WARNING! The following chapter is rated R for sexual content. These events are fictitious and are part of a character's life set in the late 1960's. Times were different back then and I strongly encourage all youth to refrain from sexual activity until adulthood. I have decided to post this sceneas writing practice for me to see if I can write it well. If you or your parents do not wish you to read this rated fanfiction please respect their wishes. Also if you skip this chapter you will not miss an important part of the plot. Everything in this chapter will soon be summed up in a following chapter. Thank you for your time in reading this warning.
Chapter eleven
I set my alarm clock and was awake just before Darry and Sodapop. I slipped on my loafers and headed out the back door to Casey's house. As I ran through the back gate I noticed her mother's car wasn't parked in the street. I had worried all night that the two of them didn't come home from the rodeo. I knocked and knocked, no one answered. Frustrated I walked back home and flopped on the couch while Darry and Soda woke and showered for work.
"Sissy what are you doing up?" Soda yelled before he went into the bathroom.
"I'm waiting for Casey and her mom to come and get me. We have passes to the rodeo again." I thought about the pass in my pocket and hoped Casey and her mom would come by and pick me up. The fairgrounds were too far away for me to walk to. I sat on the couch and thought about the one problem I had, I needed to find a way to get out of my curfew for the night.
"Darry!" I called to my brother and walked into the kitchen where he was making coffee for the morning. "Hey… Casey wants to know if I can sleep over with her tonight."
Darry looked down at me and I worried that my face would tell that I was lying. "Is her mom going to be home?"
"Sure!" I lied again.
My brother sighed and thought about the request. "Ok, but I want you to be good."
A large smile spread across my face. "I will!" I helped Darry make toast and ham for breakfast and the three of us ate together before my brothers had to leave for work. As soon as they were out the door I showered, dressed and waited for Casey and her mom to come. I waited and waited. As the minutes ticked past ten o'clock I was livid waiting for those two and I finally resolved that they weren't coming. Both of them had most likely spent the night under the stars with a cowboy in there arms and I had to come home for curfew!
I walked out onto the porch and noticed Two-Bit pulling up in his old car. A wicked idea came to mind and I jolted down the front steps and into the passenger seat before he was out of the car. "Two-Bit, I need you to do something for me."
Two-Bit jumped slightly and laughed. "What do you need me to do?"
"I need a ride to the fairgrounds." I pulled the passenger door shut.
"To do what?" Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow and waited for my reasoning.
"I need to meet Casey there."
"Let me get this straight." Two-Bit pivoted in his seat, threw his arm over the headrest and faced me. "You want me to drive you across town and leave you at the fairgrounds… alone." I shook my head and waited for him to start the car up. "No way Scout!"
"Awe come on Two-Bit!" I whined.
"Sissy if I drop you off at the rodeo and leave you there Darry will kick my head in!"
I smiled slyly. "Come on Two-Bit. Darry doesn't have to know a thing. I already know where Casey is going to be and if Darry asks I'll say she came and picked me up. Please!" Two-Bit paused in thought and I snapped at him. "Some hypocrite you are! Sissy you need to loosen up! Sissy you need to learn to be wilder and have fun! Then when I ask you to help me have fun you pull Darry into this! You're unbelieveable!"
I sat back in the seat, folded my arms across my chest and waited. I knew Two-Bit wouldn't handle having his words thrown back at him. I was sure he would crack and take me across town. I didn't look at him so he had time to simmer in his thoughts. Then as expected Two-Bit turned the key and fired up the ignition.
"Alright! But I never drove you there, agreed?"
"Agreed!"
Two-Bit pulled the car away from the curb and laughed. "You know ever since Casey moved into this neighborhood you have been wilder and sassier around the gang. I'm starting to wish I had kept my mouth shut and you were still the same sweet, shy girl you were two months ago."
I laughed. "Two-Bit, you know my dad always said careful what you wish for!"
Two-Bit let me off at the front gate to the rodeo and I used my pass to get in. The clock at the gate said 10:45 so I headed in the direction of the junior bull riding ring. I skipped up to the same gate Casey and I had hung on the day before. Climbing up a few rungs gave me a better visual glance at the cowboys sitting in the shade.
A voice spoke from behind me. "Are you looking for anyone in particular?"
I turned about to find Danny Percell grinning at me. "Just a good looking guy I met yesterday. Have you seen him?"
Danny smiled and his crystal blue eyes danced in delight. "No, but I am sure I could take his place if you let me."
I climbed down off the gate and stepped close to him. "Let's just see about that." I looked up at him and our lips met in a kiss. "Ok, you'll do just fine."
Danny and I held hands and we walked around the fairgrounds looking at the animals and displays that were set up for the weekend. "Did you get in any trouble last night?"
"No, my brother was a little worried about why I wasn't with Mary Lynn and Casey, but I just told him they met some old friends and you offered to take me home. I think he was too tired to argue."
"Late night for him?"
"Every night is late for Darry. He roofs houses in the day hours and works down at the rail yard at least four nights a week. If he gets a Friday or Saturday night off he usually spends it waiting up for Pony, me and Soda to get home."
"Oh my," Danny frowned. "And here I though getting up early in the morning to do chores and feed the horses was bad. So he works almost everyday to provide for the three of you?"
"Well, yes and no." I looked up at Danny who was truly interested in learning more about my life. "Sodapop works a fulltime job too and the State pays Darry a little bit of money to take care of us. See he's our guardian, but we are really wards of the State because Darry didn't adopt us or anything like that…does that all make sense."
"Sure." Danny said and pulled on my arm that was holding his hand until I circled around in front of him so he could wrap his arms around me. "I just want you to know that I really like you." Danny smiled. "I know we only have a few hours left together, but I want you to know that I hope everything turns out well for you and your brothers. Maybe someday we will see each other again." Then we kissed and I felt a rush of sadness fill my emotions.
At that point I knew Danny had felt as close to me as I had been feeling towards him. Unfortunately we both understood the distance that was soon to come and split us apart. I wished it didn't have to, but wishing never really worked for me.
After we left the show barn with the horses Danny had to be back at ring for the finals so we walked to the stands to see if Tucker and Casey were around. Danny told me he was sure Casey was around somewhere because she had spent the night with Tucker.
We waited together until Danny was scheduled to ride again. I kissed him for good luck and sat alone on the bleachers watching the competition until Casey finally showed up. "Where in the hell have you been?" I scolded.
Casey laughed, "kid you don't want to know." Sometimes my friend liked to point out the fact that she was older than me. She pulled a cigarette out of her purse and lit it up. "How are things with you and Danny?"
I shrugged and acted disinterested, "he's a nice guy."
"Nice! He's gorgeous!" She blew the smoke away from me. "So did you two spend the night together like Tuck and I?"
I scowled at her. "No! And where were you last night? I had to have Danny drive me home, I almost missed curfew and Darry is not very forgiving!"
All my friend did was laugh. "Sorry about that. I should have let you know that mom and I wouldn't be headed home. We probably won't tonight either. I haven't seen my mom, but I know I am spending another night with Tucker."
I smiled back at her. "Don't worry, I am prepared for that!"
"What do you mean?"
I winked at her. "I told Darry I was spending the night at your house…so I don't have to worry about missing curfew." Casey laid her hand out and I slapped her five. Casey was proud of my deviance and so was I because I knew I was acting more and more like Sodapop and Two-Bit had encouraged me to.
Casey and I kicked back in the hot sun and watched the boys bull ride. She knew everything there was to know about the sport. I had wanted to ask her for sometime about her father but I wasn't sure if she would be willing to talk about him, especially considering the story Danny had told me. I took my chance in asking. "So Casey how do you know your way around a rodeo so well?"
"I grew up on the rodeo circuit."
"Is that what your dad does for a living? Ride bulls?" I stared down at my shoes hoping she would tell me a little more about her past.
"Yeah, he was a champion for a few years, but he's got himself a mighty bad temper." She looked over at me, but I still wasn't looking at her. "I thought I already told you that."
"No," I looked up and squinted into the sun. "You hadn't even told me that you lived in New Mexico."
"Yeah." Casey sighed and looked off into the distance. "We had a little house there, but my pa spent money faster than he could make it and he had a way with women, if you know what I mean…"
"So you and your mom took off?"
"More like took off in the dead of night." Casey ground the burnt end of her cigarette into the wooden bench in front of us. "He had been on the circuit in Arizona and my mom drove out to see him. She found him with two rodeo bimbos and called the marriage quits right then and there. Pa don't take well to losing and he was pretty pissed she wanted a divorce. A few days later he came home in the middle of the night and tried to strangle her to death." I listened intently and my stomach turned at the vision in my head as she continued. "I heard her struggling and kicking the wall … so I ran into their bedroom, grabbed him and pulled him backwards. My mom called the operator and pa took off before the police arrived. We packed up and left that night and aint seen him since."
I stared at my friend in shock. "I guess it's my turn to be sorry."
Casey smiled. "Don't worry 'bout it none, it's in the past." Casey and I sat in the stands for the long afternoon, watched the boys ride and talked about how she used to barrel ride and her family raised a few horses. I told her about how Sodapop once worked at a stable and there was a horse there that he loved to death and how he was crushed when the horse was sold.
Later that afternoon Casey and I met up with Danny and Tucker who had taken third and second place in the competition. They had cash in their pockets and were ready to party after the sun went down. Tucker slapped Casey on the butt. "Hey girl! You going to get wild and rowdy with me tonight!"
"You bet I am!" She drawled. "How'bout you Danny, you and Scout ready to kick up your heels and party at the big dance?" Then she winked at me.
"Damn straight!" Danny grabbed my hand and the four of us walked to the dinner tent that was set for award presentations and the evening dance under the stars.
"Yeeeee Haaawwwww!" The cowboy yell shocked my system as we stepped into the crowded tent for dinner. Danny laughed at me a little and held me close. "That cowboy give you a fright?"
"A little I guess," I liked being held close to his side. "I just wasn't expecting it."
The four of us filled our plates and sat with the large crowd. As the sun sank from the sky we listened to the names of the big winners from the rodeo. One name caught my ear, Jack Percell.
I looked around the room but didn't see anyone stand up. I turned to Danny, "That's your dad right?" Danny shook his head yes. "Where is he?"
"Well you see, my father finds events like this a bore, so he is probably off getting into a bar fight in some dirty little honky tonk somewhere." Danny was clearly annoyed by his father's behavior. I thought about Dallas and how he avoided being the center of attention unless it was something raunchy or illegal. Dally loved to win but wouldn't ever consider recognition part of his championship. I wondered why some men revered recognition, and some men rejected it.
The announcer completed the presentations and outside the tent I heard a series of gun shots. I jumped at the sound, I had always hated the sound of gunshots, but the crowd hooted and hollered and Danny leaned over and grabbed my hand. "Let's go Darling it's time to dance!"
We headed out with the crowd to dance the night away under the stars. The first dance of the evening was a square dance and I struggled to follow along, don't forget I got an A- in gym class where they taught square dancing. As I struggled I hoped they would play some more rock and roll or dancing music, but this was a rodeo and all we heard was Hank Williams, Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash.
Dancing to country music meant we were either hopping and spinning around or melting together during a melancholy song. I preferred the slow dancing. As Pasty Cline's recording of "Crazy" blared out of the speakers I stepped close to Danny as he held me in his arms. We danced cheek to cheek except for the times that we kissed under the moonlight. I thought about the words of Patsy's song, "And I'm crazy for lovin you..." I thought about how crazy it was that I had fallen for this young man so quickly. I didn't know what, but something about him seemed to complete me, for the moment.
As the night grew long couples slowly faded away from the dance. Danny and I stayed till the very end, and it was well after midnight. Together we strolled back to the little tent city where the party was set to continue. There were cowboys, cowgirls and drinks everywhere. Danny had a few beers and I took some swigs of different alcohols from the bottles past around, but I didn't like any of it. We sat around the bonfire listening to stories of cowboy tales and lies. Upon occasion from the closed tents we would hear the distinct rhythmic panting of a girl followed by an explosive cowboy yodeling "yee haw". Everyone knew what was going on underneath the canvas.
Well into the morning hours Danny smiled down at me. "You ready to hit the hay?"
That smile was more intoxicating then the liquor. "Sure." I said and followed behind him. We removed our socks and shoes, which was done to keep the bedding inside the tent clean. I crawled in and Danny followed me. Inside the tent the glow from the bonfire made everything visible. I watched as Danny undid his big belt buckle and left the leather belt hanging in his jeans. I couldn't help but stare as he undid the button and zipper and slide out of his clothes leaving himself to sleep in his boxers. "Well aren't you going to get comfortable?"
I smiled nervously and pulled off my cut off jean shorts. I was uncomfortable in my bra so I discretely removed that as well. Unplanned the two of us met face to face in the firelight as the panting from another tent filled my ears and made my body tingle. Danny leaned close and kissed me. At first we kissed slow and then the intensity picked up. The young man slowly unbuttoned my white short sleeve shirt revealing my naked breasts. I ran my hand up his bare chest to his neck and then dropped my kisses to the same area.
My body jumped slightly as he laid his hands on my breasts. I relaxed and allowed the sensation to fill my body with an unexplainable desire. We worked together to finish undressing one another until it was just he and I, naked in the passionate glow of the firelight.
I looked into his eyes and knew he didn't want to do anything I didn't want to do. I respected him for that. I thought about stopping and then remembered that I never allowed myself to take the chance or experience life. I decided this would be an experience I wanted to enjoy.
I picked my head up from where it was resting on the pillow and kissed him deeply. I put both of my hands to the side of his face and gently guided him over top of me. Softly he asked me if I was sure I wanted to continue. I answered softly, "Yes".
Danny slowly meshed the two of us together sending slight sensations of pain through my body. My eyes opened wide as I wondered what I had done and if I was really sure of myself. Slowly he moved and as the rhythmic motion increased I developed a quiet whispering pant of my own. I looked up at him propped up on his elbows to keep the bulk of his muscular weight off me. He looked like a heroic knight found only in fairytales. I thought about how handsome he was and I began to sweat in the hot summer night air. Faster and harder he continued to move above me. Faster and harder my silent panting became. Just as I wondered what I was expected to experience the muscles in my legs began to tighten. Within my groin came a sensation that I have no words to describe. Then the sensation exploded to every muscle and nerve in my body causing my back to arch and my body to feel as if, for just a second, it was floating effortlessly in mid air.
No longer could I keep my voice unheard and I spoke impulsively "Danny… oh yes, Danny!" Danny gave into the passion repeating the phrase "Oh yeah, oh yeah" and then fell heavy on my body. The two of us held each other as the panting subsided and we regained our breath.
The young cowboy raised his head and softly caressed my cheek before kissing me one last time before we drifted off to sleep in nothing but our nakedness. With that an era of my life ended. In a moment my virginity was gone at the tender age of fourteen.
