Welcome To Hickville High (Hickville High Series Book 1) (24 page)

“Once you are in Texas it seems to take forever to get out, and some people never make it.” —John Steinbeck

The schools were closed on Friday for the Homecoming events as well as pretty much all of the businesses. Fortunately, a cool front moved in and dropped the temperature to a pleasant eighty degrees. Perfect for a parade. Austin doubted even Kelsey would complain about the heat, not that he cared.

The football players wore jeans and game-day jerseys as they sat on a flatbed trailer and tossed bubble gum to the crowd. When they pulled up to a large parking lot, the trailer served as a platform for speeches and cheers. As Austin waited to make his quarterback speech, he studied the crowd and thought about Kelsey’s video. She was right, the girls did look ridiculous in the humungous mums, but he loved seeing them. It was part of the Homecoming tradition. Hannah and Shelby probably had the biggest mums this year, although he had heard that some girl got one that actually wrapped over her shoulder to her back. He scanned the crowd again, then he saw her—the girl with the enormous mum. She had dark hair that fell in soft curls around her face and he was pretty sure he could see freckles sprinkled across her nose.

When his turn came to speak, he stood in front of the microphone and shouted, “Hey y’all. I don’t know if y’all heard, but we got a football game tonight.” The crowd went crazy yelling and whistling. And then, she moved to stand front and center. Kelsey Quinn, the girl with the most ridiculous mum he’d ever seen was looking up at him smiling. It would have been so much easier to stay mad at her if she weren’t so pretty.

He waited until the noise quieted and continued. “This game falls early in the year…but the team has been working hard…”

A familiar voice from crowd shouted, “Yeah. Kick their ass!”

Austin ignored his dad and continued, “This is our turf! This is our time! This is our game!”

His dad made his way to stand next to Kelsey, and Austin could tell he’d been drinking.
Why now? Why here?
It was time to end the speech before things got out of hand. “Go Hornets! Fear the Sting!”

The crowd clapped and a few people whistled. Austin took his place sitting on the edge of the trailer with his legs dangling over the side. Coach Peterson started his speech and Austin tried to figure out a way to motion Kelsey away from his dad. The man was in confrontation mode and that meant trouble.

His gut clenched as he scanned the crowd for his mom. Maybe he could give her some kind of warning and she could help out. He didn’t think his dad would do anything too stupid in the middle of a crowd, but any interaction with the man was too much. He spotted his mom standing with the Quinns and let out a breath. At least she was safe. When he looked back for Kelsey, she’d disappeared.

The band played the school song after the coach spoke and then the whole thing was over. Austin hopped down from the trailer to find Kelsey.

His dad walked toward him. “Austin. I need to talk to you.”

Austin ignored him and kept moving toward the Quinns.

He had taken about two steps when his dad moved in front of him, blocking his path. “I said I want to talk to you.”

Austin didn’t acknowledge him. Instead, he focused on the people behind the man.

His dad jabbed him in the chest near the shoulder. “I’m talking to you, boy.” Austin’s muscles tensed and he tried to step around his dad, but the old man countered, stopping him.

“Go away, Dad.”

“I just want to talk, son.”

“Leave us alone.”

“I’m your dad.”

“I don’t have a dad.” He barely got the words out when a fist crashed into his cheek. The man was strong even when he was drunk. Austin dropped to his hands and knees and spit blood onto the blacktop. He heard scuffling above him and he was sure he was about to be kicked in the ribs—it wouldn’t have been the first time. He braced for the impact, but it never came.

He heard Mr. Quinn yell, “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

His dad yelled back. “This ain’t none of your business.”

Austin sat on the blacktop and cradled his cheek. The whole side of his face throbbed from the impact. His mom knelt next to him. “Are you okay?”

Austin worked his jaw. “Yeah. Just stings.”

Mr. Quinn and Coach Peterson stood in front of his dad.
Great, now the coach was involved.

Jimmy Davis jogged toward them with his hand resting on his side arm. “Are you okay, Austin?” Austin nodded. Jimmy pulled handcuffs from his belt and looked at Austin. “Son, do you want to press assault charges?”

“Hell, yes.”

The officer cuffed his dad and read him his rights.

“I’ll bond out before the game, you son of a bitch.”

Austin pulled himself up to stand. “Stay away from us. Stay away from Mom.”

“What are you gonna do, boy? Try to kick my ass?”

He wanted to do just that. Austin moved inches from his dad. He imagined how good it would feel. Each impact would represent all the times his dad knocked him around. He was stronger than his dad now. Overpowering him would make up for the times his dad had shoved his mom around. His hands closed into tight fists. His entire body revved for a fight. Then, he took a step back and relaxed his hands. “You’re not worth it.”

The officer led his dad away and Austin rolled his shoulders like he was dumping weight. It felt good. But his cheek hurt like hell and he worried about his mom and wondered where the heck Kelsey had gone. He held out his phone to text her, but then he remembered the pictures, the video, and Drew. She’d said her trip was a turning point in their relationship, and she was right. He put his phone back in his pocket and decided to forget about Kelsey Quinn, which probably had something to do with his game that night.

He threw three interceptions in the first half. He managed to get it together better in second half, but if it wasn’t for Travis’s amazing ability to catch the ball they’d have lost the game. As it was, they won by a field goal. The whole freaking stand screamed with excitement but it should have never come to a field goal. They were playing a crap team. It was Homecoming, it was supposed be an easy win.

After the game, everybody went to Pepperonis. All Austin wanted to do was put ice on his face and fall into bed. But like a good quarterback, he went along with the rest. He smiled, talked crap with the guys, flirted with a few girls, and hated himself for wishing Kelsey was there.

When Saturday night rolled around, he wanted to skip the Homecoming dance. But Travis and Caleb were both nominated for Homecoming King. Not that he gave a rat’s ass who won, but he felt it was his duty to be there to give both of them a load of crap for even being nominated. He refused to wear the suit his mom had dry-cleaned. Instead, he wore jeans, boots, and a suit jacket.

*

Kelsey’s plan had almost worked. Well, it kind of almost worked. Hannah and Shelby saw her at the parade and burst out laughing. Shelby gave her a hug and said, “Girl, you look ridiculous.”

“Really, I love it.”

Hannah gave a slow smile, “Very classy, Kelsey Quinn.”

Kelsey shook her head. “Those girls didn’t mean anything by making fun of that stuff. And, I’m sorry I hurt your feelings. I love you guys. After all, you’ve made a Texan out of me.”

Shelby laughed, “Then drop the
you guys,
girl.”

Hannah turned to Kelsey, “What about Drew? What happened in Chicago?”

“It was great seeing my friends. But, Drew and I broke up.”

Shelby have her a sideways hug. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m not. I should’ve broken up with him before I had the first kiss with Austin.”

Hannah and Shelby said together. “I knew it!”

Shelby practically jumped up and down. “Have you told Austin?”

“No. He won’t talk to me.”

Hannah looked at Shelby, “We have a mission.”

Shelby nodded. “We will get you two back together.”

So step one was for Kelsey to show Austin the huge mum, sort of as an act of contrition. But then his dad showed up. The man reeked of alcohol. When he stood next to her, Kelsey was afraid to move, afraid of him. Hannah and Shelby swooped in and guided her away. They’d heard the scuffle between Austin and his dad, but Kelsey didn’t want to embarrass Austin by being there, so they took off.

She went to the game with the girls, but Pepperonis’ just didn’t seem like a good place to confront Austin. Besides, Shelby was still in her avoid Caleb mode. So step two was to wow Austin at the Homecoming dance.

*

Kelsey fluffed her hair and lightly brushed pink across her freckles. “What do you think?”

Hannah stepped back to appraise her. “Fabulous. But if you don’t wear that gown you brought back from Chicago, I’m going to cry.”

“I told you I wanted to donate it to Project Prom.”

Hannah sighed, “They’re all gently worn gowns. So gently wear this one and then donate it. Besides, think of the irony. A beautiful gown at a Hickville Hoedown.”

Kelsey looked at the girls. “Should I, really?”

“You’re an idiot if you don’t wear it.” A mischievous smile formed on Shelby’s face. “Besides, you want to get your man, right? Wear the trap.”

Kelsey squeezed into the Sue Wong. Shelby and Hannah looked equally as elegant in their dresses. And they all giggled as they descended the stairs to the room with the coffee pot wallpaper.

Kelsey’s dad whistled. “You girls look mighty pretty.”

“Thanks, Dad.” He tossed Kelsey the keys to the Infinity. “What’s this for?”

“I thought it might be easier to get in and out of than the truck.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

The girls jammed to CD’s all the way to the school. Kelsey parked close to the gym and turned to her friends. “Are
y’all
ready?”

They laughed at the way she emphasized the word
y’all
. Shelby pulled the handle on the door and said, “Let’s go.”

That was just before Kelsey’s cell rang. “Hello.”

“Kelsey, this is Sandy. We’ve got a problem. I’m running fever and Jenny’s sitter can’t get to her house until nine. I know it’s Homecoming, is there anyway you can help out? I wouldn’t ask if there were any other way. As soon as Jenny gets there you can leave.”

Her heart sank. Of all nights… “Sure. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“You’ll be waitressing, don’t worry about the dishes, we’ll figure that out.”

“Okay. Don’t worry, I have it handled.” She punched End and dropped the phone in her purse. “Well, girls, I have to go to work. I should be back around nine-thirty.”

Hannah said, “Work? But it’s homecoming? Tell her no.”

“I can’t. There’s no one else. Austin’s mom is sick and the other waitress can’t come in until she gets a babysitter. As soon as she shows up, I’ll be back.”

Shelby looked like she was about to cry. “That
so
sucks!”

Hannah shook her head, “What about your dress?”

“I’m going to see if Mom can bring me some clothes. I’d better go.”

The girls crossed the parking lot to the gym and Kelsey climbed back behind the driver’s seat.

She held her tears, but just barely. She owed it to T-bone, Sandy, and Jenny not let them down. She tried to call her mom a dozen times on the way to the café, but it always went to voicemail. When she got to the café, she didn’t have time to worry about her clothes. The place was slammed.

T-bone was having everybody write their own orders and yelling at them if he couldn’t read them. Kelsey managed to tie an apron around her gown and grabbed an order pad. After an hour of running around like Cinderella on crack, she got an incoming call from Jenny.

She leaned against the wall and answered it. “Thank God, it’s you. Are you coming early?”

“No. I’m calling because my baby sitter just quit. I’m trying to find somebody else. I’m sorry, Kelsey. I probably won’t make it tonight.”

Kelsey felt her chin quiver, but refused to give into it. “It’s okay. We’re handling it.”

“You’re a doll, Kelsey.”

Kelsey texted Shelby.

Kelsey: Won’t make it to the dance. Have to work until close. 
Call if you can’t get a ride home.

If there was ever a time to feel sorry for herself, this was it. But the crowd kept coming and T-bone was ringing the order up bell.

*

Austin looked for Kelsey in the crowd and told himself it didn’t matter that she wasn’t there. But as soon as he saw Hannah and Shelby, he made his way to them and shouted over the music. “Is Kelsey coming?”

Hannah answered. “She was, but she had to work. Your mom got sick and the other lady doesn’t have a sitter.”

Shelby bounced with the music and shouted, “Hey, can you give us a ride home?”

“Yeah, but I’m leaving as soon as they announce king and queen.”

As if on cue, Mrs. Bettis stood in front of the microphone and cleared her throat. “Could I have everybody’s attention? It’s time to announce the Homecoming King and Queen. Could I have the nominees on the stage, please?”

Caleb, Travis, and a band nerd named William stood on the stage, followed by Courtney, Shelby, and some girl named Cheyenne wearing a hot pink cowboy hat.

Mrs. Bettis opened an envelope and said, “This year’s Homecoming Queen and King are…Caleb James and Shelby Cox.”

The crowd clapped and whistled while Shelby and Caleb were crowned. The music played and the royal couple stepped onto the dance floor. Caleb smiled into Shelby’s eyes and held out his arms. About halfway through the dance, the space between them seemed to shrink and Caleb wrapped his arms around Shelby’s waist and held her against him.

Hannah looked at Austin. “I guess we’ll find another ride.”

Austin didn’t waste time getting to his truck. He called his mom to make sure she was okay. He’d planned to text Kelsey next, to tell her he was coming, but by the time he got off the phone with his mom, he was almost to the café.

He couldn’t believe how packed the place was. He had to park behind the dumpster. The inside of the restaurant was sort of an organized chaos. In between orders, Kelsey had been washing dishes. She wore an apron over the dress, but the part that was showing beneath the apron had a few stains.