A Penny on the Tracks

by Alicia Joseph

  I moved onto my back and watched as she pulled the few loose strands of her long brown hair that hung in her face, back behind her ear. “Well, I think we should go out for a little bit tonight. We have all day tomorrow. We’ll make it a lazy Sunday. What time’s your mom coming back on Monday?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  She leaned down and kissed me. “It would be helpful if you found that out.”

  I groaned lightly as I took in her kiss.

  THE PHONE RANG around five o’clock. I picked it up, expecting either Jess or my mom.

  “Lyssa?”

  It was Abbey.

  “Hey, Ab.”

  “My mom’s not coming home again tonight. My aunt’s not doing any better. Can you sleep over again?”

  I pushed the handset away from me, wanting to scream. I pantomimed smashing the phone against the counter. I took a deep breath and heard Abbey’s voice coming out of the receiver, asking if I was still there. I plucked the telephone back to my ear.

  “Yeah, I’m here. I can’t sleep over tonight,” I said with a calm voice.

  “How come?”

  “I told you. I have to watch the house.”

  “Then I’ll stay by you. I don’t care where I am. I just don’t want to be alone.”

  I rubbed a hand across my forehead. Abbey spending the night would ruin everything, but there was nothing I could think of in that moment to tell her why she couldn’t sleep over, other than I wanted to be alone with my girlfriend.

  “Sure.” I sighed. “You can stay over.”

  “Thanks. I’ll be there in a bit.”

  “Okay,” I said, and then slammed the receiver into its cradle.

  I CALLED JESS to tell her about our uninvited guest spending the night with us, and she insisted that tonight was the ideal time to reveal our relationship.

  “Not tonight, Jess. Please. I can’t do this tonight. I don’t want to do this tonight,” I implored into the phone.

  “Why not? It’d just be us and we’ll have privacy, as well as all the time Abbey might need to ask all questions she has.”

  “Exactly. We have the setting to have this big, involved, dramatic scene unfold. And I’m not ready for that. This weekend was supposed to be about us. It was supposed to be a relaxing, laid-back couple of days together. I’m not prepared to get into a big discourse with Abbey about our relationship right now.”

  Jess sighed deeply into the phone. “Fine.”

  “Babe, I know you’re right. I need to tell her soon. It got a little weird last night. She asked if you were my new best friend, and I thought she was gonna cry.”

  “Lyssa. That is so sad. She’s afraid of losing you, and now she must hate me.”

  “She doesn’t hate you. You were her friend before I was.”

  “I’ll never forget the time I went up to her in the cafeteria to borrow notes from a class I had missed, and you were sitting next to her. You looked up and smiled at me. I swear you made my heart stop. That was the first time I saw you, and I couldn’t stop thinking about you after that moment. That’s when I started watching you in the halls.

  “Every morning, I trotted to school, anxious to see the girl with the long rock ‘n’ roll hair, who had a rebellious edge to her that kept me intrigued, and she wore jeans and flannel shirts better than most of the guys in school. But it was the protective and sensitive side of you that I fell in love with in the way you watched over Abbey, getting in the face of anyone who messed with her. I sensed guys had to go through you if they wanted to date Abbey.”

  I laughed. “Yes, and there were only a few who made my approval.”

  “And yet you could date someone without Abbey even knowing about it.”

  I pressed the phone against my ear. “Jess, it’s different with you and me. You know that. Besides, I’m not Abbey. I don’t need the extra protection.”

  “You really underestimate her. You need to tell her.”

  “I’ll tell her when she isn’t feeling like she needs me so much. Then there’s less of a chance she’ll feel abandoned. Listen, she’s already asking me if you’re taking her place as my new best friend. Abbey finding out that I’m closer to you in ways I’ll never be close to her may be too much for her to take right now. Maybe when I’m away at school and she starts classes here and meets new friends with a new scene, I’ll tell her.”

  I WATCHED JESS and Abbey interacting with no sign that any tension existed between them at all. They were friends, too. We had a small group of friends we hung out with all the time. Aside from Abbey and Jess, Matt was my closest friend of the group.

  The first day I met him, I felt like I’d known him my whole life. The reason could have been because he reminded me so much of Derek. Matt had Derek’s same long hair and laid-back, cool manner.

  I didn’t know if Abbey saw the same in Matt. I never asked, but she seemed to have taken to him as quickly as I had, which was unusual for Abbey to be so comfortable, so easily, with a boy.

  Jess and Abbey couldn’t decide on a place to go. Jess suggested hanging out at the local pool hall, but the last time a group of us went there, Abbey couldn’t keep her balls on the table.

  When Abbey hit the ball with the cue, most of the time the target would skip off the table. Abbey had no coordination. It was funny the first time it happened, but quickly became tiresome and embarrassing by the seventh time.

  “No pool,” I said, and looked at Abbey. “Abbey doesn’t have a knack for pool.”

  “I’m not good at pool,” she concurred.

  “Then how about darts?” Jess asked. “We can go to that new place that opened on the corner of Belleview and 5th. They have darts.”

  “No way. Ever seen this one play darts?” I gestured to Abbey. “She throws the dart overhand and releases it like a Major League pitcher throwing a hundred mile-an-hour fastball. It got to the point when every time she’d pick up a dart the whole room ducked.”

  “Stop lying, Lyssa. Nobody did that,” Abbey said.

  “Like hell they didn’t. Everybody did that.” I dropped onto my couch, put my feet up on the table, and wrapped my hands around the back of my head. “You just didn’t notice.”

  “Why don’t we just stay here and watch a movie?” Abbey threw out.

  I dropped my feet to the floor and sat up. “No way. I need to get out of here.”

  If I hadn’t been with Jess, I’d have used having the house to myself as an opportunity to throw a big party. But because Jess and I were together, all I wanted was to be alone with her. Now that that wasn’t going to happen, I was anxious to ease the frustration of not being with her the way I wanted by getting out of the house.

  “How about the drive-in?” Jess tossed into the realm of ideas.

  “Is it even open yet?” Abbey asked.

  “Opened this weekend for Memorial Day,” Jess said.

  “That works for me.” I looked at Abbey, and she nodded her consent.

  WHILE ABBEY WAS in the bathroom, I pulled Jess into the kitchen and sneaked a quick kiss. “I did not see the weekend turning out like this.”

  “Me either, but that’s Abbey for you,” Jess said. “At least we got to spend some time alone together.”

  I nuzzled my face in Jess’s neck and groaned. “But it should have been more.” I pulled back. “Hey, since Abbey ruined our night I wanna have some fun with her.”

  “What sort of fun?”

  “I’m gonna tell her we have to put her in the trunk,” I said.

  “You’re gonna do what?”

  “I’m gonna tell her she has to go in the trunk.”

  “Why would she have to do that?” Jess asked.

  “Because I won’t have enough money to get all of us into the drive-in,” I explained.

  “I have plenty of money to get us in.”

  “So do I,” I pointed out impatiently. “But we’re gonna tell her we don’t have enough money and that we have to put her in the trunk and sneak her in.”

 
; “That’s very mean. I can’t believe that’s what you want to do. You can’t do that to her, besides, she might have her own money to get in.”

  “Abbey never has money. This’ll work.”

  “That is horrible,” Jess said. “You can’t put her in the trunk.”

  “I’m not actually gonna do it. I’m just gonna make her think I’m gonna do it.”

  “And this’ll be fun for you?” Jess asked.

  “Very,” I answered.

  “Why do you mess with her all the time?”

  “Because that’s what I do. We wouldn’t be us if I didn’t.” I grabbed Jess’s hand and pulled her toward the living room where Abbey was waiting for us. I let go of her hand just before Abbey looked our way.

  “Ready?” I asked.

  “Sure.” Abbey stood up from the couch. “What’s playing?”

  “It’s a double feature, Dazed and Confused and Jurassic Park.” I grabbed a light jacket from the closet. “You guys ready?”

  “Yep,” Abbey called out.

  “Right behind you,” Jess said, and I sensed the disapproval lingering in her tone.

  “If I’m sitting in the back, can I lay across the hood so I can see the movie better?”

  “Whatever. Let’s just get there before we’re late.” I snatched my mom’s keys off the hook near the door.

  Chapter Fifteen

  I PULLED INTO a convenience store to get snacks. “What do you guys want?”

  “Funyons,” Abbey yelled.

  I turned to her in the backseat. “If you’re getting those things then you’re definitely sitting out on the hood cuz I don’t want you stinking up the car with onions.”

  “Fine. That’s what where I wanted to sit anyway,” she responded, stubbornly.

  I looked at Jess. “What about you? What do you want?”

  “Hmm . . . I’ll take a bag of skittles and an iced tea, please.”

  “And I’ll take a Dr. Pepper with my Funyons,” Abbey added.

  I got out of the car and headed into the store. I came back, and Abbey and Jess looked to be in the middle of a serious conversation.

  “What are you two talking about?” I placed the bag in the space next to Abbey.

  “Abbey asked me if I was sleeping over at your house tonight.”

  “You should,” Abbey said. “We’ll stay up late and watch movies like a slumber party.”

  “I love slumber parties. You’re right, Ab. Jess should sleep over. I think it’ll be fun, too.” I flashed Jess a sly smile, and she gave me an inconspicuous punch in the arm, but all I could do was laugh.

  Abbey seemed oblivious at the innuendo of our exchange.

  WHEN WE REACHED the entrance to the drive-in, I pulled off near the side of the road. It was a clear night—the kind of night that inspired lovers with brilliant stars and a cool, gentle breeze—and all I could think about was being alone with Jess.

  I pulled my wallet from my back pocket and peeked inside. “Fuck.”

  “What is it?” Abbey popped her head in the space between Jess and me.

  I let out an exaggerated sigh. “I don’t have enough money to get us all in.” I raked a hand through my hair and acted as though I was thinking about what to do. “Do you have any money?” I asked Abbey, knowing that she didn’t.

  Abbey’s parents didn’t give her money, except for what she needed for school supplies and lunch. She wasn’t allowed to get a job, even though Franklin had told her there was a job waiting for her at any of the movie theaters he managed, but her mother didn’t want anything to get in the way of Abbey’s studies.

  I suspected the reason was more about controlling Abbey. When I started working for Franklin, it was a given that I’d cover Abbey wherever we went, and that meant buying her all the burgers with cheese she could eat.

  “Fuck ’em,” I’d said. “Especially your mother. If they think not giving you money is gonna keep you cooped up in your room with a book pressed against your nose all day then they don’t know me very well.”

  Franklin had been promoted to general manager of five theaters. I worked at the ticket booth over summers. Whenever I’d see kids sneaking into the theater, I never did anything to stop it, nor did I tell anyone because those kids were once Abbey and me.

  Watching them made me wonder if anyone had seen Abbey and me when we used to sneak in the theater, but never stopped us. I assumed it had to happen at least once. We weren’t that cautious to never get caught.

  I figured I was paying it forward. And when I found out what the mark-up on popcorn and soda was, it felt criminal charging good people such an incredible amount over cost. So I didn’t feel bad at all when I looked the other way from the kids sneaking in.

  Whenever someone did catch them, I’d offer to take over the situation and I’d pretend to walk the kids to the exit door, but then let them escape into one of the dark theaters of their choice instead—with the promise that they’d do a better job of not getting caught in the future.

  But it turned out I wasn’t as sly as I thought I was. Franklin called me into the kitchen one day. He was sitting upright in his seat, his hands folded in front of him, a tall glass of water on the table beside him.

  I hadn’t known what the situation was about, but it appeared serious.

  “Take a seat,” he’d said.

  I sat down without taking my eyes off him.

  “Are you allowing kids into the theater without paying?” he asked.

  I let out a deep exhale. I had thought he was going to tell me something really bad like my mom was dying even though I was sure my mom would know I’d rather hear that kind of news from her, and not Franklin.

  Keeping as straight a face as I could, I asked, “Who’s giving you this misinformation?”

  “You’re saying it’s not true?”

  “It’s not true. I never let kids into the theater without paying,” I said.

  And it was true. I didn’t let kids into the theater without paying. It’s not like I was holding the door for them. They were making it into the theater on their own. I just didn’t stop them.

  He kept his eyes on me, and said, “You know I can’t make it seem like I’m playing favorites.”

  “I know.”

  “Remember that talk we had before you started this job that sometimes you might have to work a little harder than the others to show without a doubt that you’re not getting favors.”

  “I remember. And I do work hard.”

  “I know you do. And I also know it isn’t fair, but certain responsibilities go along with being the boss’s daughter.”

  I liked Franklin, and I had wanted to do what he was asking me to do, but I knew it’d be tough kicking kids, who were just like how I used to be, out of the theater.

  My solution was to take myself completely out of the situation and avoid the back doors, where most of the kids snuck in as people left, the way Abbey and I had done.

  I assumed my way out was working, because Franklin never mentioned the subject again.

  An expression of shame crossed Abbey’s face. “I don’t have any money.” She looked to Jess. “Do you have money?”

  While Abbey’s attention was on Jess, I shook my head insistently behind Abbey’s back, pleading with Jess to go along with my plan. I held my hands together in prayer and mouthed the word, “Please.”

  Jess’s shoulders slouched forward just a bit, and I knew she was in, even though she didn’t want to be. “I’m sorry, Abbey. I forgot my wallet at home.”

  “What are we gonna do?” Abbey asked. “The show starts in ten minutes. We don’t have enough time to go back.”

  I pretended to think about it and ignored the hard looks Jess was giving me. “I got it.”

  “What?” Abbey grabbed my seat and pulled herself so close between Jess and me that she was practically sitting with us.

  “We’ll put you in the trunk,” I said.

  Abbey backed up so she was no longer hovering over the front seat.
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  “You’ll do what?” she asked.

  I faced her and looked directly into her eyes. “We have to put you in the trunk.”

  Abbey looked at Jess as though she was expecting her to come to her defense, but Jess stared straight ahead, arms folded.

  “Come on, Ab,” I pleaded. “It’s the only way. I don’t have enough money to cover all three of us, only two. And you’re the only one small enough to fit in the trunk. It’s not a big deal. It won’t be for very long. As soon as we get through the gates and out of sight, I’ll pull over and let you out.”

  Abbey sat very still, and I could tell her breathing had slowed. Her face didn’t reveal much except that she was in deep thought, and I knew she was imagining being locked inside my trunk. Her hands rested neatly atop her knees, and she slowly turned her gaze to me. “But I don’t wanna go in the trunk.”

  “You want to see the movie, don’t you?” I asked.

  “Not that bad. It’s okay. We’ll go back to your house and watch a movie there.”

  “No, we have to do this.” I opened my car door and put a foot out.

  “I don’t want to do this. Don’t make me go in the trunk,” Abbey cried.

  Jess punched me in the arm. “You asshole.” She turned around to calm Abbey. “She was kidding, Abbey. This was a joke. She has money.” She took Abbey’s hands into hers and held them steady. “She’s not putting you in the trunk. If anyone here has to go in the trunk, it’d be her.”

  “She was joking?” Abbey asked.

  “Yes, and I’m sorry I went along with it. I didn’t think she’d carry it out like this.”

  Jess slapped my arm again, and I felt a kick to the back of my seat.

  “Why would you do that?” Abbey yelled.

  I turned to her and saw the indignation in her eyes. “Sorry, Ab. I was just having fun. I wasn’t gonna put you in the trunk. I swear. I . . .”

  “Oh, be quiet,” she said. “Hurry up and get us in there before we miss the movie.”

  I let out a short laugh and turned back to the wheel. I stole a peek at Jess, and her expression hadn’t softened. I drove to the ticket booth, knowing that of all the jokes I’d played on Abbey, this was by far the cruelest. I felt sorry until I remembered that it was Abbey who ruined my weekend with Jess and was the only reason we were at the drive-in in the first place.