The Boy From Oklahoma

Alana

Briefly edited. 

   It's Saturday night, the night of the Fourth of July party. Kendra came over about an hour ago to help me get ready. 

   I'm sitting on my bed, trying to decide what to wear as Kendra pulls out hopeful tops. We finally decide on a festive American flag tank top and cut-off shorts. I begin putting my clothes on as Kendra talks to me. 

   "So, I think I should probably tell you this now," Kendra says. 

   "Uh oh," I respond. 

   "What?" she asks. 

   "Almost nothing good ever starts with those words." 

   She laughs softly. "It's not that bad, I promise."

   "What is it then?" 

   "I just wanted you to know that Kade asked me to go to this party with him and I accepted," she says. 

   I stay quiet for a very long time, and then I quietly say, "Kendra, I'm not going to stop you, but I really don't think that's a good idea. He's not a good kid."

   "That's what people tell me, but he's a sweet guy."

   Kade has never been sweet to anyone in his life. "I just don't want to see you get hurt. And around him, you will."

    "I'm willing to take that chance," she says softly. 

   I sigh and go over to the little vanity table by the window. I look at myself in the mirror. I look like the same person, but something on the inside is different. 

   "Want to help me with my hair?" I ask Kendra as I stare at myself. My hair is still dark and wavy, falling down to the middle of my back. My eyes are still bright blue. I look to my right cheek to make sure my tiny mole is still there. I study my face as Kendra begins messing with my hair. Then it hits me. I know what's so out of place. I'm smiling. A real, happy smile. When I notice this, my grin widens. 

   "What're you smilin' about?" she asks me, looking at me in the mirror. 

   "I'm just in a good mood," I say.

   "Could that have something to do with Travis Hayes takin' you to the party tonight?" she asks with a teasing smile. 

   "No," I lie as I feel my cheeks flush. 

   "All done," she announces. I look to see what she's done. She braided my hair around to the left side of my head and let it hang over my left shoulder. On the right side of my head she left a couple shorter strands to frame my face. 

   "Wow," I say. 

   "Yeah yeah, we all know you're hot. We should head outside, I think I just saw headlights," she says. 

   I grab my sweatshirt as we head out to the porch. Kendra was right, Travis is already here, and he looks great. I let my eyes travel over his body. He's wearing the same things he usually wears, a red plaid shirt, jeans, cowboy boots, and his ever-present cowboy hat. He smiles as we both walk up to him. 

   "You girls look great," Travis says. I notice he's staring at me though. 

   "Oh hush, we know," Kendra says teasingly. 

   He goes around to the passenger side to open the door for us. Kendra slides into the middle and I climb in beside her. Travis shuts the door and then goes around to the driver's side, getting in. He starts up the truck and heads out of the driveway. He pulls onto the road, and I can already tell where we're going. 

   He pulls into the baseball field just like he had when he look me to the last party we went to when I first got here. We park in the same spot. 

   "There's Kade. Have fun, Alana," Kendra says as she hurries off the meet my brother. 

   Travis turns to me. "You really do look beautiful," he says. 

   "Thank you," I respond. 

   We walk side-by-side down to the field and I take it all in. There's various types of tents set up around the field. I can smell hamburgers and hotdogs cooking on the grill. There's country music playing from one of the tents. There's people everywhere. People sitting in chars, people walking around, people standing around, people getting food. It's like the whole town's here. 

   As we walk closer into the party I can see that the tents are set up in a large circle in the outfield. Under each tent are picnic tables with people doing various things. In the middle of all the tents there's plenty of space. Two little kids are running around on the grass, chasing each other with sparklers. Travis leads me to a white tent with multiple picnic tables underneath it. As we get closer, I can see that Sarah is already here with MaryAnn and Dusty. They have various plates of food on the table and everyone is smiling. 

   "There better be some food left for me," Travis says as he ducks his head to go under the tent. I follow him and smile a greeting to everyone. I hear footsteps behind me and turn to look at two it is. 

   "'Bout time you got here," Shorty says as he slides his arm around my shoulders. I can already tell he's drunk. I laugh and slide my arm around his waist. 

   "What're you talking about? I've been here for hours," I tell him. He pulls his eyebrows together and looks at me, his eyes crossing slightly. 

   "I didn't see you," he says.