Page 12 of Wasted Oil

Alex always brings a smile to my face. She’s always telling me that we should go lesbian and date each other and right now at this point, it doesn't sound half bad. Lost in my thoughts I didn't notice another text came through.

Goose: Rhetts asking where you are, he's stressing over here. What do you want me to say?

Rolling my eyes, my fingers hit my phone in aggravation.

Me: Tell him not to worry about me!

I hit send and turn my phone facedown. Who is he to care and stress about my whereabouts? He literally just hooked up with her in the bathroom and is pretending like he doesn't know. Why are boys so stupid? Resting my head on the back seat, I focus on the moving car. The way the soft hum of the engine fills the silence, the trees and grass zooming by with every second, and the moon it lights up a bright path to the one place I truly feel at peace. The place that holds the best of memories. I close my eyes and let a short sleep take over me.

"Miss, we are here.” I peek through my eye and see that we have indeed stopped and are currently sitting in front of the Parker Farm. With a quick thank you,I grab my shoes and clutch I had taken and get out of the car with a beeline to the sunflower fields. My sanctuary.

The night is quiet, the only sound is from the occasional chirp of the crickets, but when they go silent so does the night. Leaving me to replay the conversion I had with Janelle tonight.

"The mouth on that man.” GAG

"And don't get me started on that tongue.” double gag.

She might as well have said Here Melanie, here's a dagger go ahead and stick it in your ears. And I don't even know if I should be angry, sad or disgusted, I guess I'll take the latter. It was foolish of me to think that tonight I might actually get my chance with him, but boy was I wrong of course he would leave to go find her. I mean she is beautiful and has the perfect body, perfect height, with the perfect hair and perfect sun kissed skin. Who wouldn't want her? Me on the other hand, I sit at 5 '4, 5' 5 on a good day, my blah brunette hair, a little chunkier compared to skinny tall Janelle. I was always told to love my body, that I should take pride in having curves and that women pay good money to have an ass like mine or have thick thighs. To me though I should be skinner, seeing as Rhett's parade of the girls at school have all been two times smaller than me, all tall, all skinny and of course with the bleach blonde hair the girls of Texas are known for.

Stewing in my own pity I didn't realize that a truck had pulled up. The crunch of boots to the ground snapped me out of my own pity party. The smell of deep amber wood hits my nose. He knows I feel him here yet he doesn't speak, letting me have a few moments to myself before he does.

"Mel? Are you okay?”

What should I say? Do I let it all out or do I hold back. I was just starting to show him that I like him but now… now I don't know if I should continue on that or close him off again.

"I’m fine.” I guess my words made the decision for me.

"Look Mel, if this is about Janelle…”

"Rhett, I said I'm fine, just drop it.”

"I can't drop it, something made you mad and I want to know.”

"Why do you care? You made it clear that you taking me tonight was out of pity.” He doesn't say a word but makes a grimace face like he has no idea what I’m talking about and just stares at me.

“What do you mean, why do I care? Mel, something or someone made you mad and I want to kno…” I raise my hand up to silence him.

"Stop pretending like you don't know okay. I saw you with her…” I turn back from facing him and refocus my eyes on the moonlit field with the headlights from his truck shining through the sunflowers. I close my eyes shaking my head “Just stop Rhett okay, I saw you with Janelle. I went to look for you because I was worried. Johnny said that you were in the lobby talking with her, so I went and when I got there you weren't there. That's when I saw her walking out of the bathroom fixing her makeup and straightening her dress right after you walked out wiping your stupid mouth. You didn't see me because you walked away without blinking an eye. But she did, she saw me watching that whole thing and then came up to me raving about The mouth on that man and don't get me started on his tongue and blah blah blah. So if I'm mad it's at both you and her.” It was silent once again and the only thing I could hear was the thumping of my own heart in my ears.

"I can explain.” I turn around and start walking away .

"No need Rhett, I'm just your friend. No explanation is needed.”

“Will you just stop! Damnit Mel?” His arm and hand connect with my shoulder.

"Rhett please just let me go… I don’t have the strength to hear your excuses." The warmth of his hand leaves my shoulder as he rounds me so that we are face to face. “Please Rhett move.” I try to leave again with no avail.

"Move!” I try again.

"Jesus Melanie just stop! And listen to me dammit! You said what you had to say now let me!”

My eyes grow wide, my jaw to the floor. This side of Rhett has the butterflies in my stomach going crazy. Instead of fighting with him again I stop and listen.

“Okay.” He runs his hand through his hair to the back of his neck.

"Shit. Ok Mel… I did not take you to prom out of pity, nor did Alex threaten me cause I know that's what you're thinking. I wanted my senior prom night to be one I’ll never forget and I couldn’t think of anyone I'd rather share that memory with than my best friend. Second, I care a whole lot more than you think and more than you’ll ever know.” My heart gives a flutter at the mention of him choosing me to be a soul memory for a milestone in his life. It doesn’t go unnoticed that he says he cares for me more than I think or ever know. I want to push on that but he doesn’t give me the chance.

“As for Janelle, you have the story all sorts of wrong darlin.” His tone has turned playful. “Johnny was right. I was talking to Janelle. That part isn't wrong, But what I was telling her was that I needed my letterman jacket back to take my senior pictures and that was it. What you saw and what she told you was all wrong, after I told her I needed the jacket back I went to go to the restroom and she followed me there where she then decided to throw herself on me. She kissed me.” Yup butterflies shot down and replaced with bile.

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