Ronny frantically asked him, “What are you all doing here?You know Jesse needs time to cool down.”
“Hey, Ronny, chill out.Keith just wants to talk to him.I came here to mediate it,” the man said in a peaceful voice.
“Mason.I love you, man, but now is not the time,” Ronny said, trying to persuade him.
Mason Alexander gestured with his hands, saying there was nothing he could do.
The other door of the bus flew open.A woman’s leather high-heeled boot stepped onto the dirt.Tonya Stirling was the group’s bass player and the only Brit in the band.She wore a short blonde pixie haircut with a teased top and had ice-blue eyes.Tonya had on an all-black, sparkly shirt with a mini skirt.
I moved uncomfortably in my seat when she pulled her sunglasses down on her nose to view us.What would they think of me?
Keith Knox, the band’s drummer, scooted out of the bus seats behind her to see what she was looking at.Keith wore flared orange pants, a cropped shirt, and had an afro.He made bright colors look rebellious and stellar.
The Matches did not look like they belonged in a band together.Jesse looked like a child doodled on him, Mason wore only browns, Tonya was as mysterious as the night sky, and Keith was extravagant.They did not have a similar style or mood.Still, for some reason, they fit together like puzzle pieces that needed to be corrected yet fit anyway.They were a mistake that stuck.The band was plentiful of stardom and power.What I didn’t know was that, even the brightest stars could fall to earth.
“There isn’t much that can be done at this point.I am going to take a nap in the stream.Good luck,” Ronny said as his voice trailed off.
Mason, Tonya, and Keith marched up to us with swagger.Fawn jumped onto Mason’s legs.
“Woah!Little guy!What's your name?”he asked as he petted her fur.
“Her name is Fawn,” I yelped out.
“Well,sheis a cutie.Where’s Jesse?”he said, like he was on a mission.
“Blimey, Mason, don’t give the kids the third degree.Can’t we just talk to them a bit?”Tonya said with her British accent.I had never met someone with a British accent, and her voice surprised me with its quick wittiness.
“It’s okay.Jesse is swimming with some lady and our friends on the dock.There’s a small trail leading down to the water through the clearing of trees,” Darren informed them while pointing in the dusty trail’s direction.
Keith plopped down into the aluminum lawn chair next to us, making the intertwined fabric strings sink.“Thanks, man.Why don’t we let him swim longer?Maybe Ronny is right.How did you meet Jesse anyway?”Keith asked as he poofed up his curls.
“He asked us for directions to a campsite and took us along,” I said.
“Jesse never was the safest.He doesn’t think about how strangers can be dangerous, but I guess you are just a couple of kids,” Mason said.
“It’s fine.These guys seem fine to me.What are your names?”Keith asked.
“I'm Darren.”
“Hi, I am Penny.Our friends swimming are Thomas and Betsy.”
“Nice to meet you guys.Sorry you had to meet us during Keith and Jesse’s tiff.You caught us on a bad night,” Tonya said with a snicker.
“What do you guys do for fun around these parts besides swimming?”Keith asked.
“Moose Creek is known for its peaches.You can go peach picking or get some peach ice cream,” I suggested.
Keith checked his cream-colored watch.It had to be around nine o’clock at night.“We’ve got time to waste.Peach picking it is.”
The Matches rose out of their seats.I did not know what to do.Darren and I should have been home.Our curfew was at ten o’clock, and I had not checked in with my family the entire day.I felt guilty.James should have been there, too.It was his favorite band.I didn’t want to ruin the moment so I didn’t ask if they could drop me back at the cabin.A little longer couldn’t hurt.Momma and James would understand if I told them about Jesse and how I couldn’t pass up spending time with a rock n’ roll band.James would’ve done the same thing, so why couldn’t I?I was sure they would know I lost track of time and was safe.If they were worried, they most likely would have called Darren or Betsy’s house.I still had time before they were actually concerned.
I murmured to Darren, “I want to go but feel like we shouldn’t.”
Tonya yelled, “Come on, you guys.Your friends will be fine for an hour or two!”
Fawn dashed to catch up with the group.
“It’s one night.We will face the world tomorrow,” Darren said as he scooched into the Matches’ bus.
