“Those two have no idea what they are talking about.How old are you two anyway?”Tonya asked.
“Old enough,” I said.
Tonya smirked at my response.
I knew I looked young.I had a babyface and chub that I couldn’t shake off despite swimming all the time.
Darren looked his age though; his tall legs made him a giant for going into his sophomore year of high school.
We talked about peaches and how to tell if they were ripe.Most orchards were closed, so we had to be quiet if we were to go.It was common for teens to climb the fences to Nate’s Nectarine Farm and break in for late-night shenanigans.My sister used to take all of her summer boyfriends there.She never let me tag along, so I would stay at the cabin reading until she snuck back in through the window.I still don’t know if I stayed up because I was jealous or if I waited to ensure she got home safe.
I knew breaking into Nate’s was wrong, but I sat in a bus with The Matches and Darren, and everything with them felt right.
The bus gradually pulled by the entrance gate to the orchard.Darren directed the band to park the bus under some shaded trees to conceal it.
I woke Fawn up from her nap and put her back on her leash.She shook herself awake as she stretched her legs and jumped out.
Tonya slid the door open, revealing the contrast between the darkness of the night, and the brightness of the moon.
“I will volunteer to climb over the fence and unlock the gate for you guys,” Darren said.
“A man who takes action.I like it,” Tonya joked.
Darren was like a stealthy cat and hopped over the fence with grace.He snuck around the large wooden engraved sign and opened the gate.The metal latch made a hollow wail when it rattled open.The orchard was empty.The trees sang a low song as they danced in the wind, calling out to us in an eerie yet delicate way to pick their fruit.
Mason opened the trunk and took out a guitar case.The front of the case had wild yellow buttercups painted on it.
“Why are you getting that out?”I questioned.
“We need something to collect the peaches.Don’t we?”Mason asked.
I tried to hold in my laugh.“That will work.I love buttercups.Who painted them?”
“Tonya’s girlfriend painted it for her,” Mason disclosed.He grabbed the handle of the case and gently closed the trunk.The rest of the gang entered the orchard’s wicket with caution.We sped up our strides to meet the others.Nate arranged hundreds of peach trees like young military men who got drafted.The straight rows went over my horizon line, showing an endless number of peaches.
“How does this work, anyway?I haven’t been to any peach orchards in Britain,” Tonya said.
“Since we do not have a ladder, we must pick the low-hanging peaches and hope for the best.Mason grabbed your guitar case to put them in.We might as well get started,” I said.
Mason placed the case onto the ground and kneeled to unlatch it.He lifted the top open.The yellow paint was iridescent in the dark.“Funny to put peaches in this case.Typically, it only carries guitars and money.”
Tonya grabbed a round; flush-colored peach suspended to the left of her.She pulled it off its stretchy stem and tossed it into the container.“This is bollocks!If I knew it was this easy, I would pick fruit more often.Let’s fill this baby to the top!”
Everyone’s fingers fixated upon hand-picking peaches one by one.Mason offered to hold onto Fawn’s leash.He sat under the tree’s branches with her, playing.
Fawn loved the extra attention from her new friend.She rolled on her back, demanding belly rubs and scratches.
Even though the peaches we were getting were in decent shape, I wanted to pick a ripe batch above them.I pointed up at them as I asked Darren, “Wouldn’t those be so much better?I wish I could reach them.”
Darren grabbed my legs, putting his head in between my thighs and boosting me onto his shoulders.
“Put me down!What are you doing?”I screamed.
“Helping you get those peaches.Now, be quiet before you wake up the entire orchard.”
I steadied myself on his shoulders.His warm hands wrapped around my legs.“Give me a warning next time.You nearly made me poop myself.”
Keith was watching us and laughed.
