RE: Trailer Trash 7 pt 2 (Patreon)

   “E-town’s… a really long drive,” Casey muttered, doing her very best not to scowl into the hand she was resting her cheek on as she doodled. “Like… ugh.”

   “I know,” Alicia winced. “I have gas money. And—you know, money money. I can pay you. I really need to get to Elizabethtown before December.”

   Alicia gravitated towards the older girl now whenever she was in Mr. Peterson’s class for her Drawing elective. As a student assistant, Casey frequented the art room throughout several different periods. Whenever she wasn’t toiling away over at the sinks muttering obscenities under her breath at all of the students who neglected to properly clean their paintbrushes, Casey could be found loitering at one of the tables drawing cartoon bunnies.

   “What for?” Casey glanced her way with suspicion, peeking over at Alicia’s binder and artbooks.

   “Uhh,” Alicia protectively pulled the binder closer when she remembered it was her nudie folder that normally never ever left her hiding spot at home. “It’s a secret. Top secret, can’t say.”

   “Top secret, huh?” Casey pouted, drumming her fingertips on the scarred and paint-flecked surface of the art room table. “Okay… did you buy an art club shirt?”

   “I did,” Alicia nodded. “Gonna wear it soon, I promise. Hasn’t been washed yet. I can buy another one, if you need me to.”

   “Wear your shirt every Thursday for art club meetings,” Casey negotiated, pursing her lips. “I’ll need gas money. Annnnd I want you to be art club treasurer.”

   “You’re art club treasurer,” Alicia pointed out.

   “Acting treasurer,” Casey made a face. “And, now also… acting president.”

   “...Oh,” Alicia gave her a sympathetic look. “Sorry.”

   “It’s a small school,” Casey shrugged. “Mr. Peterson says some years the art club just doesn’t really make it, even if it starts off real strong. We had twenty seven people at the start of the year, and now it’s already basically down to just six. Counting me. Me, you, Matthew, Bill, Mike, and Ethan. And, Mike and Ethan—they’re flakey.”

   “Sorry,” Alicia apologized again. “I can… probably be treasurer. Is that just like, handling money? Accounting stuff?”

   “Accounting stuff?” Casey blinked. “We’re a high school art club—your job’s to sell art club tee shirts.”

   “...To who?” Alicia asked, raising her eyebrows. “No one comes to art club anymore.”

   “You want me to drive you to E-town, or not?” Casey gave her a withering look.

   “Uhhh I can guilt-trip my dad into buying a shirt?” Alicia gave her a weak smile. “And stuff? I mean, I can be treasurer, but—listen, I’m not really a people person. I don’t think I can get people to buy stuff. Matthew didn’t want to do it?”

   “He’s... kinda already only showing up at meetings to hang out with me,” Casey revealed with a sigh. “Not so much into the whole art thing.”

   “Ah,” Alicia gave her an awkward nod. “Yeah. I did… hear about you guys.”

   “‘Bout me and Matthew?” Casey gave her another glance before returning to her doodle. “Shit. Yeah. I knew your one friend had a crush on him, and now she’s all… she seems to be taking it really hard. I totally wasn’t trying to rub her face in it that night or anything, it was just super stressful and—”

   “I think Elena’s big makeover thing has more to do with Tabitha than with the Matthew thing,” Alicia admitted.

   “I feel like shit about it,” Casey said. “By the time I even thought of it, Matthew’d already been holding me for a while there in the hospital waiting area. And I was like, wearing his hoodie and all over him and… usually I’m way better about stuff with, uh. Keeping things discreet and all. Especially there in front of his mom! That was just… a horrible night.”

   “Really appreciated that you were there for us, then,” Alicia said. “I can... talk to Elena about the Matthew thing, if you want?”

   “What, in exchange for a trip to Etown?” Casey chuckled as she colored in the large round eyes of her Cocoa Cinnabun drawing.

   “No, of course not,” Alicia said with an aghast expression. “Buuut, also yes; if it’ll get you to drive me out there?”

*     *     *

   “So, why did you have to keep your relationship all secret?” Alicia asked with interest.

   Elizabethtown was a fair drive away, and Casey’s garnet GMC Jimmy was hurtling down the road. Both girls wore jackets despite the rush of air from the heaters, and LeAnn Rimes sung out a breathy melody of heartache from Casey’s less-than-capable speakers as additional background noise. Alicia didn’t mind any of it— she was too excited to get to their destination.

   “It’s this whole stupid thing,” Casey grimaced. “There’s like, a bajillion reasons. We’re technically the same age, but because our birthdays are far enough apart, I’m a year ahead of him in school, so now all of the sudden I’m this cradle-robber to some people.”

   “Oh, wow,” Alicia remarked. “So, it’s like pressure from the other juniors? Or the sophomores? I thought it was to keep away from the jealousy drama stuff, since Matthew’s… popular.”

   “The jealousy drama stuff is at least a majillion of the bajillion reasons, yeah,” Casey admitted. “Everyone gets so stupid about it.”

   “A majillion, huh?” Alicia laughed.

   “And then, also… nah I can’t tell you that part,” Casey teased.

   “Tell me what part?!” Alicia jumped at the bait with enthusiasm.

   “Well…” Casey smiled, pretending to be reluctant. “Also it’s that if people knew we were a thing, there’s no way they’d let us run around unsupervised together at all the youth group events our church has.”

   “Oh. Ohhhh,” Alicia covered her mouth in surprise to hide her huge smile. “I see.”

   “It’s not even what you think,” Casey shrugged shamelessly. “Not exactly. We make out a lot, and that’s pretty much it.”

   “That’s enough, though,” Alicia said. “Sounds really awesome just with that.”

   “Did you have a crush on Matthew?” Casey asked. “Do you think I’m some sort of cradle robber?”

   “No, no,” Alicia laughed. “The… person I like is... also a little bit younger than me. We’re still in the same grade though, at least.”

   “The person you like?!” Casey exclaimed in surprise. “Who?”

   “I’m not telling,” Alicia scoffed.

   “Is it a boy, or a girl?” Casey asked.

   “What?” Alicia snapped. “Why would it be a girl.”

   “I don’t know, I just thought—” Casey laughed, although she faltered into an awkward expression the moment she noticed Alicia’s glare. “Uhhh, I was actually just messing with you. None of my business. Totally cool if you’re into whoever you’re into, so long as it’s not Matthew.”

   “It’s not Matthew.”

   “Okay, cool.”

   “Cool.”

   “Is it anyone I know?” Casey prodded, holding up a hand before Alicia could deliver a retort. “Just askin’, ‘cause like, a great way for you to get closer to him? Bring him to art club every Thursday.”

   “Casey…” Alicia growled.

   “No, no, it’s totally legit, because you can just say you’re asking him ‘cause art club is so desperate for people right now!” Casey arched an eyebrow. “Getting extra time to hang out with him would just be icing on the cake for you. Right?”

   “You’re unbelievable,” Alicia made a noise of mock disgust and shook her head in dismay. “Actually, I was thinking about art club a bit. I think Elena would be perfect for treasurer.”

   “So, it’s Elena,” Casey decided. “You like Elena. That’s cool, she’s cute.”

   “That’s not funny,” Alicia said. “What I mean is, like, I’m an artist. Not a... business-minded person. If Elena was treasurer, she would go in with a plan and stuff. Set goals, talk to people. She’d probably get a bunch of people joining and attending art club.”

   “Wait, are you being serious?” Casey’s playful smile faded away. “Wouldn’t that be—is she even into art stuff? Wouldn’t that be weird because of the whole Matthew and me thing?”

   “No clue,” Alicia shrugged. “I’m not gettin’ into all that stuff. S’none of my business.”

   “Do you think she’d even go for it?” Casey wondered out loud.

   “Before, I’d have said no,” Alicia said. “Now—it’s a maybe? She’s really trying to set herself apart from who she was and be different now, and art’s all about expression. Right? Elena could be the brooding art club goth girl.”

   “Fuck,” Casey swore. “You’re right, I can already picture it. She’d be perfect. But... then, how do I make sure she keeps her grubby little freshman paws off of my Matthew?!”

   “Grubby little freshman paws? You know what, Casey? I think the whole love triangle drama thing’ll be a big draw, actually,” Alicia relished her chance to tease Casey for a change. “Great angle for convincing her to join the club. We’ll get Matthew to ask her!”

   “That’s not funny,” Casey said, making a face. “Wait... do you think that’d work?”

*     *     *

   “Ughhhh you’ve gotta be fucking kidding me!” Casey groaned as they finally pulled into an empty parking space. “Seriously. Seriously?!”

   “This isn’t even on Dixie Avenue!” Alicia complained loudly in agreement, feeling a mixture of guilt and irritation. “They said they were on Dixie Avenue. I swear. They totally lied. It’s way back in here.”

   Although the storefront they’d been searching for in Elizabethtown was nestled in the very back of a small shopping center and somewhat removed from the main road, it did feature a tacky sign out in the streetside marquee that said HOBBY STATION in simple blocky letters. Between griping about the drama queens at Springton High and blaring the radio, however, the girls had somehow both missed it on their first pass and gone nearly six miles before realizing they’d overshot their destination.

   “This place looks… small,” Casey said with a dour look. “You’re absolutely sure whatever secret thing you need isn’t something the mall in Fairfield would’ve had?”

   “Absolutely sure,” Alicia lied with a straight face. “We called and checked literally everywhere. Do you want me to just run in real quick?”

   “No way,” Casey refused, turning off the engine and unbuckling her seatbelt. “After all this way? There’s no way whatever you’re getting stays a secret.”

   “It stays a secret,” Alicia grinned, freeing herself from her seatbelt and opening her door.

   The two teens left the GMC Jimmy and stepped out into the chilly November air of Elizabeth town, hurrying over into the barn-like decore of Hobby Station.

   “Hello, there,” the apparent proprietor was a nondescript middle-aged man rather than a kindly grandpa figure like Alicia thought he should have been, and Alicia stepped over to the counter while Casey was immediately distracted by a large and overly intricate display of model trains.

   Sure, it’s a cool diorama and all— but you’re supposed to be a Junior in high school!

   “Um. Hi!” Alicia squeaked out, hurrying to unfold a piece of notebook paper from her pocket. “My mom called ahead, I’m looking for… a Dragon Models YF-22 Lightning 2? They said you had it in stock here?”

   “Dragon models?” Casey said with interest, immediately nosing her way back over towards them. “You have dragon models?”

   “Not literal dragon models, I’m afraid,” the man said with a good-natured laugh. “S’a brand, Dragon Models makes military model kits. I was the one who took that call the other day, had one set aside here for ya.”

   The man pulled a small box from an area behind the counter and placed it in front of Alicia before she could conceal the design on the front from Casey.

   “It’s... a fighter jet toy,” Casey looked confused. “You needed a little fighter jet? From here?”

   “It’s a specific model, not a toy!” Alicia cried out in exasperation. She gave her friend a pointed look as if to indicate she should worry about offending the salesman here, but the man just chuckled again as he punched the price into the register.

   “Comes to twenty-three ninety-nine,” the man said. “We don’t sell a lot of these ones, actually. Everyone wants to build the F-18 models after seeing that Independence Day movie with the aliens.”

   “Independence Day?” Alicia echoed, glancing down at the fighter jet artwork on the model kit box. “Uhhh, yeah out of curiosity, are F-22s like this in any big movies or shows? Where would someone have even seen F-22s?”

   “F-22s?” The man paused to think. “Something on the news, maybe? Nowhere else I can think of... no, nothing really comes to mind. Independence Day had F-18s. I know those Iron Eagle movies had F-16s. The F-14 kits with the sweeping wing like from Top Gun are still real popular, of course. Can’t say as many collectors are interested in the F-22s, just yet.”

   “That’s… interesting,” Alicia said with a small smile. “Huh.”

   “Twenty four bucks, for a fighter jet model,” Casey hissed in an exaggerated whisper. “Who wanted this?”

   “It’s a surprise, for someone’s birthday,” Alicia gave the salesman an apologetic smile on Casey’s behalf while she pulled out a twenty dollar bill and then singled some ones out of a little blue velcro wallet. “I’m gonna put it together and paint it for them.”

   “Is he like, in the air force, or…?” Casey gave Alicia a searching look.

   “It’s a best friend thing, you wouldn’t get it,” Alicia rolled her eyes. “It’s symbolic. It symbolizes trust between me and—well, you wouldn’t get it.”

   “If you say so?” Casey said with a doubtful smile. “Best friend, huh? Just seems kinda… weird?”

   “Yeah, so?” Alicia smiled. “We’re weird friends.”

   “Is he cute?” Casey elbowed Alicia.

   “Um,” Alicia couldn’t help but look flustered. “Yeah? Kinda?”

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/// Think I have one more teaser for the August chapter apart from this section here, gonna work on it tonight and hopefully have it ready by tomorrow.