Free Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning by Danette Haworth

jumps to her feet. “Yeah, catch up to Eddie. We all know you have a crush on him!”
    Lottie’s hand flies up to her mouth.
    â€œDo not!” I holler.
    â€œDo too!”
    I yell louder. “Do not!”
    Melissa waves her hand like she’s shooing away a mosquito. “Go on, now. Run to your loverboy.” She starts laughing.
    â€œDon’t go, Violet, she’s just teasing,” Lottie says.
    I look from Lottie to Melissa. I can’t stand the smirk on Melissa’s face. “I’m leaving.”
    I stomp down the stairs, smashing the good feelings I had with every step. I reach the bottom and it only takes a second to realize I must turn left to my house instead of right to where Eddie went.
    I don’t have a crush on him.

17
    â€œMomma, what made you fall in love with my daddy?” I’ve come for lunch on an especially good day—Momma’s made chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting, special order, but there were two extras. I’m almost finished with mine.
    Momma sets her fork down. She’s eating her cupcake with a fork so’s not to disturb her lipstick. She smiles. “Now why are you asking me that?”
    I make the exact opposite of a smile. Some people think that’s a frown, but they’re wrong. The exact opposite of a smile is an I-don’t-care face, like I make now. “Just wondered.” I take a bite out of my cupcake.
    It works, ’cause she looks past me and I can tell she’s looking through the memories in her head. Her face gets all soft and, for a moment, she looks younger. “I’d seen your daddy around church and in school. All us girls knew who he was—”
    â€œHow? Was he class president or something important?”
    Momma laughs softly. “No, he was never president or anything like that. He just—it was just the way he was.”
    Well, this is no help at all. “If he wasn’t anything important, how’d everyone know who he was?”
    â€œYour daddy played guitar in church. I guess that’s how the other boys knew who he was. And us girls, too—he looked just like Elvis Presley up on that platform. He was so good looking, and bashful too. That made us like him even more.”
    I wrinkle my nose and pull my head back. “You mean you had a crush on him?”
    â€œI think everyone had a crush on your father. Me and my best friend joined the choir just to be near him.”
    I nearly fall off my chair hearing that. “You started singing so’s you could be near a boy?”
    Momma laughs. “Oh, yes! I just wanted to be near him, anything just to be with him. I couldn’t believe it when the pastor put us up front to sing together.” Momma’s eyes are wet with sad-happy tears. “He said we had perfect harmony.”
    â€œSo did everyone start teasing you ’bout you and daddy?”
    â€œActually,” Momma says, “I think they were a little jealous.” Momma’s face begins to focus and I can almost see the memory evaporating like a cloud. “Why?” she asks. “Are people teasing you ’bout someone?”
    I quickly put on the I-don’t-care face, but it’s too late. I can tell by the way she waits on my answer she’s seen my real face.
    â€œKind of,” I say. I shrug. I don’t want this to be a big deal. “They’re teasing me about Eddie. Melissa thinks he’s cute.”
    â€œHe is a nice-looking boy.”
    I rise halfway out of my seat. “I don’t have a crush on him!”
    Momma looks startled. “I didn’t say you did.”
    â€œYeah, but you said he’s a nice-looking boy.”
    â€œI didn’t mean anything by it.”
    â€œYes, you did,” I say and scoot my chair back. “You think I have a crush on him just like they do.”
    Momma looks confused. “Violet—”
    â€œWell, you’re wrong.” I slam