Your Voice Was The Soundtrack Of My Summer
Chapter Four
I swayed in the passenger’s seat of Patrick’s car to the song playing on the radio. The sun was just setting on the warmest day so far in Chicago. I watched the sunlight dance on Patrick’s body while driving past trees. It was nighttime when Patrick stopped the car. I looked around at my surroundings. We were parked outside a field. Patrick unhooked his seat beat and I followed. I breathed in the suburban air and smiled. Patrick took my hand we started walking onto the field. We got to a hill and I stopped and rocked back and forth on my heels.
“What?”
“You know Patrick it would be so much fun if we raced up the hill.”
But before Patrick could say anything I started running up the little hill. But then I fell sending Patrick down with me. We laughed uncontrollably as he lied on top of me. He brushed my bangs out of my eyes and kissed me gently. He rolled over onto the grass and held my hand.
“I’m guessing you’re wondering why I brought you here right?”
“Yes.”
He pointed up at the sky. I smiled a wide grin at the sight of the hundreds of stars in the sky.
“Wow.”
“Yeah it’s pretty awesome. My aunt and uncle took my cousins and I here a few summers ago. I wanted to bring you here before we left for Miami.”
“Well this is some kind of wonderful.” I said as I rolled over on my side, wrapping my arm around Patrick.
“Just like you?”
I smiled and laid my head on Patrick’s chest to listen to his heartbeat. I closed my eyes and breathed in his scent.
“Remember how I told you before the most memorable moment of my life so far was slow dancing with you at the dance? And how we were kind of like one?”
“Yeah.”
“I change my mind. This is the moment, the dance? It’s not as infinite as right now.”
Then right there my damn cell phone rang. It was my dad.
“Hello?”
“Hey Piper. Uh sorry for calling I know you’re with Patrick right now and just so you know I had nothing to do with this but Josephine insist on meeting Patrick before we decide if you can go to Miami.”
“What? That’s totally ridiculous! Dad, you had already decided that I could go to Miami.”
“I know but Josephine and I were talking and she made some very strong points on why I should meet Patrick.”
Of course the evil stepmother just can’t let a modern day Cinderella go to Miami with her Prince Charming.
“Fine, we’ll be home soon.”
I closed my phone shut and buried my face in Patrick’s shirt.
“What’s up Piper?”
“Well, we have to go back to my house so you can meet my dad and then, ‘dark lord.’”
“You mean your step mom?”
“Yes, apparently they’re having second thoughts about me leaving for Miami tomorrow because you’ll be coming.”
“What is this an interrogation?” Patrick joked.
“Pretty much. Come on, let’s go before Josephine completely convinces my dad to not let me go.”
During the ride I nervously turned the knob on the radio. Coincidently enough on one radio station they were playing, “Miami,” by Will Smith, I groaned.
“Listen buddy, I might not be going to Miami so just shut the fuck up.”
With that I turned the radio off. Patrick’s eyes widened at my sudden anger.
“Sorry, I’m just so nervous that my dad isn’t going to like you and I’ll be stuck home this summer.”
“Relax, and don’t be so pessimistic. Everything is going to be fine.”
I slumped in my seat and closed my eyes hoping I just fell asleep in the field and soon I’ll wake up in Patrick’s arms. But as I kept my eyes closed for the whole ride and we arrived at my house I discovered this was nothing but reality. “Ready?” Patrick asked me. I nodded my head slowly and slid out of the car. Patrick seemed completely calm, like I was meeting his parents. I opened the front door and called out to my dad and Josephine. They presented themselves before us like the picture perfect American couple. My dad was still wearing the suit he wears to work. And Josephine was wearing a pink and white floral print sundress. “Hello,” they both greeted Patrick at the same time.
“Hello Mister and Mrs. Jones. I’m Patrick Stump.”
Patrick sure was doing well so far in the manners department. I watched Josephine looked Patrick up and down. I rolled my eyes and excused myself to go get a soda.
“So Patrick come on in, take a seat, would you like some coffee or tea?”
“No, thanks Mr. Jones.”
“Call me Matt. So Piper has talked so much about you.”
“So dad I’m going to go up in my room to let you and Patrick know each other. Call me down when you’re ready to give me the verdict.”
My dad didn’t say anything he just waved. I felt the anger, and fear build up inside me. I needed to call Becky she always helps me when Josephine pulls shit like this. I locked my bedroom door shut and paced back and forth as I waited Becky to and her cell phone.
“Hello?”
“Hey Becky, how are you?”
“Um fine, you sound… lovely.”
“You don’t know the half of it. Guess what the step mom from hell pulled on me tonight?”
“Oh no, this sounds bad, and entertaining, I better go get some potato chips.”
“Patrick took me to this field, we were under the stars, everything was great. And then my mother fucking cell phone rings. It’s my father, he calls to tell me that Josephine and him were talking and she said it would be best if they could meet Patrick before I leave for Miami.”
“No!”
“Yeah, so right now my dad, Josephine, and Patrick are downstairs right now doing only God knows what. I’m freaking out here Becky! If my dad doesn’t like Patrick then I can’t go to Miami.”
“This really blows Piper.”
“Man I wish I could bang Josephine’s head up against a brick wall hoping she’ll get amnesia and forget she ever married my father.”
“And I’ll get a branding iron and put on her ass, ‘Becky was here.’”
“What does that have to do with her getting amnesia?”
“Because she won’t remember I did it, and all she’ll know of it is the searing pain coming from her right ass cheek.”
I laughed at what Becky had just said. See she always knew how to make me feel better. We talked about stuff we could do to Josephine until later on my dad called me down into the kitchen.
“I have to go, call me tomorrow morning.”
“Oh, I want you and Patrick to come over to my house for a, ‘goodbye Chicago see you fall,’ party.”
“Ok…”
I took that slow and painful walk down the stairway. Good Jesus I felt like I was a murder. Josephine was still in the living room with Patrick and my dad was in the kitchen pouring a cup of coffee.
“Hey there kiddo, I got you some coffee.”
“Thanks.”
The butterflies in my stomach told me not to drink the coffee. But I did anyway.
“Listen Josephine and I talked to Patrick, got to know him pretty well. And well I don’t mind you going to Miami.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, but Josephine on the other hand isn’t really fond of you going to Miami with Patrick at all, no matter if she likes him or not.”
“Oh… so I guess I’m not going.”
“Oh no, you’re going. I’ll just cover for you.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow, thanks.”
I jumped out of my seat and hugged my dad. I thought for sure I wasn’t going because my dad would do anything Josephine asks.
“Patrick and I are going over Becky’s. I might not be home until late. Is that ok?”
“Sure, just don’t get into any trouble.”
“I won’t. Thanks again.”
I happily skipped into the living room and grabbed Patrick’s hand. “Where are we going?” Patrick asked me as we put our seat belts on.
“Becky’s! HEY OH!”
Patrick laughed.
“I guess you’re going to Miami?”
“Yup! Now shut up and drive!”
I did a little victory dance as we drove down the quiet little street.
“What?”
“You know Patrick it would be so much fun if we raced up the hill.”
But before Patrick could say anything I started running up the little hill. But then I fell sending Patrick down with me. We laughed uncontrollably as he lied on top of me. He brushed my bangs out of my eyes and kissed me gently. He rolled over onto the grass and held my hand.
“I’m guessing you’re wondering why I brought you here right?”
“Yes.”
He pointed up at the sky. I smiled a wide grin at the sight of the hundreds of stars in the sky.
“Wow.”
“Yeah it’s pretty awesome. My aunt and uncle took my cousins and I here a few summers ago. I wanted to bring you here before we left for Miami.”
“Well this is some kind of wonderful.” I said as I rolled over on my side, wrapping my arm around Patrick.
“Just like you?”
I smiled and laid my head on Patrick’s chest to listen to his heartbeat. I closed my eyes and breathed in his scent.
“Remember how I told you before the most memorable moment of my life so far was slow dancing with you at the dance? And how we were kind of like one?”
“Yeah.”
“I change my mind. This is the moment, the dance? It’s not as infinite as right now.”
Then right there my damn cell phone rang. It was my dad.
“Hello?”
“Hey Piper. Uh sorry for calling I know you’re with Patrick right now and just so you know I had nothing to do with this but Josephine insist on meeting Patrick before we decide if you can go to Miami.”
“What? That’s totally ridiculous! Dad, you had already decided that I could go to Miami.”
“I know but Josephine and I were talking and she made some very strong points on why I should meet Patrick.”
Of course the evil stepmother just can’t let a modern day Cinderella go to Miami with her Prince Charming.
“Fine, we’ll be home soon.”
I closed my phone shut and buried my face in Patrick’s shirt.
“What’s up Piper?”
“Well, we have to go back to my house so you can meet my dad and then, ‘dark lord.’”
“You mean your step mom?”
“Yes, apparently they’re having second thoughts about me leaving for Miami tomorrow because you’ll be coming.”
“What is this an interrogation?” Patrick joked.
“Pretty much. Come on, let’s go before Josephine completely convinces my dad to not let me go.”
During the ride I nervously turned the knob on the radio. Coincidently enough on one radio station they were playing, “Miami,” by Will Smith, I groaned.
“Listen buddy, I might not be going to Miami so just shut the fuck up.”
With that I turned the radio off. Patrick’s eyes widened at my sudden anger.
“Sorry, I’m just so nervous that my dad isn’t going to like you and I’ll be stuck home this summer.”
“Relax, and don’t be so pessimistic. Everything is going to be fine.”
I slumped in my seat and closed my eyes hoping I just fell asleep in the field and soon I’ll wake up in Patrick’s arms. But as I kept my eyes closed for the whole ride and we arrived at my house I discovered this was nothing but reality. “Ready?” Patrick asked me. I nodded my head slowly and slid out of the car. Patrick seemed completely calm, like I was meeting his parents. I opened the front door and called out to my dad and Josephine. They presented themselves before us like the picture perfect American couple. My dad was still wearing the suit he wears to work. And Josephine was wearing a pink and white floral print sundress. “Hello,” they both greeted Patrick at the same time.
“Hello Mister and Mrs. Jones. I’m Patrick Stump.”
Patrick sure was doing well so far in the manners department. I watched Josephine looked Patrick up and down. I rolled my eyes and excused myself to go get a soda.
“So Patrick come on in, take a seat, would you like some coffee or tea?”
“No, thanks Mr. Jones.”
“Call me Matt. So Piper has talked so much about you.”
“So dad I’m going to go up in my room to let you and Patrick know each other. Call me down when you’re ready to give me the verdict.”
My dad didn’t say anything he just waved. I felt the anger, and fear build up inside me. I needed to call Becky she always helps me when Josephine pulls shit like this. I locked my bedroom door shut and paced back and forth as I waited Becky to and her cell phone.
“Hello?”
“Hey Becky, how are you?”
“Um fine, you sound… lovely.”
“You don’t know the half of it. Guess what the step mom from hell pulled on me tonight?”
“Oh no, this sounds bad, and entertaining, I better go get some potato chips.”
“Patrick took me to this field, we were under the stars, everything was great. And then my mother fucking cell phone rings. It’s my father, he calls to tell me that Josephine and him were talking and she said it would be best if they could meet Patrick before I leave for Miami.”
“No!”
“Yeah, so right now my dad, Josephine, and Patrick are downstairs right now doing only God knows what. I’m freaking out here Becky! If my dad doesn’t like Patrick then I can’t go to Miami.”
“This really blows Piper.”
“Man I wish I could bang Josephine’s head up against a brick wall hoping she’ll get amnesia and forget she ever married my father.”
“And I’ll get a branding iron and put on her ass, ‘Becky was here.’”
“What does that have to do with her getting amnesia?”
“Because she won’t remember I did it, and all she’ll know of it is the searing pain coming from her right ass cheek.”
I laughed at what Becky had just said. See she always knew how to make me feel better. We talked about stuff we could do to Josephine until later on my dad called me down into the kitchen.
“I have to go, call me tomorrow morning.”
“Oh, I want you and Patrick to come over to my house for a, ‘goodbye Chicago see you fall,’ party.”
“Ok…”
I took that slow and painful walk down the stairway. Good Jesus I felt like I was a murder. Josephine was still in the living room with Patrick and my dad was in the kitchen pouring a cup of coffee.
“Hey there kiddo, I got you some coffee.”
“Thanks.”
The butterflies in my stomach told me not to drink the coffee. But I did anyway.
“Listen Josephine and I talked to Patrick, got to know him pretty well. And well I don’t mind you going to Miami.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, but Josephine on the other hand isn’t really fond of you going to Miami with Patrick at all, no matter if she likes him or not.”
“Oh… so I guess I’m not going.”
“Oh no, you’re going. I’ll just cover for you.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow, thanks.”
I jumped out of my seat and hugged my dad. I thought for sure I wasn’t going because my dad would do anything Josephine asks.
“Patrick and I are going over Becky’s. I might not be home until late. Is that ok?”
“Sure, just don’t get into any trouble.”
“I won’t. Thanks again.”
I happily skipped into the living room and grabbed Patrick’s hand. “Where are we going?” Patrick asked me as we put our seat belts on.
“Becky’s! HEY OH!”
Patrick laughed.
“I guess you’re going to Miami?”
“Yup! Now shut up and drive!”
I did a little victory dance as we drove down the quiet little street.