Rebel Soul (12 page)

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Mon 25th June

Emily set at the breakfast table with her family eating French toast and listening to her brother’s tease her about the night before. She was sick to death of it, so sick of it she wanted to scream, but set in angry silence, trying hard to ignore them and their words. She didn’t think any of was funny, and thought she hated them at the moment.

"He loves you Emily and you shot him, your e-v-i-l." Josh laughed sounding out the word evil. You ass hole she thought.

"Emily the heartbreaker, breaks his heart then she shots him down like a dog." Dan laughed and Josh joined him in the laughter.

Rolling her eyes, Emily looked up from her plate, as she let the words roll off her tongue, the words she had held back all through breakfast. “Shut up, none of this is funny, don’t any of you have heart? Don’t any of you see that I’m dying here, I can’t take anymore?” She knocked her glass of juice over, and it ran off onto the floor.

"Enough, enough," Jack shouted interrupting her before she could finish, before she could stand up and run away. Everyone instantly became quite and stared his direction.

"I will have no more talk about that boy at this table, ever, and Emily no more playing with guns unless you intend to kill the SOB. You hear me." Then he stood still looking at her, she wanted to shrivel up and disappear. “The next time you shoot someone Emily they better not live to tell about it, you hear me, and clean up that juice.” Then he turned and walked away leaving them all sitting at the table staring in silence as he left.

The boy's tried to stifle their laughs as Emily and her mother, quietly stood to clear the dishes from the table. She spend the morning helping her Mom around the house, never saying a word. After all the work was done she snuck a cigarette out of her Mom's pack and walked out to the porch, set down in the swing and lit it. She hadn't smoked a cigarette in months, and only on occasions then. The cigarette swiftly made her dizzy.

"You smoking these day's honey?" Judy ask as she set down on the swing beside her.

"Yes," she answered then thought to herself and among other things. “No not really," Emily added. "I just felt like I needed one."

"Emily be careful in your decision about this boy.” Emily felt the stare of her Moms caring eyes, and could see the worry in them.

“I will Mom." Emily continued to smoke her cigarette and stared out toward the woods.

"I knew that Johnson Boy was what, you had on your mind be careful Emily” her Mom told her again.

"Don't worry about me Mom," Emily kissed her Mom on the check and walked off toward the cemetery.

"Hey Joe," Emily said as she walked up to his grave and set down. A new joint had been left at the head of the grave and Emily picked it up, seeing the jar of shine setting beside it she said, “So Josh has been visiting you to Hu, leaving you pot and shine, yeah this is hard on him to I imagine, hard on all of us.” She knew Josh missed him to as much as she did, and wanted to cry, but held back the tears. She picked up the jar of shine then held it above her head.  

"What’s in it Joe?" she examined the jar. "Is that apples?" Emily laughed. “Well Joe I'm going to take both of these little items with me. Talk to you later.” She blew a kiss and walked off, “oh sorry, I love you.” She turned back and said.

Emily had decided it was time to go see Billy, and headed toward the trap door, she looked through the bushes and found the flashlight, then climbed in the trap door and lit the joint. She felt like she needed to calm her nerves and smoke it before seeing Billy. Emily really had no ideal, what to say or do, she just knew the need to see him, was pushing her forward.

When she got to the entrance Emily seen him sleeping on the floor of the cave, and watched him for a minute as he slept. Staring at his handsome face and muscular body. His shirt was off, and his muscles bulged. She longed to touch him at that minute, and reached out her hand out to touch his shoulder. The heat flared up inside her at the feel of his skin under her fingers.

“Billy" she whispered softly. He opened his eye's staring at her as if he were seeing her for the first time. She lowered herself and laid down beside him, resting her hands on his chest.

“What happened to you?" she whispered, his right eye was black and his lip swollen, and she gently ran her fingers across his face.

"Oh just a little fight with my brother John, it's nothing. So you came." He pulled her into his arms, and kissed her gently. She enjoyed his kiss, and knew at that moment there would be no turning back.

"Over me?" she ask.

"I’m so happy you came to me Emily.” He smiled avoiding her question. She knew the answer though.

"Billy you know I love you. If we start this up again there's no turning back, and I don't know if we should be open with our relationship or hide it. I just don't know the answer but I do know I love you, and want to be with you forever."

Billy pulled her tighter in his arms, as if she might leave again. “All I know is I want to be with you. I think we should just, go with the flow. I love you," he kissed her, "I missed you Baby." Billy set up, "You want to smoke a joint?" She smiled

"Sure and I brought some shine."

"What’s that in it?” he ask looking at the jar narrowing his eyes.

Emily laughed "I think its apples" and she opened the jar then took a drink. “Yes its apples, and they are sour,” she puckered and laughed.

    They talked, laughing as they shared the joint and shine. The warmth around him caused her emotions to move, and before Emily knew it they were kissing long passionate kisses, their tongues darting in and out of each other’s mouths as the music of Amazed played on the boom box.

    He slid his hand up her shirt, gently massaging her breast. Every nerve of her body, felt him, every nerve of her body wanted him. She felt his kisses hot against her neck and ran her hand up his bare back. She wanted him, more now than ever and loved him as warmth felled her body. She in return, explored his with her hands, touched every muscle, as she let him explore hers.

    She knew there was no stopping and she didn’t want to. Her mind was made up she would only go forward with her love for him. She let him make love to her and her to him, forgetting the anger their families had for one another. The trial of Billy's brother Jr. the death of her brother Joe by the hands of Billy’s brother. All forgotten in that moment of passion. All forgotten.

"Oh my God Emily I love you even more, if that’s possible." Billy said out of breath as, and pulled her naked body closer to his.

"I love you to Billy." She kissed his shoulder, happy with her decision to continue her relationship with him. Happy to be with the man she loved. Their eyes grew heavy as they laid together and dosed off to sleep.

Emily woke a few hours later to Billy nibbling at her ear. She giggled, but knew she should get home soon, "Shit how long have, we been asleep?" She ask smiling, quite enjoying his mouth on her ear. She rolled toward him, and kissed him, pulling him to her. We were made for each other, she thought as the comfort of his warmth, wrapped around her, sent a feeling of ease through her soul.

"I don't know, its dark out, see I tied the bushes back so we could see out." Billy told her as he stared into her eyes. “I can’t finally rest, Emily now that I know your mine.” He told her, she felt that way to, and didn’t want to leave him.

She looked out the cave entrance and liked the way he had tied the bushes back. She could see the stars glowing in the sky. It felt peaceful, laying in the cave, listening to the crickets chirp, as the stars looked down at them, and wanted to stay like that forever, but knew she would be in trouble if she didn’t get home.

"Dam I need to get home." Emily started to set up.

"Oh no you don't." Billy pulled her back down and climbed on top of her. “I don’t want to let you go.”

She didn’t want to go either, "Billy I need to get home, I’m going to be in trouble."

"Dam,” He laid back, pulled her to him and kissed her, “I'll walk you home, I can't let you walk in the dark by yourself."

They both smiled and staring at each other as they got dressed. Stopping a time or two to make out. Then they would giggle, laughing at their high on love.

Billy took her hand and gently kissed it then led her down the creek and toward Emily's house.

She braced herself for the argument, she knew was coming, as the lights from her house shined in the distance, and her nerves, send messages of danger to her brain, and she felt her body begin to shake.

"Billy maybe you should go on now." She could hear the alarm in her voice.

"No I will at least walk you to the end of the path." He had his arm around her as they walked. She wanted to shout Billy no they might shoot you, but instead she let him walk her.

They reached the end of the path Billy pulled her into his arms, and kissed her bye, "Good night, I love you Emily Canton." She ran her fingers across his smiling lips.

"I love you to Billy Johnson," she told him, and started to head to her house.

"Wait a minute," Billy said as he reached for her arm.  "You want to go swimming with me tomorrow?" His eyes lit up.

"Sure were to?" Of course she wanted to spend the day with Billy.

"Down at the river, I'll pick you up around ten." He held up all his fingers.

"At my house, in my driveway." Her eyes grew wide, as her soul gave an uneasy jump.

"Why not Emily, if we plan on being together, we shouldn't hide it." He told her but she thought he looked a little uneasy.

"Ok I'll be ready." She said against her better judgment. Then she kissed him again, not wanting to let him go.

Emily walked to her house and through the front door.

"Were have you been Emily?" her Dad shouted.

"Just out, walking.” She lied.

"With who Emily? And don't tell me you walked by yourself in the dark. Don't lie to me. He pointed his finger at her.” He was shaking with anger “You’re Mother and I have been worried sick."

"Well Dad, I met Billy, smoked a joint, got drunk on moonshine then fell asleep, and no I didn't walk home by myself, Billy walked with me, refusing to let me walk alone." She shouted back at him, being rebellious and defiant.

"Oh my God" Emily heard her Mom say. Then she turned and stormed off to bed, yelling good night on her way. She slammed the door to her bedroom, she wasn’t going to hide her relationship any longer. “I’m tired of this shit” she said as she climbed into bed.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Tues 26th June

Dressed in her dark, purple bikini with a tee shirt and cuts offs pulled over it. Emily set on the porch and waited for Billy, he would be picking her up in about five minutes. Out of the corner of her eye she seen her Mom look out the window from the living room. It was positioned next to the swing, and Emily knew her Mom could see her through it. Shit she thought, then she heard the door open and her Mom stepped out.

"Where are you going Emily?" Judy ask sternly as she eyed her.

"I'm going swimming, with Billy, he should be here any minute." She heard her mom gasp and take in a breath, Emily braced herself for the argument, but Judy only said. "Ok, just don't be late."

"I won't" she answered as Billy pulled up in his mustang a 1990’s model. Emily ran out, as Billy swung the door to the passenger side open, then she waved good-bye and climbed in. Felt Good on My Lips was playing on the radio, Billy smiled at her as she begin singing to the song, (“Oh, oh, oh I wanna go crazy.”)

(“You can go crazy to”) Billy chimed in. They both sung and danced, swaying to the music, Billy even swayed the car to the music a few times, as they laughed.

"You ever been to the river Baby?" Billy ask with a smile. Emily sucked on her lip and turned toward him, “No, I've heard my brothers talk about it, but I've never been."

"You are in for the time of your life then Baby." he said and passed a joint to her. She took a long drag and looked at Billy, "Josh says you've been a bad influence on me" she laughed.

Billy also laughing looked at her and reached for the joint "In what way"

"Well before I got involved with you, I had never taken more than a couple of drags off a joint, or a couple of drinks of alcohol,” she laughed then continued, "since I’ve been with you, I broke into Josh's shine cellar trashed it. Stole what jars of moonshine I didn't break, then a few days later ask him if he would smoke a joint with me." They both laughed.

"Ed says you have me pussy wiped."

"Oh really, were did he get that ideal?"

"I really don't know, he says I've lost my mind. I told him I couldn't be pussy wiped because I hadn't got any yet. Of course at the time I hadn't." he reached over and touched her leg. “You’re beautiful you know." Her heart melted at his words.

"Thank You, and I love you too." She smiled proudly.

Billy smiled his heart warming smile, as he turned down the road toward the river. It was bumpy, a dirt road with large crater like holes. Billy had to weave around them to keep from bottoming out his car. "River bound baby, you’re going to enjoy the day," He yelled, “oh yeah I broke into my dad’s moonshine stash, and guess what?” She could see the proud grin on his face.

"What?" She laughed as she leaned forward, to see his face.

"There must be a sell on apples somewhere, because his has apples in it too." They both laughed.

"You don't say." She exclaimed her mouth open to a smile.

"Were are here baby,” Billy shouted, as he parked the car on the river bank and it rolled a little before put the emergency brake on.

Emily looked at the falls, they were beautiful and the water looked so refreshing, as it splashed, down the rocks, white caped, with what looked like foam on top. She took off her tee shirt and cutoff's as Billy pulled an ice chest out of his trunk.

"You look good baby," he eyed her proudly and kissed her on the cheek then put his arm around her, as he led her down to the crowded river bank. She felt everyone’s eyes on her as they joined the crowd by the falls.

"Aren't you that Canton girl?" someone ask.

"She sure is," Billy answered them proudly and introduced her as his girlfriend. The blond girl she had seen Billy with in town, walked up and grabbed him by the waist. The jealous feeling inside her stirred her emotions, so hard she wanted to throw the girl down and beat her to a pulp, tear her eye’s out of her head, but instead she restrained herself and opened her mouth as the words flowed out,

"Hey bimbo, slut, he's with me or am I invisible?" Emily stated, making sure her words were clearly heard, and glared sternly at her. The blond girl, quickly turned him loose.

"Whoo" Billy laughed looking at Emily, proudly she thought, then took her hand to lead her down to the water, and kissed her. "You are the prettiest girl here, don't you ever doubt my love for you" Emily felt a little embarrassed, but was happy she had made her point.

"I'm sorry, I just don't like her," they both laughed.

"I love your boldness." He told her as she watched a four wheeler climb the falls, and her eyes grew big.

"That looks like fun" she pointed at the four wheeler. “Wow”

"Oh yeah it is, hell, we take jeeps, cars, dirt bikes, pickups, you name it up those falls. The river is flat on the other side like it is here.” He used his hands to describe, it.

“I’ll take you up them later if you want.” He smiled.

"Sure, I’m game" Emily said although she was a little scared.

"Let’s walk down to the deep end and get in." He led her down the road a little ways past some trees. The river was big with four major water areas two on each side of the bridge, then two more down the road away from the bridge. When they got to the deep end Billy pulled her into his arms giving her a long deep kiss. She smiled as he pulled a joint out and lite it. They were suddenly surrounded by a crowd and someone else lit a joint, they passed it around also.

“Let’s go off the rope," Billy told her. She hesitated as she watched someone dive in off the rope. It was high, hanging out of a tree over the deep river water.

“I don't know I've never done it, before.” She shyly looked at him.

"Come on, I won't let you drowned. I'll help you.” He smiled and kissed her gently. “It will be fun.”

The walked across the rocks at the shallow side. The tree had a low hanging limb and someone had nailed slants to the tree to use as steps. Emily felt a bit of fright as she climbed the tree, but was determined, she wasn’t about to chicken out in front of Billy and his friends.

As they stood in line waiting their turn, Billy told her to let him go first then he would wait for her in the water. "Just turn loose when you go across over me, baby." He smiled rubbing his hands together.

"Ok Billy" she laughed.

Emily watched as Billy swung out over the water and dropped, splash. Now it was her turn, she gripped the rope and froze. The river is bottomless, she had heard all her life. If someone went missing, they are probably in the bottom of the river, she had heard.

"Jump, jump, jump" she heard every one in unity yelling at her, playfully. Then she saw him Billy waiting for her in the river, smiling, waving for her to jump. Then she looked out across the river, her brother Josh was staring at her, his look was one of disappointment, maybe or was it evil she thought. The crowd’s words brought her thoughts back as she felt the rope in her hand,

“Go Emily, Go Emily" she heard the crowd cheering her on. She gripped the rope tighter in her hand, running toward the river, she picked her feet up as she reached the end of the limb, wrapping them around the rope and out over the water she swung, watching desperately for Billy she released her grip as she seen him below her. The excitement and fear mixed together as she dropped through the air was intense.

”Yes-s-s-s-s-s” she screamed. Splash. The cold water sent a sudden shock to her body as she went under. She swam up into Billy’s arms. He wrapped his wet arms around her kissing her intently as his body warmed her.

"Whoo" Billy yelled, both laughing as they exited the water. “See I knew you could do it. Wasn’t that fun Baby.”

“Yes” she screamed as they swam to the river bank. Emily scanned the bank for Josh, but he wasn’t anywhere around. She felt tense knowing he had seen her but decided to try and continue to enjoy her day.

       (Alabama’s Mountain Music) was playing from someone’s car stereo. The crowd was dancing so Emily and Billy joined them, as someone passed them a beer. She was having the time of her life. The crowd at the river, was different than any other, Emily had ever known and the age ranch was wide, they were grandparents, parents, single, teens, families, but had no rules, free for the day.

“Party started, yeah" someone shouted.

The day flew by, Emily didn’t see Josh again. Which was, a relieve to her, but she wondered what he would say to her later. What kind of fight she would go home to?

Billy took Emily up the falls on a friends four wheeler. She thought they were going to turn over backwards, as she held him tightly, and the wind blew through her hair, but she didn't care as long as she was with him, nothing else mattered. Everyone liked Billy, he was popular, friendly and free loving. It was like the crowd loved him.

They swam till dark, went off the rope a few more times, and then headed out towards their homes. Along the way Billy pulled off onto a side rode and stopped, they shared a joint and talked about the day as they sipped from the jar of apple moonshine. Then they made love, sweet tender love, she lay in Billy’s arms, in the back seat of his car and she felt safe. She didn’t want to go home, she wanted to stay with him forever. Just the two of them, without all of the arguing they had come accustom to in their lives,

“Will it ever end Billy?” She ask as she kissed pulled his arm closer around her and kissed his hand.

“What Baby, us?” She felt him tense up.

“No Billy, the feud.” She continued to kiss his hand.

“I don’t know Baby.” He twirled her hair around his fingers.

“Josh was there, I seen him before I swung off the rope. He worries me.” She told Billy as she set up to looking into his eyes. He pulled her to him and kissed her.

“I know baby, I saw him too, but it will be alright. You look sunburned baby.” He touched her skin gently, and kissed along the burn on her shoulders. “Now it’s better he joked and they both laughed.

They headed home, both tired. Emily felt the burn on her shoulders and she was exhausted. Billy dropped her off in her driveway and kissed her by. She braced herself for the argument, she felt would come when she walked through the door.

It didn’t happen. She walked in, the family set in the living room. Josh glared at her, but no one spoke. This worried her more. Alarmed her even. She walked to the kitchen and fixed a plate of leftovers. She set down at the table and her mom came into the kitchen.

“Did you have fun today honey?” Judy asked and smiled weakly at her.

“Yes Mom, I did.” She told her laughing to herself. Are they trying to use some kind of reverse phycology on me?