Friday Night Antics I

Annie Rochester parked her truck in the dirt parking lot across from the Grange.

            Or at least it was usually dirt.

            Tonight it happened to be mud. Raindrops the size of quarters pounded the hood of the truck mercilessly. Annie could barely hear the odd noises her truck was emitting as she turned off the engine.

            She glanced up at the rear view mirror and saw a set of brown eyes stare back at her. Those were her eyes of course. Her face was outlined by her blonde hair that was tied back into a loose ponytail at the base of her neck. She saw that the collar of her blue button up shirt was flipped wrong, so she fixed it and wished that she had had the time to iron it before she came.

            Annie sat in the truck and looked around the parking lot. No one else was there except for the blue car that belonged to the lady who sold the tickets and the old black truck with a heavily rusted cab that was used by the band to transport their instruments. But this was usual at eight o’clock. The square dance didn’t start until eight thirty.

            Right after work Annie had called her best friend, CC. CC’s real name was Clara Connor. She was repulsed by her given first name because it had been the name of her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. At first CC’s mother was adverse to her daughter going by a different name, but soon she grudgingly accepted it. CC’s father owned the town grocery store, Connor’s IGA, which made CC one of the town’s “it” girls.

            As the youngest of six children and being the only girl of the bunch, it was needless to say that she was indeed spoiled by her parents. Most people were able to overlook this flaw because of CC’s quick wit, humor, and artistic abilities. There were kids at school that would say that CC only won the school’s Art Expo because of her father’s business, but only those who had never seen her work ever said this.

            At ten after CC pulled up her BMW besides Annie’s Ford pick-up truck. Together they raced across the street and under the awning that sheltered the door of the Grange.

            “Oh great! I’ve gotten mud all over my new boots!” complained CC. Mud had also splattered the hem of her one pair of jeans. She wore a blue and red plaid shirt that was fitted perfectly to CC’s body. Her hair was long and black and pulled into a ponytail. CC was about five foot seven, which was the perfect height at which she could accidentally whip her ponytail into her unfortunate partner’s face.

             “Let’s go to the restroom and you can use some paper towels to wipe those off,” suggested Annie, opening the door to let them in.

            “I’m all for that,” said CC, and she led the way inside and down the stairs to the right and into the restroom.

            “So what’s bothering you so much that I had to come early?” asked CC as she grabbed a few paper towels. Annie glanced at the stalls and was satisfied that no one else was there to spread gossip.

            “Trent,” said Annie. CC stopped wiping her boots for a moment to look up at Annie.

“Trent?”

“Yes. Trent.”

“Trent Bailey? About six foot three, two hundred pounds, with light brown hair and baby blue eyes?”

 “How many other Trents by that description do you happen to know CC?” CC considered this for a minute.

“Actually… none,” she answered teasingly. “So what is it about Trent that’s bothering you?” Annie took a deep breath.

“I think he likes me and might be planning on asking me out soon.” CC’s face lit up.

“Oh Annie! That’s great! I’m so happy for you!” Then she saw the look on Annie’s face. “That’s good right?” Annie gave a half-hearted shrug. “But you two are such good friends and all?”

“Yeah, we are,” said Annie. “And I would have to say that Trent is my best guy friend…”

“But you don’t want to go out with him because you think that would ruin your good friendship?”

“It’s actually a lot less complicated than that, but a lot harder to explain.” CC shook her head.

“Just help me understand this. Why don’t you want to go out with him?” Annie sighed.

“Trent and I have known each other since forever, mostly because we both grew up at the square dances here.”

“Right…” said CC, encouraging Annie to go on.

“We’ve been really good friends the past four years because we both work at Lakeview Farm.”

“Yes…” CC probed.

  “Well… I’m really comfortable talking to him, and he’s comfortable talking to me. In fact, we both have a lot of fun just talking, joking, square dancing, and playing cards together during our breaks.”

“Is there a point to this?”

“The point is, CC, that we’ve been very happy being friends. And that’s all I’ve wanted to be with him and up until very recently I thought that the feeling was mutual.”

“So what makes you think that the feeling isn’t mutual?” questioned CC.

“Two weeks ago I was talking to Trent while we were feeding the calves. I was telling him how that guy from English class, Brian, kept trying to come on to me. So Trent said ‘What if you already had a boyfriend?’ I told him that I didn’t think that would stop him from bothering me and continued on to the next calf.”

“That could have just been a mere suggestion Annie,”

“That’s what I thought too! But then two days later we were talking again while loading corn seed into the truck and he asked me what I was doing this Saturday. I told him that I was going to a Basketball camp at the University, and then I was going to baby sit my brothers while my parents went out with friends. Then he asked about the following Saturday. I told him that I was working all day and was hoping to finish my Physics project so that I wouldn’t have to worry about doing that the next Saturday because I would be at the state FFA Convention then. So then Trent said ‘Annie, don’t you have time to do anything normal, like dating?’ I just laughed and said no and then changed the subject.” CC frowned.

“I’m still not convinced.”

“Well then, how about last week he asked me what I was doing Thursday night. I told him that it was my grandma’s birthday and asked him why he wanted to know. He said he wanted to see if I wanted to go with him to the movies with his cousin and her boyfriend, but it was okay if I couldn’t go.” CC’s eyebrows perked up.

“That almost sounds like a date to me.”

“But wait, CC. There’s more.”

“Hit me.”

“Today Brad came by with his little sister, Angie. Poor Angie had a really bad sunburn. Anyhow, while she was petting the farm cats Brad, Trent, and I were talking. Brad mentioned how Angie and I looked alike; almost like twins. Trent said there was no way we could be twins because Angie looked like a lobster. ‘I think she’s still very pretty, Trent,’ I said.” Then Annie’s voice went deep to imitate Trent’s voice. “‘I wasn’t saying that she was ugly.’ ‘Oh, you think she’s a hottie then?’ I teased him.” Annie’s voice went deep again. “‘I wasn’t going that far either! I would if the two of you were identical twins, but that’s not the case here.’ I just tried to laugh it off and told him that he had a nice save.” CC nodded thoughtfully.

“I think I might be convinced, but I have to see this for myself.” CC looked down at her watch. “It’s eight twenty, so let’s go back up and see who’s here. I’ll see what’s going on with Trent.”

“Thanks a million CC.” CC smiled.

“Annie, this stuff is what I live for!” The two girls laughed and went upstairs and entered the dance hall. At the table by the door they paid for their tickets and looked around the room. The band was busy getting their instruments and music out, and standing off to the right of them were the only two other people in the room.