Out of Summertime

Chapter 5: Telling Mel

I wait for Mel for about five minutes. I am day dreaming so much I don't even notice when she walks up.

"Hey Cals," she finally gets my attention as she walks up, "What happened? You disappeared really suddenly," she asks me as we hop in the truck.

I smile knowing how she will react, "I'll tell you when we get home. You'll have to sleepover for this story," I start down the road home.

She grins excitedly at me, "Is it just me or does my lil' Callie have stars in her eyes?"

"Maybe," I giggle. Mel squeals and sees the horse in the backseat. She whips her head between my smile and the stuffed animal.

"Does the pony have anything to do with the story," she asks curiously.

I send her a wild grin, her eyes widen and she squirms in her seat, "Okay! I don't want to know anything until I can learn everything!"
~*~*~*~*~*~

We set up our nest of pillows and blankets on my queen mattress and settle in for the night with a bunch of candy. Mel is sitting at attention, waiting to hear about my night. I am trying to figure out how to tell her in logical sentences because I am so elated I am afraid I will just end up squealing. I am cuddling my horse from Scotty.

Finally we are all ready and she wiggles her eyebrows at me, "So," she asks pointedly.

"Well," I start. "We went to that mini concert at the track... You know who was performing right?"

"Wasn't that Scotty McCreery? He just won American Idol."

I nod blushing, "Before he started, he saw me and just... While he was singing he never looked away... I felt a connection. I think he did too because when it was over he came over to me while you were with Sammy."

Mel squeals, "Oh my gosh did he really talk to you?!"

I am giggling like a school girl, "Yeah! And before I knew it, I think we went on a date! I mean, we walked around the fair, he won me this horse! And we talked and, he was just so easy to talk to! And Mel..."

She practically jumped out of her skin, "What... what?!"

"He asked me out Mel. We're going out tomorrow," she grabs my hands and dances me around.

We jump around and act like fools, "Cals, that is so cute! I am so excited for you! We have to plan your outfit right now!"

I yawn at that exact moment, "Maybe tomorrow. I need to sleep," I say tiredly.

"Yeah, and dream of Scotty," she smirks at me.

Despite my request we stay up for a few hours talking, dreaming and planning my second date with Scotty McCreery.
~*~*~*~*~*~

In the morning, Mel and I wake up bright and early. No matter how many hours of sleep we get, we are always chipper. Since I am meeting Scotty at nine, I shower while Mel prepares the picnic. When I get out the basket is sitting on the counter looking very full.

"Ready Mel," I announce. She and I dart back to my closet to pick my outfit.

We start off by joking around, "You should wear this," she says. She pulls out a floral skirt that is at least five years old and a ratty t-shirt that I wear in the barn, and busts up laughing.

"Yeah right," I rip them off the hangers. By the time we are done I am standing ready in a faded Coca-Cola t-shirt and my cutoffs over a bright bikini Mel brought.

I twirl around so she can check me out, "Are you sure Mel? I have other swim suits," I offer

She waves her hand, "No problem. You only have one pieces anyway. This one looks fabulous on you." I smile gratefully and we both burst into excited giggle, still in shock that I am going on a date with Scotty McCreery.

"So where are you taking him," she asks with her eyes alight.

I am grinning shyly, "Well we always said we wanted our first dates to be at the lake," I suggested nervously. Lake Mellie is a lake Mel and I discovered when we were little. We were riding our horses on some trails when we got lost. We wandered around for a while and stumbled upon a beautiful lake out in the middle of nowhere in the forest. No one else had ever found this place. The lake is crystal clear and there are no fish. It was slightly over grown but Mel and I have come back time and time to cut back any weeds or invasive plants. We even hung a rope swing from an overhanging tree and built a dock. We always planned that we would have our first dates there. Mel had taken her current boyfriend, Johnathan, there for their first date. Mel is smiling at me, I assume she is remembering those times too.

"That's perfect," she says, hugging me.

I tease her, "Don't get all feely-feely on me now. We still have to do my make-up."

Mel is finishing up my waterproof mascara when my phone goes off. I glance at it, "Oh! That's my reminder. I have to leave now!" I pull away and slip on my flip flops.

"Alright! Have fun baby," Mel walks me out to the door.

She gives me hug and whispers in my ear, "Good luck telling your parents!" I think I go pale because she winks and laughs at me as she begins walking to her car.

I climb up into my truck, "Here we go Roxie, my first official date," I say to myself as I start her up.