it’s fucking great.” Kate leaned forward and grinned. “Say it.”

  “Why?” Marie asked, laughing.

  “Because you’re already skipping class. I want to see you go bad, Marie. Go really bad.”

  “You’re stupid,” Marie said, shaking her head. She laughed. This was her friend, a girl that would delight in hearing her swear about a coffee shop.

  “Come on…”

  Marie rolled her eyes. She said softly, “The coffee is really fucking great.”

  “Oh come on. That’s how my grandmother would say it,” Kate taunted. “Show me you mean it.”

  Finally, Marie said loudly, “The coffee is really fucking great!”

  They smiled at one another in silence.

  The barista heard it while she was cleaning the espresso machine. She paused for a moment. “Well…” she said.

  Marie and Kate looked at her, expecting her to ask them to leave.