Strawberry Wine (Winner of The Write Affair) | ✔️

Chapter 5

Ch. 5

The rest of the morning I busied myself in the kitchen, helping Mags clean up after breakfast. I couldn't help but feel impressed by her tenacity. Mags paid close attention to detail with everything she did. That included making gigantic breakfasts from scratch to cleaning every nook and cranny afterward. She didn't believe in shortcuts.

My cell phone beeped for the millionth time from my back pocket. Ruby. I rolled my eyes and sighed, staring at the lit screen. She'd been relentlessly texting questions about Jake all morning. I ignored her latest inquiry and went about my work with no such luck. Moments later I heard my phone ring. Reluctantly, I pulled my cell from the back pocket of my shorts. "Hello, Ruby," I deadpanned.

"Why didn't you answer my text?" she demanded in a high-pitched voice.

Oh no. I groaned, preparing myself for another Ruby rant.

"I've been waiting forever for you to respond back, and you know I'm not a very patient person," she whined. "I can't help it--I get it from my mother."

I stifled a giggle as I thought of Ruby's mom. Mrs. Sinclair was as pretty as a picture, but she was notoriously chatty and very demanding. Forever hounding Ruby about what clothes to wear and how to act, she was not someone you wanted to get stuck alone with for a long period of time. If you did, you would no doubt be forced to listen to the story of how she was named Strawberry Queen three years in a row, finally losing out to my very own mother. And believe me, bad blood still ran rampant.

"Ruby, I've answered all of your texts, with the exception of the latest one. And that was only because I was in the middle of something," I lied, patiently.

"Anyway," she carried on, not missing a beat, "Do you want to go shopping with me? I need a new swimsuit and I want to check out that cute new boutique downtown."

Downtown Lakeside was typical of any small town. Picturesque shops lined the brick covered Main Street, with perfectly placed flowering trees tucked in between. Lakeside Park, home of the infamous Strawberry Festival, was proudly featured in the center and the inviting white sandy shores of Lake Lanier in the background. It was a beautiful and charming area, and we would often time find ourselves hanging out there over the summer months.

Hmmm... Can I find time to go shopping with Ruby in between stalking Jake?

"What time were you thinking?" I asked cautiously before deciding to commit. As long as it was after lunch and before the end of the work day, we should be good.

"Maybe around two?" she suggested.

"I think I can make that happen. You're picking me up, right?"

"Do I have a choice?" she responded sarcastically. It was a well-known fact that there would be no driving for me anytime soon. My parents had this overwhelming fear of me getting into an accident, and as their only child, they kept fairly tight reigns. "Be ready by two," she warned firmly, and we hung up.

Unfortunately, lunch came and went with no sign of Jake. Apparently, he had to run an errand in town during his break so I never even got to talk to him. I was still sulking when Ruby picked me up.

"What's your problem?" she asked as I hopped into her brand-new white convertible. My best friend could read me like a book.

"What makes you think something's wrong?" I asked, defensively.

"Cause you look sadder than a fat lady in a g-string!" Ruby laughed hysterically. She had a thing for making really bad jokes.

I tried hard not to smile but failed miserably. "I am not sad," I insisted in my most convincing voice.

"Then what's the prob?"

My shoulders shrugged. "I was just hoping to talk to Jake on his lunch break, but didn't get to see him," I explained as offhanded as I could.

"Oh my God, that boy is so fine! I can't believe you get to spend the whole summer watching him with his shirt off."

"I never said he takes his shirt off," I answered, haughtily. "Besides, you can't do that on a farm. It's an occupational hazard."

Ruby rolled her eyes and laughed. "A girl can dream, can't she? Guess I could learn a few things from the Future Farmers of America," she joked.

I gave her a dirty look. A few years back, my parents had bullied me into joining the FFA at school. Ruby still loved to tease me about it whenever the opportunity presented itself, which seemed to be rather frequently.

"Come on," she said and playfully pushed my arm. "Lighten up! We're about to spend money!"

We arrived downtown in style, with the car top down and the radio turned up. Ruby pulled into a parking space and we hopped out, ready to begin our shopping adventure. And shopping with the privileged Ruby was always an adventure. Her parents had blessed her with a credit card all her own, and she wasn't afraid to use it. She simply adored the sound the card made as it swiped over and over again at the register.

"Where to first?" she asked with an excited grin. "And do not say 'ice cream'. I've had enough to last me all summer, and it isn't even July yet!" Ruby complained, grabbing an imaginary roll of fat from her slender thigh. "Cheerleading practice cannot start soon enough. I'm going to turn into a hog before the start of school!"

"You're right, Ruby," I said, scrutinizing her perfect size two frame. Admiring her pale blonde hair and striking honey-colored eyes, she was the picture of pure perfection. Ruby was that kind of annoyingly flawless girl who unintentionally made normal girls, like me, feel homely in her presence. But with my sun-kissed brown hair and light, gray eyes, I was pretty in my own right. Of course, back then, it was hard for me to see that through all of my teenage insecurities and overwhelming self-doubt.

But I digress...

"What?!" Ruby shrieked. "Do I look like I've put on weight?" she demanded in a panic, examining herself in the window of the closest shop.

I couldn't contain my laughter and doubled over in agony. "I'm only kidding, Ruby! That's what you get for making the FFA comment," I responded, holding my aching stomach. She was ridiculously easy to rile up.

"You're such a jerk!" Ruby laughed and swung her designer purse at me. I remember that stupid bag cost more than my first car.

Who needs enemies when you have a best friend?

Thank you for reading Strawberry Wine! If you're enjoying the short version of this story, the much longer version is available NOW!