Authors: Brooklyn Taylor
“You were born with the natural ability to dance. You didn’t need what a lot of other girls needed.”
“That was a nice line, but you don’t really expect me to believe that do you?” I look back at her as she was putting lipstick on using my long stand up white mirror I have had since I was a young girl.
I hear a light warning knock at my door.
My bedroom door opens and my mom comes walking in. “That wasn’t a line, sweet pea. She is telling you the truth.” She comes and sits on my bed beside me as I stare at the ceiling with my feet up on my wall just as she does every day.
“Did ya’ll have a good first day of school? Dad and I wanted to take you girls out for pizza.”
My parents loved Autumn. She was outgoing, gorgeous in the all American girl way and they also knew she had a great heart. She was a true friend to me and they saw that. She became more popular as we moved up through school but she never got lost in that or left me. She always stayed by my side. A friendship that I knew was one in a million, a rare form.
“I’d love to go, Mrs. Owens.”
Mom didn’t pity her, but she hurt for her. Autumn’s dad was killed at a very early age by a drunk driver. Her mother went into a deep depression and really never came out of it. She was lonely, so very lonely. I never really understood why when she still had Autumn but Mom reassured me the love of a husband is not the same as the love for your child. My parents would’ve moved her in and taken her in as their third daughter but my own mom didn’t want Autumn’s mom to feel like she truly lost everything.
“Mrs. Owens, you will never guess what happened today?”
“I’m all ears, fill me in…”
I rolled my eyes but stayed in my position with a grunt. I couldn’t help but notice the little pitter patter of my heart thinking of Garrison. The green in his eyes, the touch of his hand when he helped me.
“After waiting all summer to see Cannon, Reese was talking to him, and when she turned to walk away from him she face planted. I mean straight to the ground, in front of everybody, in the middle of the main hallway, splat. All her things went flying across the hallway and…”
“Thanks for enjoying retelling my humiliating first day, Autumn.”
“And…” Mom said.
“And Cannon totally acted like he didn’t see her but another guy came and helped her up. It could have been out of a movie it was so sweet. He was her hero.”
“Reese, Cannon didn’t help?”
“Ahhh, no… he acted like he didn’t see it happen which is total crap because he was right beside me.”
“Tell your mom about Garrison.”
“Garrison?” Mom asked.
“Garrison is who helped me up. Mom, he was so sweet. And what’s funny is you know how I have always thought Cannon was it, like the best thing God created? Not when you see Garrison.”
My mom smiles and laughs. “Well, sweetie, take it easy there. It’s only your first day.”
I smiled. “I wish I would have thought of something better to say to him to make him remember me. I was taken off guard. He was soooo good looking.”
“I’m glad you’re okay. Everyone trips, it happens. I wouldn’t worry about it.”
Mom stood up. “Ya’ll get ready to leave about 6:30 then and we will go get dinner.”
“Okay.” We both say in unison.
Garrison
I had been attending Comal High for three years and had only dated a few girls. They were short lived and really more of a passer of time. I have always been really good about making sure they kept their distance and making myself clear of what I didn’t want. A steady girlfriend was not what I wanted or needed. I never felt any emotions about them, I wouldn’t let myself. Lucky for me it was pretty easy. I could always find something I didn't like or that habit that annoyed me.
Today, I was waiting for my bud Dylan, when I saw a beautiful girl in the main hallway talking to my least favorite person in the world. Cannon Walker. I had never seen her before and she immediately got my attention. Not to say I didn’t check out girls but this girl was something totally different.
Dylan hits me on the shoulder. “Hey, Garr, what the hell are you staring at? Yo, Garrison.” He starts to wave his hand in front of my face.
Dylan and I have known each other for years. He was the guitarist in our garage band. Really the only guy I am good friends with, best friends. The bass player was Brent. He was okay but I never clicked with him. Dylan was pretty awesome and he wanted to spend the rest of his life on the road. He is bad ass. The riffs he plays are skills I haven’t heard from a professional much less a guy that’s self taught. He is our singer too. His love for music will be his career one day. Unlike me, I have no interest in a career in music.
I pointed towards the girl who had my attention. “Do you know her?”
“No, but I’ve met her friend Autumn. I’ve heard Ryan Wilson is checking her out.”
“Cannon’s friend?”
“Yeah. I think her name is Reese.”
“That bites man. Damn, she is beautiful. I hadn’t seen her before. Sophomore?”
“Yeah, I think. So you think she is beautiful, what does that matter? Not like you are going to ask her out. You’re stagnant.”
“Whatever, dude.”
“I'll invite Autumn and her friend to our gig at the county carnival. Maybe she’ll show up and you can gawk at her more.”
“Nah, if she shows up she shows up. Just because she looks good doesn’t mean she’ll be worth talking to.” My brain was already computing how I would like the opportunity to find out. She looked nervous from a distance.
“I’ll ask Autumn when I see her. I’ll just mention it.”
“I hope she doesn’t have an interest in Cannon. You know how I feel about his ass and how he treats girls.”
Cannon and I go way back. We have had bad beef since junior high. Basically the jock against the musician. He thinks he is cool and the shit. He has people bow down to him and I never have. We also happen to have the same taste in girls. Not all the time but the majority of the time. Cannon loves a good competition and he loves to win. He likes to “break a girl in” if you know what I mean. The newer they are the more he likes it. He was like a bloodhound smelling the innocence. I know most guys my age think the same way. I’m not deaf. I hear it all day at school. I guess you can say I’m different. I keep pretty busy with school and the band.
I turn to look back at the girl who is talking to Cannon and see her turn to walk away and then I see her trip.
I wait to see if anyone is going to help her. She is lying on the school floor and people are laughing and pointing. Cannon turns around with his friends and acts like he doesn’t see it. See I told you, total ass. I notice her friend, who I presume is Autumn, standing there like she didn’t know what to do.
I’ve got to do something. I can’t just stand here and act like I didn’t see it.
After helping her up and getting a closer look at her, I knew she was someone I wanted to get to know. She looked so embarrassed, flustered and so breathtaking all at the same time.
I introduced myself and found out her name is Reese.
Not many girls could still pull off being beautiful in these circumstances, but Reese did. This year my plan was to concentrate on school and now the only thing I can think about is her. Her long dark hair, brown eyes and beautiful smile that lured me in. I thought I felt her linger when I pulled my hand back but it was probably just me. We parted and as I walked down the hallway to class, I felt her still looking at me. I wanted to go back to her and walk her to class just because she seemed like that kind of girl but resisted.
Focus, Garrison
. You managed to get through your high school years without a serious girlfriend and Reese was not going to be a game changer. Or was she?
~ ~ ~
There are only a few things that matter to me in my life. One, my aunt Ellen. She has pretty much supported me since my parents were messed up on drugs, which is the majority of my life. My dad was a dealer and he was sentenced to ten years in federal prison. My mom had been clean off and on throughout my entire life. More dirty than clean. My mom is either sick or depressed. She works the majority of the time and I don’t see her but on Sunday mornings and a short time on the nights that she doesn’t work.
Two, my truck that my grandfather left me. A black 1986 Chevy Silverado pickup. He passed away when I was in junior high, and my aunt kept it for me until I got my license. It was my baby. I had loved this truck all my life and always dreamed I would have one like it one day. It means even more to me now since it was my grandfather's. I can still smell his Old Spice cologne inside. I hadn't changed a thing in it keeping it just as it was. The bench seat was still covered in the twill cover that trucks had in the 80s. The same tape deck that my grandfather had played his old cassettes was on display.
And three, the only other thing that made things better in my life was drumming. I loved to drum. It released an endorphin when I closed my eyes and hit the drumsticks against the drum heads. I could let all my anger out and feel the beat. It took me away to a zone where I was invisible. My garage band plays mostly rock but we also play some slower songs. We play a lot of cover songs, but have started to write some of our own stuff. I sang backup and a little more lead when it was something I wrote or really got into. Not country mind you, I couldn’t stand country music. The repetition of the beat was something a kindergartener could play. I needed the challenge of a faster more complex beat, something with odd time signatures. Unlike my other band members, I had no interest in playing and going on the road. I just loved to play. I had my own plans for after high school, and it is yet to be seen whether I will get there.
I had filled in for the school drumline today since the band director, Mr. Flanagan, had “twisted my arm.” Honestly, anytime he asked for anything I would help. He was a mentor to me and I had an immense amount of respect for him. I loved to play but wasn’t into that marching shit so he put me in the concert band and I’ve been there ever since. Walking around the football field playing the drums was not my idea of a good time. I would much rather be sitting at my drum kit in the garage. I just love to play.
Mr. Flanagan had been an essential role model in my life all through high school. Only he and the counselor knew about my parents. Mr. Flanagan found out by accident. He had to take me home one night when my parents didn’t pick me up after a school band concert. It was humiliating and after taking me home and us talking, well me talking and him listening, I knew he really cared. I bonded with him that night which was unusual since in general the only other man I had in my life, and that was when I was younger, was my grandfather. He comforted me without feeling sorry for me. I can’t explain it, but I knew I could trust him.
Today, we were playing for the dance team for them to rehearse a performance they were doing in front of the school later in the week. I followed all the other band members into the cafeteria and got into the proper section. I situated myself and took the opportunity to check out the dancers to see if I recognized anyone.
Holy hell, I did. The girl, Reese. The very same girl I had helped this morning who was talking to the douche bag Cannon. She was the most beautiful girl out there with her long brown hair. She was standing in position and waiting for the music to start. She was looking my way and our eyes locked. There was nothing I could do but wink, so I did. She smiled. I nodded. She didn’t look too sure of herself, so she looked beside herself to see if I was winking at someone else. I did not move my eyes off her so hopefully she got the point I was looking at her and no one else. Does she not know she is beautiful?
As I begin a four beat count off on my snare drum she jumped like it scared her. I laughed for a second and knew I better concentrate. I had only played what we were performing a couple of times earlier in the day and if I messed up the whole band would follow suit. The drummers held the beat. Essentially, we are the most important part in a band section.