Something You'll Grow Out Of

She climbed the steps of the bus feeling exhausted. Another hour and a half would bring peace and quiet but until then, she would have to deal with them. She scanned the seating options and sighed. Each boy had taken their own seat. Finally, she spotted a vacant spot and made her way down the aisle. Peace was going to be hers and she couldn't wait to finally rest...until a smile made her stop. Suddenly, she didn't want to sit alone.

She smiled back and he seemed to will her into the spot next to him.

"Taken?" she asked.
"No."
She felt the tension leave as she plopped down.
"How did you finish today?" she asked.
"Not too bad," he said.
"I caught a couple of your matches. You're getting better."
"Thanks."

It wasn't that she was full of herself but she could feel the nervousness in him. They kept smiling at each other. She thought to herself, "he's so damn cute."
"How old are you?" she asked.
"I'll be 16...in about a year."
"That's a nice way of saying you're 15."
"How old are you?"
"Ummm....I'll be 18 in a few weeks."
"Nice."
His smile warmed her. She felt relaxed and knew if she said, "hey, wanna make out," he would probably die.
"Are those....uhhhh....cowboy boots you're wearing?" she asked surprised.
"Yeah."
"Those are....uhhhh....nice."
"Thanks."
"I used to listen to country music a lot."
"I love country music!" he said.
"You'll grow out of it."
"I don't think I will."
"It's so lame. I was flipping through the stations the other day and there was some dumb song on about a guy who painted a green heart on a watertower." She felt so much older. So wise.
"That's my favorite song," he said.
"Oh. Sorry."
"No, that's okay...but maybe if I sing it to you, you'll like it."
She smiled. This boy was just...a boy. And she was an 18-year-old girl. He was cute and she appreciated the crush he had on her. Maybe if he had been older...but then again, maybe he would know better.
"Sing it," she said.
And he did...along with Joe Diffie, the rest of the Whiskey Barrel Saloon...and the girl who said he would grow out of it.