Wrestling Against Myself (61 page)

“Not yet,” Courtney snuggled up close, resting her head against Antonio's chiseled chest, trying to not get too comfortable. “My mom and I were thinking about going to the mall this weekend and finding something. I never dressed up fancy before and I don't want to wind up looking like a little kid.”

“I guess that doily ruffle looking thing under the skirt is out then.”

“What doily ruffle looking things?”
 

“I think he means petticoats,” Mrs. Barnes called out from the doorway, reminding the two that she was still lurking in case they decided to participate in less wholesome acts.

“Yeah
, that petticoat thing, if that’s what you call them.”

“Those are more for babies and woman who go to square dances.” Courtney let out a soft chuckle. “I am not a cowgirl and after your robbing the cradle comment, I don't need to look any younger.”

“I'm sure your mom will help out, make sure she doesn't pick out any fashions from the seventies or something.”

“Hey!” Mrs. Barnes interrupted.

“Sorry,” Tony called out.

“Mom!” Courtney whined. “This is supposed to be me and Antonio time, not me, Antonio and Mom time.”

Tony could feel the woman smile, even though he didn't turn around to look.

“Why does it have to be dress up anyway?” Courtney asked.

“Tradition, I guess. It's not completely dressed up; it's not like prom or nothing. Girl's put more emphasis on the dressy part anyway. It'll be lucky if most guys show up in suits and most of the football players will wear their team polo. I think they feel special with the monogrammed falcon on their pullover and they get those every year on Homecoming.”

“Why doesn’t the wresting team get pullovers?”

Tony shrugged. “For one, our practices don't start until after Homecoming, so we don't even know who is on the team. Plus, we get other stuff, t-shirts, warm-ups, that kind of thing, so it balances out.”

“I can't wait to see you dressed up in a suit.”

“I already know you're going to be beautiful,” Tony said as he gave her a squeeze.

“How do you know that?”

“Because your beautiful now, dress or no dress.”

“See mom,” Courtney called out, knowing her mother was close by. “Tony doesn't need me in a dress; I might as well go naked.”

“Courtney Anne Barnes!” Her mother scolded. “He said nothing of the kind.”

Courtney looked up at Tony and winked.

“Anne?”

“That's my Grandma's name.”

“Cool.”

The front door opened and Courtney separated from Tony and made sure her clothes fell in the proper place. “My dad,” she said in a hushed whisper.

“I figured that,” Tony said with a smirk. “I don't think we were doing anything wrong.”

“I know. I didn't want to freak him out. Like I said, he's still adjusting.”

“Good afternoon,” Mr. Barnes said as he entered the living room and sat down in his easy chair. “Always nice to see a classic car sitting in the driveway when I come home.”

Antonio nodded. “She is a beauty.”

“I assume you mean your car,” Mr. Barnes said, lacking any humor in his voice at all.

“Daddy!” Courtney scolded as she stood up and walked over to her father. “Welcome home.” She gave the man a small peck on the cheek.

“Thank you, sweet pea. If you don't mind, I would like to talk to Tiny, alone.”

“Why is it that I can't be around when people are talking about me?” Courtney protested.

Mr. Barnes gave his daughter a look of warning.

“Yes sir,” Courtney said glumly. “I'll help mom in the kitchen with dinner.”

“Close the door behind you,” Mr. Barnes instructed.

Tony sat perfectly still on the couch as he heard the door latch close behind him.

“I've been wondering what to say to you all day,” Mr. Barnes started once he was sure he wasn't being eavesdropped on. “Having a talk with a boy who is courting my daughter was not something I thought I would have to do in life.”

“It was bound to happen sooner or later,” Tony said casually. “Don't you think?”

“I was thinking further back in time, before all this girl stuff came to fruition. But, since you are here, I guess it falls on you.”

“Are you going to tell me about Smith and Wesson?”

Mr. Barnes didn't look amused. “That's more my wife's style. As I was saying, all throughout the day I was wondering what I was going to say to you when I came home tonight.”

“I'm sure it will be good.”

“Here it goes. Are you out of your mind?”

Tony almost rose out of his seat as he stiffened up. “Huh?” He was taken completely off guard.

“I can't understand it, and it's the only explanation I could come up with. You've lost your mind.”

“I don't understand.”

“Come on, Tiny. Even last year before you became an Adonis, you could have your pick of any girl in the county, heck, in the whole state. So why Courtney, considering everything?”

“Why not?” Tony shot back defensively.

“Because it doesn't make sense. It's not like you don't know about her issues there.” Mr. Barnes looked sharply at his crotch and back up again.”

“That's not an issue for me. It's not like I'm the kind of guy who goes after that kind of thing and cheap flings with whatever girl is willing to ruin herself for a night of passion.”

“But eventually you're going to want a relationship that involves that.”

“When I'm married, yes.”

“So you don't see yourself committing to my daughter?”

“Kind of early to start thinking about marriage, don't you think?”

“I was talking about the future. I'm talking about you going into a relationship with Courtney knowing that it's a dead end. Why put yourself through all the trouble?”

“It's not like I ruled out a serious long term relationship. I'm not the love them and leave them type. I'm just saying that I haven't thought about marriage, I wouldn't be thinking of it no matter what.”

“But why her?”

“You really want to know why?” Tony challenge.

“Yes I do. Tell me, why Courtney?”

“Because I love her.”

“Hogwash.”

Tony could feel himself turning red with a mixture of anger and frustration. “It's the truth. I wouldn't be able to tell you why I love her or how this came about, but it's the truth. I don't know where this relationship will end up, I don't know if it would be in marriage or not, but that's not the point. I know that I'm getting to know her more every day, and the more I get to know her the more I love her. I'm sorry I can't put into words why that is, but I'm not going to deny its existence.”

Mr. Barnes smiled. “Well said. I should have known you were on the up and up, but I don't take chances when it comes to my little girl.”

“So you're not upset that I'm dating your daughter?”

“Why should I be? It looks like she picked herself a winner right out of the gate.”

School was becoming a confusing place, and Antonio found that discomforting. For two days, nothing happened, the new norm had settled in. Tony wasn't being shunned by the entire student body; just those who he thought would never leave him. He always prided himself on the fact his friends knew he always had their back. He thought the sentiment was reciprocal and he was hurt to find out it wasn't the truth. Even though they didn't agree with his choice of girlfriend, Antonio thought they should at least stick by him instead of playing the games that they did.

Even though the teasing, the name calling, and the hurtful pranks stopped, there was a certain electricity in the air. It was the way conversations stopped whenever he walked by or the whispering and finger pointing across crowded hallways. There was an anticipation that could not be denied. It was the same feeling Tony got when he was about to compete. He could feel the adrenaline, the blood coursing through his veins, the hyper awareness of his surroundings. He made sure to keep close tabs on Courtney, if and when something happened.

School on Tuesday was over; Tony had his time alone on the mat, going through individual drills that didn't require a partner. He spent ten minutes working on his stance alone, finding that without as much mass he didn't have to keep his legs as far apart and could drive through his shots with more power. He didn't realize it would take so much work to get use to his new physique, but he didn't mind putting in the time.

Tony walked through the empty parking lot with his girlfriend. The football team was on the practice field running through plays as another disappointing season was coming to an end. In a few weeks there would be the Home Coming game and a week after that their season would come to a close.

Though he wasn't one for public displays of affection, he got a kick out of holding Courtney's hand as they made their way to the Firebird. As was his custom, he opened the passenger side door and let the girl settle in before closing it. 

“The car survived another day,” Courtney said as Tony got behind the wheel.

“Why wouldn't it?”

“Don't you worry with everything going on that someone might steal your car? It wouldn't be hard; you leave the keys in it.”

Tony smiled. “You it would make it any harder to steal if I took the keys? If someone wants to steal a car, they just do it. They hot wire the car and drive off. The way I figure it, I'm saving myself money on repair bills if someone decided to be a jerk and take the beast here. Same reason why I don't lock the door; it's just as easy to break a window than to open an unlocked door. In the end, it's God's car, if He wants me to keep it, it will always be there for me.”

“I'm just saying.”

“I know. But it's okay.” Tony turned the car over. “See, they didn't even steal the battery,” he said as he revved the engine. “And that's even easier to steal. You open the hood from the outside; I couldn't keep people from the engine compartment even if I wanted to.”

Courtney relaxed in her seat as Tony meandered to her house. He went slow so they had more time to talk and the girl appreciated that. “School is getting better.”

“How so?”

“No one's been making an issue over things or being mean to me. The boys don't have anything to do with me, but they aren't being nasty. Some of the girls have started to talk to me and they're accepting me as one of their own.”

“You are one of their own,” Tony said as he pulled into the subdivision.

Courtney smiled. “You see that, but other people are taking their sweet time about it.”

“But at least they're coming around. The reason the boys haven't started coming around might not be why you think it is.”

“If it's not that, than what?”

“Probably me.”

“What would you have to do with it?”

“Think of it this way,” Tony said with a mischievous grin. “Everyone knows that we're an item now.”

“Yes, so.”

“Those freshman boys are probably scared out of their wits that if I see them talking to you I might be the jealous type and give them a sound beating.”