Page 26 of Rough
Her giggle warms me along with her body heat when she leans into my side. “‘Cuz you’re my Hillbilly. You hate the city more than anyone I know! You belong in the hills and fields, not cars and smog. You’ll always be Billy to me.”
Dropping my chin to my chest, I let her comfort ease this turning in my stomach from the fight with my dad. I never straight out told my friends what’s been going on at home, but I think they suspect. Betsy more than anyone, since she’s always finding me out here.
I feel her lean back on her hands and when I face the pond again, I can see her looking up at the sky with a soft smile. If anyone belongs in the wilderness, it’s her. She owns it, the land and the air, it answers to her always.
We sit in silence for a bit, listening to the bugs and breeze before she lays back, tugging on my shoulder to lie next to her. She shifts around, digging in her pocket before she hands over an old handkerchief. Probably her Pap’s, but who knows?
I sigh and press it to my lip. Most of the bleeding has stopped, but I can still taste the metallic taste of my blood stained on my lips.
“I should send Pap over to your daddy’s house and put a bullet right between his eyes,” she whispers. I know she’s got her head turned toward me, but I can’t meet her eyes. I don’t want to see the pity written all over her face. It’d unman me more than my dad already has.
Fisting the cloth in my hand, I let it fall to my side and glare at the moon. “Wasn’t so bad this time.”
She jolts up to grab my chin and turn me toward her. As much as I want to hide, I’d never pull myself away from her. It’d hurt her just as much as it would me. She turns my face back and forth to run her eyes over my newest injuries, then her breath fans across my cheek on an exhale.
“Dang, he really got you good.” There’s nothing but understanding and support from her, and I know I shouldn’t have worried that she’d pity me. I think she knows that I’m stuck. It’s why I spend so much time at Remy’s place. Donny lets my dad work at the farm when he bothers to show up, but I think it’s because he knows that paycheck is the only thing keeping a roof over our heads.
She lays back down, curling into my side this time. I let my arm out so she can set her head on my shoulder. Her fingers work against a button on my flannel before she chokes out a sob.
“Awe, Country… Don’t,” I beg quietly. When her eyes overflow and run rivers down her cheeks, I wipe them away. “Don’t be wastin’ all this on me.”
She shakes her head against me, another sniffle escaping before she sucks it in. “I’m just so fuckin’angry!” I smile, ignoring the twinge when it stretches my cut open. Betsy doesn’t cry when she’s sad. Only when there’s been an injustice that pisses her off. It’s something I love most about her. She’s soft in all the right ways.
Give her an injured animal and she’ll sob for a week, but if she gets a good scolding from her Pap and a swat on the ass, she toughens up and plots murder on the world.
“I know you are, but don’t be. I’ll get to leave soon, and then it’ll be the past.” There’s a small light at the end of the tunnel for me and every day, it grows brighter and bigger toward my future with my best friends.
Rubbing a fist into her eye, she goes back to attacking the button on my chest. Not sure what she’s trying to do, but she’s focused, so I leave her be. “I’m gonna get me a big horse and ride right up to Mr. Rowe and put a hoof right into his nuts. Let him go at you then.”
A bubble of laughter rises in my chest, along with my hand settling against the back of her head. She sighs against me as I let my fingers tug and pull against the small knots in her hair tangled from the wind.
She’s never cared about primping like the other girls in school, but Betsy Harper has always smelled like fresh air and clean laundry. There’s a bit of flower there too, now that I’ve got her this close. Probably her shampoo.
Pulling her body closer, I feel her chest pressed against my ribs and it’s the first time I think I really realize that she’s a girl. I mean, I’ve alwaysknown, but my dick just took notice tonight, which is poor timing considering I’m all busted up.
Blinking up at the sky, I try to ignore it without letting her know I’m feeling a different kind of discomfort now. I continue to trail my fingers through her hair mindlessly. “How’d you know I was out here? I know you called, but I didn’t tell her where I was goin’.”
Her snort is cute. “This is our place, Billy. I’ll always know when you’re here.”
I let that settle over me and we lay quietly for the next hour or so. It’s got to be well after ten when I hear her snore softly,passed out in the crook of my neck. “Bets,” I whisper against her hair. When she doesn’t move, I try shaking her and call a bit louder. “Country, I need you to wake up.”
Tilting her head back, she peels her eyes open to gaze up at me. My breath fucking stalls and I’m so goddamn sunk, I think I’m going to drown.
~ 10 years ago ~ Betsy
Clyde is staring down at me like I hold the moon in my hand. I didn’t mean to fall asleep, but it gets cold at night out here, and he’s just so warm.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I can’t help my eyes from falling to his lips before flicking back up at him. He cups my cheek with his rough hand, digging his fingers into my hair, and my mouth falls open.
“D-Do you wanna come ba—”
I don’t get my offer to bring him back to the house for some fixing up out before he drops his mouth to mine.
Oh shit. Oh hell. Oh God… Clyde is kissin’ me.
I’ve never kissed a boy before, and as much as I always dreamed it’d be one of my best friends, I never thought it’d actually happen in real life.
Our noses are pressed against each other, and I shiver when he moves his mouth softly over mine, testing the waters. I’m completely frozen as my mind tries to accept that my Billy is kissing me.
