American Outlaw - Jesse James [23]
But my punk sensibilities dictated that when I was off the field, I was really off the field. Within a week of our season’s end, I was just a shithead again. It was like I’d executed this really abrupt about-face: I had been disciplined for such a long period, kind of like a teenaged warrior. Now it was time for me to let off some steam.
The first thing I needed to do, I decided, was get back at the kid from Ramona High School who Rhonda had cheated on me with: John.
“Whatcha gonna do, James?” asked Bobby. He rubbed his hands together evilly. I knew he was itching to spill some blood.
“None of that, man,” I said, smiling. “I’m going to try a more peaceful route.”
That Friday evening, Bobby and I boosted a car, and we drove around until we found the Ramona party we were looking for. There were all kinds of Beemers and Jags and XKEs outside; Ramona was a much nicer high school than ours. It was where the rich kids went. As I slipped into the living room and made anonymous, Bobby went on a reconnaissance mission to find John. He located him in the kitchen, and immediately latched on.
“Lord almighty, did we fucking spank you guys this year!” Bobby sighed, snagging a Coors Light breezily from the twelve-pack that John was carrying. He cracked it open and began pouring it down his fat face.
“Hey, what’s the idea, pal?”
“Suck it, chump,” Bobby said, staring him down. “Ain’t that right, John? Didn’t we crush you? Didn’t you guys bow down to the sanctity of our scrotal sacks?”
“Shit,” John growled. “The game was close. Next year, we’ll be right up there with you. Our offensive line has some incoming beasts.”
They talked pigskin, but meanwhile, in the living room, I was inching up closer to John’s girlfriend, Patty, a super-hot chick who was so cute that kids from other high schools all around Riverside knew who she was. She was a stunner, all right: a dark-haired girl with eyes that said she was smarter than your average cheerleader and an ass that told you she was going to be one, anyway.
“Hi,” I said to her. I nodded. “Nice party.”
She grinned at me. “Who are you?”
“Oh, I’m Jesse James,” I said. “I’m a good friend of your boyfriend’s.”
“A good friend, huh?” She smiled at me mischievously. She was sipping some light-colored booze from a plastic wineglass. “How come I never heard of you before, then?”
“Well, listen, I’ll tell you a secret,” I said, putting my head down close to hers. “We aren’t really friends,” I whispered. “It’s more like, we share similar interests.”
“Interests?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Of course, it’s highly confidential stuff.”
“I want to know,” she begged, laughing. “Please?”
“Well, okay, since you asked so nicely,” I said, shifting my body even closer to hers. “Me and John, we’re both very interested in beautiful girls. That’s our thing.”
“Beautiful girls, huh?” said Patty, laughing. “I guess that’s a good enough way to spend your time.”
“The best,” I said, bullshitting freely. I guess I had a little swap meet in me after all. Gently, I put my hand on the small of her back and tried to guide her over to a more private spot.
“What’s going on here?” she asked, still in her bemused tone.
“I’d like to speak with you about something in private,” I said. I guided her to the small bedroom where everybody had been tossing their coats.
Patty looked at me with a spark in her deep brown eyes. “I’ll give you sixty seconds, Mr. James.” She handed me her drink as we stepped into the room. “Hold this for me?”
“My pleasure,” I said, closing the door behind us.
We necked passionately, laughing, rolling around on the bed of coats beneath us.
“Hey,” said Patty, after a couple of minutes. “I better get back out there before my boyfriend misses me.”
“Wait,” I said. “Give me your phone number.”
“Who do you think you are?” Patty asked, smiling.
I shrugged, and after a moment, Patty found a pen. Shaking her head, she proceeded to scribble out her digits on a ripped piece of paper, then handed it to me.
——
Gradually, I started