Jimmy (35 page)

     “Wow, that is . . . so unbelievably lame.”

     “Yeah, well, I see you smiling over there.  And believe me, it’s true.  The moment I saw you standing there and saw how beautiful you were my mind went blank.” 

     Tina blushed.  “You’re sweet.”

     “I really am,” Jimmy said and then leaned over and kissed her. 

     “Modest too,” Tina said once the kiss was finished.

     The two laughed.

     “Okay, let’s hope I didn’t kill the engine by shifting it to PARK so quickly,” Jimmy said while shifting the car into REVERSE.

     “Fingers crossed,” Tina said. 

     The car backed out of the driveway without any trouble and soon the two were heading toward the school.

     “Aren’t we going by your house first?” Tina asked.

     “What?”

     “Alan texted me just before you got here and said your Mother wanted to take pictures of us.”

*  *  *

     Deputy Paul Widgeon had been placed on the far corner of the parking lot, his vehicle backed into the rear at an angle so he could see everything that happened from his corner to the rear of the gymnasium where the dance was taking place.  His presence there was to be a deterrent against someone grabbing a girl, but in all actuality he had a feeling he would be a bigger deterrent against teens who wanted some private ‘feel each other up and maybe start the process of bringing a new life into this world’ time.  The fact that he had lost his virginity during his prom about twenty yards from where he was now sitting wasn’t lost on him and actually brought a smile to his face.  Her name had been Ellie.  He wondered what had happened to her.  The two had broken up when he informed her he was joining the military.  Apparently she had been of the opinion that turning the other cheek after September 11, 2001 was more appropriate than attacking the terrorist camps.

    
Was it worth it?
he asked himself.

     No answer arrived.

     He pushed the thoughts away and once again focused on the parking lot, his mind wondering what the sheriff was doing right now. 

     Across the parking lot a group of young men awkwardly escorted their dates into the school, their tuxes too formal for their age and giving the impression that they were trying to pull a fast one. 

*  *  *

     The pictures didn’t really take all that long, yet were still annoying because his mother just kept insisting on different shots while also bringing up tons of different subjects in an attempt to get to know Tina, whom she had never met before.  After that they then had to go inside and talk to his father because he too wanted to meet Tina.  By the time it was finally over Jimmy felt like going to bed and hadn’t even arrived at the dance yet.  Thankfully the idea of being there with Tina kept him from allowing the exhaustion to overwhelm him and soon the two were standing in line at the school, waiting for their tickets to be verified.

*  *  *

     “Hey, do you remember when he rented that video a few years ago, what was that shit called?” Brett asked while sitting on the Hood’s back porch. 

     “I don’t remember man,” Matt said.  “Something kinky though.  You know I should never have told you guys about that because the fucker almost beat the shit out of me after you guys told everyone.”

     “Man, he couldn’t do shit to you,” Brett said.  “The guy’s a pussy.”

     “Didn’t he knock you on your ass the other day?” Ron asked while sipping a beer.

     “Yeah,” Matt said. 

     “The fucker elbowed me in gut right when a hall monitor was making me let him go.  What was I supposed to do?  If it wasn’t for her I would have had him shitting his pants in front of everyone.”

     “Yeah, whatever,” Matt said.  He took a sip from the bottle Brett had brought and winced as it scorched his throat.  “Shit Brett, what is this?”

     “I don’t know; something my brother had in his room.  Good stuff, right?”

     “No,” Matt said while reaching over for a beer from Ron who had somehow managed to get them two cases.  “It’s awful.”

     “You fuckers don’t know what’s good,” Brett said and took a huge swig from the bottle.  A moment later tears appeared in his eyes and he gagged. 

     Matt and Ron laughed.

     “Man, that is awful,” Brett said.  “God, give me a beer.” 

     “See, should’ve tasted it before bringing it over.” Matt said.  His throat still burned.

     “Yeah, your brother probably knew you’d take it and mixed everything strong he could find together.”

     “You know, you’re probably right because he did that once to a guy on his construction crew who was stealing his Gatorade.  Filled the bottle with salt water and died it blue and then just set it by his stuff so the guy would swipe it and chug it.”  He popped the top on the beer and took a huge swig and sighed.  “That’s better.”

     “So, what’re you gonna do with the tapes?” Ron asked.

     “I thought about playing them at the dance but those damn police wannabes won’t let anyone in without a ticket.”

     “You gotta do something,” Ron said.  “I mean, what’s the point of having them if they’re just gonna sit in your room.”

     “Honestly, I really just want to beat the shit out of the motherfucker once and for all, especially now that school’s almost out.”

     “So then let’s beat the shit out of him,” Ron said.

     “But he’s at the prom,” Brett whined.

     “So?”

     “So, that means I can’t just go there and beat the shit out of him because there are deputies everywhere who will like club me before I even lay a hand on him and then he’ll say he beat the shit out of me.  Plus I don’t have a ticket so I can’t even get in.”

     “Matt, don’t you have a ticket?” Ron asked.

     “No,” Matt said.

     “Yes you do, you bought one because you thought that chick Caroline was going to go with you, but then she totally shot you down when you asked her.”  Ron mimicked a plane crashing to the earth.  “Ka-boom!”

     “So what?” Matt said.  “I don’t see you at the dance.”

     “Because prom is for pansies,” Ron said.  “And I’m not gonna spend hundreds of dollars on a girl without even the promise of getting laid.  No way.  I’d rather drive three hours to Chicago and pay twenty bucks on a street corner.”

     “Better start getting used to that trip then because that’s the only pussy you’re ever gonna see,” Brett said.

     “Fuck you.”

     Matt finished his beer, crushed the can and threw it into the woods, his mind wondering what the hell he was doing here with these two idiots.

     “Anyway,” Ron said, “Matt can go tell Jimmy you’ve got his tapes and are waiting for him to come get them and then we beat the shit out of him.

     “No,
I beat the shit out of him
,” Brett said while grabbing another beer.  “I don’t want you two stealing my glory.”

     “Fine, you beat the shit out of him while I film it on my phone and post it on Facebook.”

     “Great idea,” Matt said.  “You’ll get us all in trouble because the police will watch the video.”  He then turned to Brett.  “If you want to beat him up so bad you go get him.”

     “Dude, didn’t you hear what I said, if I go we’ll get in a fight right then and there and the wannabe police officers will break it up before I can really give it to him.”

     “Yeah don’t be such a freaking pussy and just go get him,” Ron said even though he really didn’t care what happened. 

     “Man, you guys suck,” Matt said while standing up.  He started walking toward the trees.

     “Where you going?” Brett asked with a laugh.

     “To go get Jimmy so you can beat him up!” Matt shouted back. 
More like I’m getting him so he can beat you up you stupid piece of shit.
 
Post that on Facebook.

     “Don’t walk, take the car.”  Brett held up the keys.

     Matt gave him the finger and stepped onto the path that would take him by the school.  Going to the prom to get Jimmy was stupid, but it would be even stupider if he did it in a car after drinking - especially with all the deputies keeping an eye on things.

*  *  *

     Tina was stunned by how beautiful the gym was but then grew worried because that had been exactly what her mother said she had felt. 
Stop it, don’t let her ruin it. 
How could she not, though.  It wasn’t everyday a girl found out she might have been the result of a rape.

     “It’s nice, isn’t it,” Jimmy said. 

His words pulled her from her thoughts.

“Yes, yes it is,” Tina said.  The place had been decorated with streamers and tissue paper.  A stage had been set up and a band was playing on it.  One part of the gym floor was open for dancing, the other part filled with round tables and chairs.  At the far end was a long table with drinks and simple snacks.  She wondered how long it had taken to set everything up.  Turning the gym into a nice romantic atmosphere couldn’t have been easy.  “Where do we sit?”

Jimmy looked around and finally found Alan and Rachel sitting at a table.  Earlier at the house Rachel had worn a shawl that covered her shoulders and cleavage, now she didn’t, the dress hardly holding her in.  The two weren’t talking, just sitting, each one staring at something else.

“Over there,” Jimmy said while pointing.

“Okay,” Tina agreed. 

They walked over hand in hand.

Alan saw the two and stood up.  He introduced Tina to Rachel.  Rachel gave a high-pitched, ditsy hello and then turned back to face the dance, each movement of her body exaggerated.

The four sat down.

Tina looked around at the gym again.  People were dancing to the music.  She wanted to join them.

Jimmy was just looking off into space.  She nudged him and asked, “Could we dance?”

“Oh, okay.”  He stood up and led her to the dance floor and then confessed, “I’ve never danced before.”

“Me either,” she said and laughed.  “Just act like everyone else.”  She pulled him close, her breasts pressing up against his chest. 

Jimmy tried to hide his erection but couldn’t and she felt it poking her as they swayed to the music.  She liked it.

For the next five minutes the two clumsily danced along the floor, both stepping on each others feet from time to time, and bumping into other couples who gave them frustrated looks.  It was a sight worth watching, which is what Alan did while sitting next to Rachel. 

After the dance ended the two walked off the dance floor and sat down, each with a large grin.

“That was something,” Alan said.  “You call it pinball dancing?”

Tina laughed.

Jimmy gave him a look.  He then turned to Tina and said, “There just wasn’t enough room out there for us, right.”

“Not enough room,” Tina agreed.

Jimmy looked down at her right foot.  “Your toes okay?”

Tina laughed again.  “Yeah, I think so.  It’s a good thing they aren’t open shoed, or whatever the hell you call them.”

“Open toed,” Rachel said.  She sounded annoyed, her words almost asking
how could someone not know that?

Tina looked at Jimmy who just shrugged back.

Rachel looked at Alan and said, “Why don’t you get me something to drink.”  It wasn’t a question.

“Sure.”  Alan started to stand.

“Hold up a sec,” Jimmy said.  He turned to Tina.  “You want anything?”

“Yeah, anything’s fine.”

“Okay.”  Jimmy got up and walked with Alan to the buffet setup.  There weren’t many people there at the moment and the sound of the gym seemed to fade as they got closer.  The two were actually able to hear each other without shouting.

“Having fun?” Alan asked.

“I really am,” Jimmy said.  He took two cups and dipped them into the punch.  Without realizing it he also dipped the bottom of his left cuff sleeve. 

Alan did the same only without staining his sleeve.  He then looked around at the crackers and cookies, but decided against trying to balance two cups and a plate.  “Tina seems to be enjoying herself.”

Jimmy glanced back toward their table.  “You think so?” he asked hopefully.  “I really made a mess out of that dance.”

“Don’t worry, she’s having fun.  I can tell.”

Tina didn’t see him looking at her.  Instead her gaze was on the dance floor, waiting.

“What about you?” Jimmy asked.

The two started walking back.

“Rachel isn’t talking much.  I’m not sure she really likes me the way she let on and only wanted me to take her so she could be here.”  He shrugged.  “You know, so she didn’t miss her senior prom.”

A second later the two returned to the table.

“Thank you,” Tina said as Jimmy handed her the drink.  Then, “Oh no, what did you do?”

“What?” Jimmy asked.

“Your sleeve.”  She took hold of his wrist and turned it over for him to see.  Her face betrayed her determination not to laugh.