"How do you know him?" I asked, stepping forward with the rest of the line.
She shrugged her shoulders, looking at him again and then back at me. "He's Josh's friend. Sometimes Josh drags me along to their hangout spots and he's there."
Lilly didn't like going places where there would be drinking or anything. She was the "good girl" out of the two of us. Josh was her best friend and they were inseparable. I always thought they had more feelings towards each other than just friends but they'd been friends since they were four and nothing had happened yet so I wasn't sure anymore.
"Well, maybe you can hook Macie up!" Lanie suggested, obviously over excited about the situation.
I scoffed. "Lanie, I don't like him. I hardly know the guy. I didn't even know his real name." I said, rolling my eyes at her.
She ignored me, as usual, and went on planning it all out while me and Lilly ignored her, allowing her to blow smoke so we wouldn't have to listen later.
We ordered our food and went to the stands, sitting on the highest bleacher with Shelbie, Briar, and a few other friends and watched the events until it was time for bull riding.
I sat down next to Bronson, in many ways he was to me as Josh was to Lilly. We were close but not quite as close as those two.
I smiled at him, taking a fry from his hand and laughing when he pursed his lips and furrowed his brow at me, giving a "humph" sound and then smiling back at me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and ruffling my hair.
Bronson was older than us, as many of our friends were. He was 23 and looked every bit his age. He was tall and had an athletic build, shaggy blonde hair and ( I won't lie) an attractive look.
"So you're last barrel.." He said, looking at me as if to appoligize but I knew he was only trying to help.
"Don't even start. Craig already gave me up the road." I said, shaking my head as he laughed at me.
"Hey, guys, tomorrow night we're all gonna go down to Bower's place. Riley's got the boos, just show up." Shelbie said, turning around to face us.
"What about the bull?" Lanie asked as if it was an obvious obstacle.
Briar shook his head and we all laughed.
"Lanie, Ol' Man Bower sold the bull to Josh's dad last summer." Lilly said, patting her shoulder as she reminded her.
She sighed and looked away, obvious embarrassed.
I turned my head and watched as a team of ropers went after a calf.
"You gotta be careful about the boos. Last time we let Bower get the boos he brought a 6 pack of bud and some cheap wine. Would'a been alright if he would have told some body so we could get more." Bronson said, laughing.
"You goin'?" I asked Lilly, knowing she wouldn't want to.
"Probably not. I've got that summer reading list I gotta start on and my there's a few friends I've been meanin' to get toether with since school let out." She said, looking at the arena.
She never went anywhere hardly but when she did she was the girl that sat in the truck and napped sometimes because she was afraid the cops would bust us. They knew we were out there but Old Man bower never filed any complaints so it didn't matter. They left us alone. We mostly just parked on either side of the creek where the road cut through-or in the creek if it wasn-t too high- and hung out. Sometimes we'd dance, sometimes other people would come and sometimes we-'d go somewhere else and have a fire but we mostly just stayed by the creek. We never caused trouble and we usually always made it home so it wasn't a big deal.
We watched the rest of the ropers and the other events and they started to half the gates off so they could start the bull riding.
We walked down, me and Bronson hanging back but getting right up against the fence as usual. We had to stay at least 2 feet back at all times and you had to keep your hands off the rails but other than that we all stod together and watched.
"Alright, Jared, you're up first on hay wire. Roger Stevens you're on deck, Bullet, you're in the hole." Craig announced, letting the riders know to get ready.
"You're man's comin' up." Lanie said, nudging my arm andwinking at me.
I sighed.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Bronson eyeing me but I didn't give him a returning glance, I just kept looking forward.
The first rider went out, bucking off at 9 and a half. The second was on Bocephus. He made it 8 seconds.
Then it was time for Bullet. i smiled as I saw him looking around as he stood up on the rails, lowering himself down onto the bull and putting himself in position.
My heart was racing and my hands were shaking and I wasn't sure why.
They opened the gate and Bullet came flying out, the bull bucking and kicking and jerking wildly.
I watched him and the clock and saw 12 when he fell off, jumping up immediatly and moving to the gate as they got the bull out.
I smiled as they gave him the high time so far and turned, walking towards the trailer to put Lacer away.
