Young and Free

Seven

Christmas was surrounding the small town. Everyone was getting ready for the parade. Daisy had been asked to be a part of the local rodeo's float and she agreed, donning a long sleeve, sparkling red Western shirt, a pair of really big flared jeans and a pair of white boots with a cowboy hat to match. She climbed onto the float and sat in between Carla and Darlene, both on there because of wins in this past season. 

The parade started and Daisy waved at the people that came and tossed candy to the kids. She laughed with her old peers and sang Christmas songs. When she saw Daphne and her group of friends, she waved excitedly and shouted heys. When the float got to the judging table, all the kids came off the float and horses, The music started and the teens began their routine of the shag.

Logan was behind his mom, who was one of the judges. He watched her give the float that just pulled up a low score only because of the theme being too Western. He rolled his eyes and went back to his iPod, playing Rob Zombie, since that was about as redneck his mom would allow. Derek was beside him with the flavor of the week, a blonde art student, Whitney. 

Logan watched the teens get out of the float and the horses that surrounded the float, move to each side. He heard over the speakers "Rockin Around the Christmas Tree" and saw the teens start shagging. As he carefully gleamed over the teens, he caught sight of Daisy, smiling and dancing with a tall, dark haired boy. His face got hot as he watched her twirling and get closer with each beat. 

His trance broke when Derek nudge him. He pointed at Daisy, "Ain't that that crazy chick that tried to get you to knock her up?" Logan looked away and nodded, turning back to his music. Derek turned to Whitney, "Man, she was crazy. Had him changing to what she wanted and had him believing that that redneck trash was a life he actually wanted. I am so glad I have my best friend back." The girl giggled and agreed with him. 

After the float made it's way to the end, the three girls walked back up to their families, arm in arm. They weaved past the crowds leaving after the float they came to see had past and crowds that were still cheering. They finally got up to the judges booth, which behind them had the concessions.

"I am going to get a hot chocolate." Daisy said to the girls, "Y'all go on. I will see y'all tonight at the party." The girls hugged and kept on their path while Daisy went up to the hot chocolate booth. 

Logan decided he just wanted to see how she had been doing, so he decided to walk over to her. She was ordering a white hot chocolate with peppermint. "Hey. How you been?" He said behind her.

Daisy jumped a little bit and then turned around. Half happy, half angry, she said, "Good. How you been?" She got her hot chocolate and paid, thanking them. He ordered a hot chocolate with peanut butter.

"Good. You know, school work, band, home." He said as they weaved past the line. 

She took a sip of her drink as they walked, "I feel ya. School, rodeo, archery, and now hunting has kept me busy." They made it to where she saw Derek and Whitney, a girl from her English class. "It's good seeing you again, though. I got to catch up to the girls. Bye." She walked away from them.

Derek watched Daisy walk away and then looked over at Logan, "Hey, man. It's okay. She's like crack. It looks good, but it will keep you with a lifetime regret." He pulled out his phone and began texting.

Daisy got to her where her family was. They all congratulated her and gave her hugs before climbing into their cars and taking back roads to get home. Her phone went off and she looked at the text, "Hey."

She replied back with a "Who is this?"

"Let's just say I'm you admirer, Daisy." Daisy wasn't convinced but she wanted to see what all this person wanted. They texted the whole way home and half way through setting up for the party. They went to the same school but had different classes. Red flag big time for her. But what intrigued her was this person, who she figured out was male, knew a lot about her likes. She asked for a picture. When the picture came in, the face was covered and all you saw was hair and abs. Daisy realized it was another one of the emo kids that Logan probably hung out with pranking her, so she invited him to the after party, all the town was invited, so she knew it was safer just in case it wasn't.

The after party of the parade was something her mama always did and they decided this year to keep it. Hot chocolates of all kinds lined one side of the carport while the other had finger foods. They had pots of different kinds of soups and chilis that people have started making into a competition. There was more tables and chairs around the yard than usual and Daphne was dressing in a dark blue velvet dress and knee high black boots. "This year is really important Daze, we have to show people I can handle raising you."

All year has been like that. Daphne had already had a custody battle with their biological father for Daisy. Now, they have to prove it to the town, which thinks that Daphne is too wild to handle a child. Every day has been a struggle for Daphne to prove that she was more than capable of keeping Daisy safe. She had to prove that an eighteen year old was more than capable of raising an eleven year old.

Families came in a grabbed hot chocolates and started talking to other families. Others grabbed spots with their chili or soup. And some went straight for the finger foods and tables. Daisy met with Carla and Darlene and told them what happened with the texter.

"Are you sure that it's a good idea? Bringing a stranger to your home?" Carla asked.

"Normally I would say it wasn't. But I didn't say this was my home and there is a lot of people here that I can go to for safety." She said as she took a sip of the French hot chocolate one of the homemaker moms made. 

"This is true. It's sort of public." Darlene agreed. She looked at the picture that the texter sent.

"Just be safe." Carla said as she rubbed Daisy's shoulder. Daisy nodded and told her she was. 

Daisy got a text that said this stranger was here with their parents, so she left her friends to find him. She weaved through people and finally got near the entrance. A family with pearls and jeans that have never met dirt came in with a thin, tall, emo teen. Daisy said her hellos and make it yourselves at homes as the parents said their hellos and thank yous. She texted the mystery guy and heard the tone go off right behind the dad. Excitedly, she leaned her head to the side to see the texter. After she saw the texter, her smile dropped. Standing there, was Derek.

He smiled at her, "Surprise to see me?"

"Kind of. Is this some kind of sick joke?" She sneered at him as she led him through the crowds and made it to the other teens over near a corner of the yard.

"Not at all. I actually do admire you." He said. He talked all night about her dedication and her abilities. "I bet during a zombie apocalypse, you would survive." He didn't seem like the slimey guy she talked to about a month ago. He seemed sweet and sincere. She caught herself laughing and giggling at jokes he told and slipping him, secretly, alcohol from the fridge that he asked for.

Later in the night, the two disappeared into her room. They both were drunk. She was on her bed, running her fingers over her belt buckle she won. Derek was looking at all the trophies, equipment, and collectibles she said, telling her that she was incredible, before turning to face her.

"What you doing?" He asked while smiling.

"Hmm?" She asked, barely being able to keep her eyes opened. They had went drink for drink tonight. Usually she knows her limit but that last one made her dizzy. She moved on to her stomach and let her hat fall beside her. Her hair flipped to the side.

He climbed over on top of her, "Are you okay?" He asked really close to her ear. She nodded yes, and he kissed her neck. "You know, Logan was right. You are really beautiful." He kissed her neck again. Getting up, he put his phone on her TV and turned her on her back. The camera caught all of what happened on the bed as Daphne was announcing the winners of the cook offs.