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The blonde sighed and stopped walking. She saw an empty bench nearby and sat on it. The brunet followed and sat next to her.
“Hey, what’s going on? Are you okay?”
“Oh, Ethan!” Shannen sighed again. “Until when will Sendsand Town remain as dusty as it is?”
Confused, the hillbilly only laughed at her.
“What do you mean?”
“This place is just too plain—no castles, no fancy cars on the streets, no modern living…just an old cowboy town,” Shannen answered. “I want something else,”
“But this is Sendsand Town! It’s a wholesome town! You see a lot of crazy cowboys, you get to ride horses, and well…we do have cars too!”
“Old-fashioned cars,”
“Oh, yeah! Old fashioned cars,” Ethan murmured, “And you hear great country music, watch country dances, throw dried cow pies, get free milk from the neighbors, taste the best breads in town—what else do you want?”
Shannen only looked down.
“Hey…cheer up! I’m here! And as long as I’m with you, everything’s gonna be okay!”
“Ethan, you don’t understand…I’m just tired of living the same ol’ way. I want to see something else. I want to see a new kind of lifestyle. Something fantastic and extraordinary. Something elite and beautiful. Something…I’ve never seen ever in my life!”
Ethan stared at her.
“Shannen…if you want that kind of life, you must get out of this place. That’s the only way to experience something you want to see…” the young man replied.
“Hmm…you’re right, Ethan. But that seems so impossible. Dad is a sheriff, and this town needs him. So, I’m afraid…I’ll stay here for the rest of my life,”
Ethan was left speechless. He wished to lift her up with some helpful advice but couldn’t find the right words to say. In fact, he really didn’t want Shannen to move away.
“Hey, do you remember the rodeo competition on the third week?” the brunet blurted, hoping to change the girl’s mood.
“You told me how eager you are to see a live rodeo show, right?”
“A rodeo show…” the blonde paused, thinking deeply. “Oh yeah! I remembered! And I do want to see it!”
“Guess what—I registered for the contest.”
Shannen’s eyes widened and gasped. “Oh Ethan, that’s awesome! I’m so excited for you!”
And with extreme emotions, the blonde hugged the hillbilly tight, squeezing him. Of course, Ethan did nothing but to blush and enjoy the mushy moment.
* * *
Soon the two passed by the busy streets and finally reached the forest where the grassy path led to Shannen’s home. While walking on the field, Ethan’s eyes never failed to rivet on the girl’s innocent face. He wished to hold her hand, but his bashfulness obstructed him from doing so.
Shannen is just...one of a kind, he thought.
Since the girl is not gripped in a romantic relationship, Shannen often met dozens of admirers who competed with each other just to grab a chance of becoming her beau. And of course, one of those persistent devotees would be Ethan himself.
“Hey,” the girl spoke. “Thanks for the time,”
“Oh, that’s nothing!” the young man scratched his head and blushed again.
“…and about that rodeo competition…I’d like to join you,”
“Wha? You wanna do that?”
The brunet asked dramatically, as a stagecoach suddenly passed by from out of nowhere, with an emotional music being played on the background.
“So…you wanna join the competition…with…me?” he asked, still persisting for confirmation.
“Yeah, let’s do that! We’re gonna have fun!!!” the blonde added excitedly. Ethan just stared at her.
“What’s the matter? You don’t like the idea?”
“Oh, no—not that I don’t like it!” the guy defended, smiling. “I’m just…surprised!”
They both laughed. Ethan sighed and took a glance at Shannen once more. As he gazed at her he imagined the event—the place, the audience, the contestants—by pair. The competition went smooth, and as he expected, they won first prize. Shannen jumped for joy, hugged him tight and kissed his desperate lips. The people applaud in chorus— as flowers, confetti and balloons showered above them. There was a romantic cowboy music background, and how merry they all were! Ethan sighed and flushed, almost turning like a ripe tomato in front of Shannen. And while the young man felt the blonde’s lips touching his own, he slowly opened his eyes to take a peek of the girl’s face which almost adhered to him.
“Ethan! Watch out for the rake!”
But the absent-minded guy failed to hear Shannen’s warning and continued a foot, stepping over the spiky edge of a rake that lied on the ground. Its long metal handle heaved upwards, slamming the hillbilly’s vulnerable face. Ethan cried in pain and realized that all those mushy moments were only his daydream.
“Are you okay? What were you thinking about? You look hurt!”
“I’m okay!” Ethan answered. Shannen stared at him and as usual the brunet mantled like crazy, laughing at himself because of deep embarrassment.
“It’s nothing, Shannen, I’m okay! Really!” he said.
“But…your forehead,” She told him. Ethan then touched his forehead and felt a huge lump on it, which grew the size of a potato. He gasped like a lady, but later pretended as if nothing painful was on his head.
“Don’t worry about this! It’s nothing, really! And why should a strong mountaineer like me have to worry about this…small lump?” he told her with a deepened voice, but deep inside him the swell upon his forehead felt as if a hundred-ton-mallet smacked onto his face. Damn that rake! What was that thing doing in this place, anyway? He thought.
Shortly he realized that time was running and he had to go home too, to work in the mountains until sundown.
“I’ve got no time to waste, Shannen,” he told the girl and patted her on the shoulder.
“I understand.”
And as Shannen took the books the young man held for her, she thanked him for the stroll and waved goodbye. Too bad Ethan did not receive a real kiss from her, but to him it was just fine—as long as they both remained as friends. Really.
“Are you okay? What were you thinking about? You look hurt!”
“I’m okay!” Ethan answered. Shannen stared at him and as usual the brunet mantled like crazy, laughing at himself because of deep embarrassment.
“It’s nothing, Shannen, I’m okay! Really!” he said.
“But…your forehead,” She told him. Ethan then touched his forehead and felt a huge lump on it, which grew the size of a potato. He gasped like a lady, but later pretended as if nothing painful was on his head.
“Don’t worry about this! It’s nothing, really! And why should a strong mountaineer like me have to worry about this…small lump?” he told her with a deepened voice, but deep inside him the swell upon his forehead felt as if a hundred-ton-mallet smacked onto his face. Damn that rake! What was that thing doing in this place, anyway? He thought.
Shortly he realized that time was running and he had to go home too, to work in the mountains until sundown.
“I’ve got no time to waste, Shannen,” he told the girl and patted her on the shoulder.
“I understand.”
And as Shannen took the books the young man held for her, she thanked him for the stroll and waved goodbye. Too bad Ethan did not receive a real kiss from her, but to him it was just fine—as long as they both remained as friends. Really.
* * *
The blonde picked up the rake from the ground and opened the white wooden gate enclosing their cottage. Daddy must’ve gathered the dead leaves while I was gone, she thought. She exhaled loudly and continued walking, but before she arrived at the doorway she noticed someone sitting on her swing which was tied from the oak tree.
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