The Country Mile

8. Your Brother

"Greg just stood there, wouldn't even move her ass!" Clara complained the next day over lunch, her usual snack of hot cheetos and Coke seemed to never change, but neither did my PB & J. Students around us buzzing about not only the latest livestock competition but the football game this Friday night.

"Greg? I thought your ewe is a girl?"

"Yeah and?" Clara looked at Andy as if he'd grown two heads; poor boy recoiled under her intense stare. "Anyway," She continued after a moment, plopping a cheeto into her mouth and swallowing it with a sip of Coke. "I got fourth in State,"

"Congrats!" I smiled towards her and Andy mumbled his own type of congratulations. "Hey, how's Xavier? You never called me after the bonfire?"

"I hate him," She grumbled. Andy gagged after eating some of his pasta and with a heavy heart, I gave him half of my sandwich; he nodded in thanks and almost moaned with the first bite. "One dance, aka the full length of George Strait's 'Amarillo by Morning', and then he waltzed right back to that stupid pig he calls a friend, Brittany Myers. Yuck."

"She's hot," Andy pointed out , although it sounded more like a question, and quickly ducked to avoid a hot cheeto to the head.

"I should've listened to you, Ella. You were right... I guess he did end up being an ass,"

"At least you got to dance with him, Clara," I added in, taking a sip of my water. 

"Who took you home? My mom says she and Lucy were out till three," Clara shifted the subject and spotlight on to me.

I paled as And and her both looked at me in question, but I knew I had to be honest. "Your brother,"

Clara busted out laughing though Andy studied me with confusion, I knew how he felt about Ashton - aka, hated him to the very bone, thought he was a dick, and swore on his life that Ashton sucked at football. When Clara realized I wasn't joking, her crescent smile fell and her eyes seemed to cloud over with an unknown emotion...

"Tell me your joking, Adella."

"N-no," My words tumbled over themselves as I looked at Clara, her copper eyes dark and her golden skin seemed to pale. "He offered and I didn't have a ride home-"

"Did you fuck him?" Woah, woah, woah.

"What?" My voice rose, a few passing students looked at us with annoyance. "No! What the hell Clara, why would I do that?"

"Whatever," Clara abruptly stood, forgetting about her hot cheetos and Coke, and grabbing her backpack as she stalked off. Anger flared in my cheeks, confusion in my eyes, and a stressed hand ran through my loose blonde waves; I looked towards Andy as he ran a hand through his blonde hair.

"What was that about? He just offered me a ride, why is that so horrible?"

Andy sighed, his blue eyes losing their twinkle. "It's a long story that's hers to tell, Adella..."

"Andy," I pleaded.

*

"Ashton," I smiled as I watched him throw a square bale into Besty's feeder with a grunt, sweat glistening off of his golden skin, honey eyes bright.

"Mismatched, I was wonderin' if you were here," He smirked and jumped down from his flatbed, his eyes shamelessly checking me out as I now wore shorts and an old sweatshirt with my hair tied up in a bun. The sun, as it seemed to set earlier and earlier, casted a cloud covered sunset of blues and dark purples, behind us the sweet smell of lasagna whiffed out of the kitchen, the back porch lit glowed. "You look cute,"

"I know," Rolling my eyes playfully as a pink tinted my cheeks, I crossed my arms and my hands rubbed my biceps to keep warm. "Have you seen Clara today? She seemed to leave after lunch,"

Ashton twisted his face together in thought. "I know she was in her room when I got home, but that's about it... Why?" Sudden confusion laced his voice.

"She got mad at me today,"

"Oh..." Ashton nodded, now disinterested. "What? Could you guys not decide what nail polish looked good?"

"No, you ass." Quietly, I walked closer and hoped he had heard my small voice as I did not want Susan to hear me cuss. Ashton gripped my waist and lifted me up, then down, my ass now sitting on the flatbed as his strong arms caged me in; has he always a small scar above his lip? "She got mad at me because you took me home from the bonfire,"

Ashton turned his gaze elsewhere with a heavy sigh.

"She even asked if we, ya' know..." At this, Ashton's eyes sparkled momentarily and he turned attention back to me; my heart starting to leap at his boldness.

"What?" He smirked.

"You know..." I trailed off, my cheeks now red as the scent of fresh hay and mud danced in the crisp air, Ashton's cologne added to the mixture. "S.. E.." I spelled it out, mentally slapping myself as his pools of honey sparkled, his laughter loud and genuine.

"Sex, Adella. It's not a bad word nor a bad action," His tongue swiped over his bottom lip, the action sending my heart into a race and warmth to my stomach.

"If my grandma caught me saying that she'd throw me to your pigs!" Throwing my hands in the air and back down, I scooted closer to the edge of the flatbed to feel more of Ashton's warmth. "Even worse, if she even knew I... Ya' know, did that," My voice suddenly whispered. "She'd kill both me and the guy,"

"Glad to know we'll die together then," Ashton smirked at my fallen face, air caught in my throat, and my hand went up to rub my forehead.

"Shut up," I mumbled and pushed his shoulder lightly. He chuckled then became serious once again.

"Promise not to hate me?"

We stared at each other in silence, his pinky raised. With a heavy sigh, I wrapped my pinky around his and nodded. This was only part of the bet, right?

"Promise."

*&* 

Dang, he kinda smooth tho...

So, I think this will be a short story? Idk.