“Marg? What are you doing here?”
She slid off the horse and walked over to sit down next to me. “Wayne, Billy, and Raymond asked me to come talk to you. I guess you haven’t been hanging out with them very much, and they were getting worried about you.”
I laughed and shook my head. “I’m fine. I certainly don’t need them sending you to check up on me.”
“You’re fine? Really, Garrett? We never see you anymore. You go to school, football practice, and then home. You never come out or hang out with us. What is going on?”
I let out a long breath. I wasn’t in the mood to get into this with Margie. “Marg, I’m fine. I’ve just been busy. I’m trying to help my father with the ranch and—”
“Bullshit. What is your father going to do when you go to college? I know he has a few ranch hands who help him. You’re just avoiding her.”
I snapped my head over and looked at Margie. She always knew my true feelings. Everyone thought we had something going on, but she really was like my sister.
I looked away and mumbled, “I don’t know what you mean. I’m not avoiding anyone.”
Margie jumped up and kicked the shit out of my leg. I flew up and began jumping around, holding my leg.
“What in the hell, Margie? Why did you kick me? You bitch!”
She stood there with her hands on her hips, trying to look serious, when I knew she wanted to laugh.
“Why, Margie? I thought we were friends.”
I began walking off the pain, and she followed behind me.
“Garrett, she went out with him only once.”
I was pretty sure my jaw dropped. “How do you know that?”
She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “She likes you and only you. She’s just afraid to admit it to herself. I think it scares her how much she likes you.”
I shook my head, confused. “How do you know she likes me? I’ve been asking her out for months, only to have her turn me down time after time. Michael asked her out once, and she was all over it.”
“It wasn’t like that, Garrett. She doesn’t like him like that.”
I started laughing. “Then, why did she go out with him, Marg? I’m done talking about Emma Birk. I’m moving on, and I’m just going to worry about college. Emma can go out with anyone she wants. I don’t care anymore.”
“Right. Keep telling yourself that.” She smiled just a little. “Are you going to the sock hop tonight?”
I shook my head as I turned around and whistled to call Jack back over. Jack and my mother’s horse came walking up to us. Margie and I both quietly climbed up onto each horse, and we began slowly heading back to the barn. We were silent for the next ten minutes or so.
“Please come tonight, Garrett, just to hang out with your friends. Please. I need someone to dance with.”
I started laughing because Margie didn’t dance. In all the time I’d known her, I’d never seen her dance.
“You gonna dance with me tonight if I go?”
She gave me an evil smile and said, “Only if I get to dance to that Elvis song you like so much.”
I threw my head back and laughed. “‘That’s All Right’ is the name of the song, Margie, and Elvis is the coolest cat around.”
Margie chortled and nodded. We continued riding back in silence, and the only image that kept running through my mind was of Emma dancing with another guy. I would have to really keep it together since just thinking about it made me mad.
After Margie and I took care of the horses, I walked her to her car.
Before she got in, she gave me a serious look. “You know, I never thought I’d ever see you giving up on something you truly wanted, Garrett. Please don’t give up.”
I smiled weakly. “Yeah, I know, but it’s hard to fight for someone who doesn’t feel the same.” I glanced up and saw my mother standing on the porch.