RE: Trailer Trash, 65 pt 6 (Patreon)

    Bobby still felt shell-shocked as he followed Gary and Brett off of the bus, their worn sneakers scuffing the flagstones as they trooped down the sidewalk together as a trio. Jacob had already disembarked a stop or two ago, but would be meeting back up with them to shoot hoops once he’d dropped off his bag and changed. Gary and Brett’s back and forth banter wasn’t even registering for a while there, and Bobby even had the urge to raise his hands up in front of himself and stare at them in disbelief as if questioning his reality.

    “Bobby-boy, you good?” Gary flicked his hand out in a quick snap that stung against Bobby’s shoulder. “You good, man? You good?”

    “I’m uh,” Bobby said.

    “I’m uhhh,” Brett echoed.

    “You’re uh-uh-uh freakin’ us out, man,” Gary got in another quick snap before Bobby was able to shrug himself out of the way. “You buggin’?”

    “Talk to us, Bobby,” Brett teased. “Breathe, man. Just breathe.”

    Bobby indulged them by making a show of doing quick breathing exercises and then stooping over as if needing to catch his breath, but even though this kind of gag was rote for him, his mind was still a million miles away. Tabitha maybe really liked him. He’d thought she did, but the distance between suspecting—or maybe he should say hoping, and having her just outright say it... he couldn’t put it into words. It was hard to unscramble any of his thoughts, right now. He couldn’t even remember the rest of what happened on the bus.

    Everything seemed to pinwheel together into a giant blur.

    “Alright, you and Tabitha,” Gary prompted. “What’s the deal, man? What’s the four one one. What’s the dealio. You like her?”

     “I uh,” Bobby said.

    Brett laughed again.

    “No, I uh—” Bobby rubbed his hands down his face. “Uh. Gimme a minute. Damn. Where even are we right now?”

    “Earth,” Gary said. “Come on back down and join us, son.”

    “I just,” Bobby tried to form his churning morass of thoughts into sentences somehow. “I didn’t expect uh. I mean I kinda knew, maybe, I figured that—I don’t know. I just…”

    “Hey, one of her friends has a crush on me?” Brett asked. “I don’t think I really know any of them except Elena. She’s cool.”

    “Elena the lesbo chick?” Gary asked. “The one that dresses up in all everything black now?”

    “Elena’s not a lesbian,” Bobby said. “She used to have a thing for Matthew, I think?”

    “Matt Haynes?” Brett guessed.

    “Matt—” Bobby groaned. “No, not Matt Haynes. Fuck Matt Haynes. Matt Williams. Matthew.”

    “Don’t know him,” Brett shrugged.

    “I know him,” Gary said. “He’s alright. He’s not a freshman, though—sophomore, I think? Elena’s into older guys?”

    “Matt Haynes is gonna be at the party,” Bobby remembered. “Tiffany invited him. But—but Matt really thinks Tabitha’s into him. Ha ha hahhh, holy shit.”

    “I know Matt Haynes, too,” Gary said.

    “You know everybody, G,” Brett chuckled.

    “We’ve played with him before, you’d know his face,” Gary said. “Haynes got that hero complex. Ball hog. Thinks he’s the one that’s gotta be in the spotlight, thinks he’s the shiznit. Worst guy to have on your team, don’t even bother setting him up for passes. That guy even left Lurch in the lurch. He’s not trying to win if he’s not the one winnin’, know what I’m sayin’? Smarmy motherfucker.”

    “Yeah, so—what about me?” Bobby asked. “I’m better than fucking Matt Haynes.”

    “You’re not great,” Gary admitted, casually dribbling the basketball as he walked. “You play, but you don’t practice. Meaning, yeah alright you can shoot, but you’re not exactly putting on the pressure when it comes to defense. Felt like you only ever really got serious back when Joe was around. Hey man, don’t look at me like that—you asked. I guess I do remember you dropping dimes, sometimes? Better than Matt Haynes, sure. Fuck that guy.”

    “Fuck that guy,” Bobby said.

    “Fuck that guy,” Brett agreed.

    “You don’t even know who we’re talking about,” Gary rolled his eyes.

    “No, but I definitely remember a lot of dudes leaving me in the lurch for what coulda been easy passes,” Brett said. “Now I got a name to put to some of those faces.”

    “Never leave Lurch in the lurch,” Gary confided in Bobby. “This man’s got freaky fifteen-foot-long arms. He’s right outta Space Jam. You can just be like ‘hey dawg, can you put this in the basket for me real quick?’ And he’s like, ‘yeah, here you go.’ Just like that. It’s fuckin’ hilarious.”

    “Ain’t no thing,” Brett gave them a solemn nod. “Was headin’ that way anyways. Easy buckets, Bobby-boy.”

    “Bobby-bo-o-o-ooy,” Gary drawled out. “You guys gotta call?”

    “Yeah,” Brett said. “My mom. She’ll be cool, though. Just so long as I check in with where I’m gonna be tonight.”

    “Fuck,” Bobby swore. “I gotta call Mickey-Dees. Supposed to be day shift tomorrow—there’s no way in hell I can go in now.”

    “Naw, you’re gonna be busy gettin’ jiggy with it,” Gary laughed. “Hey, Tabby’s cool. She’s pretty cute, right?”

    “She’s cute,” Brett confirmed. “Probably? Redhead for sure.”

    “Lurch only really gets dat top-down view, so that’s all he’s seen so far,” Gary said. “Blonde, brunette, redhead. S’all they are to him.”

    “S’not true,” Brett deadpanned. “Sometimes they wear hats.”

    “She’s more than just cute,” Bobby explained. “She’s cool. She’s funny. She has an actual sense of humor. She’s interesting. Weird. Vulnerable, tough. She’s crazy smart, and also kind of dumb sometimes. She’s just…”

    “I guess?” Gary shrugged. “I mean, we were just jokin’ around, man. Now it legit sounds like you’ve got it bad.”

    “She doesn’t play basketball, Gary don’t care about her,” Brett laughed. “Gary don’t give a damn.”

    “Naw, s’not like that,” Gary chuckled. “I’ma get me a girl that’ll cheer me on from the sidelines someday. Me and this one girl had a thing goin’ on, once. Basketball with ‘em, though? Nah, I keep all that shit separate. Can’t really play serious with girls, not my thing. Don’t want to be all worried about dunkin’ on her too much and hurtin’ feelings, or none of that. When I’m in the game my head’s in the game, you feel me?”

    “I feel you,” Brett nodded. “You coming to the party, then?”

    “Oh, hell yeah,” Gary said. “Can’t miss it. You know ‘bout all the cheerleader drama there, right?”

    “Nope,” Brett answered. “All that bullshit is like everything else—beneath me.”

    “Hah,” Bobby laughed.

    “Elena the wicked witch was trying to join Cheer or something, so all of the cheerleaders flipped out,” Gary said. “They were all like no way in hell. So, then Tabitha was Elena’s friend and gets into it with them—or, something. I don’t really know, but all the girls are always goin’ on about it in a bunch of my classes. Saying what a psycho or fat freak or like how unhinged Tabitha and them all are. But like, I actually meet Tabitha myself on the bus like, just this past week? Shit, I like her more than I like any of the rest of them. She’s cool.”

    “She’s cool,” Bobby said.

    “She seems cool?” Brett shrugged. “Elena’s cool, too.”

    When they had reached Gary’s driveway, it was a double wide one without any cars parked in it—the only vehicle in sight on this property was a truck parked over in the grass past the driveway, because this area was always kept clear for everyone to play basketball. Although the pavement was ordinary beige concrete, the lines for a perfect half-court had been put into place with care using tape and spraypaint, and a half-dozen lawn chairs were set up on the side closest to the house where an overhang that wasn’t quite a full porch offered some extra shade.

    Bobby had been over here three or four times over the years—his older brother Joe used to play basketball with Gary’s brothers back in the day, and it had long since been one of those fixtures of Springton where one could always expect to find some kids hanging out. Although the regulars here changed up a bit once some of the older guys graduated, Gary and his friends had ensured this would still be one of the places to be during his generation.

    “You in it for a girl, then, Lurch?” Gary asked, tossing his backpack and jacket onto one of the lawn chairs. “Didn’t expect you to jump into that mess the second you hear ‘em having a party or whatever. S’not like you.”

    “I mean, I don’t mean to brag, but…” Brett made a show of checking both ways down the sidewalk before he leaned in close to confide in a whisper. “Elena once asked if she could borrow a pencil.”

    “No shit?!” Gary’s eyebrows rose in mock surprise. “Daaaamn.”

    “Wait, wait—” Bobby interjected. “She asked if she could borrow a pencil?! Dude, that’s not fucking messing around. Most girls don’t start sending those kind of hints until like, sophomore year.”

    “I know,” Brett nodded. “I know.”

    The three boys exchanged grins and then broke into laughter once again. Gary dribbled the ball casually and then tossed it to Lurch—Lurch swiped it out of the air, bounced it once, and then it was headed Bobby’s way.

    “Whereas, with me—with Tabitha saying she’s maybe crushing on me?” Bobby sighed, dribbling the ball for a moment. “That could mean anything. Who even knows what kind of hint that’s supposed to be. I mean damn, I really do like her, but I just don’t think we’re like at that stage where she’d ask to borrow a pencil, or anything super serious like that.”

    “Hey, you’ll get there, you’ll get there,” Brett encouraged with a straight face. “Just play it cool. You like her?”

    “I—yeah,” Bobby admitted. “For a while, now. I wasn’t sure about… damn, I dunno, I guess. Like, I know I like her, but when she smiles at me—my head just goes completely blank, and I’m not really sure what’s a go for it signal and what isn’t, anymore. She’s leery about starting to date or have things get serious, I know that. And, she’s got a lot going on with—yeah, everything. Cheerleaders. All that. Family stuff.”

    “Go for it bro, she’s cool,” Gary said. “I’ll keep my ears open. We talk on the bus sometimes, she’s usually right there across from me.”

    “Thanks, man,” Bobby said. “Lurch, you really going tomorrow just to figure out who’s crushing on you?”

    “I mean, all kidding aside?” Brett shrugged. “I’m pretty sure it really is Elena.” 

    “Uh-huh,” Gary snorted. “She asked for pencil. Ding-ding-ding, yeah that’s wedding bells I hear, my man.”

    “I do just get that vibe from her,” Brett said. “Even yeah, right there with the pencil thing. Felt purposeful. Like she wasn’t askin’ around to anyone, because she wouldn’t do that. She’s all prickly with the girls in that class, one of them woulda had some smartass remark if she was just like, asking if someone could help her out. Was more like she’d made up her mind to ask me specifically for a pencil. And yeah, she doesn’t even seem like someone who’d lose or forget her pencil in the first place.”

    “Uh-huh,” Gary sounded a little less skeptical this time. “Yeah, bro. Maybe.”

    “Then there’s like—her body language and all that,” Brett continued. “When you’re not on their mind? Or, they don’t give a damn? Girls could care less ‘bout whether they’re presenting their best side to you. But Elena’s always turned just a bit towards me in like, perfect three-quarter pose. And, that wouldn’t be weird if I sat over to the left of her—that could still be kind of natural. But, I’m on her right. All the chairs have that desk bit that wraps around as an armrest on your right. She wouldn’t normally get comfy or relax in them facing over my way.”

    “Could be your imagination,” Gary said.

    “Could be,” Brett said. “I do get stared a lot, but seems different when she glances over. Could be she’s just keepin’ tabs on me ‘cause some other friend she knows likes me. I dunno? Gut instinct, though? It says she’s maybe into me.”

    “She’s definitely not keepin’ Tabs, Tabs is into Bobby, apparently,” Gary joked. “Maybe soon Bobby’ll be keepin’ Tabs?”

    “So, Lurch—what’re you doing about it?” Bobby asked. “Elena. Are you into her?”

    “Kinda want to get to know her, yeah,” Brett said. “She’s interesting. She’s cute. Don’t really feel like I can get anywhere talking to her there in class, though. She’s always all hackles up, and I kinda see why—s’like all the other girls are eyeballing her, just waiting for her to do something they can pick on, or criticize, or go on about. So like, between us it’s been subtle signals only, and then maybe sometime like tomorrow we can meet up and chat a bit. You know?”

    “I’m gonna laugh my ass off when it turns out you’re reading all that whole situation wrong,” Gary sneered. “And, in the first place—you don’t mind stickin’ your neck into all that ongoing nonstop drama with them?” 

    “S’all beneath me,” Brett joked again, spreading his long arms wide. “I mean, if me and her start going out, what’s anyone gonna say? That she’s all gothic? Yeah thanks, I noticed. That she’s a lesbo? ‘Cause, if that’s the case, then I wouldn’t really be her type, no? Anything else, and—man, I just really don’t care. S’beneath me.”

    “Bobby, what about you?” Gary turned. “Tabitha’s always in the middle of some big damn mess with everyone.”

    “I’m taking her side, no matter what,” Bobby shrugged. “You know how some of those girls at school are. With their fake fuckin’ laughs, and all the constant posturing, and myah myah myah look at me and all that B.S. all the time. Whereas Tabitha’s like… genuine. She’s real. Also just like, bro. When she smiles in my direction, I forget my own damn name and I’m just… yeah.”

    “You are both some sorry sacks of shit,” Gary shook his head in apparent dismay. “Like—Bobby you say all that, and what’s your plan, even? You pack a change of clothes, or are you gonna just show up with us tomorrow wearing whatever all sweaty shit you had on today? I mean, we’re playing basketball tonight.”

    “Me and Lurch’re gonna raid your dresser, borrow whatever looks nice,” Bobby laughed. “Some cologne from your bathroom cabinet, and we’ll be all set, right? Wait, shit. Would you even have anything that’s gonna fit Lurch? What size did your brothers wear?”

    “Fuck, you’re counting on me to have any laundry done?” Gary scoffed. “On a fuckin’ Friday?”

    “Last time I had to look nice, I borrowed Liam’s shirt,” Bobby shrugged. “Maybe we should just call him up? He lives right there over off Elm street.”

    “Is he invited to the party tomorrow?” Brett asked. “How big is this thing supposed to be, like, how many people?”

    “I’m sure it’s fine,” Gary said, glancing over Bobby’s shoulder and then gesturing for Bobby to pass him the ball. “She invited Jacob, for crying out loud. No one even fucking likes Jacob, and I’m saying that as his best friend.”

    “Now I know you’re not just sayin’ that ‘cause you saw me walking up,” Jacob yelled. “She invited me first, remember. You? You were like, an afterthought. She was all like oh yeah, I GUESS I should invite Gare-bear, too. Out of fuggin’ pity.”

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/// Last minute character development for Lurch still counts as character development! Technically. Fuck it, I like him.