Summary: When you're seventeen, it's all about living fast, laughing loud and falling in love. It's being Fearless.
A/N: So I watched Footloose before I went to sleep which lead me to having weird dreams. And basically it lead to this. I had a request to continue Barefoot & Crazy, but I wasn't quite sure how, so I hope you guys like this new story, which could be a series, if you want :)
Disclaimer: I do not own them, sadface :(
Lindsay Monroe wasn't the most remarkable girl in Bozeman, Montana and she was just fine with that. She was short -barely 5' 3" in cowboy boots, with curly brown hair and amber eyes that when paired with a grin could make a boy weak in the knees. She was the type of girl who knew everyone and everyone knew her. With four older brothers it took a brave guy to ask her out, but she was never dateless on Friday night. Her best friends were the same five people she'd gone to pre-school with. It was her life and she liked it.
When her alarm went off at five am on August twelfth she awoke without hitting the snooze. She took a fast shower and got dressed. She walked down the stairs in her brown leather cowboy boots, jeans with holes in both knees and a flannel shirt over a white tanktop. She took a seat next to her older brother, Jeff and accepted a plate of eggs, toast and sausage from her mother.
"You ready for Junior year, Lindsay Anne?" Her father asked.
"Yes, Sir." Lindsay smiled.
"You watch out for your sister, Jeff." Mr. Monroe pointed his fork at his youngest son.
"I don't need no lookin' out for, Daddy." Lindsay rolled her eyes, "It's just Bozeman."
"As the case may be..." Mr. Monroe trailed off.
"Leave Lindsay alone, she's a grown girl." Mrs. Monroe teased, winking at her daughter.
"Thanks Mom." Lindsay leaned over and kissed her mother's cheek.
"Anytime Little Girl." Mrs. Monroe patted her hand.
When breakfast was finished and morning chores were done, it was a quarter past seven. Jeff and Lindsay Monroe climbed into the Ford Pick-up that had belonged to all their older brothers respectively. Jeff drove and Lindsay stared out the window as they passed through the center of town. They waved at the man who was raising the flag on the courthouse square and nodded at the Mayor as he crossed the street.
"Meet ya back here, Linds." Jeff told her when he parked in the gravel parking lot.
"Have a good first day, Jeff." Lindsay shot her brother a warm smile and slid out of the cab. She crossed the road to the school and entered the building.
"Monroe!" A brunette haired girl called.
"Hey Katie." Lindsay smiled, walking over to her friend and hugging her.
"Oh Girl, I have missed you." Katie squeezed her.
"You saw me a week ago, Kate." Lindsay chuckled.
"And that's a week to long, Linds." Katie teased.
"Shall we join the lines?" Lindsay asked, motioning to the growing line of kids waiting for their schedules in the cafeteria.
"Might as well." Katie shrugged, readjusting the straps of her bookbag.
The lines were divided up by the alphabet and the M-P line was growing by the second. Katie and Lindsay ran to get a space before it got any longer. Several people ahead of them was a boy with blond hair. His glasses slid low on his nose and his Converse squeaked as he moved with the line.
"Who's that?" Lindsay nodded her head at him.
"Danny. Messer." Katie grinned, "He moved here from New York."
"New York? What'd he take a wrong turn on the turnpike?" Lindsay raised her eyebrow.
"Be nice, Monroe. He's cute." Katie winked.
"Wipe your drool." Lindsay shoved her lightly.
"He's Mrs. Smith's grandson. Apparently he got in trouble in the city and his parents sent him to live with her."
"That's what this town needs, another troublemaker." Lindsay sighed, her eyes not leaving the back of Danny's head.
--
The first day was just that. With each class came an identical set of rules, with a nice folder and a paper on which they had to write their goals for themselves. Their small lockers filled to the brim with books they'd barely look at and the hallway became littered with flyers for various clubs.
Lindsay wasn't expecting much else when she walked into her fourth period Honors Biology class. When she entered the room, she was surprised to see the new kid sitting behind the lab table. His frosty blue eyes found hers and Lindsay felt her knees go weak. She tripped over her own two feet and barely caught herself on the black marble table.
"Miss Monroe." The teacher acknowledged her.
"Hey Mr. Sefton." Lindsay gave him a warm smile and glanced at the seating chart on the wipe off board. Third lab table back on the far right side.
Right next to one Daniel Messer.
Lindsay took a deep breath and walked back to the table, "I'm Lindsay Monroe." She spoke confidently and extended her hand.
"Danny Messer." He shook her hand, his Bronx accent thick and it made Lindsay giggle.
She sat on the metal stool next to him and set her bag beside her. She pulled out her agenda and pencil, waiting on the bell to ring.
"I'm from New York." Danny explained.
"I know. You're new in town." Lindsay glanced at him, "Welcome to Bozeman, where your business is everyone's business."
"Nice slogan. I noticed it on the sign coming into town." Danny told her and she chuckled, "So, how long til people quit staring at me like a fish in a bowl?"
"How long til the fourth of never?" Lindsay shot back.
"Nice. Very nice."
The class passed quickly as they filled out the same papers, listened to the syllabus for the term and met the class pets. Mr. Sefton stood at the front of the room with the small boa, "Who wants to hold Rosie?"'
The girls scooted their stools back as far as possible and every boy's hand shot up. Lindsay raised her hand up with Danny's and he looked at her like she had two heads.
"Miss Monroe." Mr. Sefton motioned for her to come to the front of the room. Lindsay did as she was told and walked to the front. She took Rosie in her hands, letting the snake wrap around her wrist. Mr. Sefton laughed, "She's not even shaking. Monroe showed up the boys again."
Lindsay stared down at her boots and blushed.
--
When the final bell rang after fifth period, Lindsay put her books in her locker and followed the throngs of students pushing their way out the front doors. Jeff Monroe came up behind his little sister and tapped her shoulder, Lindsay spun around, "What?"
"Can you get a ride home?" Jeff asked.
"Jeff, you're my ride home." Lindsay crossed her arms.
"Please. Jamie Kauffman finally noticed I was alive. C'mon, Linds, I'll do your chores tomorrow mornin'." Jeff pleaded.
"You owe me, Jeffrey Michael Monroe." Lindsay glared at him.
Jeff hugged her, "You're the best little sister, Squirt."
"Yeah, yeah. Have fun." Lindsay sighed and headed for the parking lot to see if any of her friends were left. As luck would have it, there were only a handful of cars left in the parking lot and three of them belonged to administration.
"Need a ride, Monroe?" Danny Messer whispered in her ear.
"No." Lindsay weakly protested.
"Uh-huh." Danny said skeptically.
"I hate my brother." Lindsay sighed, "Can I have a ride?"
"Sure." Danny said and nodded his head at the old Jeep 4x4.
"Thanks." Lindsay told him and walked to the passengers side and got in.
"Where to?" Danny asked climbing in and turning on the vehicle.
"Okay," Lindsay tucked a leg under her and turned to give him directions, "If you go straight instead of turning off to go to your grandma's? It's the farm with the big ole white barn that has Monroe spelled out in green shingles."
"Simple enough." Danny backed out of the space.
"So, how do you like Bozeman?" Lindsay leaned back in her seat.
"It sure ain't New York." Danny chuckled.
"Is that good or bad?"
"Is both an acceptable answer?"
"For now." Lindsay chewed on the inside of her lip.
"So... I've never seen a girl volunteer to hold a snake." Danny glanced over at her.
"My oldest brother, David, he had one when I was little." Lindsay explained and picked at a stray thread of her jeans.
"You miss him?" Danny asked.
"Yeah." Lindsay nodded, "He's twenty-seven. He lives a couple towns over, he's married to a nice girl. I mean, I see him all the time. I babysit his kids and stuff.."
"It's not the same." Danny filled it and Lindsay nodded, "I got an older brother, Louie."
"Miss him?"
"Who he used to be." Danny said; he cleared his throat and shifted awkwardly.
"Sorry." Lindsay murmured and rested her head against the cool window pane.
Minutes later, Danny pulled in the Monroe driveway. He killed the engine and they sat in silence for a few moments and then Danny spoke, "Go out with me Friday."
"What?" Lindsay's eyes opened wide, "You're nuts."
"Go out with me Friday." Danny repeated.
"I don't even know you." Lindsay protested.
"So get to know me. Go out with me."
"Not happening."
"Please?" Danny said and used the most pathetic face he could muster.
"Maybe... someday." Lindsay opened the door and climbed out, she looked over her shoulder and smiled at him, "See you tomorrow, Cowboy."
"See you tomorrow, Montana."
A/N: Boom. There it is. Love it? Hate it? Be honest. Should I continue it? (BTW, I've never been to Montana, I've hardly been out of Indiana, so if I get details wrong... sorry?) Oh, and Lindsay's friends never died in this story, cause seriously? The thought makes me want to puke. -sigh-
