Dancing in the Oaks

Shut Up!

Walking in the store was a little worrisome when I saw Huckleberry. That instantly screamed anger. Just her demeanor was enough to make someone sick. Berry is a very two faced person in a way that she is so kind to certain customers. On the other hand, she is pretty much a jerk that does not care one bit for anyone but herself. I know that sounds harsh, but that is nothing short of the truth. "Ugh, is that Norah Jean? Hey, I'm truly sorry for what had happened. You doin' fine?" Huckleberry threw some attitude. Everytime she talked to me it seemed as if she was just mocking me. I have pretty thick skin from what I have been through. I know how to deal with girls that are rude. Trust me. I got in a fight with a few back in Bakersfield. They weren't being very nice. That didn't end very well. They inflicted the argument themselves.

I calmed my mind so I could use my calm voice and not be rude like her. I wanted to be rude back, but that ain't how I live. I don't wanna act like her. "Yeah I'm good thank you. I sprained my ankle really badly. I had to get 32 stitches because a crowbar sliced my leg open. Maybe a slight concussion from everything. There's a lot of PTSD that goes with that." I tried to not give too many details about my issues. I don't want the whole town to know. When Berry knows the news, the whole town knows the news.

Berry rolled her burnt wood brown eyes. "Ugh that must be awful. You better not be hanging around Nick. What are you doing here?" I could tell her attitude was present.

"I-I am actually going to get a job here really soon because I got a barn I need to fix. I've got medical bills to Chattanooga and back 50 or so times. Nick wants me to count cash. I cannot do much." Keeping a kind tone while talking to Berry is hard. She can be really demeaning at times.

She gave me a rude smile. "Fine! You can't talk to him." What makes her think that she can literally tell me what to do? It ain't a big deal that Nick and I are friends. According to her it is though and it drives me crazy.

"Why? Can I know why? I cannot talk to him." I tried to keep it kind and not rude like her. I tapped my crutch on the ground.

"You cannot talk to him because I am his best friend. I have a crush on him and you need to just go away." She tapped the pen against her fingers. "Back off."

"Really? Let's set this straight, what? Berry, look and listen please. Good for you, for being his best friend. Tell me why you have a crush on him!" I just wanted to lead the conversation to be about her to avoid myself.

She raised her voice another notch. "He's nice, okay.  Alright? Why don't you go out and milk the cows?" Her face turned pale.

My mind could not help but reflect on what she just said. "I'd be happy to milk the cows. My doctor said I couldn't do anything like that yet. You seem to not do a lot of work around here as it is. In fact, I would love milking cows all day. I'd do anything to have a cow." I finally got her to hand the money so I could count. There was one specific bill that had a small number 12 printed on it. I pulled it out of the stack and put it in my pocket to show Nicholas. "This town is a beautiful place." I thought that distracting her from the whole Nick issue would maybe get her off my case.

It worked when she responded with, "Yes, yes it is. Not a day goes by that I don't like it here. This town has always treated me well." Her attitude finally changed.

I started counting the money, but Berry started talking to me on purpose. "I personally think they should fire you Berry. You do things just to be rude and it is annoying." What does the Reed family see in her work ethic? She literally does nothing besides bicker back and forth. Working means working and nowhere in that definition do I recall the concept of bickering.

A customer walked in, thus resulting in a whole different Berry. However, once the customer left Berry returned to her old behavior. "You know, no one in this town ever liked you and your family. I have never liked the Jean family at all. Y'all are just snots okay!" Her tone of voice was very snappy. She did not even have to say that she hated me. I can just tell by body language. Body language tells a lot. It is the body's weapon and weakness at the same time.