Gum on the Sidewalk

Chapter Three: The Tractor

When we finally reached the town, which I can't tell you how he did it, I had just woken up.  I felt myself bouncing up and down, making my eyebrows furrow together in confusion.  I opened my eyes and looked around me.  I was being carried.  But by whom?  I discreetly looked up and saw an angelic face smiling down at me.  It was just who I thought and hoped it would be; Daniel.  I couldn't stand being carried, but, with him, I didn't mind.  Corny much?  I certainly hoped I would be fortunate enough not to be put down.

"Where are we?" I yawned.

"We are back to town, now, Elise," Daniel replied simply.

"Hmmm. good," I lied, stretching my arms.

"I've got to go to school!" I realized.

"Yes, and we're just in time," Chris said, pointing toward the school children.

I wasn't sure what was going on.  They were all crowded around two buses, a tractor, and a big building covered in a mural of a cow's head.  How strange.  I soon figured out why.

"We're all going on a field trip today to a large cow ranch near here.  It won't be a long ride, so you shouldn't worry about bringing any iPods, video games, or any other electronics along," the teacher said.

The teacher was one of those women who wear tight corduroy pants and loose cotton shirts or sweaters.  The kind who have curly hair, but wear it short because they're too old to tend to it properly.

"Well, I guess we're going on a field trip," I said dryly.

As I walked over to the buses, I could feel the other kids' stares on me.  I reached up and touched my hair self-consciously.  I had also missed the first few periods of the school day.  So now I was a freak and a ditcher.  Great.

We were now supposed to board the buses and be seated, but my friend, Samantha, apparently wanted to go in the tractor.  I could see her from where I stood, now, climbing up the step on the side of the tractor sitting ahead of the buses.  I sighed, I didn't want to get into any more trouble than I was in already, but she was my friend and I didn't want her to get into trouble all by herself.  So, I walked forward toward her with my arms crossed in silent protest in front of me.  She hadn't noticed me, yet and I stood there waiting for her to turn around.  I would join her in her escapade and just see what happened from there.  She had never driven a tractor before and neither had I, but it couldn't be much different from a car.  I guess I could try anything once.

She finally looked at me, standing awkwardly behind her, and gasped.  I smiled slightly in embarrassment; I knew what she was looking at.  I tilted my head down, letting her get a better look at my hair, which had never been dyed or highlighted before, and was now blue.

"What did you do-" she started.

"Don't ask, please," I whined.

She shook her head and turned back toward the object at hand.So, she sat in the driver's seat and I crouched some where in the corner, trying not to laugh.  When she turned the key in the ignition and started it up, I kind of got a little frightened.  And I had a good reason, too.  She pushed the accelerator straight to the floor and I gave a wince; the engine gurgled and spat when she did.

"Are you sure about this?" I asked, hopefully.

"Let's crank it!" she yelled.  I grimaced.

"Oh no!" I cried.

When she tried to drive it down the street, she drove up on the curb and hit the light post.  I turned to look out the back window and saw exactly what I expected: everyone in the school looking at our spectacle.  The tractor was fine, but we were sitting in a compromising position, at about sixty degree angle.  I was slipping from my cramped position and hit my head, again.

"Oh man!" I moaned, rubbing my head, which was actually swollen beyond belief.  Just then, the door was yanked open with a jerk, as if someone had to force it.  I wsa soon being pulled out by someone very tall and strong.  I wonder who it could possibly be, saving me yet again.

"My head hurts so badly," I cried again, holding back a sob.

"I know, I know," he assured me, kissing my forehead with the utmost of care.

"I've hit it three times now, and everytime in an accident with a vehicle.  Am I going to be one of those paraplegics?" I complained.

"No, I don't think so," he laughed.

"It's not funny, Daniel!" I screeched.

"No," he drew out.

"Then why are you laughing?" I asked.

"Because you're cute," he explained, still stifling his laugh.

"Cute? Cute!" I huffed. Of course, I couldn't have been happier had he said anything else.  It made me feel good.  He leaned in closer to me, and I, realizing what he was trying to do, stretched up toward him, to make our lips meet.

Just then, ruining my thoughts of us in the car, alone, the radio blasting, Samantha came out of the tractor.  I was so angry with her, I could have killed her.  Instead, I chased her.  I was going to teach her a lesson she wouldn't soon forget.

"Samantha, get back here this instant!  I mean it!  This is all your fault, you little..." I yelled after her as I ran.  Luckily for her she didn't answer.  If she had, it probably would have made me angrier.