She's Just That Kind of Girl

Sixteen | Tanner

I sat quietly as the hypnotist transformed everyone into acting like animals, jazz players, or dancing with just a snap of his fingers. I glanced over at Mary, everything about her smiled again by my side. Moments like these with her were what drew her to me in the first place. The love of even the slightest bit of entertainment. She cheered, clapped, whooped, and hollered. That's my girl.

Mary hopped up with her drink in hand and snuck away for, what I assumed, a refill. Tonight came with some different stresses I didn't expect to feel. I was happy William was getting his shot with Violet, and he seemed to be doing well. But also, a part of me—the smallest part—may or maynot be happy either. Am I somehow feeling jealous of William right now? HA! That's ridiculous. Mary and I have our issues but we're having a great time, as is everyone else. Everything is going according to plan. What is there to feel stressed about? Violet's quick-witted, smart, funny, and she's got a sweet and caring personality hiding in there. And who could deny that she was obviously a very gorgeous girl? William and her will hit it off fine and that will be that. That. Will. Be. That. Every time I thought about it, a giant swelling in my chest formed. A feeling trying to burst its way free.

Mary slid down the aisle and popped down next to me, the drink she'd left for in hand.

"Hey you, how's your drink?" I asked.

"Amazing, thank you," Mary said.

We sat hand-in-hand and watched the show. After a few minutes passed, I checked on Dallas and Preston a few rows back. They locked lips like two dogs play-fighting each other. Quite the passion there. I spotted her bodyguard in the row right behind them. I wanted to say he seemed annoyed, but in all honesty, they were always stoic. Plus, annoyed might be a giant understatement to how he felt about it on the inside.

"Thank y'all for coming, I hope y'all have a blessed evening and have fun at the Tuscaloosa Fair!" The hypnotist said, bowing.

Mary and I stood clapping with the audience until everyone broke off into pieces. Mary and I found Preston, Dallas, and her guard waiting for us at the end of the cattle-line.

We dallied back toward where we might find our Lost Boys and Gals, Mary intertwined our fingers into hand-holding.

"I have to admit, that hypnotist guy was good," Preston said.

"He was! What did you think, Mary?" Dallas asked.

"It was wonderful, I enjoyed it. Didn't you, Tanner?" Mary asked, peering up at me.

"I did, it was very amusing."

Preston shook his head chuckling, then tracked down our friends with a hawk's eye.

"I see them!" Dallas said, much happier than normal.

Sure enough, in the distance after the smoke cleared and the lights projected on them, did I finally spot them. William and Violet laughed at something he said, I assumed. If William wooed her over, then my wingman-ing was terminated with Violet. I couldn't decide to settle on a feeling to be content with having.

"Hey guys! Did you like the show?" Violet asked, getting more chipper every time I see her.

"It was great! So much fun!" Mary said, shaking her drink. "Excuse me a moment, I'm gonna go find the restroom."

"Me too," Violet said.

"I second that!" Dallas chimed in.

As the girls wandered off with two bodyguards tailing them, William shouted, "Hurry up, ladies. We're burning nightlight!"