Author’s note: Once again, I do not own these characters and this story was written for fun, not profit. Also, sorry if Trixie seems like a crybaby in this story! I know she’s not, but in my story she’s dealing with some emotional issues... enjoy!
Trixie’s Decision
by Melissa Vanhanen
She waited and watched as the tall, dark figure emerged from the crowd and opened his arms to her.
"May I have this dance?" he asked, holding out his hands. Without waiting for an answer, he swept her into his arms and kissed her passionately on the lips.
"Oh, Dan," eighteen-year-old Trixie Belden cried out, and suddenly sat up in bed, realizing where she was and that she was only dreaming.
"Not again!" Trixie whispered to herself. This was the third dream that week that she’d had about Dan, and she’d had a few others before. Why do I keep dreaming about Dan? she thought. I’m supposed to be Jim’s girl! But I can’t seem to keep Dan off my mind lately... ever since those dreams started... She could feel her cheeks flaming, and was glad that she was alone in her room. She got up and threw on a pair of jean capris and a tank top, and hastily tied her shoulder-length blond curls into a low ponytail before heading downstairs to breakfast.
"Good morning, Trixie!" eleven-year-old Bobby Belden greeted her. "Did you say ‘Rabbit’ this morning? I did!"
It was the first of July, and it was a superstition of hers that saying "Rabbit" the night before and the morning of the first day of the month would bring good luck. Trixie flushed, remembering what her first words of the morning were. "No, I forgot!" she told him.
"I hope you didn’t forget the meeting at the clubhouse this morning!" her twenty-one year old brother Brian reminded her. "It’s the first meeting all of the Bob-Whites have been to in a long time!"
"I haven’t forgotten," Trixie replied. The Bob-Whites hadn’t been able to have a full meeting since Christmas vacation. Brian and Jim went to school in New York, and shared an apartment there while school was in session. Mart was taking agriculture at a school in Des Moines, and stayed at his uncle Andrew’s Happy Valley Farm while he was in school. Now the boys were back in Sleepyside for the summer. Dan still lived with Mr. Maypenny and went to the community college near Sleepyside. Trixie, Honey and Diana had just graduated high school a week and a half ago, and Di’s parents had taken her to Europe as a graduation present. She had just gotten back the day before, and so the first Bob-White meeting of the summer was scheduled. Brian waited for Trixie to finish breakfast, and then the two of them left to catch up with Mart who had already left to pick up Di.
When they got to the clubhouse, everyone was there but Dan. Brian automatically took the seat next to Honey and planted a kiss on her cheek. Mart and Di were sitting side by side, holding hands under the table. Trixie looked at the two couples and sighed.
"Hey, Trix!" Jim grinned and patted the seat next to him. "I’ve saved your seat!"
"Thanks, Jim," Trixie replied as she started to slide into the chair. Just at that moment, Dan came bursting into the clubhouse, startling Trixie, who missed the chair and ended up on the ground. Everyone burst out laughing except Dan.
"Gee, Trix, are you okay? I didn’t mean to scare you!" Dan said. "I thought I was going to be late so I ran all the way here."
"I’m fine, I’m fine," Trixie mumbled as she climbed back onto her seat, blushing. "Let’s call the meeting to order!" Trixie and Jim went through everything that had happened since Christmas, which wasn’t much, considering the fact that they had all been busy with other things. Then Trixie asked if anyone had anything to add.
"I do!" Dan spoke up. "I’ve got the weekend off, for once! Let’s do something fun!"
"I second the motion!" said Honey. "It’s so hot in here, let’s finish the meeting down by the lake! Trixie, your swimsuit is still up in my room... come with me and get it." Everyone agreed, and everyone but Honey and Trixie headed down to the lake.
"Are you okay, Trix? You look kind of upset this morning," Honey asked when the rest of the Bob-Whites were out of earshot. "Come to think of it, you haven’t been yourself lately."
Trixie sighed. "I don’t know anymore, Honey."
"Is it Jim?" Honey asked.
"How did you know?" Trixie replied.
"You haven’t seemed too excited about him since Christmas. What’s wrong?"
"Well..." Trixie began, "It’s not the same as it used to be... actually it is, nothing has changed in our relationship. I guess that’s the problem!" She forced a smile, which quickly faded. "You and Brian, you’ve grown together and your relationship has progressed. You started off just holding hands, and now you’re all kissy and gooey that it’s almost sickening! Even Di and Mart, who barely got to see each other while Mart was away! But me and Jim, we’re still holding hands, if that."
"Oh, Trixie, it can’t be as bad as that!" Honey exclaimed. "You see Jim all the time now that he’s done school for the summer, and you saw him almost every weekend during school!"
"Yes, but sometimes it’s like we’re only friends, like there’s nothing more between us."
"I’m so sorry," Honey cried and gave Trixie a hug. "Is there anything I can do?"
Trixie grinned. "Yeah, help me find my bathing suit! Don’t worry anymore about me and my problems, I’ll sort them out."
The next day the Bob-Whites had plans to relax and have a picnic by the lake for lunch. But while Trixie was finishing up her chores, she got a call from Honey.
"Trix, I’m so sorry, Jim and I can’t make it to lunch today! My aunt in Niagara is in the hospital, and since Daddy’s away on business, and Tom’s on vacation with Celia this week, and Regan hates cars, Jim is the only one left who can drive Mother to see her! I told Mother I’d go along, too. I’m sorry!"
"Jeepers, Honey, don’t be sorry! The summer has just started, there will be more picnics!" Trixie assured her friend. "I hope your aunt is okay!" She said goodbye to Honey and hung up the phone, just as Brian and Mart came in from the yard covered in grass clippings.
"What’s the news?" Brian asked. When Trixie told him, he ran to call Honey. "I’m going to see if I can go along with them. They may need moral support!"
"Gleeps, he’s got it bad!" Mart exclaimed.
"Got what bad? Is Brian sick?" asked Bobby, who had followed Mart and Brian in from the yard.
"No, Bobby," Trixie said. "Mart means that Brian likes Honey so much that he’d rather drive to Niagara with her than have a picnic with the Bob-Whites."
"If I were Brian, I’d go to the picnic!" Bobby decided. "Hey, I think Larry’s got it bad, too! Did you know he has a girlfriend?"
Mart and Trixie laughed as Bobby dashed back out into the yard with Reddy at his heels.
"Well, I guess it’s just the four of us today!" Trixie said to Mart.
Mart, Di, Trixie and Dan met at the lake, each bringing something from home to share at the picnic. After the feast, Mart and Di got up and walked into the woods, hand in hand, lost in their own little world.
"I guess we’ve lost them, too!" Dan said with a laugh.
Trixie laughed too. "And then there were two!" she said, and blushed slightly. "Shall we have a swim?"
After a refreshing dip, Dan and Trixie lay on the floating raft relaxing.
"What a lazy afternoon," Trixie said dreamily.
"I know," Dan agreed. "I wonder what happened to Mart and Di?"
"They probably wandered off and got lost in that dream world of theirs!" Trixie laughed. "I bet they forgot there even was a picnic." She propped herself up and scanned the shoreline with her eyes, checking to see if Mart and Di had returned yet. "Hey! There’s that old rowboat we used to go out in. I wonder if it still floats?" she wondered.
"Let’s find out!" Dan said, and slid off the raft into the water. "We’ve got nothing better to do!" Trixie followed, and they swam back to the boathouse. The rowboat was lying upside down between two trees several yards from the boathouse. Trixie and Dan flipped it over and set it in the water.
"It still floats!" Trixie said. "And look, here are the oars!"
"Let’s go fishing," Dan suggested. "I haven’t been fishing in so long." Trixie agreed, and pulled on a pair of shorts over her swimsuit. Dan changed out of his trunks into a pair of army shorts, but decided to keep his t-shirt off on this hot day and tossed it into the bottom of the boat. They cast off, and soon they were on the far side of the lake, half-fishing, and half just floating along enjoying the day.
"So how are things between you and Jim?" Dan asked shyly during a lull in the conversation.
Trixie flushed. "Uh, you know. Same as usual."
"Hmm," Dan replied.
"How are things in your love life?" Trixie asked.
"What love life?" Dan joked, and then blushed. "I don’t get out very often," he said more seriously. "I don’t really want to."
"Why not?"
"Oh... I don’t know..." Dan trailed off. The two were silent for a moment. Then Dan said, "You haven’t seemed like yourself lately. You don’t talk to me as much as you used to."
Trixie blushed. Have I been avoiding Dan? I didn’t even realize it! To Dan, she said lamely, "I’m sorry... I guess I’ve been a little busy."
"With Jim?" Dan asked.
"Why do you keep asking about Jim?" Trixie asked back.
It was Dan’s turn to flush. "No reason... just wondering." He leaned back in the boat and stretched. Trixie unconsciously checked him out, thinking that he had a very nice body. When she realized what she had done she blushed, burying her face in her hands.
Dan leaned forward again. "Trixie, what’s wrong?"
Trixie laughed nervously and lifted her head. "Nothing!" she said quickly. She scooped some water out of the lake and splashed it on her face, avoiding Dan’s eyes. She sighed.
"Something’s wrong, I can tell. Trix, look at me." When Trixie wouldn’t look at Dan, he touched her chin and tilted her head up. "You can tell me," he said, bringing his face closer to hers, still keeping his hand on her chin.
Trixie looked into his eyes, remembering the dream she’d had. She felt a flutter in her stomach, the same flutter she felt every time she had that dream about Dan. She hadn’t felt like this with Jim in a long time.
"Oh, Dan, I..." She looked down at her lap, and fumbled with her fishing rod nervously. Suddenly she stood up. "It’s so hot out here, I need to cool off!" Trixie quickly pulled off her shorts and started to dive into the water.
"No! Don’t!" Dan cried, reaching out to try and grab her. But it was too late. Trixie dove into the water, and instantly felt the pain of gravel digging into her forehead as she hit the bottom. Then everything went black.
When she opened her eyes a minute later, she thought she was dreaming, because the tall dark man from her dream was holding her in his arms. He was saying something she couldn’t hear. "Dan?" she whispered.
"Shh," he whispered back. "It’s okay, I’ve got you." As Trixie became fully conscious, realized that Dan was standing in four feet of water, holding her in his arms. She felt sharp, shooting pains in her forehead.
"Ohh," Trixie groaned, and put her hand to her forehead, feeling warms, sticky blood. "I can’t believe I just did that!" And I can’t believe I was just rescued by Dan, she thought, enjoying the feel of his arms around her in spite of the pain in her forehead. This is kind of romantic!
"Shh, it’s okay. Just relax, I’m going to put you into the boat." Dan waded back over to the rowboat and strong arms lifted Trixie back in. Then he pulled himself in, grabbed his t-shirt from the floor of the boat, and wrapped it around her shoulders. He took a wet handkerchief out of his pocket and pressed it to her forehead.
"I’m such an idiot, I’ve done that before," Trixie said, remembering the time Honey had to drag her out of the lake by the roots of her hair. She groaned, half from pain, and half from the memory. However, this time she felt much worse and gingerly touched her forehead to try and feel how bad the wound was.
"Don’t worry about it. Just relax, I’m going to row us over to shore," Dan said as he picked up the oars and started gently rowing. Once on shore, Dan helped Trixie out of the boat and set her down on the ground, leaning against a tree. "Let’s see that wound," he said, as he gently removed the handkerchief from her forehead.
Trixie saw Dan frown, looking at her unusually pale face and the cut on her forehead. "Is it that bad?" she asked.
"Do you think you can make it to Mr. Maypenny’s?" Dan asked, deliberately ignoring her question. "It’s closer to here than the Manor House."
"I think so," Trixie said. She got up, but as soon as she stood straight, she felt dizzy and had to lean on Dan for support. He half-helped, half-carried her to Mr. Maypenny’s cabin in the woods.
"Shoot," Dan said as he opened the door of the cabin and saw boxes piled on the floor and on the sofa. "Mr. Maypenny’s been doing a clean-out of the cabin. There’s no room on the sofa. Would it be okay if you lie down on my bed?"
Trixie nodded. The flutter in her stomach started again at the prospect of being in Dan’s room and on his bed. She had never been in his room before, and she had never lain on a boy’s bed before, not even Jim’s. Dan led her to the back of the cabin. His room was small but neat, with a single bed next to a small dresser. On the opposite side of the room was a desk with a shelf hung above it holding all of Dan’s schoolbooks, and a picture of the Bob-Whites that had been taken last summer. Dan helped her down onto the bed. She was relieved to be able to lie down.
"I’ll be right back," Dan said. He went into the bathroom and returned with a first aid kit. After cleaning and bandaging Trixie’s head, he gave her a Tylenol and a glass of water.
"Take this, it will help the pain," he told her. "You rest here for a while. I’ll be in the living room."
"Thanks, Dan," Trixie replied softly. When he had left, she shut her eyes and sighed. Thoughts of Dan topless in the boat filled her head. Then she shook herself. He’s my friend, she thought. Only my friend. She rolled on her side and buried her face in Dan’s pillow. This pillow smells good, like Dan. Of course it does, silly! It’s his pillow! And when did you start noticing things like how he smells? She rolled onto her back again. And what about Jim? You like Jim, and he likes you!
Trixie’s thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock at the front door of the cabin. She heard Dan’s voice, and another familiar male voice. The voices got louder and it sounded like the two boys were arguing. Then Trixie heard loud footsteps across the wooden floor in the living room and suddenly the door to Dan’s room flew open. A very red-faced, angry-looking Jim stood in the doorway.
"Trixie! What do you think you’re doing?" Jim shouted, not even noticing the bandage on Trixie’s forehead. "Get up! You’re going home."
Trixie sat up dizzily. "Jim, I..."
"Jim!" Dan shouted from behind Jim. "Leave her alone! She’s not well!" Dan tried to pull Jim out of the room.
Jim shoved him back. "Don’t touch me, man! You think you’re some kind of hot shot, bringing my girl back here to your bedroom? I won’t have it!" The two boys started wrestling outside the doorway, as Trixie watched, stunned. After a minute of struggling, Dan pinned Jim to the ground.
"You either calm yourself, or get out!" Dan said through clenched teeth.
"You calm yourself! Get off me!" Jim said as he struggled underneath Dan.
Trixie got up and moved to the bedroom door. "Both of you calm yourselves! I won’t have you fighting like this! Right now, I don’t feel like talking to either or you!" Trixie slammed the bedroom door and locked it. She heard scuffling sounds out in the living room, and then there was a soft knock at the door.
"Trix? Please let me in, I’m sorry!" Jim’s voice called from the other side of the door.
"Trixie, I’m sorry too! Please open the door," Dan pleaded.
"Go away, both of you!" Trixie cried, and burst into tears on the bed. There was silence on the other side of the door for about five minutes, and then she heard the boys start arguing again. She rolled on her side and put the pillow over her head.
Two hours later Trixie unlocked the door and came out into the living room. Jim had left, and Dan was trying to tidy up the boxes.
"Hi," Dan said quietly. "Sit down. How are you?" he asked cautiously.
"I’m going home now," Trixie said crossly, and started for the door.
"I’ll walk you," Dan offered.
"No, I’ll be fine, thanks," she replied.
"You’re sure?" Dan asked.
"Very sure," she said firmly. "Thanks for your help this afternoon. See you later," she said as she walked out the door and headed towards Crabapple Farm. As soon as she was out of the yard, Dan crept out of the house and followed her to make sure she got home okay.
Once inside her house, Trixie headed straight to her room. Her mother knocked on the door.
"Come in," Trixie called quietly.
"Hi, dear," Mrs. Belden said. "Jim was here earlier. He told me you’d had an accident. How are you feeling? You look worn out! You lay right here, don’t worry about dinner. I’ll bring you a tray." She helped Trixie into bed and left, closing the door. A few minutes later there was another knock at her door.
"Come in," Trixie called again. This time the visitor was Mart.
"Trix, are you okay?" he asked as he pulled out her desk chair. Trixie nodded. "Good, because we need to talk," Mart said, uncharacteristically serious.
"About what?" Trixie asked.
"Dan... and Jim," Mart began. "Look, I have something to confess. Di and I saw you and Dan walk off into the woods together, and Dan had his arm around you. About a half hour later Jim, Honey and Brian showed up, and when Jim asked where you were, that’s what I told him. He got really mad and ran off into the woods. I had no idea you’d been hurt. I’m really sorry."
"Mart, why did you think I’d go off with Dan like that? You know I’d never do that to Jim," Trixie asked. "And why did Jim get so upset when he found me in Dan’s room? I don’t get it."
Mart paused, then sighed. "I guess you may as well know. Last summer Dan admitted to me that he likes you. More than a friend. But Brian overheard Dan telling me this, and Brian being Brian, he went and told Jim. Jim got all huffy and wanted to do something about it, but I stepped in and was able to calm him down. I know Dan would never step between you and Jim."
Mart was silent for a moment as Trixie let the news sink in.
"Jim was so mad today," she said. "He and Dan got in a fight. Was Jim here? What did he tell you?"
"Exactly that, and that you were lying on Dan’s bed because you’d hit your head on the bottom of the lake. He didn’t stay long, he was really upset."
Trixie groaned. "Let me explain the whole thing!" she said, told Mart the events of the day.
"Phew!" Mart said after Trixie had told her story.
"Don’t worry about it, I’ll straighten it out in the morning." Trixie said, yawning. "I should get some sleep. Good night."
The next morning Trixie woke up, peeled the bandages off her head, dressed, and headed down to breakfast. At her plate there was a bouquet of daisies with a note.
"Ooh, what’s this?" Trixie asked as she picked up the flowers and smelled them excitedly. She opened the note and read it silently. I’m sorry about what happened yesterday, it read. There was no signature on the bottom. Trixie smiled.
"They must be from Jim!" she said. "That’s so sweet, he hasn’t brought me flowers in a long time!"
Mart and Brian looked at each other, but said nothing.
Later that morning after she had dusted the living room, Trixie called Jim to thank him for the flowers.
"Hi, Trixie, how are you?" Jim answered cautiously.
"Much better, thank you," Trixie replied just as cautiously. "I wanted to say thank you for the flowers."
"What flowers?" Jim asked.
"The - you didn’t send me flowers this morning?" Trixie asked, confused.
"No..." Jim replied slowly.
Oh no, Trixie thought. They must be from Dan! To Jim she said, "I’ve gotta go, Jim. See you."
"Trixie, wait! Don’t hang up!" Jim said, but it was too late.
Trixie hung up the phone and slumped against the wall in the hallway, thinking hard. Just then, Brian walked by on his way out to work.
"Brian, did you know the flowers were from Dan?" Trixie asked, grabbing his arm.
Brian looked at her for a moment, and then nodded. "He swore us to secrecy," he tried to explain, as Trixie let go of his arm and motioned for him to go. He shook his head sadly and left.
Trixie wished she could call Honey and tell her everything, but there was no way she could call the Manor House without risking Jim answering the phone. Just then there was a knock at the back door, and Trixie heard it open. She hoped it wasn’t Jim. Or Dan. She didn’t feel like dealing with either of them at the moment.
"Hello? Trixie?" Honey’s voice rang out.
"Honey!" Trixie got up and ran to her. "Thank goodness you’re here!"
"Jim’s up at Manor House in a rage, yelling something about you and Dan. I came to see how things were. Are you okay?" Honey asked giving her friend a hug. The moment she was in Honey’s arms, Trixie burst into tears. "Let’s go up to your room where we can talk," Honey said, looking out at the back garden where Bobby was "holping" Mrs. Belden weed the garden. She led Trixie up to her room, where Trixie threw herself on the bed.
"Everything’s a mess," Trixie sobbed. "It... it’s all my fault!"
"No, it’s not," Honey soothed. "Can you tell me what happened yesterday?"
Tearfully, Trixie told Honey the whole story, ending with the phone call to Jim. "Now what do I do?" she asked.
"I don’t know," Honey said. "Do you still like Jim?"
"I’ve always liked Jim," Trixie said. "But lately... lately there’s been something missing between us... we act more like friends than girlfriend and boyfriend."
"Are you still attracted to him?" Honey asked.
Trixie thought for a moment. "Maybe, I don’t know," she said quietly.
"Are you attracted to Dan?"
Trixie shut her eyes, remembering yesterday when she and Dan were in the rowboat. She thought about the dreams she’d had, and how lately he’d been on her mind a lot.
"Trixie? Do you like Dan?" Honey asked again.
"Oh, Honey, I think I do! What am I going to do?"
"Trixie, I know Jim’s my brother, but you have to be true to yourself. You have to do what’s in your heart, because if you don’t, you’ll never be completely happy."
Trixie thought for a moment, not quite sure if she wanted to break up with Jim or not. "I guess you’re right," she said. "But I don’t really know what I want to do. If Jim and my relationship was different, I think I could be happy."
"Then I think you’d better go and talk to Jim," Honey replied.
After lunch Trixie headed up to Manor House to talk with Jim. She finally found him, down at the clubhouse.
"Hi, Jim," Trixie said quietly, standing in the doorway.
"Trixie," Jim said, getting up from the table. He walked over to her and took her hand. "I can’t even tell you how sorry I am about yesterday."
"Jim, I think we need to talk about our relationship," Trixie said.
Jim looked shocked for a moment, then nodded. "Let’s sit down," he said, pulling out a seat for Trixie.
She sat down and turned to face Jim, who had sat down next to her. She took his hands in hers and poured her heart out to him about all the feelings she’d been having lately about their relationship, but not telling him all the feelings she’d been having for Dan.
"So that’s what’s wrong," Jim said thoughtfully. "I thought that maybe they had something to do with Dan."
"Not at all!" Trixie shook her head.
"Let’s take our relationship to the next level," Jim said. "If that’s what I have to do to keep you, then I’m willing to do it."
"Thank you, Jim," Trixie said, not sure if she was doing the right thing in keeping Jim. A second later she was sure she had made a good choice, as Jim pulled her into his arms and onto his lap and kissed her passionately, kissing her with his tongue for the first time. Trixie felt that familiar flutter in her stomach again. This was just what she needed.
After the kiss had ended Trixie leaned back and grinned bashfully at Jim. "That was perfect," she said. She kissed him again, then wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck. They sat like that for a long while.
The next Saturday Diana was having a huge party at her house. Her parents were away on a business trip and the twins were at summer camp. Di had had the maids help her set up the living room and dining room, and caterers came to arrange a buffet table of food. Then all the servants were dismissed and the teens had the house to themselves for the evening. Almost all of the graduating seniors were invited, as well as some juniors and older friends of Brian, Mart, Jim and Dan. Trixie had bought a new blue summer dress for the occasion, and she, Honey and Di dressed in Di’s room.
"I’m so excited, I don’t think I’ll make it to the door when the first guest arrives!" Di exclaimed, putting a necklace around her throat.
"Me either! Trixie, you look stunning!" Honey said, admiring Trixie, who had just stepped out of the bathroom.
"Thank you," Trixie said, spinning around so they could see the dress. "Aside from the bump on my head. You two look fabulous, too! It’s too bad Jim will be late, I’ll probably be a mess by the time he gets here!" Jim had to work until 10 o’clock at his job in Sleepyside.
"You’ll look fine, you always do!" Di exclaimed. The doorbell rang, and she let out a shriek. "It’s starting!" she squealed as she dashed downstairs to get the door.
The first guest turned out to be Dan. "Hi, Trixie, you look really good," he said when Trixie finally came downstairs. She hadn’t seen Dan since her accident at the lake. He’d called the next day to see how she was, but that was all.
Trixie blushed, trying to fight away the flutter in her stomach that she got from seeing Dan. "You look good, too," she replied. Dan was wearing dressy black pants and a white short-sleeved shirt that accented the muscles in his arms. Just then more guests arrived, and Trixie rushed to the door the help her hostess greet everyone.
By 11 o’clock the party was in full swing and Jim still hadn’t shown up. Trixie was sitting on the windowsill, sipping a Coke. The lights had been dimmed in the living room, creating the perfect mood for dancing. The music was playing at full blast. Suddenly a slow song came on.
"Hey, Trixie," Dan said, slipping beside her. "I haven’t talked to you all night. May I have this dance?" he asked.
His words automatically reminded Trixie of the dreams she’d had. She hadn’t had one since the accident. Forget it, she told herself. You and Jim are happy now. Dan’s your friend, go ahead and dance. She turned to Dan and smiled. "Of course I’ll dance with you." She gave him her hand and let him lead her onto the dance floor.
"I meant to thank you for the flowers," Trixie said.
"I heard they caused you a bit of trouble," Dan replied. "I’m sorry about that."
"Don’t worry about it!"
"I’m really sorry about what happened last weekend," Dan said, blushing. "I didn’t mean for it to end up like that."
"It’s okay, Dan... I patched things up with Jim."
"Oh," Dan replied. "Good..." He sounds a little disappointed, Trixie thought. Why do I feel like I’ve let him down?
"Dan, I..." Trixie took a deep breath. "Mart told me..."
"I know..." Dan said, looking down at the floor. "He told me he told you."
"It’s okay," Trixie said, trying to put her friend at ease, trying to fight away the feelings that kept pounding at her from the inside. "I kind of... I don’t know. Never mind."
They kept on dancing and talking a little bit. The next song that came on was a slow song, too. It was one Trixie remembered dancing with Jim to. Jim, she thought. Where is he? She looked around the room, but there was no sign of him, and for some reason she felt a little relieved. She sighed.
"What’s wrong?" Dan asked.
Trixie sighed again. "Sometimes I just don’t know what to do anymore," she said, leaning her forehead against Dan’s shoulder in frustration. She lifted her head when Dan pulled her in a bit closer.
"You’ll be okay," Dan said. "You always are. You just have to follow your heart."
Trixie smiled, looking up at Dan. "That’s what Honey said,"
All of a sudden the lights in the living room went out, leaving the room completely black. But somehow the music kept playing. Someone must have turned the lights off as a joke. There were shrieks and shouts and loud giggles coming from different parts of the room.
In the dark Trixie leaned in towards Dan, and suddenly she felt his lips on hers. They stopped dancing and just stood there in each other’s arms. Without a thought about Jim, she let herself be swept into the kiss. He’s such a good kisser, she thought, wrapping her arms around Dan’s shoulders. When he started to pull away, she put her hand on the back of his neck and pulled him back to her.
They were still kissing when the lights came back on at full brightness, and then dimmed again to the level they were at before they went out. Trixie felt another hand on her arm.
"Trixie?" a wavering male voice said.
Abruptly Trixie pulled away from Dan, and turned, looking directly into the fiery eyes of Jim Frayne. His face was redder than his hair.
Trixie, confused, upset with herself, looked back at Dan, who was looking at her with a concerned expression on his face. She looked back at Jim, then Dan, then Jim again, and then turned and ran out of the room. She ran through the dining room to the back hall, and slipped out the side door in the kitchen. She ran around the house and down the driveway onto Glen Road, and didn’t stop running until she reached her front door. Quietly but with shaking hands, she unlocked the door and snuck upstairs into her room.
The next morning Trixie woke, half-wishing that last night was a nightmare. She knew she had to make a decision, and that it had to be done today. She had messed up really bad last night. She stayed in her room most of the morning, avoiding her brothers until they had gone out to do their chores. Then she came out of her room to do her chores.
Trixie hung around Crabapple Farm all day, purposely avoiding Manor House and the telephone. She tried to keep cool by staying inside, but by late afternoon the heat had gotten to her and all she wanted was a dip in the lake. I think I’ll sneak up through the woods to the lake, she thought. That way I can see if anyone’s there before they see me. She pulled on her suit and a sundress and headed towards the lake. She was in luck; nobody was swimming at the moment.
Trixie pulled off her sundress and dove into the cool water. She swam over to the floating raft and clung to the side of it, leaning her head back. Then she pushed off and just floated for a while, her ears under the water. She didn’t hear the footsteps coming down the path from the Manor House, but she heard the splash of someone diving into the lake, and looked up, startled. She didn’t know who it was until she saw Jim’s face emerge from the water.
Trixie swam to the raft and climbed on, not saying anything to Jim. Jim swam over and grabbed a hold of the raft.
"Hi," he said, red-faced and not too friendly. "Can I join you?" When Trixie nodded, he pulled himself up onto the raft.
They said nothing for a few minutes, and then Jim spoke. "I think we need to talk," he said.
"I know," Trixie replied, avoiding Jim’s eyes. This is it, she thought.
"How could you do that to me last night?"
Trixie hung her head. "I’m so sorry. I can’t even tell you how sorry I am."
Jim was silent for a moment. "What happens now?" he asked quietly.
The time had come for Trixie to make her decision. "It’s over between us, Jim," she replied quietly. When Jim didn’t say anything, she lifted her head and looked at him. He was looking across the lake. She noticed tears in his eyes, which made her eyes begin to water.
"You like Dan, don’t you?" he asked angrily. Then his expression turned sad. "No, don’t tell me."
"I’m so sorry Jim," Trixie replied. "You’re a wonderful person, and a really good friend. I didn’t want to hurt you."
Jim shook his head slowly, and said nothing.
"I hope we can still be friends," Trixie said lamely. "I know it will take some time..." she started to choke up.
"Whatever," Jim said softly. He still wouldn’t look at Trixie.
Trixie crawled over to Jim and gave him a hug. "I’m so sorry," she whispered as her hot tears dropped on to his bare back. Then she got up, dove into the water and headed for home, crying all the way.
The End