The Nights Were Young Read online

  “I gotta go,” she heard him say. He hung up the phone and put something in his backpack.

  “I want to talk,” Marie blurted out.

  Travis looked at her for a moment. His face was stoic. “About what?”

  “About what I said today.”

  “There’s not really much to say, pretty girl,” he answered as he started to walk past her.

  She put her hand on his chest and stopped him. “I think there’s a lot to talk about.”

  “If you’re worried about me getting you in more trouble then don’t. I won’t get you in trouble anymore.”

  “What the hell does that mean? What are you leaving or something?

  “Yeah, Marie. The trailer trash you’re trying to avoid thinking about is getting out for good.”

  He started to walk off again.

  This time she grabbed his shoulder. “Travis,” she ordered. “You know I don’t think of you like that.” She turned him around and spoke quietly, “Why are you being like this?”

  He breathed heavily. “It doesn’t matter, pretty girl.”

  “It does to me.”

  “Really? It matters to you? Where’s the necklace I gave you then?”

  She stood back.

  “We don’t even need to talk anymore, Marie.”

  “But I want to,” she said. “I don’t… I don’t want you to just leave like this.”

  He laughed. “Well I have to leave, pretty girl. I got places to go right now.” He turned around, about to walk away.

  “I’ll go with you,” she said without thinking.

  He paused. “You don’t want to go where I’m going.”

  She jumped in front of him. “Yes! Yes, I do. I want to go with you. Wherever you’re going, I’ll go with you.”

  He sighed. “You sure?”

  Marie took a deep breath. “Yes.”

  **********

  The heater in Travis’s truck was on full blast to keep them warm in the winter chill outside. They had left the school parking lot and traveled down the highway, and then they had left the highway and gone down a small, poorly paved road that led through pastures.

  “Where are we going?” Marie asked.

  Travis lit a cigarette. “Somewhere.”

  Marie was not scared, not with him. She looked at Travis. He was looking forward down the road.

  “What do you have to do?” she asked.

  “Something,” he answered.

  She put her hand on his leg. “Please tell me.”

  He looked down at her hand, then at her face. He moved her hand away. “You’ll see anyway.”

  She moved away. Out the window she could see an old house in one of the pastures. It was rotting. It leaned to one side. Windows were broken, and one of the limbs of the tree next to it had fallen through the roof.

  “I don’t understand you,” Marie said.

  He remained quiet.

  “What if I could be different?” she asked.

  He flicked out his cigarette out. “You are different. You’re different from any other girl I know. And I don’t want you to be like them.”

  He slowed down the truck and turned onto a dirt road. It led to a small house at the front line of some woods at the end of the pasture.

  “Will you promise me that?” he said. “You won’t be like them… or me.”

  He stopped at the house and killed the engine. He looked at Marie, and she did not say anything. He reached into the back and grabbed his backpack. “You should stay here.”

  Marie watched him walk up the steps and straight into the house. The air seeping in through the open window was making her shiver. She waited, and waited. Ten minutes later, he came out of the house with his backpack. He got back in the truck and lit a cigarette.

  “What did you do?” she asked.

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  They were silent during the drive back. The pastures turned into parking lots again, and the small road turned back into the highway. Travis pulled the truck to a stop next to Marie’s car in the high school parking lot.

  “You know, the Winter Festival is this week,” Marie said.

  “Yeah I know.”

  “Are you going?”

  He shrugged.

  “I would like to go with you,” she said.

  He sneered. “You sure about that?”

  “Yes,” she sighed. “God, Travis, you’re so…”

  “What, Marie? What am I? An ass?”

  “Moody. You’re so damn moody. You were happy this morning, and now all of a sudden you can barely look at me.”

  “You’re one to talk. You’re more back and forth than I am. Stop overreacting. I guess I just had all day to think about things.”

  “Both of us are so back and forth,” Marie said, and she looked out the window. “Why do we have to be like that? So… unsure of everything.”

  “I think we’re both pretty sure on everything.”

  Marie stared at him. “What do you mean?”

  He looked at her for a moment, and then shook his head and looked forward. “Neither of us,” he started, and he paused, but then he forced the words out, “neither of us have the balls to admit that we want each other. That we really want each other.”

  Marie looked away from him again. He was right.

  “Why?” she asked. “Why can’t we just admit it?”

  Silence.

  Finally, he spoke. “Because neither of us thinks we’re supposed to be together.”

  “Why do you think that?” she asked.

  He laughed a little. “Seriously, what’s with you and all the questions?”

  Marie looked at him, eyeing him until he would answer.

  He shook his head. “You can do better me. I realized that today, pretty girl. There’s more to life than this shitty town, and when you leave you’re gonna realize that. And maybe you’ll never find a guy that makes your mom happy… but I hope you’ll eventually leave here and find what makes you happy.”

  She sat still, and together they stayed in silence.

  “What makes you happy?” Marie finally asked.

  For a moment he looked at her. She was the answer to that question, but then he shook his head and looked out the window.

  “Nothing,” he said jokingly. “I’m a miserable soul.”

  “Tell me,” she said, laughing and shoving him.

  She had pushed against his arm, which had pushed into his ribs. He screamed out in pain and cursed.

  Marie jumped back. “What? What happened?”

  He clutched at his ribs. “Damn it, Marie!”

  “Travis, I’m sorry. I didn’t - I didn’t even push you that hard.”

  She went to move his jacket back to see the damage. He pulled away from her.

  “Leave it alone,” he muttered.

  Marie eyed him sternly, and he knew she would not let it go. “Travis, let me see it.”

  He waited a moment, and then he moved his arms away. Marie slowly moved the jacket back to see his wife beater. Then she slowly lifted that. He jumped when her fingers ran over his ribs.

  “Sorry,” she whispered.

  Under his clothes, there was a dark blue bruise in the middle of his right side ribs.

  “Oh my God. Travis, what happened?”

  He pulled away and put his shirt down.

  “What happened?” she repeated. “Was this from Brandon?”

  “No,” he answered. He sat up straight and looked forward. “Please go, Marie.”

  She sat still, frozen in those words she never thought he’d say to her. “Travis…”

  “Please, just go.”

  She took her things when she got out. Travis barely glanced her way. He kept his gaze forward, and she saw his lips quivering and hands shaking. A moment later, he forced himself to drive away from her.

  XXIII

  “My butt looks great!” Kate said.

  It was Friday night. Marie’s mother and father had gone to a dinner banquet
with his company, and her mother believed Marie to be home alone. Marie was with Kate, in Kate’s bedroom. Kate had her back turned to her mirror. She examined her new jeans. Marie was on the edge of Kate’s bed, putting on lip gloss. Her mother couldn’t control her forever, and she would never know anyway. The night was young and waiting to be lived, and Marie couldn’t let it slip past her… not anymore, even if Travis wasn’t there.

  “What do you do at a winter festival?” Marie asked.

  “Uh, you have a good time, that’s what.” Kate turned and looked at Marie. “I don’t mean to be a jerk or anything, honey, but you’ve been pretty depressing lately.”

  Marie did not respond.

  Kate turned back to the mirror. “It’s Travis isn’t it? Why haven’t you talked to him? It’s been days.”

  “He’s been avoiding me,” Marie said. “I tried texting him yesterday and he never said anything back.”

  “Give him some time, Marie. He loves you. He’ll come back around.”

  A car honked from outside.

  “That’s Joey,” Kate said. “You ready?”

  The Crossfalls Winter Festival was more impressive than Marie had expected. The fair grounds were coated in bright Christmas lights. There were fluorescent Santa’s and neon reindeer. There were booths and stands. Joey was spending what money he had playing games for Kate. It took him three times to pitch a ball into bowling pins, stacked in a pyramid, and knock them over, winning her a stuffed elf. A live band played on a small stage. There was a Ferris wheel, there were food and drinks, and there were countless couples hand in hand. Marie’s hands were in the pockets of her jacket.

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to ride with you?” Kate asked.

  They were at the front of the line for the Ferris wheel.

  “I’m fine,” Marie said. “You two have fun.”

  Kate hugged her and squealed. “I’m so afraid of heights. Joey, you better not rock the damn cart.”

  The attendant led her and Joey into their seats, and they were lifted away.

  Marie’s phone vibrated in her pocket. The screen read: NEW MESSAGE. It was from her mother.

  MOM: We’ll be home by 9. Make yourself dinner.

  Marie rolled her eyes. It was seven-thirty.

  “You don’t have anyone to ride with you?” the attendant asked.

  “No,” Marie answered.

  “I’ll ride with her,” said a voice from behind her.

  Marie turned around.

  It was David, the jock Travis had fought in the parking lot.

  “Hell no,” Marie said. “I’ll just pass.”

  She moved around David and walked away from the ride.

  “What? You still don’t like me?” He followed her.

  “That’s an understatement,” Marie said. “Please go away.”

  “Come on. I was wondering if you ever wanted to take me up on my offer for a date.”

  Marie turned around. The boy was smirking.

  “It’s still a no,” she said.

  She kept walking. When she noticed he was still following her, about to say more worthless words, she whipped around and lied. “You know Travis is here with me tonight. You want him to kick your ass again?”

  David laughed. “I don’t think Travis is here with you.”

  Marie gulped. “Yes he is.”

  “I’m pretty sure I saw ‘Trailer Trash’ and his buddies catching a movie on my way in here.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah, well I’m sure it won’t be long before the cops arrest their sorry asses anyway,” he said as he pointed behind her.

  Marie turned around and saw two officers talking with a group of kids. The kids were pointing away from the fairgrounds. Marie tried to make out what they were saying, and she believed she understood one of them say the words “that way.”

  “I would tell ‘em where they are, but I can’t risk a breathalyzer,” David said.

  “Where’s Travis?” she asked him.

  “Why would I tell you that?” he sneered. “You don’t want to be around him, Marie. You’ll end up in jail. Just hang out with me for the rest of the night.”

  Marie turned around and walked quickly. She moved past booths and tents. She stayed out of sight of the officers. When she was far enough away from them she started running, faster and faster. David had said Travis and his friends were “catching a movie.” There was only place in that direction close enough to the fairgrounds for him to see Travis on his way in: the drive-in theatre.

  The drive-in theatre was dark. It was closed. The nearest light was a streetlight on the corner, but it still left most of the area in shadow.

  Marie approached slowly. She could hear voices from inside the wall of metal panels. She circled around it and found one of the panels had been pulled from the bottom far enough to leave a space for entrance. Marie took a deep breath. Her stomach dropped with nerves, but she could already imagine the blue and red lights surrounding the drive-in and officers putting Travis in handcuffs. She crouched down, pulled up the panel, and slid in.

  “Damn it!” she exclaimed. There was a sharp edge that cut her arm.

  When she stood she saw three shadowy figures staring her way and whispering.

  “Who is that?” she heard one say. It was a girl’s voice. It was a familiar voice.

  She could see Travis. He was holding a smoking joint in one hand, and a bottle in the other. Marie walked forward. “Travis?”

  “Oh God,” he said in surprise. “Marie, why are you here?” His arm moved, and he held the bottle behind his back.

  She could see them under the sliver of moonlight now. There was Travis. There was an older man, maybe in his twenties, with a goatee and a skull cap on his head. There was the older girl there that she had seen at the party by the cliffs, Kristen. Upon seeing her, Marie immediately felt her face turning red and her jaws clenched. She almost forgot the smell of weed that surrounded them in her fast growing anger and jealousy.

  “Why is she here, Travis?” Marie asked.

  “Who the hell are you?” Kristen said. Then she got a better look at Marie. “Travis, this girl again?”

  “Kristen, be quiet,” Travis said as he walked to Marie. “Marie, I didn’t think I’d see you tonight.”

  She could have screamed at him and knocked the bottle out of his hands. She could have grabbed that girl’s hair and threw her to the ground, but time was running out until the police arrived. “Travis, we need to get out of here.”

  “Get her out of here, Trav.” the man in his twenties said.

  “I’m taking care of it,” Travis said.

  “Who is that?” Marie asked about the man.

  “That’s Benji. Don’t worry about him. What’s wrong?”

  “There are cops coming,” Marie said.

  “What?” Benji yelled. “You brought the cops with you?”

  “No. I saw them at the fairgrounds. I think they’re on their way here.”

  “Shit,” Kristen said. “Let’s go.”

  “How do you know?” Travis asked.

  “I saw them asking around, and it looked like some people were pointing them here,” Marie said, and she grabbed Travis by the hand. “Come on. We need to go.”

  The girl yanked Marie’s hand off of Travis’s. She grabbed Travis’s shoulder.

  “Leave him alone,” Kristen said. “You should get out of here.”

  “I think she’s lying,” Benji said. “I don’t see any lights.”

  Travis pulled away from both girls. He dug into his pocket and retrieved some cash. He put it in Benji’s hand. “She wouldn’t lie, man.”

  Then Travis turned around to see the two girls standing before him. He looked back and forth between them. He marched to Marie and grabbed her by the hand.

  “Come on, Marie.”

  “Travis,” the girl yelled.

  There was no stopping them. Travis went out of the drive-in wall first and held the panel out for Marie. They locked
hands and carried swiftly across the dirt and grass to the shadows of the trees, away from the street. There were faint lights coming from the distance. When they came closer, it was clear that the lights were blue and red.

  “Shit,” Travis said.

  He darted left into of a group of bushes in a vacant lot that was next to the street. He dragged Marie quickly along by her arm, and together they crouched among the tall weeds. Travis was in front of her, his shoulders raised and arms outstretched, with both hands on the ground seeming ready to lift him into a run.

  The police car raced to the drive-in and screeched to a halt at the metal wall. The officers jumped out and began circling, shining flashlights on every inch of the premises. Moments later the panel lifted and two shadowy figures of Benji and Kristen crawled out. They ran, but before they could get around the corner they were stopped by one of the officers. The next moment they were surrounded on either side by both. Kristen was screaming something, and Benji remained silent.

  “Damn,” Travis whispered.

  “Are they gonna tell where you are?” Marie asked.

  “I don’t know. Benji won’t say a word. I can’t promise about Kristen.” He stood and said in a low tone, “We need to get out of here.”

  They moved past the vacant lot and past a few streets. They passed through the edge of the fairgrounds and then away from the lights and all the people. Marie’s phone vibrated.

  KATE: Where are you?

  “Come on, we gotta move faster,” Travis said.

  Marie nearly lost him he was moving so fast.

  MARIE: I’m with Travis. I’ll call you when I can.

  They came to an abandoned house. It was tucked away in an area of small woods near the lake. It was small, built of bricks, covered in unkempt vines and resting among feet tall weeds and grass. Many of the windows were broken, what little furniture left in the house was in pieces, and the only sounds around it were the soft ripples from the lake and singing crickets out in the wilderness.

  “This place is creepy,” Marie whispered.

  “Yeah, but the cops aren’t gonna look here.” Travis moved easily into the house.

  Marie hesitated at the doorway. Travis came back to her and extended his hand.